It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

Whether or not you choose to participate in the annual candy collecting holiday we here in America call Halloween, let’s face it- October is THE MONTH for costumes!

With the cooler weather, fabulous fall foliage (at least around this part of the country), and tons of autumn festivals, no other month offers costume lovers more opportunity to dress in our favorite period attire!

Next weekend, my family and I will be attending the annual Festival of the Jack O’ Lanterns at our local nature center. This family oriented festival features old fashioned games, horse drawn carriage rides, nature hikes, animal presentations, s’mores, pumpkin carving, music, and hayrides! And the best part is all the funds go to support the preservation of our native wildlife.

So I decided to whip up something festive for the occasion. I decided upon an 1880s era sporting dress. Specifically, I looked at several extant tennis and croquet gowns from the period. I liked the idea of the shorter skirt and the loose(r) fitting bodice. And- I wanted a cotton gown. Nothing worse than pumpkin guts all over your pretty silk dress! So- here is what I came up with:

I wanted something with a great deal of contrast (trying to break out of my seriously understated and relatively monochromatic design pattern) and come up with something fun, festive, and fall inspired. Thus I chose the dark brown, warm pink, and mint green color scheme.

I will top off the ensemble (quite literally) with a simple straw hat trimmed�1880s style�in pink and brown (still in progress).

Happy Fall everyone!

About Susan

Hi! My name is Susan and I am a historian, seamstress, teacher, mother, and wife. My passion for history has manifested itself in the art of recreating clothing from different periods of time. Growing up in the American South, I am heavily schooled in the art of recreating clothing from the 19th century. After nearly a decade of immersing myself primarily in the Victorian period, I found the need to branch out and explore other periods of time. However, it is my connection with the American South and the clothing of rural America that continues to be the driving force behind my designs. View all posts by Susan