Pécs

 I almost titled this "Restart", but that would be just another way of saying "I am coming back", exactly, which I said... a month ago. 

Of course I had the excuse of an extremely busy september (and then October isn't looking much better either), but the intention is there, though it is so hard to start, to decide what to start with.

If I do it time-wise, should I do it from the oldest thing toward today, or from the newest thing backward, or totally randomly? 

Since I have an awful headache, and can't even think properly, at the moment, let's do the simplest thing, the thing I have fresh memory of, something from this weekend :-)

However, to do that, I have to go back a couple of years, when in one of the reenactor groups a friend was looking for someone to sew Napoleonic / Regency clothes for a museum. Someone suggested me to him, he contacted me, and then he "introduced" me to Ildi, who is leading the museum-pedagogia in her museum in Pécs (which is a little more than 2,5 hours drive from Budapest. As we were talking, it became clear that they were not looking for Napoleonic, but early victorian (which is the "age of reform" for us), but hey, I can do that too. All through the project we became friends, I made the whole set of early victorian dress (from the undershirt, through the corset to the dress), and later that year, they asked for the male clothing items (shirt, waistcoat, pants. They did have a jacket, that was not my work). I never really wrote about them, they only appeared in the reel summarising my sewing for 2023. 

Fast forward to this fall, when the theme for this year's Fall Festival of Museums turned out to be "fashion and fashion history", and I saw from a Facebook event that the Museum of Pécs is planning a "Fashion of thousand year" event, including a fashion show, and I got curious. I wrote a message to Ildi, asking for more info, and thinking that since I do not have any hard engagement, event, etc for that day, I might even go down and see it. She called me back promptly and as our talk turned this way and that, she mentioned, how much they learned from me, when I took the finished dress, helped to put it on the manequein, and told about each piece, their history, use and such. Then and at a certain point, she asked, if I am planning to go, would I be willing to be a part of the event.

Oh, sure, I would. 

I was happy to talk about fashion, and especially about stays and corsets, their use, their functions (of which making one's waist thinner is the very last in the list).

Then it was such a joy to see the clothes I made years ago being used, and being used as intended, to tell people about history. Also to see that those clothes I made are valued, and carefully taken care of.

And, to top the afternoon, it was a joy to appear at the end of the fashion show as Maria Theresa (from whom the city received a free royal city status), and then talk about her for the people in the guided tours in the exhibition.

And, of course I had to grab a picture with the young people wearing those clothes. 

I am thankful for the friendship with Ildiko Toldi Hoffmanné, the invitation.

This was exactly the type of day/event I thought up making a Maria Theresa character, and sewn that black dress. It was good to finally prove to myself, that it can work this way.

Also, thankful for my son, Chris's help. Norbert was working, he could not take me there, but my boy stepped up, drove me there, took the pictures, and helped me. I keep wondering how, and when did he became such a lovely, responsible and helpful adult. 

This year of 2025 is not my best one, and I am glad for moments like this.