Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Off to the Ball

I am off to the Bloglandia Ball today...hosted by the remarkable eb of be_dream_play...visit her bog to see the links to the ball attendees...and see their wonderful ball gowns...

As we arrive I see many wonderful artistas...arrayed in splendor of their own creation...the work of their hands has made the event so colorful and lively... I will be dancing the day and the night away...I love to dance...save a dance for me...

We are in awe, Cre8Tiva and I, as we stop to take it all in....for we haven't been to a ball in a long time...we were not sure if we would be dressed just right...and we were unsure if we should don the tiera...and of course we opted for...

tiera and wrap

This is my gown...


My Gown is called "She of the Sea"...it is made on heavy paper...painted with acrylics, silk ribbons and yarn, embellished with glass beads, shells, crystals, antique jewelry...

bodice detail


skirt detail


No ball gown is complete without the proper glass slippers...

glass slippers


I see Marita and Constance and Vanessa and Lisa and... over there are spf and corey...everyone i know is here...I must bid you adeiu for now...i want to see what everyone is wearing...below is a history of ball gowns if you would like to know...

The noun ball gown has one meaning:
Meaning #1: the most formal gown; worn to a ball

Ball gowns of the 1860s
A Ball gown is the most formal female attire for social occasions. According to rules of etiquette, a ball gown must be worn where "white tie" or "evening dress" is specified on the invitation. It is traditionally a full-skirted gown reaching at least to the ankles, made of luxurious fabric, delicately and exotically trimmed. Most versions are cut off the shoulder with decollete necklines. Such gowns are typically worn with a stole (a formal shawl in expensive fabric), cape or cloak in lieu of a coat, "good" (couture or vintage) jewellery and opera-length gloves. Standard accessories are dancing shoes and a clutch style evening bag. Where "state decorations" are to be worn, they are on a bow pinned to the chest, and married women wear a tiara if they have one.

The ball-gown shape has changed little since the mid-19th century. Although man-made fabrics are now sometimes used, the most common fabrics are satin, silk, taffeta and velvet with trimmings of lace, pearls, sequins, embroidery, ruffles and ruching.

The Elements of Ladies' White Tie Attire

According to rules of etiquette and attire, ladies must wear a ball gown to events where men are required to wear white tie attire.

The elements of ladies' white tie attire could include:



Optional:
  • state decorations - if specified on invitation; worn on a bow pinned to the chest

  • tiara - if "state decoration" is specified; worn by married women only
The information above was provided by: Answer.com and Wikipedia and WordNet

71 comments:

somepinkflowers said...

ooohhhh.....
your dress is so wonderfully florida!
i love the shells!

:-)

the color goes well with your hair,
i think.

(sshhh...
i have already taken my shoes off.
do you think anyone will notice?)

Zorana said...

What a fancy dress! You'll be the belle of the ball!

Anonymous said...

Love peeking into all your links! What a treasure trove of delight!
And your dress! I want it! Yes I do, it is the one I want to wear since i have nothing to wear!

Glorious you!

Anonymous said...

ow rebecca, your 'she of the sea' is gorgeous. let's sit on the sand of the beach, dreaming and talking underneath the stars and the moon...

Darla said...

You've created such a beautiful gown and of course it reflects your love of the sea.

Thanks for all the information, I wasn't aware that tiara's were to be worn by married women only.

I'm going to check out the other ladies at the Ball.

Darla

Mélanie said...

This is a dress for a beautiful mermaid !! Wouah

somepinkflowers said...

ohohoho...
i came back for another visit with your ocean gown.

:-)

and i am glad that i did
as i had forgotten
about those amazing *glass slippers*

Anonymous said...

Ooohhh Ms. Creative you look stunning in your beautiful sea goddess gown.
I'll come back later to look at your links. I have to run now!

Let's Dance!

a Pocket Angel said...

Oh my goodness what a fabulous gown! You will be soooo stunning at the ball.
See ya there! ~Mary~ :-}

Vallen said...

hhh, I wouldn't want any hurt feelings but your gown is my favorite so far. I would wear it in an instant.

lauren bergold said...

what an AMAZING gown! ...& here i didn't even know that *mermaids* could dance...silly me! :)

thank you so much for all the etiquette info, as well! i would've hated to make a faux pas of any description on an occasion as special as this!

Betty said...

Beautiful...and the shoes...I'm barefoot..shoes are pretty but ouch!

Leslie said...

Your dress is beautiful! And so is your tiara! And the glass slippers! Oh my!I love it. Dance girl, dance!

jungle dream pagoda said...

Your dress is SPECTACULAR!!!Yes,I agree with ,some pink flowers ,so perfectly Floridian!! I love its name too!

