1863 Ball Gown in Yellow with Green Ribbons over White Lace Skirt with Harvest Trimmings for Thanksgiving

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Happy Thanksgiving to those of you who are celebrating it today! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, and I’m really happy to be celebrating it with my family this year, now that we’re all in the same state again. Most of my extended family is in the Pacific Northwest, but when I was young my mom, dad, brother and I moved around the country on account of my dad’s job, and so for me Thanksgiving dinners remind me of a very small group around the table, stuffing in the crock-pot and Alice’s Restaurant on the radio. This year, as I understand it, there’ll be a bit of a crowd, but that’s fine too — it means more people to admire my baklava, for one thing. (A friend of mine from Turkey taught me to make exquisite baklava, but my baklava-related self-esteem has taken a bit of a hit since my husband took pictures of it after it came out of the oven. Somehow, the pictures turned out rather alien due to the way the phyllo dough crinkles up and his penchant for close-ups — and then he adjusted them to look vaguely green and called it “Night of the Living Baklava.” I am not so sure I will let him have any.)

In 1863, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day, so for today’s dress I have an 1860s-style ball gown with harvest motifs. I hope you like it, even if you’re not celebrating Thanksgiving today!

Why not — silly poll time!

19 thoughts on “1863 Ball Gown in Yellow with Green Ribbons over White Lace Skirt with Harvest Trimmings for Thanksgiving

  1. Sometimes I wish that I had lived in the 19th century for all the beautiful clothes they wore, but then I remember that women had practically no rights :P
    This is a great dress! I don’t celebrate Thanksgiving because I live in New Zealand. I do have a friend from America though who is having her annual Thanksgiving dinner, and I get to go to that for the first time this year!

  2. I want baklava for Thanksgiving D: We’re having pumpkin pie and peanut butter pie and chocolate pie, and I made a green bean casserole (which I hate but my mom loves) and of course turkey. I’m so glad you posted, I thought maybe you wouldn’t because today is a holiday. It’s a Thanksgiving present for us XD

  3. You could (in the column) include all the colors of the dress that you used and your inspiraition of the dress.

    P.s. I LOVE this dress. It’s so foody.

  4. Will you please, for december, do a dress for 12 or whatever days of christmas. I think it’s the 12 days of christmas.

  5. Indeed, thanks for posting on this lovely holiday-day!! I love the themed dress (I noticed the cornucopia design on the skirt too and it made me happy :D) I’m glad you could enjoy the day with your extended family!!

    For Thanksgiving dessert, it’s gotta be pumpkin pie! This year my aunt made two! amazing desserts (a vanilla/pumpkin ice cream cake with cranberry sauce and a meringue with raspberries and an almond spread) in addition to the traditional pie my mum brought. All three were incredibly delicious. It’s fun to try new things, but I’ll never get tired of the simple, yummy pumpkin pie.

  6. I’m an American living in Asia, but we still try to celebrate Thanksgiving, though not usually on the actual day. My favorite dessert is cherry pie with whipped cream…Yum!! Thanks for the gorgeous dress.

  7. Awesome. Just, awesome. This dress is on an awesome level up there with chocolate and Harrison Ford. What makes it that awesome? The cornucopia pattern in the underskirt.

    As for dessert… pumpkin pie, duh! See, I don’t hold with all these other pies for thanksgiving. Cherry pies, or anything with berries, are for summer. So are apple and peach pies. Mango pie can be for anytime because it’s mango. So can chocolate. Pumpkin is the only proper pie for Thanksgiving, that’s all there is to it.

  8. I agree with Sara–an awesome dress! That subtle cornucopia pattern is brilliant. So creative! That is what makes you an artist–I could never in a hundred years have thought of that!

    I love pie–apple and especially pumpkin for Thanksgiving; I made 5 kinds this year.

    Your husband does not DESERVE baklava if he doesn’t understand that there is no such thing as bad, ugly, or disappointing baklava–it is food of the gods and it is ALL good!

  9. Dear Liana, I am the editor of a magazine by the name of OFD (Old Fashioned Daughters). I was wondering if you would be at all interested in designing a Christmas paper doll. Preferably mid 1700’s and on one sheet of paper. If you think this might be possible I would need it by the 5th of December.
    Thank you so much for your consideration,
    Magnolia Younger.

  10. Well done on sticking to your resolution! so far so fab! the only reason i don’t celebrate thanksgiving is cos i live in scotland. And i notice no one has yet voted for i don’t like desserts. ;)

  11. To Faseeha: If anyone voted “I dislike desserts” the ceiling would fall on their heads or something. That’s just heretical!

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