Spencer & Hat
Aug 25, 2013 21:21:51 GMT -5
Post by Wickfield on Aug 25, 2013 21:21:51 GMT -5
I got this set along with the matching travel outfit for my bday yesterday. 
It is a beautiful combination, Caroline absolutely glows with warmth when she is wearing the entire combo!
The accuracy of the hat is a little suspect in my opinion - I haven't really seen any felt bonnets or hats during the Regency period, at least not in 1811/1812 like Caroline's period (there are some from later years, like late 1820s or early 1830s though). So the fact that it is felt is a little odd, although the shape is correct, so maybe it's supposed to imitate wool covered buckram or something instead of actual felt. But the color is very nice and it is made of a good quality felt material that seems pretty durable compared to, say, the felt hat from Kit's school suit. I appreciate the extra ties to keep it on Caroline's head.
Similarly, the cut of the spencer also seems a little fashion-forward for Caroline specifically (considering her battle dress and lavender dress shown in the illustrations, and her actual meet dress, are all slightly retro/outdated styles by 1812), although not impossible, I believe it might have been based off of a style similar to one worn by Lizzie Bennet in the 1995 P&P (http://www.jennylafleur.com/diary/em09/pnp2_446.jpg). I think I would have preferred a more basic cut myself - it's almost like Caroline should have swapped spencer's with Josefina. /history nerd observations
Anyway, the spencer as it exists is still really nice. The material is very high quality - what feels to me to be wool flannel trimmed with velveteen. It velcros up the front but I actually don't mind, it is much easier to maneuver than the tiny buttons on Josefina's spencer. I also prefer the slightly lighter weight of the jacket and it doesn't seem over-heavy compared to the dress. Even though there's a whole lot of action going on at the shoulders, it doesn't really look too bad in person.
So I would rate this maybe a B- for accuracy (for Caroline's character/lifestyle according to the books), but an A- for aesthetics!
It is a beautiful combination, Caroline absolutely glows with warmth when she is wearing the entire combo!The accuracy of the hat is a little suspect in my opinion - I haven't really seen any felt bonnets or hats during the Regency period, at least not in 1811/1812 like Caroline's period (there are some from later years, like late 1820s or early 1830s though). So the fact that it is felt is a little odd, although the shape is correct, so maybe it's supposed to imitate wool covered buckram or something instead of actual felt. But the color is very nice and it is made of a good quality felt material that seems pretty durable compared to, say, the felt hat from Kit's school suit. I appreciate the extra ties to keep it on Caroline's head.
Similarly, the cut of the spencer also seems a little fashion-forward for Caroline specifically (considering her battle dress and lavender dress shown in the illustrations, and her actual meet dress, are all slightly retro/outdated styles by 1812), although not impossible, I believe it might have been based off of a style similar to one worn by Lizzie Bennet in the 1995 P&P (http://www.jennylafleur.com/diary/em09/pnp2_446.jpg). I think I would have preferred a more basic cut myself - it's almost like Caroline should have swapped spencer's with Josefina. /history nerd observations
Anyway, the spencer as it exists is still really nice. The material is very high quality - what feels to me to be wool flannel trimmed with velveteen. It velcros up the front but I actually don't mind, it is much easier to maneuver than the tiny buttons on Josefina's spencer. I also prefer the slightly lighter weight of the jacket and it doesn't seem over-heavy compared to the dress. Even though there's a whole lot of action going on at the shoulders, it doesn't really look too bad in person.
So I would rate this maybe a B- for accuracy (for Caroline's character/lifestyle according to the books), but an A- for aesthetics!