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Rose’s Sophie Hatter
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https://youtu.be/TQJ2WYY-XvE
Outline the story …
My outfit is for Sophie Hatter, the protagonist in Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. I wanted to show her after the events of the book where she is more aware of her strength of character, her own subtle magic abilities, and most of all, her confidence.
Sophie lives in an imaginary world of magic, and but initially believes herself very ordinary and doomed to never succeed in life. She is a practical, no-nonsense young woman who is teased by Wizard Howl for her plain introverted tastes. Sophie has a “sewing pocket” which is a level of practicality I can only aspire to.
Throughout the story she wears a number of “drab” grey dresses. I wanted to create a grey dress that was smart and chic on the outside, but had hidden depths beneath. The first layer is the deep underground waters (combinations), then the earth and vegetation (corset), then opening up to the sky and clouds (shirt) and finally beyond to the stars (dress lining). All covered in a “simple” grey dress.
I blended influences and time periods, as Sophie herself travels from the fictional country of Ingery (with vaguely Victorian fashions), to our world of 1980s Wales (where Howl is from). As Sophie would (theoretically) have the ability to see our couture fashions I thought she might well have taken some inspiration. She is a skilled seamstress and milliner. As a result, my look is late Victorian/Edwardian with a later 20th century couture modernisation.
Outline the construction…
The 4 main project pieces, themed loosely on the 4 elements:
Water – Combinations: Self drafted pattern, inspired by a pair from the Chertsey Museum dated 1901-1910. Cotton voile, silk ribbons, nylon lace, shell buttons.
Earth – Corset: Pattern “161” C. 1892-1909 from the Symington Collection. Brown cotton twill lining (soil). Liberty “wild flowers” silk. Made to represent the bog areas that were planted with flowers to keep away the Witch of the Waste. Mostly corded with boning at the edge and centre of each panel. Green silk edging. Inspired by 1891 Maison Leoty Corest – MET. My first attempt at corsetry.
Air – Shirt: Loosely drafted from “Sew Over It” Vintage Shirt Dress. Added bishop sleeves and converted the neckline to a peter pan collar. Made from habotai silk with cotton lace edging and shell buttons. Represents the sky and fluffy weightless clouds. Inspired by Heather Firbank’s shirt under the 1908 “summer day dress”.
Fire – Pinafore dress: Puppy-tooth charcoal and black wool and cotton velvet. Wanted to line this with fire themed fabric but available options looked awful. Drafted and adapted from the Keystone Guide, skirt and double breasted waistcoat. Flatlined with cotton star constellation fabric (Calcifer is a fire demon and a fallen star). A true introvert dress. Subtle exterior conceals an imaginative universe within. IT HAS POCKETS!
The combinations were hand sewn. Other items were sewn on a 1944 hand-cranked Singer 99K.
Other items: Hat and bow-tie made by myself.
I am absolutely in L O V E with the pinafore! You put a lot of hidden depth into this outfit and I think it really represents Sophie well 🙂 really beautiful work!
I adore Sophie Hatter and I love your interpretation of her and the symbolic that you have put into the cloth pieces.
I absolutely love the depth you included in the layers of this look and how they are hidden by the grey that Sophie sees herself as!! This is truly an awesome take on how Sophie might have developed after the story!
You put a ton of thought into this! Wow!
I love this and would totally wear it! You did a wonderful job with all the pieces.
I love the concept behind this and it looks great 🙂
The dress is beautiful and the fabric of the corset and the lining are really nice touches.
I love the meaning of each layer of the outfit and the thought that went into constructing each piece! It looks so clean and simple from the outside, but has such hidden complexity, I love it! Well done!
This is such a great interpretation of the theme 🤩🤩 I’m in love with everything, both inside and outside!