Completed: July 2009
Worn at: Fêtes de la Nouvelle-France, 2009 (Québec)
Why I chose this costume: I've been dying to make myself a française gown for a long time. Using the pattern from Janet Arnold's "Patterns of Fashion" I created this gown out of embroidered taffeta. It features a compère front with button closures, and an unearthly amount of ruched trim. The edges of the flounce sleeves are pinked as per the tradition. The hat is a straw base I purchased and re-shaped to suit the period, which I then adorned with green taffeta, silk flowers, ribbons and ostrich feathers.