Harrisburg Ball

Lindsey and Vince at the Civil War Monument Preservation Ball in Harrisburg, PA.

This is a really bad picture of Vince and I...but it's here because Vince still needs to get me the pictures that we took at the ball. These pictures are from our friend, Rob.

Saturday was a lovely day! It took me awhile to get ready! I hadn't worn this dress since the Harrisburg ball last year so it needed freshened up a little. And I'm still missing the fan that I carried last year so I spent awhile looking for that to no avail. But finally we were ready. It still seemed so early to be leaving for the ball - mainly because it was! We had to leave around lunch time because before the ball we had a very important meeting with Kara Bartels of Corner Clothiers in Gettysburg. Vince had a tailcoat fitting! He's having the tailcoat made to wear at the wedding and we're both very excited that he will finally have one. When we first started dating he told me that a tailcoat was something that he had long dreamt of owning!

The fitting was wonderful! Kara is doing such a terrific job on the tailcoat so far! I am not surprised - her work is always perfect...really. I think she's one of my heros! Ever since Corner Clothiers opened their website I've haunted it, drooling over all of Brian and Kara's lovely creations. Joining the Hardtack Society was like a dream come true. Seriously. : ) Yes, reenacting and authenticity mean that much to me!

The ball was not inhabited by the most authentic reenactors though...there were many who were...eh em...farbs. It's sad to say. They were all really lovely people, but some of them didn't have the highest authenticity standards. There were some very nice dresses there though. Many silk day dresses created by Beth Miller. But usually the owners wear them every year, so I am very accustomed to seeing them by this time. We've gone to the ball for the past five years. There aren't enough light colored dresses...far too many red dresses. They look so dark on the ballroom floor. : (

I liked Joann Grudzinski's royal blue silk dress the most...but I've seen hers before and it is always stunning. Our friend Kim also had a very beautiful pumpkin colored silk ballgown. And, I loved Lynne Gaither's light olive green silk gown as usual - I want it! It's the loveliest color for a silk dress. Hopefully I'll have pictures of some of the authentic dresses to post eventually. We also saw our friend Mac there and he set the standard in menswear at the ball. I believe he was the most authentic gentleman there.



I thought this dress was very pretty. It was made of silk and the seamstress was obviously very creative and talented.



Photo taken from the balcony. The rotunda of the capital building is an amazing place for the ball. It's one of the reasons that we always take the opportunity to attend.

Two more beautiful authentic dresses. The one on the right is no doubt a Beth Miller...it's in one of her typical styles. Three ladies at the ball were wearing dresses very similar to this, also in ivory cottons. The dress on the left reminds me of a light weight wool dress that my mother wears.

While in Gettysburg, Kara told us about Living History Worldwide. I hadn't heard of it before but joined right away. It's a network for living historians and reenactors of all eras from all over the world. My favorite section is the photo book section!