Our county fair is celebrating its 100 year anniversary this year. There are many special centennial classes plus a heritage day to dress up in a period costume form the last 100 years. Combined with my children's homeschool formal and some beautiful taffeta on clearance provided me with a great excuse to make a 1910s Tea Gown as a formal gown.

I made this dress out of this beautiful blue taffeta and white cotton lace for my then-eight-year-old niece to wear to a formal wedding. Because of her age and size, finding formal off the rack clothes for her was a nightmare. Nothing we found in the stores was suitable. I took matters into my own hands and offered to sew her dress, and my niece was ecstatic.

A gorgeous 1950s formal gown pattern--probably for bridesmaids' dresses. The one on the left would be for a formal evening wedding, while the one on the right would work for a daytime wedding. Dreamy!

Here is a circa 1914 evening gown, which is on display at the Museum of the City of New York. Rhinestone embroidered tulle over pale lavender satin, ice-blue chiffon tunic edged with rhinestones and satin glass bead fringe by the eminent designer, Frederick Worth. The gown was originally worn by Mrs. William Storrs Wells.