Christmas is coming

We trimmed the tree, now let's go out and carol!
LSDS 1925, 6 Fur Trimmed Coat

 

Sweater Weather

 

School Begins

 Bleuette returns to her studies wearing a smock for work or play, from La Semaine de Suzette's 1954 issue 14.  

Becassine from Brittainy

 Did you know that Becassine, the subject of magazine cartoons and books published by Gautier and Languereau, came from Brittany?  In the stories, she worked for the Parisian household of Madame de Grand-Air.  She was a domestic servant:  a nanny and maid of all work.  Brittany supplied more servants to the upper class households of Paris than any other province, according to a learned social scientist.

Above:  Becassine and Madame de Grand-Air

Becassine worked in her traditional regional clothing, a wool dress with white apron and coif.  

She wore felt house shoes inside, and wooden clogs called "sabot" when outdoors.  A pattern for this costume was published in La Semaine de Suzette on 15 October, 1908, in issues 36 and 37.  Here is what the pattern looks like when it is made according to the instructions.  A printed silk apron was suggested, rather than a white apron, and felt house shoes are also included in the pattern. 

The traditional costumes of Brittainy are justifiably famous for their beauty and complexity.  This costume is from the Pont Aven area in Brittainy.  It includes a lace coif and carved wooden sabot.

And here is the photo of a girl, a little younger than Becassine, photographed in Paris wearing her traditional costume from the area of Bannalec in Brittainy.

 

 

 

Fun with Handkerchiefs

Bleuette has a jacket for her sleeveless summer dress made from a patterned handkerchief.

Rosette covers up her sunsuit with a jacket made from an embroidered handkerchief.

Happy Summer!

 

Every Bleuette loves a new spring dress!

Madeline, an SFBJ 301-1 Bleuette, wears the LSDS 1921, #19

"Dressy Dress"

and also has the LSDS 1921, #29

"Bead-Embroidered Handbag."

Hooray for Spring!

 

Mardis Gras 2021

Lisette magazine's pattern "Un Jolie Travesti"

(A Pretty Disguise)

sized for Bleuette

I used what was on hand to create an interpretation of the idea.

After the Ball

 

LSDS 1956, issue 10 Vietnamese Costume for Bleuette and Rosette

 

Rosette wears the national costume of Vietnam

I was curious why the editors of LSDS chose to add this costume to Bleuette and Rosette's wardrobe, so I looked up what was happening in Vietnam in 1956.  France had already relinquished its control of Vietnam in 1954, after the country had fought an 8-year war and been divided at the 17th parallel into north and south.  But in 1956, there was to be an election to determine the future of the two halves of Vietnam.  I'm sure the nation of France viewed this with interest.  Unfortunately, the nation remained divided, the election was cancelled, and things did not go so well after that, as many of us remember.  But today, vintage Rosette wears this cotton batik/rayon satin version of the national costume, Ao Dai.