FOUNDATIONS REVEALED COMPETITION ENTRY
Livia’s Call me Ishmael
(click images to to enlarge)
Other Credits
Thanks to my husband, Tim, for his modeling and support
Outline the story …
"Moby Dick". The white whale. The classic tale of man's hubris starring the pseudonymous Ishmael, the man who lived. This is not quite that story, or at least, not yet. This outfit is meant for Ishmael: a former schoolteacher who finds himself almost suicidally depressed and decides to take to the sea as a cure. It's worked for him before, hopefully it will again. For a change, he decides to try whaling instead of sailing on a merchant vessel. It turns out not to be a great choice.
My conception of Ishmael's outfit is based on who he is at the start of his adventure and how I feel such a person would have dressed. It's the 1840s. He's down on his luck, or at least he certainly feels that way. Everything he owns fits in one bag. He may have been attempting to act gentlemanly while employed as a teacher, but he's given up those airs. His clothes aren't going to be fashionable - if he had nice clothes he probably sold them and bought cheaper, used ones since the good ones would just get ruined on a ship anyway. Still, he can't avoid the tiny joy the shiny brass buttons on the pantaloons give him, so he chooses them even though they don't quite fit; at the same time, he can't be bothered with a waistcoat, cravat or even a nice hat.
Outline the construction…
These two pieces are the second and third pieces of clothing that I have ever made I have some knowledge of sewing from my childhood, but I've not really done anything complicated before (I do watch a lot of Costube though). From the textual clues in the novel, the story takes place sometime in the 1840s, which seems to have been a transitional time in menswear I went with a pattern for the pants (Laughing Moon Mercantile #131) that leaned late Regency Shirts seem more vague, timewise, and so I found one that claimed to be early 19th century (Reconstructing History 920) The shirt is medium weight linen with silk thread (gray and white, because I used what I had on hand) and some cotton twill tape The pants are a wool/rayon blend knit with a cotton jersey lining and horsehair canvas interfacing, also with silk thread The buttons are mother of pearl, brass, and plastic (which I gave up and bought after not finding what I was looking for) I have hand problems, which meant that while most of the stitching is done by hand all the seams are done by machine, as are all the buttonholes on the pants The buttonholes on the shirt are hand sewn. I've never done buttonholes before of either kind and it was challenging It also meant that everything took basically forever and I didn't have time to try to fix the fit of the pants, which is a shame, really.
Wonderful job! I applaud all the thought you put into it of how Ishmael would be dressed when down on his luck. Love the pants.
The fit of the pants actually adds to the description of your character. When one is very depressed the one question they ask is “Are my essentials covered?” the answer is yes, his essentials are covered- thus he is presentable to go out in public and if someone has a problem with that- “Tough”.
Well done presenting your character including his frame of mind.
you did a really good job with this outfit. congratulation!
While Ishmael may not have made a good choice with his vocation, you have made an excellent choice in this look. Everything about it evokes his character. So nicely done!
The lining and the yellow buttons on the blue of the pants – love it.
That looks very good on you!
Holy moly, the detailing on those breeches! Excellent work all around.
Good job! Pants can be so tricky but these came together well!
This is a wonderful outfit. I am in awe of those trousers! That shirt is to die for though! Thank you!