$50 No-Sew Regency Era Challenge

June 5, 2021

Time for another $50 No-Sew Ensemble! Lady Whistledown will surely approve of this elegant lady’s Regency ensemble.

As a costumer and President of GBACG, I spend lots of time at events and talking to people online about costuming, expectations, and confidence in the hobby. It always breaks my heart when I hear any of these:

“I wish I could join in the fun, but I don’t know how to sew.”

“I don’t have money to buy accurate dresses.”

“I’m worried I’m not historically accurate enough to attend.”

As someone neck-deep in this hobby and organizing for it, I want people to participate no matter their skill level or experience. I want to encourage everyone’s own view of costuming, whether it’s Historical, Steampunk, mash-ups, cosplay, etc. With this in mind I’ve been reflecting on how we as a group can be more encouraging and accessible to those who watch the fun from afar and want to participate.

And with that the $50 New/No-Sew Challenge was created — making a great costume that can be repeated without sewing a stitch or spending a ton of money! Check out the previous installment, where I created a mid-Victorian basic ensemble with options to elevate the look.

So here were the rules I gave myself, same as before:

Absolutely no sewing, safety pins only (the costumer’s holy grail).
Many people do not have sewing machines, or space for them, or finances to purchase, or the confidence to use them. Why should they feel they can’t participate in dress up?
Store-bought new.
Although I generally prefer thrifting to buying new, I understand that perfect thrift store finds are time intensive and not easy to replicate. So for this challenge, I bought new clothes through Amazon which is more accessible to the masses. This way you can buy the exact same pieces, or use the look as an inspiration to buy/thrift something similar!
$50 max budget.
I understand that for some $50 is still a lot of money, but I needed to put a reasonable limit on spending. This $50 does not include accessories that I’ll find around my house, just the base outfit that you can decorate your own way. I then show what more you can buy to further enhance the costume, starting with this great base.

The Base Costume

I had no Regency wear so this was fun to put together! As you may know Amazon prices fluctuate, so what I paid may not be the current price, but through their suggestions you may find something similar.

Here is how I spent my $50 for the base outfit (Not including shipping). I’ve included additional options that I have not purchased, so I can’t speak to the quality.

Dress – $30

The base dress was the best find, I absolutely loved this dress. It’s polyester, but the fabric is very soft and I love the back button details. I bought two sizes, an Extra Small and Large. I’m wearing the Large (shown above). It fit my 5’6″ height perfectly and was comfy having the elastic high waist. Below is pictured Adrienne in the size Extra Small, it’s much shorter on her (she is 5’7”).

The dress is about $30, and there are several colors to choose from! The arms are a bit tight on me, but I have larger arms than many and the arms do not have elastic. The waist is elastic and the buttons are decorative. The neckline does sit rather low in the back, which may reveal the top of your stays if you wear them. The dress comes with a ribbon sash, which I switched out because… I lost it haha.

Purchase this dress here

And there are lots of alternatives in a similar price range:

Here’s one with a pretty Floral Print
Shiny pintucked Satin
Lace-trimmed Sheer (wear a long slip underneath)

Shawl – $12

A rectangular shawl is the perfect accessory for a Regency look. A simple Pashmina scarf works well here — you can even sew two scarves together to replicate the long fashionable shawls of this era.

Gloves – $8

A pair of long, white gloves will elevate your look, and keep you safe from touching gross things ;p
Or pick a bright, shiny color to get that sparkle, colorful Bridgerton look.

Reticule – $0

Free, well not entirely. I ordered something small “gift wrapped” and it came in a little pouch, perfect as a Regency reticule!

So here is my $50 basic Regency Look. To achieve the silhouette you can wear a pushup or balconette bra to get similar lift. Then pair the dress with some knee socks and flats!

Elevating the Look

Ok now for part two of my $50 store-bought, no-sew challenge… taking the look to the next level with decorations, accessories, and if you want, period undergarments. For this part, I used materials that I already had around the house from other costumes. For some, this may be an additional expense, but I wanted to show how you can use random things you may already have to make the outfit even better. So let’s take our bought $50 ensemble to the next level!