Anonymous said...

Fancy Shmancy!!! I love it that you brought the Sea with you! Let's dance later!

Naturegirl said...

I stand back and sit this dance out but am overjoyed just seeing all the elegant dresses covered in lace and glitter and buttons and bows and of course princess shoes!
Twirl around for me..

picking up the glitter and throwing it into the air!hugs NG

Unknown said...

A mermaid....simply a gift from the sea!

Thank you for this dance!!!

paris parfait said...

The dress is fantastic - a mermaid princess! Yes, wear the crown with sapphires - it suits you! xoxox

Annie Jeffries said...

Hello! What fun it was to meet you and all my other dancing sisters. Have a fabulous day and be sure to wear that pretty dress more than once.

Lea said...

I love the ball gown trivia!!! But your dress, tiara, and stole is spectacular... oh such delight! Let's dance!!!

Anonymous said...

fabulous !!!!!!!!!

getting you linked up my dear - so fast and whirling at my place - come on over and share some pie with me -

having fun?

xox - eb.

The Fairy Godmother said...

A mermaid gown, how lovely, I'm sure the Fairy Violette will want to hear your secrets from the sea at the Bloglandia Ball, look out for her.....

Susan Schwake said...

SOoooooo beautiful! and i am with Some pink Flowers, i abandoned my shoes, but i kept my gloves on!
yes, i have an extra pair for you!.
your dress is stunning...

Anonymous said...

Both your gown and your tiara, are so intricate and lovely!
To think married women get the advantage of wearing a tiara - had I but known...luckily Tara's lending them out, lol.
Lovely to meet you - have a beautiful evening!

karlascottage.typepad.com said...

A lovely dress to drool over and a lesson in ball gown lore, thanks!

couragetocreatewriteandlove said...

OMG!!!
I love your dress!!!
Full of treasures from the sea!
Thank you for sharing the ettiquete ;-)

Anonymous said...

Oh, I'm sure you'll be the belle of the ball in that wondrous dress!

Manuela

Becky Bunn said...

ooohhh I love your dress. The colors all the beads, the trim. It all works. I love the shoes.

Lisa Oceandreamer Swifka said...

OMG!!! This is an amazing work of art my friend that calls to me on every level. It is the ideal gown for a Mermaid....the ideal gown for the Ball. I covet it....I want to wear it and feel like a sea goddess. You are the evenings Sea Goddess and as we dance and chat I will try to coax you to change when the Ball is over...and accidentally leave it behind. ;)
XOXOXO
Love,
Lisa
p.s. I didn't even bother with shoes

Anonymous said...

Have a wonderful time at the ball. Your dress is truly amazing.

My little Marta and the crown prince of Norway will have to be my ball today.....:-)

ShabbyInTheCity said...

Very nice dress...a mermaid perhaps?

Ursula Shaw said...

This is a wonderfully creative gown!

Linda Jo said...

Well, I think you win the prize. There is a prize, right? Love your gown.

pamelahuntington said...

what a perfect gown for the event.,
you will float around the floor in the colors of the ocean
as if on a lovely wave..
pamela

createacraft said...

beautiful dress.. gorgeous..
and dreamy name for it..
hope to see you there..
enjoy..

Doe Grozs Art said...

I loooooooooove that dress!!!
here is a link to another blog I have (don't use much) but I put some work (murals) that I had pictures of.
http://roomtocreate.blogspot.com/
Doreen
I have to read more about the Ball.

Kara said...

My what a gorgeous sight when you spin around in that dress! Love it!

flyinamber said...

Beautiful dress,Rebbeca!You will be the queen of the ball!I love shells and the sea very much.
Thanks a lot for visiting my blog and for your kind comments,too.
I am self-taught in many things,as painting,sewing and english language,too.So,my posts are still short and full of mistakes in English usage.But I'm learning :)
and I'm always trying to do the best I can..
Enjoy!

Fiona said...

How can such a fabulous thing as a tiara be optional?

Your sea dress is brilliant. I'd love to wear it!

Anonymous said...

What a magical dress! You may just be the belle of the ball...

Sandra Evertson said...

Your dress is Stunning!
And Lucky Chance and Lucky You!
Sandra Evertson

Jo Anne O. said...

Love, Love, Love your wonderful gown...made from the sea it is just lovely my dear and I can't wait to see it up close at the Ball!

Maize Hutton said...

perfect! bravo!

luv the slippers!

{hugs}

A bird in the hand said...

Fantasmagoric!

Aren't we having so much fun?? I see you found some glass slippers (mine are, um, invisible!!)

xo

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness!!! Your dress is simply astounding and beautiful!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!!and the shoes, and the crown.. oh my..... Can I try it on??xxo

Unknown said...

