Trip Denmark 2012; Visit to the old town centre of Ribe.

Today we visited the lovely old town centre of Ribe.

They are currently doing some excavations.

Trip Denmark 2012; Arrival in Ribe

After a long drive from the Netherlands to Denmark, we arrived in Ribe.

A few years ago we had spend a couple of nights on camping Ribecamping.dk. and loved it so much we decided to use it again this visit. This time instead of camping in a tent we decided to rent a cabin. After arrival it took our son about 5 minutes to unpack his lego... And then he immediately started to play with it.

Ribecamp has also these lovely medieval style cottages! But they where a little bit over our budget.

Edwardian summer costume

The lack of summerweather here in the Netherlands does have an upside. I get a lot more costuming done. Currently I am working on my Edwardian streetlength skirt. Which will double as my steampunk skirt. It does take a little bit of getting used to such a short skirt.

Preview of what I call my Anne of Avonlea look. A lot still needs to be done like ironing the skirt ;) and taking in the waistband an inch. But I was pleasantly surprised by this outfit so I wanted to share it. Parts of this outfit will also be used in my steampunk outfit.

I was a big fan when I was a kid...

Bowler hat

Yesterday my husband gave me a very untraditional or a very traditional, depending on your point of view birthday, present. My non-costuming friends didn't quite get the gift but my costuming friends did....
Although we both usually prefer antique or vintage items, the hat is new. After looking for an antique version for a couple of years. We found that is really hard to find an antique victorian/edwardian bowler hat that fits, is in a wearable state and is affordable. So when we came across this modern bowler hat that fitted me and looked amazing my husband decided that it was the perfect birthday present for me.
If I want to wear it anytime soon I'd better start working on my victorian style steampunk outfit. So I started thinking (again) about converting an old mock-up model of an Edwardian skirt I made earlier. Currently it's a full lenght with an inverted pleat in the back and a complicated closure. And I never got the closure to work in the mock-up model. Luckily I figured it out when I was making the "real" skirt. I would like to make it into a street lenght skirt with a planchet closure in the back.

Isn't this young lady looking just fabulous!

I already have a blouse, vest and unmentionables. So at least I half way there... When the skirt is done. I "only" need to make a spectators jacket, spats and a steampunk style leather underbust corset. Which should be worn ofcourse over my skirt and blouse.

Another young lady wearing a bowler hat c. 1891.

The lady on the left is wearing a bowler hat.

ca. 1910

Olga Perrova, ca. 1915

I Want a Red Dress poem by Kim Addonizia

Recently I discovered a really great poem on Reclaiming Beauty. I wanted to share it here with you as it inspires me and it reflects the fase I am in. In this crazy, wonderful, painful and joyful journey called life. (As it is someone elses poem I didn't  feel I could censor it)

What Do Women Want?

by: Kim Addonizia

I want a red dress.

I want it flimsy and cheap,

I want it too tight, I want to wear it

until someone tears it off me.

I want it sleeveless and backless,

this dress, so no one has to guess

what’s underneath. I want to walk down

the street past Thrifty’s and the hardware store

with all those keys glittering in the window,

past Mr. and Mrs. Wong selling day-old

donuts in their café, past the Guerra brothers

slinging pigs from the truck and onto the dolly,

hoisting the slick snouts over their shoulders.

I want to walk like I’m the only

woman on earth and I can have my pick.

I want that red dress bad.

I want it to confirm your worst fears about me,

to show you how little I care about you

or anything except what

I want. When I find it, I’ll pull that garment

from its hanger like I’m choosing a body

to carry me in this world, through

the birth-cries and the love-cries too,

and I’ll wear it like bones, like skin,

it’ll be the goddamned

dress they bury me in.

 

Me wearing the Carla dress by Bettie Page,

in red ofcourse....

Prehistoric camp Borger on Youtube

Watch video if you want to see how wet the event really was!

Oertijdkamp/ prehistoric camp, Hunebedcentrum, Borger

The Sunday at the Prehistoric camp was very wet and there was a lot of wind. Because of the bad weather there weren't many visitors. And who can blame them!? We did have a good time, catching up with friends and fellow re-enactors.

Lucky for us, we had arrived on site on Saturday. When the weather was still lovely. This ment that we could set up camp dry and make some lovely pictures.

You can  find more pictures at http://www.muninn.nl/ (foto's/2012)

Looking at the pictures of me in my 5th century peplos style dress I am not wildly enthusiastic. I am not happy with the way it makes me look. So I really need to think if I want to go through with working on this costume. On the other hand the historical period does intrigue me and I learned a lot about the costume by talking to the people who work there. There is still a lot that can be improved on this costume, the accessories and the information available about it on the internet. So I just might be tempted to put my vanity aside...