The third day in Williamsburg we actually spent in Yorktown, on account of the
tall ship l'Hermione having put in there the night before, and it being an event not to be missed.
I'm bad. I didn't know what the Hermione was when Maggie and Sammy suggested we go see it. I had to look it up...and once I did, I got very VERY excited.
The
Hermione is a reconstruction of the French frigate that delivered General Lafayette to the freshly penned United States in 1780. The original ship was wrecked in 1793, but the reconstruction began in 1997 and set sail this year from Rochefort, France, across the Atlantic to Yorktown, its first port of call. She continues up the East Coast through Annapolis, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston, to name just a few stops. You can read all about the project and journey
here.
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| The ship was full of dashing French sailors. |
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| Left to right - Maggie, Lauren M, Sammy, me, Angela, and Nicole |
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| Boarding the ship was difficult to say the least, but not as terrifying as disembarking - steep, slipper steps! |
So of course we went to see her. I've never seen a tall ship, so it was a real treat, and we even got a special behind-the-scenes tour from Adam, one of the only American sailors on the ship who also happened to do the entire journey in period clothing. Not even kidding.
The ladies turned out in force. In our cavalcade that afternoon was
The Couture Courtesan,
Diary of a Mantua Maker,
The Lady of Portland House,
Undressing the Historical Lady,
Burnley & Trowbridge, and yours truly. We were primped and poofed and it was fabulous!
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| Sammy and Lauren M turned out in military-inspired dress, very appropriate |
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| Nicole and Maggie looked splendid |
I wore
The Creature for the first time and was very happy with how comfortable it was (yay, got the armscyes right!). I paired the gown with my
tall 1770s wig and
The Bonnet (yup, again!), and felt like a creampuff all day. I can't wait to wear this gown again!
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| Besties at the boat! Maggie and I in matching black bonnets |
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| I am so happy with this dress! |
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| In wearing this type of gown I discovered that you really need a fluffer - as soon as you sit down you crush the puffy effect of the the skirts. Ladies must have been fluffing themselves all day long in the 1770s! |
Needless to say, it was a fabulous, very special day. :-)
