Monday, March 11, 2013

2013 Dress Form Ball

While visiting some of my favorite blogs, I noticed a few of them had participated in the Polka Dot Closet's "Dress Form Ball" last February. Now I have always wanted a dress form... and after seeing the wonderful things others had done with theirs in studios and bedrooms, I wanted my very own even more. Alas, the hunt proved difficult as antique forms were far out of my comfortable budget allowance for such extravagance... but I persevered searching for months on eBay, Etsy and even whilst antique shopping in person at home and on vacation.

Then a few weeks ago, I found one on Kijiji... and hubby bought it for me for Valentine's Day! He had some other ideas for gifts, one being the DVD set of my favorite mini-series "The Thorn Birds"; but this made it even easier for him and I was able to finally have a vintage form.

Alright! Just in time to participate in this year's:


And as a nod to that favorite Mini-Series of mine, may I present "Meggie":


She is wearing, well "Me"!  This is my wedding dress, circa 1980. I made it myself; and after just that one day of exposure, the poor thing has been hanging in a dark closet for 33 years. (Holy crap, I guess that makes it "Vintage" too... yikes!)

After a gentle wash, fitting Meggie into it was a challenge; I was only able to get this on her by opening a seam in the back.  She's about 2" larger around the waist than I was at the tender age of 19! (Ah, youth! I dare say I could never, ever fit into this anymore!)


She's dressed up the gown to make it more Victorian and less, well, "bridal". The hat is new; after searching the internet for Victorian hat styles, I created this from a white top hat, ostrich feathers, white flower with pearl center, a vintage brooch, white dove and a wrap of lace that ties in a knot and falls down her back, a little farther than the length of the sleeves.


A cameo and set of pearls adorn her neck. Every stylish Victorian lady had a cameo!


A closer view of the headpiece. Of course I wore a traditional veil for my wedding, but I do wish these were in style in the 1980's - I LOVE the top hat look!


A bit of bling has been added at the waist; a jeweled sash from which a gold pocket watch hangs. A pair of vintage white gloves are folded and tucked into the other side of the sash. Since it had a long ribbon tie, I purposely moved the tie from the back to the side to display the bow.


A closer look at the lace detail at the bottom.


I love how she looks!


Now who do I see about a cuppa tea? Let's get this party started!

Thank you so much Carol, for the invitation to your Second Annual Dress Form Ball. I just know Meggie will have a wonderful time visiting all the other guests!


70 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness, she is the lovely lady indeed! I just realized this mean my wedding dress is vintage, as well. Egads!!!

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    1. Thank you Kathy! Ha! Yeah, but better "vintage" (more than 20 years old) than "antique" (more than 100 years old!).

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  2. Now you know that I am totally in love with your dress form!!
    I adore your Wedding gown on her!! It is beautiful and I lOVE the hat!!

    She sure is quite a Looker!! Stunning!! I will have my post up for the Ball later today after I get home from work....

    Hugs,
    Deb

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    1. I loved seeing yours as well Debbie! Funny that our two girls have very similar dresses! Great minds think alike ;) Thank you so much!

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  3. Girl this is just beautiful!!! Your dress is dreamy!!! It reminds me of Kate's dress (all that lovely lace) and the hat!!! Ohhh just a stunner! She'll be the belle of the ball! :)

    Hugs,

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    1. Aw, thank you Katherine! I adored Kate's dress too - yes it DID remind me of mine!

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  4. I just found your blog through the dress form ball. I am so happy that I did, your glog is lovely. If it makes you feel any better I don't think many people can ever fit back in to their wedding dresses ! lol

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    1. Thank you and welcome Melanie! Yes, that DOES make me feel better! Ha!

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  5. You did such an amazing job sewing your wedding dress. It's gorgeous and Meggie looks just fabulous wearing it. The beautiful hat is a wonderful addition to the elegant dress.
    Hugs,
    Julia

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    1. Thank you Julia! I still remember making my dress... it was the "frugal" way to go, and I got just what I wanted.

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  6. What a gorgeous dress!!!! Beautiful!!!!

    xoxo

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    1. Thank you Marsha! I still have to visit all the other guests at the party... there are so many wonderful creations!

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  7. That's perfect for your studio! I really thought the dress was from the early 1900s. You did a great job with it. Be careful when you vacuum so that you don't catch the bottom of the dress in it!

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    1. Ha! Thanks JoJo! I do love the high collar and lace. I am glad I kept it; although it needed a good wash. It was very yellowed... and yes, I shall be sure to keep the vacuum well away from that hem - Yikes! ;)

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  8. Meggie is beautiful! Also love your blog!

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  9. Oh! Beautiful, every bit of it!

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    1. Thanks Dez... I am glad I get to enjoy my wedding dress again after nearly 33 years!

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  10. What a gorgeous gown you dressed your dressform in Maureen! I just love that hat, too. A perfect way to finish off this beautiful look!

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    1. Thank you Kathy! I sure wish top hats were "in" for women back in 1980... I would have loved to have worn one! It was fun to create it.

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  11. Hi! I randomly found the dress form ball and came across yours and am so in LOVE! She's beautiful! I love your aesthetic and the vintage bridal gown. Really really stunning!!!

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    1. Oh yay! So glad you stumbled across the Ball and made your way over. Welcome! You are too kind, thank you!

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  12. Absolutely gorgeous, and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the hat!.. Thank you for the tea, and very nice to meet you via the Dress Form Ball today! ~tina

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    1. You are very welcome, glad you enjoyed the tea. Great to meet you as well; stop by anytime and thank you!

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  13. Oh, Oh, OH my! I thought where did she get this dress???? You made it! It is absolutely stunning and the hat and all of the details. I wish you could have been here when she stepped from the carriage. OH, yes quite a bit of envy on the faces of the other guests!! She is having a wonderful time and I will send her home safe and sound when the ball is over!! Thank you so much for attending and taking the time to dress her and pose her!! I think my "Belle" may have to move over....We have a new Belle of the ball!!

    Carol

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    1. Oh, no, your Belle is certainly the "Belle of the Ball!" But Meggie is having a wonderful time; meeting all kinds of new friends and chatting up old acquaintances... Thank you so much for hosting this wonderful event - and for your extremely kind comments Carol. I have been looking forward to attending ever since I saw last year's party!

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  14. Great way to gussy up that dress form and the perfect gift from your husband. My wedding dress would be vintage too (only 24 years for me, but I wore my mom's and they just celebrated 52 years.) I can't believe you made it yourself...it deserves to be out of the closet and into view!

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    1. Thank you so much Laurie! It was so much fun to dress Meggie for the party... wow, you wore your Mother's dress? Awesome!

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  15. She is stunning and how sweet to have your wedding gown on her...love that!

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    1. Thanks so much Ceekay! And thank you for stopping by to visit!

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  16. WOW, this is the prettiest dress form ever. And, you made it yourself. Mine would be vintage too. The hat your girl is wearing is stunning. Simply all gorgeous and I am sure the hit of the Ball.
    Have Fun.
    Hugs, Celestina Marie

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    1. Thank you Celestina! It sure is a great idea Carol had; I am looking forward to visiting each and every guest this week!

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  17. You made that? What a beautiful dress and the lace is gorgeous! I love the hat and pretty belt too. I was just thinking about The Thorn Birds the other day. Meggie is a perfect name!

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    1. Oh The Thorn Birds is my most favorite book and mini-series! I remember going on the bus and laughing at all the women reading the book at the same time (including me!) Thank you for your kind comments; yes, my mom taught me to sew; although the most often I used that skill after making my wedding dress was making Halloween costumes!

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  18. Lovely lace on your dress!

    Lynnie

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  19. Not only is Meggie gorgeous and radiant at the ball...she seems to be the talk of the ball. In your gorgeous hand created lace wedding dress and that fabulous white top hat their is nothing to compare. Stunning...

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    1. Ha! Thank you Createology... what a sweet thing to say. Welcome; so glad you stopped by!

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  20. What a lovely dress. And Meggie wears it beautifully. She truly does have a wonderful Victorian look about her. Simply divine.

