In Search of the Perfect Ren-faire Gown, Part 2

 I promised lots of pictures, and here they are.  Part 2 of the saga involved discarding the premise of historical accuracy altogether and getting my fairy tale on.  This was possibly because I was envying the woman in front of me in line at the faire, or rather envying her light yellow medieval-style dress (gown? kirtle? bah, whatever, it was nice) and how it was all thin and flowy.  Then I figured, eh, what the heck, I've got a pattern for that.  OK, I went the pattern route.  McCall's M5499 to be exact (actually, usually I prefer Simplicity--check out their Regency and Victorian/Steampunk for comparison).  And in case you're wondering if it really calls for 7 yards of your fabric of choice, the answer is only if you're built along basketball-player lines.  Anybody want about 2-1/2 yards of apple-green satiny stuff?  Also, word to the wise, if you're shortening the pattern at or near the waist, remember to narrow it back down too--you know, preferably before you've already sewed the pieces together and then keep having to take it in.

So...above was the work in progress, minus sleeves and trim.

 Each of these down here is a shot of the finished product from different angles.  Wanted to catch the lacing in back.  I also wanted to do a close-up to show off the trim; well, it sort of works...

This one to the left I included because of the unintentional Weeping Angel effect.  Actually all I meant to do was get a profile shot, but heck, accidentally elaborate hair plus bell sleeves plus wide skirt plus scowl equal...well, not nightmare fuel, but pretty funny all the same.

Now, question is, to make the hat or not to make the hat?  Yeah, one of those cone-shaped ones with the veil draped over it.  Not particularly convenient for running around the faire in, but I just hacked off about a foot of hair for Locks of Love a few weeks ago and besides, hats are cool.  Oh well, that'll be Part 3 if it ever gets made.  Who knows?

By the way, in case you hadn't figured it out already, I have a drawerful of patterns catalogued in chronological order based on historical period.  If time travel existed in my lifetime I think I'd have a ball.  Or several.