1883 Riding Habit

I decided on Monday that I wanted to make a repro 1883 Riding Habit, using the Truly Victorian bodice and skirt patterns. I had planned on entering it in our county's Fall Festival, and the entrance deadline is this morning at 10:00... but sadly, I did not get it finished in time. I don't have buttonholes or buttons on the skirt yet, I don't have the seams inside the skirt finished, I haven't finished the armscyes inside the bodice, and I need to re-do the hook & eyes inside the bodice (I put 2 of the 3 hooks facing the wrong direction- silly me!) And I don't have it ironed properly... I can't seem to get the creases right. So the bodice doesn't look as crisp & tailored as the photos on the Truly Victorian site. Oh well.

I also made it in a pattern size 12 (or "C" in Truly Victorian sizing), or about a ready-to-wear 4/6. That's quite a bit smaller than I am now! I was that size a few years ago, maybe I can get there again. Not that I'd have anywhere to wear this to, as I sold my horses last fall (*sniff*). Not that I'd be brave enough to try sidesaddle on anything other than an old plug...

I only have 2 photos right now. For some reason, every time I take a photo in that room it comes out blurry... so I have to turn off the light and use the flash (in the nearly-dark room) to get photos to come out well. Weird. I think it has something to do with the CFL bulbs we use, maybe??

With the skirt extended out to the side:


With the skirt looped up in the back: