1912 Menswear Article

Dad and I were looking up men's Titanic clothing and came across this article which has great information on men's styles from 1912. If you're interested in creating a more authentic impression for the ball, check out the info and links at the site below:
http://www.vintagedancer.com/edwardian-titanic-mens-formal-suit-titanic-memorial-cruise/

Comical Fellow | Dance Tutorial

Every other couple starting with the couple closest to the caller is a 1st couple. Every other couple (starting with the couple next to the first couple) is a 2nd couple.

1st Corners set forward, fall back and turn two hands
2nd corners set forward, fall back and turn two hands
1st couples lead down middle, dance back and cast to second
All clap 4 times and turn two hands with partner half way
Circle Left (8 counts), Circle R (8 counts)
All clap 4 times and turn two hands with partner halfway

If you have any questions leave a comment! Many thanks to Old Dominion Dance for the instructions and video.

Hole in the Wall | Dance Tutorial

This is one of my favorite elegant dances.



Every other couple starting with the couple closest to the caller is a 1st couple. Every other couple (starting with the couple next to the first couple) is a 2nd couple.

1st couples cast down, lead up (back to place)
2nd couples cast up, lead down
1st corners switch places
2nd corners change places
Take hands four, circle Left halfway
1st couples cast to 2nd place while 2nd couples leads up to 1st

If you have any questions leave a comment! Many thanks to Old Dominion Dance for the instructions and video.

Auretti's Dutch Skipper | Dance Tutorial

Here's our first dance instruction post. I hope that all the instructions are clear; it's generally confusing to just read the directions, so watch the video and it will make more sense!



Every other couple starting with the couple closest to the caller is a 1st couple. Every other couple (starting with the couple next to the first couple) is a 2nd couple. Make sense?

1st couples lead down and cast up. Two-hand turn.
2nd couples lead up, cast down. Two-hand turn.
1st corners two-hand turn
2nd corners two-hand turn
Set twice.
Three changes rights and lefts (right hand to your partner, left hand to your neighbor, right hand to your partner).
Repeat.

If you have any questions leave a comment! Many thanks to Old Dominion Dance for the instructions and video.

Dance Etiquette

We'll go over this briefly at the ball as a refresher, but like the dance tutorials (which we will begin posting starting tomorrow), the more you know ahead of time the better!

The basic overall rule is that men act like gentlemen and women act like ladies. This being rather broad, however, below are a few more particular points of etiquette:

Gentlemen ask a lady to dance by saying, "May I have this dance?" Some feel awkward with being so formal and most of us ladies don't mind it if you would rather phrase it, "Would you like to dance?" :-) Just please don't drawl it out as, "D'ya wanna dance?"


Ladies should accept when a gentleman asks them to dance, unless they are going to sit out for that dance. To decline one gentleman but accept another is rude. Gentlemen should also try to dance with a new partner each dance if possible.


Gentlemen lead the lady to the floor in their right hand. When the dance is over, lead the lady back off the floor and thank her for the dance. It is very rude to just leave her standing in the middle of the ballroom.


This ball is a family event, not a youth event, so we expect the young men to include the moms, and dads to ask the young ladies to dance. Gentlemen should be observant of ladies who have not had a chance to dance or have not danced as much as others. We don't want any unhappy wall-flowers. :-)

I am drawing a blank about any other rules, but I think this is about it! Look for specific dance tutorials coming up!

One Month Away!

It's officially one month till the ball! We're getting very excited. :-) Come back in the next few weeks as we'll be posting dance videos and instructions so everyone can start getting familiar with the dances, so that at the ball we can spend less time learning and more time dancing!

Ball Update!

Due to some altered circumstances, our original callers, Emily & Jennifer Duff from Old Dominion Dance, will no longer be able to join us for our ball. While we will miss them, we are also looking forward to having the talent of Mr. Thomas Senior in calling our ball. Tara and I danced under Mr. Senior's tutelage at a dance back in May and had a marvelous time. He'll be bringing us some new dances which I know everyone will enjoy!

We're still looking for RSVP's from over half of our invitees! Pleeeeeeease (with sugar and a cherry on top) RSVP if you have not already.

Anybody making outfits? We got the fabric for ours, and then fell ill with the flu for over a week so it's all sitting in bags waiting to be transformed...

Fashion Inspiration & Sewing Patterns

Here's a link to an article on 1912 fashion with quite a few pictures of clothes, hats, and hairstyles:
http://sensibility.com/blog/reproducing-1912-fashions-remember-titanic/

In that article there is a link to a post with more links to lots of 1912 sewing patterns, for those of you interested in making your dress (and are like me and haven't decided on a style yet :-):
http://historicalsewing.com/sifting-through-endless-edwardian-patterns

And... once again, please RSVP if you haven't already! We are still waiting on a lot of people to let us know whether they are or are not coming (we'd like to know either way :-).

You can still RSVP!

The RSVP date is past, but we are still accepting RSVPs, so please let us know if you are, or are not coming to the ball! We haven't heard from many of you, and we'd like to know if you are planning on attending or not! It doesn't take that long to fill out the form, or send an email, or make a phone call! :)

Ladies Shoes

I pulled these out of the Eaton's catalogs so if you already looked at those, these will be familiar.

Like these!

Two similar styles

I like these too... as the description says, they're "swell"! :-)

That gives you an idea of the basic look of an Edwardian shoe... long, rounded pointy toes, and straps. Also be sure to check out the reproduction Edwardian shoes by American Duchess! They aren't cheap, but they sure are pretty...

Don't forget to RSVP if you haven't already!

A few more details!

Alright, everyone, some more news concerning the most elegant and enjoyable event of the year. :-)

Most importantly, we have secured our dance caller...s. :-) Misses Emily and Jennifer Duff, of Old Dominion Dance, will be traveling all the way from Omaha for our ball! The Miss Duffs are accomplished dancers and dance callers and we are looking forward to benefiting from their expertise. Of course that does mean we are adding another lady to the number dancing, and so...

...please RSVP! As of this moment we only have 14 people who are RSVP'd (including all of us hosts and hostesses). And that's 9 ladies and 5 gentlemen, and though I'm sure we'd still have fun, we don't really want to shell out tons of $$$ if that's all that shows up. :-) Tomorrow is the official RSVP date, so please send in your RSVP's as soon as possible!

Kitty: And Mr. Bingley is to bring six ladies and four gentlemen to the ball.
Lydia: No, it was twelve ladies and seven gentlemen.
Elizabeth: Too many ladies.
A&E Pride & Prejudice

Men's 1912 Fashion

We stated in the invitation that gentlemen are not obligated to wear authentic 1912 clothing; if, however, you are interested in being period correct, here is some info for you!

The most formal evening dress remained a dark tail coat and trousers with a dark or light waistcoat. Evening wear was worn with a white bow tie and a shirt with a winged collar. The less formal dinner jacket or tuxedo, which featured a shawl collar with silk or satin facings, now generally had a single button.

From Wikipedia

Rather dorky looking drawing but apparently this is an example of a 1912 fashion plate...

Film still from "Titanic" (which I have not seen and do not recommend that you see)

More Costume Photos

Check out Lily's 19-teens Pinterest board! Click Here!

The Dancing

A few people have asked what kind of dancing we will be doing, since it's a 1912 themed ball. Though it may not technically be correct for the period, here we'll be deviating from "authentic as possible" and we will be doing our usual English Country dancing. Just for the record, we're not big fans of the Patty-Cake Polka. :-) We're still figuring out details of the dance caller and what dances we will actually do, but as we get that figured out we'll try to post what dances we'll be doing with some tutorials so you can be prepared ahead of time - and we can spend less time learning the dances at the ball and more time actually DANCING!

*Edit: I just found out from a gentleman we are considering for a dance caller, and he mentioned that with the beginning of the jazz age at this period, and more "jazzy" dancing, English Country dancing was actually revived in response to that! I thought that was interesting!

Eaton's Catalogues

Lily sent us links to old catalogues that you can read online. These things have EVERYTHING you could possibly want, from clothes to bedding to furniture to groceries, so it's extremely long, but it might be fun to browse through. Unfortunately, they don't really have evening dress that I found, but they do have hats, gloves, shoes, etc. The descriptions are really funny sometimes too.

Eaton's Fall/Winter Catalogue 1909-10
Eaton's Spring/Summer Catalogue 1913
Eaton's Fall/Winter Catalogue 1913-14

Inspiration: Titanic Era Gowns

Here are some photos of actual 1912 (or very close to 1912) evening/ball gowns for your inspiration, whether you are looking to sew a dress from scratch or to modify an existing dress.

Not really sure what is going on with those things hanging from the sleeves, but the rest of it is pretty! I like the buttons.

Here's a dress that would be fairly easy to recreate using a modern formal dress. I have seen a lot of these types of dresses (with the split skirt) at thrift stores for under $10. Add some accents, tack a chiffon scarf around the top as shown and you've got something very close to this!

This one is kind of interesting with the waist "sash" that extends into an overskirt in the back.

This one isn't really ball-ish I guess because I don't think a ballgown would have that high, "turtleneck" look, but it gives you an idea of some of the unique draping of the period.

I think this one is really pretty and not too "out there."

The back is interesting with it pulled up on the side with that accent piece.

I wouldn't recommend you make a train like that - that's a recipe for a torn dress! :-)

This is rather bride looking but I thought it was lovely, and a style that would be pretty easily recreated in a color, which would make it look less like a wedding dress.

Interesting skirt on this!

This is kind of neat how the two sides of the overskirt are connected by the three ties which make a V pattern down the front.

We included this on in the dress sheet with the invitations but I thought I would include it here too.

All pictures except the last one are from Madame Guillotine (which site I do not recommend but she had some great gown sources). The last picture I got from Story of a Seamstress. No copyright infringement is intended in the posting of these images.

Titanic Ball Details!

If you are visiting this blog you have probably received an invitation to the Titanic Ball commemorating the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Here are the details of the ball, just in case you accidentally threw away your invitation and need them. :-) (And just in case any strangers stumble on this, you do have to be invited to attend. Sorry!).

Saturday, April 21, 2012

6:30 p.m.

at the Park Place Post Hall

406 W. Woodstock Street, Crystal Lake, IL 60014

1912 period attire is encouraged. We'll be posting more about this later here on the blog.

Dancing will begin promptly at 7:00p.m. and

will conclude at 11:00p.m.

Beverages and light refreshments will be served.

There is no charge to attend the ball, though we would very much appreciate a contribution to help us with the cost of the facility, edibles, dance caller, etc., if you are able.

The favor of a reply is requested by January 15, 2012.

You can RSVP by either:

Calling: 815-578-9023

Emailing: titanicball(at)gmail.com

Or signing up online by filling in the form - Click HERE

This event is for ages 14 and up.