Decisions!

And thus it is decided:  I have narrowed down to one inspiration dress for construction and another for colors.  I have decided to adjust my original plans to make an 1890s gown in favor of this late 1880s gown.  It's just so exquisite!  Here are the originals (photos from the Metropolitan Museum of Art):

House of Worth  (French, 1858–1956)

Designer:

Jean-Philippe Worth (French, 1856–1926)

Date:

1887–89

Culture:

French

Medium:

silk

Dimensions:

Length at CB (a): 9 1/4 in. (23.5 cm) Length at CB (b): 60 in. (152.4 cm)

Credit Line:

Gift of Orme Wilson and R. Thornton Wilson, in memory of their mother, Mrs. Caroline Schermerhorn Astor Wilson, 1949

Accession Number:

49.3.24a–e

The pink color is nice, but I would prefer blue to go with the gold lace: