Vernet 1814: The Dress, Part 2

The end of the year is here, and if you haven't been following the Vernet project thus far, now's the time to do so.  Hop on over to the Vernet Facebook community page to see how everyone's outfits are turning out.  

My outfit is finished, and has been presented on the Facebook page, but I have been overwhelmingly busy this holiday season.  I apologize for leaving you in the lurch. 

If you scrutinize my Vernet fashion plate with an intense magnifying glass (wink,) you will notice that five layers of ruffles at the bottom of the gown are actually 10 layers.  Each row features a double layer of slightly gathered fabric, with the top layer being semi-sheer and ending about a 1/2 inch above the under layer. I chose to use some cotton voile that I had in my stash for the semi-sheer ruffles.  My dress being made of Perkale, a fabric that is absolutely NOT sheer, I wondered if there were other examples of garments made with two different kinds of fabric.  Thanks to Katherine of The Fashionable Past (who is also a participant in the Vernet project,) I am able to show you an example of such a garment.  

Take a closer look at this pelisse from the MET and you will notice the ruffled hem, cuffs, and collar are of a semi-sheer material, while the rest of the pelisse is made of a dense cotton that is most likely Perkale.

Hemming and gathering ten layers of ruffles was not something I enjoyed, and I was hard pressed to want to finish this dress because of the ruffles.  I am not a frills kind of girl, and I can guarantee you that after I give this outfit one good wear, most of the ruffles will be taken off.  It's hard to want to keep going on something that you don't like.  But, Vernet was calling to me, and with his wacky spirit as my guide, I finished the dress.