My Regency-Inspired Dress Project

Last week, I made a new Regency-style dress, modifying it with key construction details inspired by the garments in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice styles. And it’s not a costume—this is a dress I intend to wear to keep me warm in the long winters in my drafty old mobile home. Yep, I made a modern Regency-style dress. (Kind of. Modern enough for me.)

My new Regency-style jumper dress—with pockets!

A Little Backstory

I've always loved wearing dresses, and this winter I have discovered that I can wear dresses in the wintertime, too, if I layer up. I've taken a cue from those Regency women, with their chemises, stockings, pantalettes, and long gowns, and found I can stay cozy warm in the draftiest of houses. Thus, my typical daily fashion this winter has been tights, socks (often wool), pants (usually jeans) or bloomers (more about these in a later post), a chemise (I have one in linen and one in broadcloth—the linen is my favourite), a turtleneck or shirt, and a calf-length dress. Sometimes, I also put a cardigan over top.

Until recently, I haven't actually owned any long dresses, other than my wedding dress. And I’m not about to pop my wedding dress on for working around the house, going to town, or any other reason! (Assuming I could even get into it anymore—which I can't!)

Back view of the dress.

Inspiration Strikes

I was a little stunned a couple of weeks ago when I put on one of my favourite green calico dresses, a simple sleeveless A-line number that I have owned for eleven years, and discovered that it had actually worn out around the armholes.

I had already been planning a trip to the fabric store that day and was thrilled to discover that they actually had a sale on—something that's kind of rare in our local fabric store. I knew already that this dress would be down to my ankles, and it would be inspired by the Regency styles I love so much. So I picked up some poly-wool tweed for only $4 per metre.

(I was going for warmth.)

Closeup of the closed button placket—the front closure on this dress. I was altering a pattern from Sense & Sensibility Patterns that actually had a black closure (but who wants a button-up back? Yikes! We don't have dressers and maids anymore.)

I succeeded in my goal. This thing is like wearing a warm blanket. And nothing makes you feel more British than wearing a Regency-style dress in tweed!

Maybe not the sexiest thing I've ever made—but it's modest, it's warm, it's comfortable and it does the job.

And, most importantly, I like it!

Detail of the open button placket. I styled this placket-style button front closure after the style of many of the dresses in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice movie.