One of my quests in the Garment District after Costume College was to find something for that Elizabethan gown. I had no real plans or ideas, other than wanted something super pretty, mostly historically accurate, and slightly ambitious. Towards the end of the day, under Bridget’s excellent guidance, I found a burgundy patterned cotton-blend velveteen and got almost 7 yards (what was left on the bolt) of 60″ wide material for $60 cash. Wow! I was impressed with this fabric. It’s totally my color, natch, and the pattern is excellent for the era. On the drive home from L.A., I came up with some ideas for this gown too.
Perfect burgundy fabric
I looked for any kind of embroidered silk but (a) everything that looked even remotely period cost at least $30+ per yard and (b) they were all home-dec fabrics so the pattern scale was pretty big. Meaning, they’d look great as curtains or on a couch, but they’d overwhelm petite lil’ me. Phooey. Still, even with a coordinating solid, this burgundy fabric will look great.