Natalie's "Beatrix" Skirt

Natalie's 1909 "Beatrix" Skirt | Sense & Sensibility Patterns

Natalie's 1909 "Beatrix" Skirt | Sense & Sensibility Patterns

My goodness, I started this skirt November 30th, but finally it's wearable. Am quite happy with it...the drape is lovely and oooh, it's fun to wear. It's made of a pretty worsted wool plaid in a soft green with red and yellow accents and blue undertones. I chose the trained version, and also opted for the boned high waist. The skirt is hemmed as close to the length of similar examples shown in a 1910 Ladies Home Journal (thank you, Carol!), where the illustration of a nice suit shows the model's shoe tips just peeking out in front, and a light train in back. I am wearing shoes with a 1.5 inch Louis heel, shoes of a type as close as I can get to 1909 in my (midget) price range. The skirt lovely to walk in: it swishes quietly and romantically. I have a double-flounced petticoat on underneath that comes to the shoe tops. It keeps the skirt from wrapping around my legs, and the train also helps when I walk. However, it's so true that you must lift your skirts to climb stairs or step outside, and I found that the white petticoat would peep out when I lifted the skirt. Perhaps ladies of the day preferred black petticoats for a more modest effect? It would be nice to have a skirt lifter to attach a belt so that my hands would be free. I love the boned waist. It's made with a facing, and the bones are attached to the seams under it. The result is so nicely low-bulk! Thank you, Jennie, for such an adaptable, lovely pattern! Now on to the Beatrix shirtwaist.Very best to all,Natalie

This is the loveliest "Beatrix" Skirt I've yet seen from my pattern. I adore the dark plaid and the train. Wonderful work!