And now for something completely different… a little break for Regency style!
I debated about whether or not to share these pics on my style blog, but hey, this is what I wore this past Sunday, so here goes! If you’re a long-time reader, you know that I’m a huge Jane Austen fan and member of a local region of the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA). I’m also our region’s webmaster. Our annual May event took place this past Sunday (yes, on Mother’s Day), and although costumes weren’t required, I had agreed to dress up for the occasion.
And Mom, this is for you. Happy (extended) Mother’s Day! ♥
I picked up this Regency-style costume — my first! — via a silent auction at our JASNA December event. The dress even came with its own matching reticule (drawstring bag)! I added my bronze scarf to serve as a shawl, a string of pearls, and the white satin ballet slippers that I had bought for my wedding almost 12 years ago.
Details: Dress and reticule: JASNA silent auction, December / Bronze shawl: Kmart, old / Ballet slippers: Leo’s brand at a ballet store in Texas, 2001 / Pearl necklace: From my grandmother, old
The dress feels slightly too small for my frame, at least lengthwise — I need to add an extra ruffle at the sleeves and another at the bottom — and slightly too large in the bust. But overall, the fit was pretty comfortable. I also appreciated the empire waist even more after our fantastic potluck luncheon! 
I researched Regency-style hairstyles and accessories (such a librarian!), and found this site with lots of illustrations. Loosely styled braids and buns were all the rage, so I parted my hair down the center and braided each side. I coiled the right braid into a bun, and then wrapped the left braid over the bun for a fuller effect, securing everything with lots of bobby pins. At first, we tried pinning the pearl necklace around my bun, but it didn’t look quite right, so I ended up wearing the pearls just as a necklace. In the end, I quite liked the simplicity of the single strand of pearls, and they helped balance out the dress’s neckline.
And once again, Sam donned his Scottish attire — always a hit at the JASNA events! — but went a bit more casual this time by adding a long-sleeved linen tunic. I asked, and yes, this kind of tunic is common for more daytime kilt looks. And we just got the belt from the Scottish Country Shop here in Portland, so Sam was happy to have an opportunity to wear that already. We’re slowly adding to his Scottish wardrobe. (Can’t get enough of the kilt? You can see more of Sam’s Scottish side by clicking here and here.)
Hope y’all enjoyed our mini-break to play dress-up. Back to modern-day librarian style tomorrow!
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