A "Sofia the First" 18th Century Gown

On vacation last month, my little one debuted a new gown. I'm particularly proud of this because:

1. She found the fabric at the fabric store.
2. I corrected some of the fitting issues from her leading strings gown. 

It's a striped cotton in purple, which she chose to reflect the young Disney princess Sofia the First. Since it's a fine stripe, I made it 1780s style so it ties closed in the back. Photos of its debut are below with a few explanations; construction notes are coming soon.

 Admiring her new "colonial" shoes on Duke of Gloucester Street.

 Following the "history band."

 Exploring the Governor's Palace garden.

 She had to have a sash. Thanks to the coral sash on her leading strings gown, and the sash on a flower girl dress she recently wore, we're really into sashes. This one is just a shinny purple ribbon that I had in my stash.

 Check out that nicely sewn sleeve!

 I love how I caught her singing in this photo! It reminds me of...

 ...the 18th century painting Young Girl Singing into a Mirror.

 She loved the garden's mazes.

 Pretending to model...

 ...and pretending to be a statue.

 Notice how the bodice ties closed. (Yes, she needs a shift.)

Standing at the spot where her dad popped the question over ten years ago. 

 Making a "history friend" with one of Williamburg's interpreters.

 Showing off her shoes.

This gown fits her perfectly so there's not much room for growing. I doubt we can use it next year, but having a few colonial dresses to wear in the historic area helped positively shape her experience in Colonial Williamsburg.

Wearing the "history dress" made her an engaged and enthusiastic visitor, much more so than visiting in modern clothes. Nurturing cultural interests and fostering positive museum experiences are well worth the effort for some extra fabric shopping and sewing.