Hair

Doing loose curls around your face and pinning them in place gives you that soft Regency look. Then top it off with a high pony and bun if your hair is long enough, or you can purchase hair buns and curls. If you don’t have enough hair or don’t like doing your hair, use hairpieces to make up the difference. Here are some inexpensive options:

Braided bun, $9 — I’ve bought this bun for other eras! It’s very versatile.
Clip-on bang extensions, $19 Looking for side curls? Try bang extensions and curl them by boiling or steaming the extensions!
Ringlet curls, $30 For curlier side hair, try pigtail curls (these are even better for 1830’s)

Hair Accessory

Accenting your hairstyle with a simple hair comb is a perfect way to elevate the look, bonus points if you get something sparkly. The hair comb I’m wearing I found at a thrift store. These are easy to find at antique/consignment stores, and online new or used.

Fan

Any folding fan works perfect to keep you cool, and you can learn how to flirt with a Regency Rake through it! They’re easy to find in gift shops, or go in with some friends and buy a lot.

Solid Colors, $1/each ($12 total) to match any gown!
Fancy with feathers, $13 Channel your inner Featherington sister!
Delicate lace, $9

Shoes

I got my shoes from Target years ago and they’re the absolute best, I wear them for Regency to mid-Victorian, and modern wear! Here are some similar styles:

Lace-up flat, $26
Simple ballet flat, $20-30 Lots of colors to choose from. You can add lacing or ribbons if you like!

Petticoat

I tend to collect old cotton petticoats to use for all of my costuming. Why do I need a petticoat, you might ask? Adding this additional layer will keep the dress (especially the polyester) from getting static-y to your skin and give a bit more body to the dress, really making a nice difference. For this period, the petticoat does not need to be particularly full.

To make a Regency petticoat I took a normal petticoat and safety pinned straps to the waist to have it sit higher under my bust… kinda like makeshift overalls haha!

You can often find old Victorian/Edwardian petticoats for as cheap as $10-40
Ready-made basic petticoat, $32. This simple drawstring option would work for a lot of eras.
Modern half-slip, $21 Something like this would also do the job in a pinch!

Jewelry

To finish my look I searched my jewelry box. I luckily have this beautiful coral necklace and earrings made by my friend, but any pearl or beaded necklace in a short length is a perfect look for this era. Simple drop earrings are are also a great addition.

Faux coral with matching earrings, $14 Coral was very popular in the Regency, as well as many other eras.
Or splurge on some handmade historical jewels:

Ribbon Sash

I just found a ribbon and knotted it, but I definitely could use a better ribbon next time. Great stash buster, or find something at your local fabric or craft store. Tie a pretty bow and you’re ready to go!

Taking the outfit to a more “Historical” level

For those who want to make the outfit look more “accurate” but still don’t want to sew I decided to show what the outfit looks like with more period-correct undergarments. This is an investment on top of your $50 base dress and can be added to your look at later times!

Stays/Corset

I have not invested in Regency stays yet, so am wearing my Redthreaded 1830’s stays with this look. They give a similar shape to those worn in the Regency, but not quite as much bust lift. I know people who have worn 18th century stays, later corsets, and modern bras for their Regency look. It all depends on how much bust lift you want, and this silhouette is very forgiving. As you can see though, the back of this dress was quite low so my stays did pop over the edge a bit!

One final note: remember to always wear a chemise under your stays/corset… don’t be like Bridgerton. Old cotton nightgowns, or even a simple camisole/tank will work perfectly here!

Put it all together!

With the simple base costume, a handful of accessories, and perhaps period-correct undergarments, you can see how versatile this outfit is! The best part is, it can grow as you get deeper into costuming or you can just keep it simple with the basics. And maybe for that Bridgerton flair, grab your bedazzler and make it sparkle!

If you start simple and slowly add to your Regency-era outfit, you can look amazing without sewing a stitch or breaking the bank!

  @madamedestroyer Buying new, used, thrifted costumes, is all valid costuming. Even buying from online retailers. ##fyp ##bridgerton ##historicalcostume ##springoutfit
 ♬ how would they know bad girls club - Chris Gleason

Published

June 5, 2021

$50 No-Sew Regency Era Challenge

$50 No-Sew Regency Era Challenge