FOUNDATIONS REVEALED COMPETITION ENTRY
Mina Murray
(click images to to enlarge)
Outline the story …
This outfit was inspired by Mina Murray from the Gothic horror novel Dracula, published in 1897 by Bram Stoker. Mina is a protagonist in the novel, and she plays a central role in the eventual destruction of Count Dracula at the end of the book. I was drawn to this character because she wields her cunning, intelligence, and observation skills throughout the novel as she collects and distributes information amongst the team by the use of her typewriter.
Mina is a commoner; she was orphaned at a young age and, by the time the novel takes place, she is a young woman working as a schoolteacher. I wanted to design an Edwardian outfit that she might have worn in the classroom in 1907, a decade after the events of the novel. I chose to use cotton and linen exclusively for her outfit (excluding a bit of polyester satin on the outside of the corset) because these would likely be the materials that she could afford. Furthermore, because of her profession, I wanted the outfit to be classic and modest, with a subdued colour palette and texture. For the outfit, I have made a chemise with sleeves, a corset, ruffled corset cover, lace blouse, petticoat, walking skirt, and belt. This is the first full outfit that I have ever made; previously, I have only made boxer shorts and done some mending. I'd never set sleeves before, let alone ever even thought about making a corset.
Outline the construction…
Materials
Chemise, ruffled corset cover, lace blouse, walking skirt, and belt: 100% cotton
Petticoat: 60% cotton 40% linen blend
Corset: 100% cotton twill canvas, polyester satin, plastic whalebone
Drafting and Construction
All items made with a modern sewing machine, with some hand-sewn finishes (example: the corset binding)
The corset pattern was drafted according to instructions from “Corseting the Male Form by Anthony Canney” (FR free article). Construction technique was informed by Bernadette Banner’s series on reconstructing an 1890’s corset, Enchanted Rose Costume’s video on corset construction, and videos on YouTube by Arenea Black. This is the first corset I have ever made, and I struggled with several aspects of the construction process. The hardest challenge I faced was the attachment of the boning channels. I purchased 7mm plastic bones and I struggled with concealing the seam allowances beneath the single bone channels. The petticoat and skirt patterns were drafted according the instructions from “The Scientific Taylor” by E.L. Phelps (published in 1905, pdf scans accessed free online). The skirt waistband was challenging for me to attach, and I re-sewed it three times before I was satisfied with the result. However, my machine unfortunately left scar holes on the waistband.
The chemise, ruffled corset cover, and belt were free-hand drafted based on images of antique garments from the time period found by google search.
The lace blouse pattern was drafted and constructed according to the YouTube video “Edwardian blouse: How to make it”
This costume is so elegant – I love the limited colour palette and the intricate lace blouse. You’ve achieved a perfect fit too. Lovely!
The lace!! Oh, the lace!!! What a fabulous outfit!! The corset….OMG. And the petticoat….. drop dead gorgeous!!!
The silhouette looks great! And it’s very flattering on you❤
This looks very elegant. Great job!
Elegant. Subdued color palette, but nothing subdued about the skills you demonstrated on this outfit. I love the lace and the fit of the skirt. Nicely done.
All of that draughting was ambitious and clearly successful! Your design and colour choices are perfect for a modest young professional woman, and are very flattering. Beautiful!
I love this! It’s really very well done! Thank you!