Lacie's Beach Lounging 1930s

Hello!  Happy August.  Summer's last defined month of holidays and coastal dreaming.  The last few weeks have been a rough haul for me as I underwent a surgical procedure, but I'm feeling pretty good again, and healing well.  I hope.  This summer has been a fairly mild one, which is wonderful, but the temps are rising, again, so it's a good day to sit inside and write a journal posting while 97 degrees becomes 100.

And the pre- full moon was glorious last night.  Tonight, it will rise a little later, but we're promised this Sturgeon Moon will be just as large, lovely and luminous.

Last summer, or some months before when I was paying attention, Rachel Hoffman introduced to us the book, Sporting Fashion, Outdoor Girls, 1800 to 1960.  I recall the ice-skating costume that Grace received in her subscription box for Christmas, but I think that was 2023.  I found it strange that it was different from the contemporary clothing we normally get

yet it was inspired by and created to a T by Ruby Red Galleria, from the Sporting Fashion book.  The era of the costume was 1930s.

Then in the summer of 2024, some beautiful costuming was done for Rachel's Land and Sea collection, which also happened to come from the Sporting Fashion book.  I was getting hooked at this point, but when she introduced Season Four, A Journey Through Time, where many of the costumes have come from, I realized that I needed to have a copy.

The book is large and could be used as a bench press, but it's gorgeous.  So long paper doll clothing inspiration!  I wanted to make costumes from this book that Rachel may not be inspired to offer us.  

The photos are from the collection of American Federation of Arts, FIDM, Museum at the Fashion Institute of Design &

Merchandising.  At 343 pages, it's a handful.  A gorgeous coffee table museum art book, but also, now, a source of inspiration for me.  While I don't necessarily enjoy sewing for 16" fashion dolls, this may change at the owning of this book.  I can't put it down.  Stunning costumes and history!

When I saw this Beach Lounging 1930's costume, that did it for me.  Had to make one.  Finding the right fabric would prove more than a challenge and I've added a good couple hundred dollars' worth of Liberty Lawn fabrics to my stash in an attempt to get a good resemblance to the original.  Not a chance.  It was the Italian sunhat that made the decision for me.  I love orange.  That hat!

While the Journey Through Time subscription series was for Grace, I chose to dress Lacie in them

as Grace hasn't yet caught up with all the outfits I have for her.  Grace has a personality all her own, and I enjoy displaying her with little sister, Anne, in complimenting fashions.  Lacie has a vintage model look to her and a beautiful, serene expression.  Just different.  So, she is my contemporary historical fashion doll.

The original beach pyjamas were made from an "Asian silk" as described in the book, with large chrysanthemums and fans.  There was no way I was going to be able to purchase anything close to that, but the lawn fabrics are light, have a lovely hand, and there's a plethora of beautiful bright prints to select from.  The one I made up Lacie's costume from was chosen due to the presence of the orange in it to match the Italian sunhat.

This belted one piece has wide, cool legs for hot summer days on the coast, but dressy enough to go from the sand to the cafe for a chocolate soda.

I hand dyed the Swiss hat straw a bright orange and used an off white in the alternating bands.  To me, this hat is the "bodice", the focal point of this costume.  It's usually one striking detail that inspires me to create a costume in miniature for a doll.

The more I studied the photo, the more I saw.

The scarf.  Initially, I thought the scarf was of the same fabric, but closer inspection told me it was a complimentary silk.  

To make it, I edged a busier floral lawn designed of the same colors, with a solid blue lawn.  There was no other way to create the look.  Ruby Red Galleria may be able to make their own fabrics, but as a seamstress at home, we do what we must.

I added the fabric covered belt with a working prong buckle and used indigo espadrilles by Facets by Marcia for the shoes.  Now, Lacie can ease into the holiday month of August with ease and style.  Just for fun and imagination, perhaps she is summering on the Amalfi coast and picked up the hat there.

The Sporting Fashion book is a must have for anyone who loves the historical fashions Rachel has provided us.  So far, I think she's done eight from this book.  Some were offered in Grace's Season Four and some were offered in the Land and Sea collection.  Brilliant.  I think a good many of us have really enjoyed these.  To me, they are collectible pieces, not just fun fashions.  Lacie will wear them again and again as the seasons change.

The beach pyjamas were just my first from this book and another is coming soon after Kitty Hudson gets a set of her own.  Lawn is a beautiful fabric to work with.  If you never have, give it a try.  Much of what I purchase comes from the U.K.

The pages below are courtesy of Amazon.  I'm not sure they can be read, but if you were lucky enough to be on the Season Four Grace subscription, they might inspire you to purchase the book.

Happy last month of summer!