    Hugs,
    ❤Ana

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    1. Thank you Ana... I was quite surprised, really, that my old dress ended up looking so Victorian. I guess my love of this time period goes back farther than I thought! You are too kind thank you.

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  21. oh so pretty--I think all the little 'fuss-ups' you added like the top hat and cameo and pocket watch add to her divine look... she is amazing

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    1. Thanks CatieAn! I didn't have the belt for my original dress, but I wanted a way to display the vintage gloves; then I spotted the watch in my stash and thought "Why not?" Even though it's a man's watch, I love the look.

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  22. I'm so excited. This is so fun. Your's is beautiful and what a gorgeous wedding dress. I only found out about this party yesterday so didn't (or couldn't do much) but it is so fun..Happy Monday..Judy

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    1. It HAS been fun, hasn't it? I have visited about a dozen guest's so far, and am looking forward to seeing everyone's creations. Thank you so much for your kind words and stopping by.

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  23. Oh Glory, she is just lovely and you made that dress, just glorious. I hope your girl meets my girl at the party, Di@Cottage-wishes

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    1. Aw, thank you Di! I shall be sure to stop by; I will be spending the week enjoying visits to every guest at the party!

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  24. Oh soooo beautiful! The dress is simply gorgeous and the hat is stunning!

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    1. Thank you Jo! Believe it or not, that hat started out with a simple $5 white top hat from a local costume shop.... it was so much fun to embellish!

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  25. Oh, my!! She is lovely and sophisticated in every possible way. Love everything about her. ; )
    ~Michele

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    1. Thank you Michele! You are so sweet to stop by and leave a comment!

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  26. oh my word she is stunning! she reminds me of the Ann Of Green Gabels series, I would keep her displayed in my bedroom or sewing room, love her!
    Helen

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    1. Thank you Nanna! I know what you mean; I have seen costumes from that series and yes, I guess she WOULD fit right in!

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  27. That is lovely! I love dress forms too but only have some miniatures. A gift from hubby huh? Blessings, Patti

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    1. Yes, I was so happy to get the dress form for Valentine's Day - just in time to go to the Ball! Thank you Patti!

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  28. Meggie is beautiful and quite the proper lady too. You are a great seamstress.

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  29. So so nice dress ! You could come with me and realize your costume for the Venice carnival ! I'm pleased to be your newest French follower !
    xoxo from PARIS
    Joƫlle

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    1. Oh now THAT sounds like a party!!! Welcome all the way from Paris! I have visited your wonderful city way back in 1976.... oh how I wish I could return! Thank you Joelle!

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  30. Love the wedding dress! She certainly looks ready for the ball.

    Judy

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    1. It was so much fun Judy, thank you for stopping by!

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  31. Maureen, how lovely she looks and even more special because of your wedding dress that you made..truly special..hoping you had as much pleasure out of dressing her as we have had seeing her in person! well done!
    xoxo

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    1. Thank you Dagmar! It was so great to see the dress again, I am surprised it lasted this long!

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    1. Thank you Kelly! It was such a great idea Carol had to put on the Ball for us all to enjoy!

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  33. Hi Maureen! Oh my Goodness how beautiful! I love every bit of it and all the details included! You must have been a beautiful bride in that gown and hat! Totally to die for! I bet every jaw dropped when she entered the ball! Meggie is just perfection!

    Have a wonderful weekend!
    Debi

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    1. Aw, you are too kind! Thank you so much for the sweet comment and for stopping by!

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  34. I especially love the hat you made, and hanging the watch from it is a great touch!

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    1. Thank you Laurie! It makes it a bit less "wedding" I hope! Thank you for coming by.

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  35. Beautiful. I love Carol's blog. I didn't get my girl dressed and to the ball on time but next year Meggie will have some company. I have a similar dress and maybe I'll dye it so they won't show up wearing the same thing. That would be a disaster!

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    1. Carol's blog is great, isn't it? I do hope you join in the fun next year; it was a blast to participate this year! Ha! Please don't dye it on my account - who knows, Meggie just might go a bit more Steampunk next year! Thank you so much for dropping by and leaving such a nice comment!

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Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know you were by. I appreciate and read with delight each and every comment!

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