But a whole weekend of socializing meant I needed more clothes to wear, and even if it’s easy to sew this kind of stuff, I hate sewing, I didn’t have a lot of time, and I didn’t wanna. Thus, throw money at the problem!
At some point last year, I’d bought this dark red dress off Amazon ($120), thinking it had a more romantic gothic vibe (which I dig) than strictly Regency. The quality is pretty nice for what it is — heavy weight polyester satin with a substantial drape. The bodice is lined in cotton, giving it more structure and comfort. There are no closures, just elastic along the bottom front edge of the neckline and all around the empire waistline. You wouldn’t absolutely need to wear a petticoat with this, though I always think it’s a good idea. I bought an XXL, which was an accurate fit on my 16-18 modern dress size. One thing to note is that this dress is not available by Amazon Prime and takes about a month to ship.
Since I’m 5’2″, I had to hem it by about a foot (always an issue any time I buy off-the-rack clothing). I did this by machine and then covered that stitch line with some cool black trim. I added a bit more of the same trim at the wrists, which I shortened a smidge, again, because I’m petite, and I sewed this part by hand because the wrist wouldn’t fit on my machine. But really, this dress looked suitable out of the bag and the trim was because I wanted a more goth look.
My big splurge was $219 on the Nicole Velvet Regency Pelisse Coat by Recollections in purple velvet. Their items are generally well constructed of decent materials, and these can be useful base pieces for a costume. Recollections makes items to order, but their costumes aren’t custom fitted. You can tell them your measurements and they’ll help you pick the right size from their chart, which has worked for me in the past. Orders are filled within 5 to 7 weeks, and I was cutting it close for this event, but when I stated my due date in the order, I got an email confirmation that it was OK.
For something to wear under the purple coat, I headed back to Amazon to buy a basic white dress. Oh it’s basic alright — thin polyester fabric with elastic bands to “fit” everything, but you really shouldn’t expect much more for $30. There are three non-functional buttons in the back, and no real closures, just elastic around the neckline, waistline, and sleeve edges (which are pleasingly not too tight on my thick upper arms). Due to the light weight of the fabric, you definitely want to wear this with a full petticoat, and my preference is to wear it under another layer (pelisse, jacket, etc.) as well due to the thinness. The XXL fit just right on me with the obligatory foot chopped off the hem. This dress is usually available via Prime (depending on size), so you can get it in a couple days time. The same style also comes in four solid colors.
Alas, the pelisse coat arrived one day after my Regency house party! So while the item is very nice quality (if a little long; bane of my existence), I have no idea when I’ll wear it. Plus, because I had started to despair of its arrival, I had to bang out an alternative to wear over the white dress — a black linen spencer jacket I’d started two years ago.
When I planned for the purple pelisse, I figured I needed a hat. Kendra pointed me towards a 1960s hat on eBay ($28) that would suffice. I added some luscious purple silk satin ribbon I’d been hoarding for years, along with flowers and feathers from my stash. I kinda think all the trims will be unseen when I actually wear it though.
So for about $178, mostly spent on Amazon, I had a new Regency wardrobe to be worn with undergarments and accessories from my closet (add another $219 for the pelisse that arrived too late to wear). Sure, it might be cheaper if I sewed everything from scratch using bed sheets, but I accomplished all this in about a month with only a weekend’s worth of actual sewing or construction. Even the black spencer that I sewed at the last minute technically came from the stash — I already had the materials, even the vintage buttons and belt buckle. As someone with limited time and a massive hatred of sewing, I was still able to create two full new outfits so I could have a fun weekend with friends! Here’s how the looks came together…
The red dress was for an evening event. I wore it over a RedThreaded corset and a long bridal petticoat, with a black silk sash I made ages ago and jet jewelry.
The white dress was for a daytime stroll along the beach. I also wore this over a RedThreaded corset (which is black, and yes, you can see it a little through the dress bodice) and a long, full petticoat I made previously, plus the same black silk sash as with the red dress. I accessorized with the hat I decorated here, a coffin necklace by a local artist, and even my wire-framed glasses from Zenni Optical for a period-esque look.
More pix of the white dress with the black spencer on its own page. If I ever do get a chance to wear the velvet pelisse, I’ll update with how it looks too.
Bonus store-bought costume item! Target had this floral duster designed by Universal Thread for sale briefly in summer 2021 (possibly still available on clearance). It’s a soft, drapey, perfectly comfortable 100% cotton in a very 16th-century through early-19th-century print. Thus, the “Target banyan” swept costuming social media, myself included. At $28, it was a steal, and I used it as a robe during this same house party.
Vanessa coincidentally brought her Target banyan for the trip too!
Proof that shopping is a perfectly valid form of costuming, and you don’t have to sew every stitch to join the party!
Great finds!