I think I died and went to heaven today...

The manfriend and I went to the Huntington in Edwardian costume, and it was simply divine. Not only are the grounds and mansion BEAUTIFUL, but it has an extensive collection of GAINSBOROUGH as well as other 17th-20th century portraits from the masters. SOOOOOO many full-length portraits of ladies in gorgeous clothing! It was seriously heaven!!!

Frankly, I just love being in old places in the correct costume. It just feels... right. I was looking at my reflection in a mirror and thinking, Arabella Huntington looked into this same mirror wearing clothes like mine. Her guests looked into this mirror wearing clothes like mine. And here I am. It's a surreal, wonderful feeling that I crave and adore.

I'll write more on the whole wonderful day later on, but right now I need to get to bed. Here's just a couple pictures until tomorrow! Err today...?

     

and already have plans, I finished my 1910 tea dress entirely and am now working on the petti for the caraco. Productive night tonight as far as sewing goes; not so much in the socializing department. :-P

Tomorrow, the manfriend and I are going vintage clothes shopping and then visiting San Juan Capistrano mission. The only old stuff we have in Southern California... *sigh* But it should be fun. I wish I could go in costume, but I'm not sure what era they portray there, and it's also Spanish so it's bound to be a little different. It was founded in 1775, but I could also go in something later than that... Maybe I'll just be "normal" for the day and feel really left out when I see the living history people there. Oh well! :-P

The vintage clothes are for our Edwardian outing to the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens. They just finished renovating the 1911 GORGEOUS mansion, so I want to wear my 1910 dress. But the manfriend has nothing by way of anything vintage. I just want to get him something passable for Edwardian. Just trousers and a vest and a shirt. He'll part his hair on the side and wear dress shoes. We'll make do. :] I think I'm slowly bringing him over to the dark side of costuming... Mwahahahha!!!!

Today I visited the Whaley House, one of the most haunted houses in America (although I didn't see anything!). I just loved being in a gorgeous old house in period dress! It was built in 1857 so I wore my gold dress which is more 50s than my others. I brought my cloak as well, since it was chilly and due to rain. It really is oddly serene to be accurately dressed in an old house... everything just feels right! My darling boy also bought me some lovely souvenirs: the game of graces and some prettily-scented toiletries! Then we visited Heritage Park, although most everything was closed as it was nearing evening. Would've liked to had tea at the tea shop but... another time! I need a reason to go back! It was so fun...

         

Finished this in a frenzy! I was sick last night, and my hands were shaking as I cut the velvet, but I really had to get it done! It's basically perfect except for my inability to attach hooks and eyes correctly, so the hooks were totally showing; I got so fed up with it that half-way through the evening I changed into my teen dress (which I SEWED myself into because the hooks and eyes on that are messed up as well). But the dress really is lovely. There's nothing like real silk! I felt so elegant...