With Malice Toward None . . .

I saw Lincoln on Friday night.

Immediately on leaving the theatre, I made three phone calls: first to my sister. I gushed and cried. Then to my best friend B. I gushed and cried. Then to my mom. Ditto. It was after 10pm Chicago-time, but I did not hesitate to make any of these phone calls. I think I would have burst if I hadn't been able to speak to someone after that experience, and even after three calls I was still full of feeling.

We all know who Abraham Lincoln was, and the immense impact he had on the history and shaping of this country. And, I think most reading this review have seen more than one film about some historical figure, be it Napoleon or Kennedy or even Jesus Christ. Biopics tend to treat their subjects as larger-than-life, and we sit in awe as the events of history play out before us, the figure portrayed by some actor we recognize and try to forget in the guise of someone we've read about. Beloved historical figures are often treated as nearly god-like in films about them. We leave the theatre after these films with the sense of having seen the deeds of someone great, while not truly feeling any nearer that person.

Lincoln is not that film.

I can honestly say that I have never seen a biopic that made me feel more, personally, for the subject than this one. The Civil War, and Abraham Lincoln, are already deeply personal to me for obvious reasons, and so I expected to feel some emotional stake in the events onscreen. But, what Spielberg has managed to do is to put the viewer smack in the center of the room with the man. You cannot sit and watch. You must join in. Lincoln is not grandiose; he is a man, an extraordinary man, yes, but a man: funny, complicated, kind, fiercely intelligent, even gently conniving. Rarely have I ever liked a figure on film as much as I personally did by the end; here was a man I wanted to know, to sit with on a porch and talk with. Here was a man who made others better simply by being present. The tallest man in the room, always.

To compliment the film fully, I cannot just compliment Spielberg, naturally. I must talk about the incredible cast. Every single person brings their A-game, even those you barely see, even soldiers who do not get a name, or secretaries who handle his letters. Day-Lewis gives a performance so striking in its natural flow that I never, for one moment, saw him onscreen. I saw Lincoln. He is completely and utterly the man, and if he does not win the Oscar this year, good God, I can't think who might beat him. Sally Field plays Mary Todd with a barely contained intensity; not madness, but such heart-breaking misery at times that it was difficult to watch. She is always on edge without ever seeming to lurch into expected characature. Tommy Lee Jones is powerful, hilarious, and deserves a supporting actor nod for his turn as Thaddeus Stevens, so instrumental in the passing of the 13th Amendment. And David Strathairn deserves a nod as well for his understated and controlled portrayal of Lincoln's Secretary of State Seward, who is possibly the only man who can argue any opposing point with the President while still so clearly showing how he respects and loves the man. There are scores of others in the film who play meaningful and important roles and who I could mention here, but this review is too long already.

A few words on the superior costuming by Joanna Johnston: it is beautiful and incredibly specific; I watched the entire film with a critical eye, and I couldn't find a single flaw. Mary Todd Lincoln's dresses in particular were superb, even though I personally would never wear them. And, the men . . .! I cannot say enough. Flawless, right down to Stevens' horrible wig.

Everyone knows how Lincoln's story ends, with a fateful trip to Ford's Theatre. As the film reached that point, I felt my chest seize and a lump in my throat, and I began to cry unashamedly as the camera follows him out of the White House for the final time. This was not just a historical figure I had read about. Not even a figure I had seen portrayed by a friend or intereacted with. This was someone I suddenly felt as though I knew. I felt for the first time the depth of the country's loss, because it felt like my loss. Spielberg invited me into this man's life for a few weeks, and in the end I felt just how short a time that was. I wish I could adequately put it into words, but that is the best I can do.

See Lincoln. Even if you think you know the history and nothing can surprise you, I promise, you're wrong. You will be moved, and, if you're anything like me, you might be a little changed too.

Cleaning out the Costume Closet . . .

 I'm doing a little spring cleaning and decided it's time to get rid of a few costumes I don't need anymore! My loss is your gain, as they say, so check out my eBay auctions:
Civil War Tea-Bodice Afternoon Gown
Late-Victorian Natural Form Gown

I really love these gowns, but they don't fit me anymore, and I'd love to see them go to new homes and get worn again! Contact me with any questions, and snap them up before they're gone!

Naperville 2010 !

The Plaid Brigade

My last Naperville was this weekend, and it was wonderful and bittersweet. Lots of lovely people were there, we had fantastic weather (especially Sunday!) and it was a nice way to end my years of doing this event.

Me as Martha "Mittie" Roosevelt

In spite of some snags in the weeks running up to the event, we ended up having good attendance both days. Mittie was out in force, in all her Southern Sassiness (I should trademark that!). It seemed we had some really good patrons too this weekend; kids who were cool and inquisitive, and adults who were really interested in what we had to say. We've all researched our history so thoroughly that it's a joy to talk to people about it, and I think a few were educated without being aware;)

Tabitha looked lovely, of course.

Tabitha reading an 1862 paper.

The battle, especially on Sunday, was very good this year. We sat near some bloodthirsty children on the Union side who would have jumped over the fence and fought with the boys in blue if they could have!

A gathering in the Halfway House yard, our home at Naper Settlement.

Teddy with K., and me gazing longingly at the fudge shop.

We had two visitors from England this year, the irrepressable Teddy and Tom. They were a hoot, and I was glad to meet them;)

Our boys in blue, on the march.

President Lincoln, of course;) Max is one of the best Lincolns I've seen, funny, knowledgible, and very personable.

Even during the Civil War, a good Southern girl has to have her iced chai;)

 . . . And funnel cake!

