I don’t have enough 18th century gowns. I have jackets and things, and I do love jackets, but when it comes to full gowns, I have, like, one (soon to be two).…
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V202: Small Biz Betties: Starting and Maintaining a Blog
Hello again, and welcome to Small Biz Betties, where I share my experience in setting up a small, online costuming/crafting business. This week let’s talk about setting up and maintaining your most…
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V201: How To Make a Hedgehog Hairstyle With Your Own Hair
The late 18th century “hedgehog” hairstyle is one of the easiest coifs to create, though is can seem daunting at first. You can create this style on wigs or hairpiece, but also…
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V200: Redingote Portraits of Win
I love the 1780s and 90s, particularly the mannish styles, like the Redingote. Something about those big collars and buttons, paired with big-ass Gainsborough hats – YUM! Lady in Light Blue Gown…
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V199: Georgian Man Candy
Oh, I know you’re disappointed this post isn’t about sexy, be-wigged gentlemen on the 18th century. It’s about the kind of bling a man would have worn on his shoes (shoes, of…
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V197: Summer Tea at Carolyn’s
Today I attended a delightful Summer Tea, hosted by Carolyn and Debbie of the Great Basin Costume Society. There were lots of lovely things to eat, and lovely people with whom to…
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V196: Bastille Day Sale, July 14-15 – Vive La France!
Today and tomorrow, all 18th century items in the American-Duchess.com shop are on sale for 25% off. That includes Pompadours, Kensingtons, and Pemberlies, as well as Fleur and Dauphine shoe buckles. Visit…
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V195: Red Dress in The Garden
Here is preview of a shoot Chris and I did yesterday, for this weekend’s Bastille Day Sale. More on that tomorrow, along with more photos…
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V194: More Robe a l’Anglaise Problem Solving
Just getting any idea of final look, with one panel of skirt pinned on, and some trim pinned to the CF – the trim will go around the neckline and down the…
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V193: Interview With Lauren Maringola, “Wearing History” Patterns
Today’s interview is with a fantastic, successful, lady entrepreneur and seamstress, Lauren Maringola, of Wearing History, a wonderful company producing authentic, reproduction vintage patterns for a wide range of sizes. Lauren M…
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V192: What I’ve Learned About Sleeves (in the past 24 hours)
…besides that sleeves are evil and the bane of every seamstress’ existence… The boneyard of fabric scraps…and sleeves. At least they can become trim for the gown, and not go totally to…
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V191: Matchy – Or Not – Striped 18th Century Gowns
Sometimes it really helps, when you’re in the midst of working on a project, to go back and look at reference images, to see how the seamstresses back in the day did…
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V190: Progress on the 1770s l’Anglaise
Oooo, fits niiice… LIES! I spent all day yesterday working on this new robe a l’Anglaise, draping, then cutting and stitching. Then correcting. Correcting more. Cursing. More correcting. Ah, if only that…
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V189: Beginning a Robe a l’Anglaise a la Polonaise
I’ve been procrastinating on, well, everything costume-related, and with Costume College a mere month away, it’s time to get down to business with this striped gown. My material – I have enough…
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V188: Time to Start Planning for Costume College
This year will be my first time attending Costume College in LA. Nervous? Yes! I’ve determined that during the day, easy 20th c. vintage wear will be great, but then there are…
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V187: Those Catty Elizabethans
I just love this illustration, don’t you? Gennady Spirin. Illustration from ‘The White Cat” So I’ve been reading Jean Hunnisett’s Period Costume for Stage & Screen: Patterns for Women’s Dress 1500-1800, and recalling…
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V186: Happy 4th of July
Happy Independence Day! Enjoy your BBQs, fireworks, and fun time with friends! The 4th is a great time to dress up patriotically, too. I tried the “Happy Pompadour” hairstyle from “Vintage Hairstyling:…
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V185: The Polonaise Jacket of Doom and Hell
Du…Du Hast…Du Hast Mich You know those projects that just don’t want to be made, and give you trouble all the way through to the violent end? This is one of those.…
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V184: My First Real 18th Century Shoe Buckles
Ebay is such a wonderous place. I won an auction for these awesome 18th century shoe buckles – only $35!! They were quite brown when they arrived from England, but a little…
