A 1895 inspired blouse

I got some random inspiration and had to make an 1895 inspired blouse, even while I am not planning to go to any event where I can wear it.

 For the photos, I styled the blouse in three different ways: plain with just a belt, with a lace guimpe, and "for work" with a stiff collar and black tie (a style which would not have been uncommon for women at this time). 

I do like it! The sleeves are crazy, but when I wear the blouse they feel crazy in a good way, and the wide skirt kind of balances it out. Also, it was nice for a change to be following a pattern (Truly Victorian as usual) and not having to figure out myself how to do things like the buttoning, and the right order to do things.

 The facts:

What the item is: A blouse inspired by 1895 blouse. Also in pictures, a 1880's-1890's skirt with soutache, a belt from my 1905 dress, stiff collar (bought), and a lace quimpe I made for the Steampunk White Rabbit.

Fabric:  cotton  (a quite stiff and thick cotton with flower print).

Pattern: I used a Truly Victorian pattern, TV494E - 1894 Shirtwaists E-Pattern, and it worked fine, as usual. I had to fiddle around quite a bit with the fit, but I blame that on my round upper back and sloping shoulderns, not the pattern.

Year: 1895

Notions: Thread and buttons, tuille for stiffening sleeve heads.

How historically accurate is it? To be more historically accurate, a cotton blouse of this kind would typically have been plain white, for all three ways I chose to style it. There are examples of blouses with flower patterns on, but mostly in silk from what I have seen, and more typically on entire gowns or coordinating outfits with blouse skirt and bolero, for example. Therefore, my version is more "inspired by" than correct. Also, I followed the sewing methods in the pattern, which I think is mostly modern if I compare them to the instructions in the period (1905 I think) book Authentic Victorian Sewing Tecniques.

Hours to complete: Almost 10 h, including several toiles to get the fit right, and 2 h taping the e-pattern togehter.

First worn: for photo shot in late January.