The dress is gorgeous and the slippers... where did you find such wonderful slippers

Julia said...

oh how very very creative !! I love that dress!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

You'll be the Queen of the Mermaids in that beautiful gown!
So nice to meet you!

Artist in Progress said...

Lovely, your dress is gorgeous. I love the colors andshells and the purple shoes, so chic. You will be the belle of the ball.

Carol M

Anastasia said...

what an amazing dress - you will be a beautiful sea goddess!
I cant wait to dance the night away...

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh, your gown is gorgeous! So glad that you stopped by to visit, and that we got to meet!

Kari said...

Oh my....LOVE your gown. So great to see you here!!!
Kari

a Bohemian Market said...

Cre8tiva:
Thank you for the dance & for not telling anyone I have 2 left feet : )
I am slipping in and out since I do not have a ball gown on : ) Your dress is worth "Seaing" Living in Florida is so divine. I like how you gave us definitions of gowns and such.
Thank you
If you want I can send you her highness "A Bleu Bow" She is a good girl and likes dogs, very much.
carole

Jill said...

Oh my gloss! This is spectacular!
Simply divine. Does it jingle tinkle when you walk? I bet it twirls beautifully!
Dance the night away, baby!

Lila Rostenberg said...

What a beautiful "She of the Sea" dress! You will be the belle of the ball...and all the mermaids will want you to be their couturiere!
Our moon is occasionally peeking out from behind the clouds...very mysterious tonight! the moving clouds give the illusion that the moon is fading and then brightening!

Lori Bartel {aka.. blossom} said...

Wow what a magnificent DRESS!!!

Anonymous said...

Wow - what a fabulous,marvelous dress... I love it. I used to dreaa up like a sea fairy to tell fairy tales to children for their birthdays, i would have looooooved this dress.

Erin Earls said...

Oh I think it is gorgeous! Those are the perfect shoes too. Thanks for the visit, and I will visit again soon.
Love Erin.

Anonymous said...

A dance is saved my dear... and my, what a gorgeous gown you have! Anything from the sea is cherished by me, so dance the night away in your finery!

Scrappy Moments said...

The Dress is so beautiful :)

Angie

http://scrapnmomsmoments.blogspot.com/

Connie Carpenter Macko said...

dazzling jewels! absolutley stunning ensemble. And I must appreciate a spirit who even knows that black tie and white tie are not horses of the same color! thank you so much for dancing with me!

Anonymous said...

Wow I am speechless. Your gown is out of this world.

Amanda May said...

what an incredible gown! it would be so much fun to wear - I can imagine the beads clinking at my ankles. I think it would have to be a seaside Ball to really be perfect.

Giggles said...

I'm in awe of your unique couture, truly a masterpiece! I raise my glass to you my dear!!! Pure perfection in that dress! Mine pales in comparison! You will be admired as you shake and shimmy like a pixie along the dance floor.

Hugs Sherrie

Pinkie Denise said...

Your dress is so beautiful I absolutely love it. Please come dance with us under the full moon. Pinkie

girlgonethreadwild said...

Oh simply gorgeous you must have been in your gown... truly, you stole the show...She of the sea! Thank you for dropping by my side of the dance floor last night, so nice to meet you! We must do this again sometime! :)

Artifax said...

What a fantastic dress all bejeweled and embellished with such fabulous shells and fibers! Love it!! And I like those glass slippers too!

Laureline said...

That ball gown is so magical! What an imagination you have, and such a zest for life, too.\!

One Crabapple said...

Ah ! You flew past me early on at The Ball and this is the first chance I've had to Catch Up With You!

Twirling in your BEAUTIFUL GORGEOUS CRE8TIVE Ballgown. My gosh, I am so glad to get up close to survey all the details of this magnificent design !!!

And Darling - Those Shoes...well, PERFECT !

That Bodice Works on You , You know !!!

Cheers and sorry to be so late. I am STILL working my way down thru the list of links on EB's Blog.

Thank You for the Dance !
Happy Autumn !
xo-S.

ohhh ps. That was so interesting all the facts about ETIQUETTE and Proper Dress for The Ball !
How Fun. And now I am ready for The (gulp) Next One !

Anonymous said...

Ooooh...I so like your dress. I have a soft spot for mermaids and no doubt they would be doing backflips into the water over this dress! And I like the etiquette rule concerning tiaras - that only married women get to wear them! Yay! Of course, I wouldn't throw a tantrum if my single friends put one on, too. :)

Conni said...

oh, a kindred soul, "she of the sea"...I love it! So beautiful with the seashell details. I have had such a wonderful time at the ball! Nice to meet you!