Yes, it was a bittersweet weekend. I kept saying to myself, "This is the last time I'll . . ." Breaking everything down Sunday evening was especially hard; I tried to take it all in and not start blubbering like an idiot. This event was my first Civil War event and it is fitting that it will be my last here. Thank you to Naper Settlement, to Great Lakes Reenactors Guild, and to all my friends who made this weekend special.

The first of the lasts.

New Vintage Fabulousness . . .

I have been coveting a Victorian parasol for many years now, but I've been unwilling to pay hundreds of dollars for something that was broken, needed to be recovered, or just wasn't right. For parasol connoisseurs (yes, there is such a thing), the mid- to late-19th century parasol is quite a commodity, and to find one in good shape is rare. I was pretty excited to win this through Leslie Hindman Auctioneers yesterday.

My friend B, who knows much more about parasols than I do, has dated this at the 1890's, given that it is telescopic rather than hinged, as with mid-century carriage parasols. It's small enough and decorated similarly enough, however, that I plan to use it at next year's Naperville event. Squee!!!

No split silk, no broken tines, and minimal stains. The catch at the top is horn, and the black wooden handle is barely scratched. Not bad for under $100!

Naperville 2009!

For yet another year, Naper Settlment's Civil War Days was a rousing success. We came, we saw, we partied like it was 1863.

We had several additions to our party this year: Karen brought her lovely new husband William, and they portrayed the Reverand Daniel Livermore and his wife Mary, who was apparently a famous female newspaper reporter during the Civil War.





Molly was another lovely addition; she portrayed Amelia Strauss, sister to the Kaufmanns, whose husband had recently enlisted and so her brothers brought her back home to Naperville to look after her.









Kathy (Flossie) returned in a lovely new dress! She and Margaret each had new threads, as did most of the ladies present;)




Tabitha brought her boyfriend, Ansel, and he portrayed James King Gracie, fiance to her Anna Bulloch.








The Dawsons and the Gallas joined us once again this year, and the boys took a little time out on Saturday to play some poker (scandalous!) I don't know who won, but they all looked pretty fabulous playing;)

Overseeing it all, of course, were the Barretts (Kaufmanns). I will always be grateful they have chosen to include me in this event every year; they are the brothers I never had.





Saturday evening included a formal dinner to celebrate the recent marriages in our midst, of the Dawsons and the Dezomas. We all got dressed up and enjoyed dinner and cake;)


As usual, there was a battle to enjoy both days. Don't worry; the North carried it on Sunday!


I finished the long, exhausting and wonderful weekend sitting outside the petting zoo, watching the goats and llama and chickens and just enjoying the sunshine.








Of course, it wouldn't be Naperville without at least one crazy picture of Brian;)

The Ballgown of Dooooooooooom! dress diary . . .

I tried to tell you it would be the dress that came from hell, but you all just chuckled and patted me on the head. It's a wonder that it even made it out to Naperville. You all know what I started with: the mushroom brocade and the organza overlay:

The skirt came together on Thursday night, and it went rather smoothly. The organza had a double border, so I slit it down the center and sewed the two flounces onto the skirt. The lower flounce has about six yards in it, and the upper flounce has five. I box-pleated the skirt into the waistband and box-pleated the upper flounce; the lower flounce was simply gathered with a basting stitch. The yellow and tan flowers with the silver and gold threads running through it complimented the colors of the brocade perfectly, and I began to entertain the smallest hope, deep down, that the bodice construction would sail through and it would practically make itself. Heh, heh.

The bodice itself seemed to go together well; following the lines I had marked in the fitting, I cut and sewed the bodice together, lightly boning it with 1/4" white steel and self-piping the upper and lower edges. This was the first four hours.

Then came the sewing of the hook and eye tape, which I had to hide with a small hand-stitched panel of brocade in the back. The sleeves came next, double puffed and with a small lace flounce. I had almost no organdy left, but I made it work. I set the sleeves in, and then made the tucker and hand-stitched that in. I finally pinned the bodice to the skirt in preparation for the last fitting. This was hours five, six, and seven.

Looks good, doesn't it? Of course, I made my sister crop my face out of the shot, because it was red and puffy. After all that work, it didn't fit, and I had little-to-no-time to fix it.

I literally have no idea how this occurred, and I was very angry at myself for it. I know how to fit ballgowns, after all, and this is nearly inexcusable. I was laced in all the way to my ribcage as well, so that wasn't going to fix it. I called Brian and cried a bit, took the damn thing off, and proceeded with my other preparations for the weekend. Then, I went back to the dress. Hour eight finally had me ripping, cutting, and frankensteining the back seam to add a little fabric at the bottom, putting in a placket to cover up the ugly.


Thankfully, the results were not all that noticeable. I wore it Saturday, and in spite of the trouble, I think it looked pretty okay.

My sister was in a lovely ballgown from Kaufmann's, of course;)

After all that, I hope I don't need to make another ballgown for another five years!

The Ballgown of Dooooooooooom!

Some inspiration

The Ballgown of Doom approaches. I see it, sitting in piles of fabric, lurking on my sewing chair, peeking out from an innocent-looking pattern envelope. It is coming.

Okay, enough of the drama. I have to make a ballgown this week, before Saturday, for Naperville. The lace came yesterday (yay!), and it is very pretty: white organdy with pale yellow roses and silver embroidery running through it; it looks lovely over the mushroom and gold brocade. The skirt will be mushroom brocade with two flounces of the organdy over it; the bodice is brocade with double-puff sleeves with an organdy overlay and flounce. There will be a small white point d'esprit tucker. I'm using the Kay Gnaghy Simplicity pattern for the bodice, but without the frou-frou on the front;) What do you think? Comments?