Entry #2

2013 Fashion Design Challenge Entry #2

Design

For my inspiration, I decided to go to the American girl historical character books and find pictures of outfits that American Girl never made.  I found a few ideas and thought I would see where materials would lead me!

   I happened upon a little girl’s linen look shirt with eyelet trims at the thrift store, and saw Rebecca’s blue eyelet trimmed dress aching to come out!  This outfit was pictured in Rebecca and the Movies.   AG never made this dress.   I doubted I could make the small amount of material work, but bought the shirt anyway.  I bought organza ribbon and tiny buttons at the craft store.  The hat will be made of felt, a light satiny pink fabric, faux flowers and satin ribbon.  The boots will be made of velveteen, and fun foam.  Here are the inspiration pics (and inspiration shirt!)

In-Progress Shots

  I took the shirt *completely* apart, including removing the wide eyelet to use separately.  I supplemented with a similar color fabric for the facings.

This just may work!

Adjusting the fit before adding the collar, sash and finishings.

Creating the hat.

Inspiration for the boots.  The illustration shows her black stockings, but not her shoes.  In the scene before she wore simple black boots.  I would guess she would not have more than a couple pairs of shoes that fit her at a time – a weekday, Sabbath pair, and maybe some hand-me-downs - so I guessed that she is wearing the black boots with the black stockings again.

Creating the boots.  (my first pair of doll shoes! ☺)

Finished Outfit

    Rebecca lived in 1914.  She was not a flashy dresser, - my aim was to make the outfit as authentic and accurate as possible to both the illustrations and the time period.  Rebecca wears a ¾ sleeve pale blue dress with a sailor style eyelet collar, and eyelet bordered sleeves.  It buttons in front (really velcro with decorative buttons) and has a sash with a bow on the side, and she has a ribbon tie around the collar.  She wears short black boots with black stockings.  She can wear a matching ribbon in her hair, or her hat.  She is pictured both ways.

  In the illustration, I think her dress is hiked up a little because of the way she is sitting, and it would normally come to her knee when standing.  (A typical length for girls in the time period.)  I think her family also followed Jewish laws of modesty, which means sleeves cover the elbows, and skirts cover the knees, and nothing low cut (perhaps another reason why Rebecca didn’t want her family to know about the movie she was in. ☺)   I imagine if AG made this outfit, it would come with a ribbon for her hair because the hat is already sold with the movie dress.  I think she looks pretty adorable with a ribbon in her hair.

 So glad my 8 year old daughter takes such good care of her dolls, so I could send in good pictures!  She helped chose locations and set up for pictures 

(because I would look pretty silly doing it by myself! ☺)

Thank you for your entry!

Vote for this outfit via comment on this post or by emailing us 

at nora.demington@gmail.com.

One vote per person.

You can vote for yourself.

You can vote for more than one outfit.

Hence, you can vote for multiple outfits. :-)

Information about this contest:

http://thedollwardrobe.blogspot.com/2013/06/dw-2013-fashion-design-challenge-starts.html

First Outfit Tasks Due July 14th, 2013.

Second Outfit Tasks Due August 25th, 2013.