Sunday, June 07, 2015

Dressing for church

This weekend is the observation (Well, it was supposed to be last weekend, but with the bridge being closed and all, people couldn't get here) of the 115th birthday of the congregation I belong to. They're doing "stump preaching" (which, as a Northerner and also someone who didn't grow up in a rural area, I am not at all familiar with). They're also (probably, if the guy can get here) doing a fish fry after church.

They asked us to dress like the early 1900s. I tend to invest way too much energy in things like this. Originally, when I was up at my parents, I was going to make a floor-length skirt but then one day when I was out shopping, I FOUND a floor length skirt on a very good sale....I was going to use cotton, this one is knit, but that's okay. (The other odd thing about the skirt? It says, "Just cut me to length" and it is not hemmed. I'm thinking after this I might cut it shorter - really long skirts don't look so well on me - but I will be hemming it. I presume it won't ravel and that's why there's no hem)

I also put on a long-sleeved, high-necked blouse (you can see I invest too much in this kind of thing; it's supposed to be 93 today and I am sincerely hoping they aren't going "too far" on the "like the early 1900s thing" in the sense of turning off the air conditioning). I also piled my hair up on top of my head (and golly day, that took three tries and it's still not as good as I'd hope it could be). But I do have a hat to wear...so no one will probably see the messy bun. (I thought of giving up and doing a long braid, but I question the accuracy of that for a woman past girlhood. Maybe a long braid coiled up at the back of the neck would have worked)

If it weren't so hot, I would have worn one of my shawls, but I draw the line there, considering it's already 75 out.

Anyway.

1900s

I also have a small (costume) brooch (a honeybee) at the neck.

And the hat. I dragged that hat back with me from Illinois. Wore it on the train because I couldn't figure out any way to pack it without crushing it. So I had to wear the hat, after all the trouble I went to.

And now, in SEPIA VISION!

sepia

I wonder if this counts as "cosplay"?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

well, you do look really lovely (and i sincerely hope the ac at your church holds up throughout the services)- i try to avoid thinking about the discomfort people suffered in by-gone times with the combo of 'lotta' clothes and no cooled air- arg, imagine the feel of small room, many bodies, and layers upon layers of constricting clothing-

i used to play the piano for a small rural church, so i know the 'dinner on the grounds' is an ingrained part of many activities- i found it strange at first, but things do tend to become familiar over time, and i learned to fan the flies while eating things that were quite strange to my concept of having a meal al fresco-

enjoy your trip back in time-
barb in texas

CGHill said...

I do think you have the look down cold. (And if old photos I've seen are any indication, buns are highly variable in neatness.)

On cosplay: We must get you to some sort of con.

purlewe said...

I think you look lovely!!! And I love the sepia tone to give it that old timey feel. Very nice!

If you ever get a chance I would love to see that brooch close up. I bet it is a stunner!

Bee said...

Hee! You look very similar to how I do when we do WWI re-enactment! I envy you finding that blouse, though, I have a devil of a job finding anything quite right like that. Love the brooch too, obviously :-D

Roger Owen Green said...

cosplay!

Our church celebrated its 250th anniversary last year. But 115 is pretty impressive.