Laced Jacket & Petticoat (RETIRED)
Mar 30, 2022 23:06:55 GMT -5
Post by chernayakoshka on Mar 30, 2022 23:06:55 GMT -5
Jacket: A-
This smart jacket is made of stiff, white fabric with a burgundy and green flower and vine print. The print is simple in design, yet provides just the right amount of visual diversity to the more solid skirt – it’s a very flattering pattern. The cut is equally flattering, with a peplum around the bottom to emphasize the doll’s form. The neckline and sleeves are trimmed with white ruffles. The jacket is lined with white fabric, a lovely touch to round out a sturdily designed garment.
The jacket opens fully in the front with a lace-up closure. The holes are reinforced with grommets, so you don’t need to worry about the fabric fraying. The lace itself is burgundy – matching the flowers in colour – and is made of a silky material. The ends are caped off with aglets to prevent fraying. It’s a lovely look, if not the easiest thing to actually get on the doll. Really, I love the way this jacket looks and the historical lacing detail, but I do wish the process of dressing the doll was just a little less cumbersome.
The fit of the jacket is fine. It’s quite difficult to get it to close cleanly over the doll’s shift. Marya is wearing her colonial undergarments, which kept the shift flattened down, but added a bit of bulk overall. Keeping the lacing tight so none of the shift or undergarments show through is quite a task (and I never completely succeeded). My sister had this outfit when we were kids and I specifically remember both of us being frustrated with lacing it up, so it was rarely used. It looks lovely once it’s on, but it’s definitely a chore to get it there.
Front. It's worth noting that I had the lacing laced the wrong way in this photo.
Back. I really love the peplum.
Skirt: A+
The skirt is made of a heavy burgundy brocade-like fabric with a subtle floral print woven into the fabric (and when I say subtle, I mean it…it’s the same colour as the skirt and only barely shows up in photos). It opens on either side with Velcro to easily slide over the doll’s head or feet (whichever is your preferred way of dressing). It’s very roomy in fit and, like many of Felicity’s clothes from this era, seems designed to fit the colonial undergarments underneath it. Admittedly, it’s a tad tight around the waist with the undergarments, but not prohibitively so. It looks lovely with the jacket.
The skirt. You can sort of see the print here.
Demonstrating how it opens.
Good Value?
This was available for practically the entirety of Felicity’s initial run. It varied in price over the years, research saying that it went from $18 to $24 during its availability. It seems to go for a pretty penny on the secondary market now. I got mine as a package deal with the Windsor Chair, Felicity’s Tea Lesson, and the Reading and Writing Lesson back in 2018 for $125, and I’m pretty pleased with that. Even without the mob cap that the outfit is meant to come with, I’m satisfied with the outfit and what I paid for it. As I mentioned earlier, my sister had this set when we were kids, so my parents clearly thought it was a decent value (they didn’t buy just anything from AG). Would I recommend paying current secondary market prices for it? Eh, I guess it depends on how much you like it as a unique outfit. Frankly, I think it’s generally overpriced for a jacket and skirt (the mob cap can easily be swapped out for one of Felicity’s other caps, like I have), but if you find a deal for it…then have at it!
Overall: A
This is a very flattering, smart ensemble. Even when I was a kid, I admired the cut and fit of the jacket and the rich colouring of the skirt. As an adult, I’m very pleased to have a set of my own to enjoy. The jacket is kind of a pain to get on the doll, but the outfit looks nice enough that I’m not terribly bothered by the effort…though I admit that I might feel differently if I was intending to play with Marya instead of just having her look pretty for a few months. If you’re interested in Felicity or colonial attire, I’d say this is a must have. The styling feels very authentic and, however cumbersome, I do rather love that it laces up instead of using Velcro. Plus, I have yet to see a doll that it doesn’t look amazing on. It’s just a lovely, classic outfit that anyone interested in this period should own.
Marya looking very sharp and ready for a reading lesson...or some tea. Probably some tea.
This smart jacket is made of stiff, white fabric with a burgundy and green flower and vine print. The print is simple in design, yet provides just the right amount of visual diversity to the more solid skirt – it’s a very flattering pattern. The cut is equally flattering, with a peplum around the bottom to emphasize the doll’s form. The neckline and sleeves are trimmed with white ruffles. The jacket is lined with white fabric, a lovely touch to round out a sturdily designed garment.
The jacket opens fully in the front with a lace-up closure. The holes are reinforced with grommets, so you don’t need to worry about the fabric fraying. The lace itself is burgundy – matching the flowers in colour – and is made of a silky material. The ends are caped off with aglets to prevent fraying. It’s a lovely look, if not the easiest thing to actually get on the doll. Really, I love the way this jacket looks and the historical lacing detail, but I do wish the process of dressing the doll was just a little less cumbersome.
The fit of the jacket is fine. It’s quite difficult to get it to close cleanly over the doll’s shift. Marya is wearing her colonial undergarments, which kept the shift flattened down, but added a bit of bulk overall. Keeping the lacing tight so none of the shift or undergarments show through is quite a task (and I never completely succeeded). My sister had this outfit when we were kids and I specifically remember both of us being frustrated with lacing it up, so it was rarely used. It looks lovely once it’s on, but it’s definitely a chore to get it there.
Front. It's worth noting that I had the lacing laced the wrong way in this photo.
Back. I really love the peplum.
Skirt: A+
The skirt is made of a heavy burgundy brocade-like fabric with a subtle floral print woven into the fabric (and when I say subtle, I mean it…it’s the same colour as the skirt and only barely shows up in photos). It opens on either side with Velcro to easily slide over the doll’s head or feet (whichever is your preferred way of dressing). It’s very roomy in fit and, like many of Felicity’s clothes from this era, seems designed to fit the colonial undergarments underneath it. Admittedly, it’s a tad tight around the waist with the undergarments, but not prohibitively so. It looks lovely with the jacket.
The skirt. You can sort of see the print here.
Demonstrating how it opens.
Good Value?
This was available for practically the entirety of Felicity’s initial run. It varied in price over the years, research saying that it went from $18 to $24 during its availability. It seems to go for a pretty penny on the secondary market now. I got mine as a package deal with the Windsor Chair, Felicity’s Tea Lesson, and the Reading and Writing Lesson back in 2018 for $125, and I’m pretty pleased with that. Even without the mob cap that the outfit is meant to come with, I’m satisfied with the outfit and what I paid for it. As I mentioned earlier, my sister had this set when we were kids, so my parents clearly thought it was a decent value (they didn’t buy just anything from AG). Would I recommend paying current secondary market prices for it? Eh, I guess it depends on how much you like it as a unique outfit. Frankly, I think it’s generally overpriced for a jacket and skirt (the mob cap can easily be swapped out for one of Felicity’s other caps, like I have), but if you find a deal for it…then have at it!
Overall: A
This is a very flattering, smart ensemble. Even when I was a kid, I admired the cut and fit of the jacket and the rich colouring of the skirt. As an adult, I’m very pleased to have a set of my own to enjoy. The jacket is kind of a pain to get on the doll, but the outfit looks nice enough that I’m not terribly bothered by the effort…though I admit that I might feel differently if I was intending to play with Marya instead of just having her look pretty for a few months. If you’re interested in Felicity or colonial attire, I’d say this is a must have. The styling feels very authentic and, however cumbersome, I do rather love that it laces up instead of using Velcro. Plus, I have yet to see a doll that it doesn’t look amazing on. It’s just a lovely, classic outfit that anyone interested in this period should own.
Marya looking very sharp and ready for a reading lesson...or some tea. Probably some tea.