Mrs Ráth (born Gizella Melcsicky) was the wife of György Ráth, the first director of the Museum of Applied Arts in Hungary. She lived at the turn of the 19th/20 century.
As a reenactor I already played her caracter, when we did out "Spirits in the house" game in the willa, that is a museum today and houses part of her husband's collecton. Then I portrayed her in a bustle dress, citing that it was the fashion of her youth, and she "haunts" the in that because that was her favorite style.
This year we planned to reenact and actual event that happened, when, not long after her husband died, the emperor of the austrian empire and king of Hungary, Franz Joseph Habsburg visited the villa in 1906.
My first reaction was that I don't have, and not planning to make black mourning clothes, we have to figure out how to make work the late Victorian/Edwardian clothes I already have.
However, I already had a bee in my bonnet (or as we say in Hungarian, a bug in my ears). I stated a few times here too, that I do not like black clothes, and I am not wearing them, if I can avoid it. But then the black francaise gown I made a few years ago was a huge success, and I also grew to love the black witch clothes I wore in out little play last Xmas. Besides I felt it is a challenge, and when do I say no to a challenge?
My first attempt was making the black and white striped set (here/shirt, here/skirt and here/jacket), but that ended up way too steampunk-ish...
And, of course, the wheels in my head kelt turning at an alarming pace. The case was not helped by the fact that in the fabric store (I Love Textil, what else), I bumped into a roll of gorgeous, somewhat shiny black linen/viscose fabric.
I walked over to the haberdashery wholesaler -kind of- close to us, and got a few rolls of cotton lace, and set out trying the machine sewn lace insertion technique I found on youtube. I wanted a bit more than just vertical inserts at the seamlines, so I added 3 lines in V shape at the front of the skirt.
This time I used my "bigger" late victorian/edwardian skirt pattern, designed by Angela Clayton. I used it before (here, and here), and while I love it, especially, the big, almost semi-circle back, the problems I had with it the first time, still exist... Namely it is waay too long, and it has a train, and no sign where to cut off, if I want to use it without a train. It caused me a problem, as in trying to find the correct length, I incidentally cut it a bit too short, and had to add a piece to the back (but then, piecing is period).
I was considering adding pockets to the skirt, but because of the lace inserts, it would have been more complicated than I was about to do. But, though you cannot see it on the pictures, I added a small watch pocket, just below the waist, and I also inserted a small loop under the waistband. Since I do not have a chatelaine, I use that little loop to clip my watch too, while I put a kerchief and/or my regular digital wrist-watch in the small pocket.
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