A modern girls journey into a Victorian world

Hi, this is my first ever blog, how exciting.

Its a week and a half until I ride to Oamaru on my old bike wearing victorian costume with 24 other like minded people who I don’t really know, what an adventure! This is the great cycle tour to arranged by the Oamaru Ordinary Cycle Club to coincide with the beginning of the Oamaru heritage festival. I was always planning on going to the festival and on a fit of madness decided to join the cycle tour, most of the gentleman will be riding Penny farthings it will be a sight to see, we leave from Kaiapoi north of christchurch on Saturday 13th November.

I was supposed to pick up my vintage bicycle today but it wasn’t ready, I was a little disappointed but on the way to the cycle shop I happenend to go into a second hand shop I have never been to before and the first skirt I picked up was a split skirt. I am sooooo pleased, Victorian women wore split skirts while horseriding they are basically culottes (I am a not the best at spelling so bear with me) or 3/4 trousers with a skirt on the front. I have been looking at vintage patterns on a website called trulyvictorian.com but my dressmaking skills are not the best so I thought I would have to make do with riding my bike in skirts with my homemade bloomers underneath. I plan to dye the split skirt black tomorrow in the washing machine this is either going to work out really well or be a disaster for both the washing machine and the skirt!

I still have two skirts to sew, I’m not sure about this and Im not the best with the sewing machine it took me about 5 hours to make a pair of bloomers on Sunday and the first hour was spent trying to remember how to thread a bobbin and work the sewing machine!! I’m very glad the bloomers are undergarments as they are a bit rough, the pattern seems to be very authentic down to the crutchless bit which might prove to be difficult on the bike but I’m thinking of maybe wearing modern bike shorts underneath the skirts.

Tonight I brought an amazing corset on trademe, fingers crossed it will fit me.I plan to wear this to the Ball in Oamaru on the Friday night As well as coming up with outfits to wear on the bike ride, once I hit Oamaru I will need day outfits and gowns to wear to balls etc, all a bit daunting when you are fiscally challenged and just learning about all things Victorian.

No time to sew tonight it was a big rush to finish work then off to the supermarket for nibbles for Photography Club tonight, brought a copper hair dye (never used that colour before and plan to get up at 6am to dye my hair before work….could be scary!) then home to fed the puppy, off to the Rangiora photography club for an hour before picking up my son and heading home. I imagine there are going to be loads of photographic opportunities on the bike tour, I will be loaded up with memory cards all set for action.

I’m at the stage where I need to start writing a list of things to take and things that I need to do such as finish making my hats and take in my green frock, making two skirts (each has almost 5 metres of fabric).

Hopefully I can work out how to add a photo of my bike it should now have a basket on the front I(hopefully), I have plans of getting the dog to sit in there (but that will be a whole other adventure)!