More Highlights from Williamsburg and Jamestown

I was quite terrible (and busy) and didn’t take a lot of photos, but here are a few more from the trip…

Day 1…

Maggie and I arrived, dropped our stuff at Abby’s house, and despite being bone tired, walked the mile-or-so to the historic district, and mosied around the DeWitt Museum for several hours, catching up with Lauren M. and admiring the beautiful artifacts.

Maggie and Lauren M at the DeWitt.

“Costumers Gone Wild.” Lauren M relaxes after walking back and forth between the Historic Area four times

Day 2…

We were up-and-at-’em the next morning, on our way to Jamestown for the “Military Through Time” event. It was cold, wet, and grey, so we all dressed in our sortof-kindof-warmest apparel, and had a wonderful time seeing the different units and Jamestown itself.

Maggie helping me tie my little cravat – photo by Lauren Marks

Lauren M, Napoleon, Maggie, and me, at Military Through Time, in front of the Burnley & Trowbridge tent, which we thoroughly ravaged. – photo by Lauren Marks

I enjoyed this interpreter’s demonstration of the match lock gun. He was actually a she – Mary – but performed as a man very convincingly. I would never have known has she not told us.

The match lock “match,” a long piece of rope burning at both ends, held perpetually by the soldier. Can you imagine? Ooops, it’s raining, no battle today guys, sorry, can’t keep my matches lit…

That evening we attended the welcoming/opening of the Millinery Through Time conference, at the DeWitt, and the Millinery Shop’s birthday party afterwards. It was a pleasure to see everyone in costume, see some old friends and make some new, and enjoy the incredible fondant hat cakes made for the occasion…

Beautiful cakes made to look like hats

The second gorgeous hat cake. These weren’t eaten, of course!

Cynthia and Lauren M rockin’ the late 1780s in 1790s, with their perfect hedgehog hair styles

I love this photo of Cynthia, looking so elegant

I wore my LACMA Sacque-ma and high hair, with about 10 lbs of powder in it.

Day 3 & 4…

The morning’s talks were fascinating, particularly the re-creation of the 1780s cartoon “The Morning Ramble,” which featured the Milliner’s Apprentices, Abby and Sarah, the Blacksmith’s Apprentice, Aislinn, and the Tailor’s Apprentice, Mike, all dressed to the nines. You can see more pictures at Two Nerdy History Girls.

Mike, the Tailor’s Apprentice, as the “coxcomb.”

We tried to tour around the city a little, but the weather was quite awful. We suffered through it and toured the Governor’s Palace…

The Governor’s Palace, seen from the back

One of the beautiful guns in the entry of the Palace

 After the tour, we invaded the Millinery Shop and squeed over the pretties…it was also warm and dry in there.

Maggie went for warm an stylish in her Regency traveling attire, complete with the most badass shako ever, and an original Victorian paisley shawl, which was huge and warm and beautiful

Here we are representing tree different decades – 1780s, 1790s, and 1800s – at the Millinery Shop – photo by Lauren Marks

Lauren M trying on one of the calash bonnets. I think we’ve all decided most definitely that we need to make these and wear them and be awesome.

I was happy to wear my striped “Parisienne” Robe a l’Anglaise again – it doesn’t get much love, but is my favorite 18th c. gown I’ve yet made. Photo by Maggie.

Day 5

At last, a gorgeous, sunny, warm day! We spent the morning at Jamestown, but the afternoon in costume in Williamsburg again, touring about the Historic Area.

Lauren M, me, and Maggie, our last day in CW, with nice weather

Can we talk about Maggie’s bonnet? Black taffeta, perfectly made, I wanted to steal it off her head every time she wore it.

One of my highlights of the trip was meeting Mark Scheider, who portrays Lafayette and Napoleon (though not here). He intercepted us on our carriage ride, then followed us around for the rest of the ramble. Later, he showed us the stables and where all the carriage gubbins and tack are kept. What a treat!

I wore the red dress on our last day – my second-ever 18th c. gown, and still one of my favorites. I’d remodeled the neckline and adjusted the fit. The neckerchief was new, from B&T

That’s it for my photos from CW, but soon I will show you the result of my photo shoot with Sammy, Maggie, and Lauren M., representing late Elizabethan, Directoire, and late Regeny, at Bacon’s Castle.