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  • Fabrics for the 18th Century and Beyond

    June 14, 2021

    One of the top questions I get from budding 18th century costumers is “what fabric should I use?” Luckily, there is ample choice for the Georgian era, though not as much a…

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  • The February 2021 Collection is Here – {Pre-Order Open!}

    February 26, 2021

    Time for the first collection of 2021! This year, the big plan is to do a pre-order every single month through August (yowza!). Our February collection got off to a bit of…

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  • Old Projects I, Uh, Forgot to Post About

    January 20, 2021

     With all the updates to Ye Olde Blogge, I was going back and checking the “Projects” page when I found several costumes I finished but never actually posted about. The horror! So…

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  • How to Dress 18th Century – 1770 – 1780 Robe a la Polonaise {Video}

    June 1, 2020

    Howdy! I’ve been trying to make videos for getting dressed in different decades of the 18th century, since this is quite a visual subject and video is a natural tool for this…

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  • What Is a “Hedgehog” Hairstyle *Really*?

    April 29, 2020

    A lady sporting the hedgehog hairstyle – 1775-78. Gallerie des Modes, MFA.org 44.1344 It is a truth universally acknowledged that all 18th century historic costumers, when we first start, quickly come into…

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  • Cake or Death – Marie Antoinette

    April 23, 2020

    I have a new video for you today, the first in a series! I’m quite proud of this, even though it’s…weird, and possibly off-color. I hope you enjoy it!

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  • Ikea Costuming 101 – Making Historical Gowns with Duvet Covers, Curtains, and Sheets

    May 13, 2019

    The Italian Gown from “The American Duchess Guide to 18th Century Dressmaking” was made with one LJUSÖGA Queen size duvet cover from Ikea. Accurate printed cottons are very difficult to find. Usually…

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  • The Eternal Sunshine of the 18th Century Gown

    August 23, 2018

    This year at Costume College it really was all very, very yellow This year I kindof copped out at the Costume College Gala…but in a very Georgian way. I can’t really say…

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  • A Little History of “Sophie” 18th Century Mules

    July 13, 2018

    The Laundress, 1761, by Greuze Mules! (AKA Slippers!) Did you know that mules were incredibly common in the 18th century? Women of all social classes wore them in various materials (silk, wool,…

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  • The Creature Reborn – Retrimming the Pink Polonaise

    April 17, 2018

    Once upon a time I made a pink taffeta polonaise and trimmed it in organza, a very 1770s thing to do. At the time, I tried hand roll hemming and found it…

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  • How to Lengthen/Shorten 18th Century Stays

    January 15, 2018

    The #1 question we receive about Simplicity 8162 (and will with Simplicity 8579 as well) is how to lengthen or shorten the stays. Particularly with Simplicity 8162, the body block used came…

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  • Pieces of Me – Remaking an 18th Century Gown

    May 4, 2017

    Sacque gown, partially deconstructed, 1765-69 – National Trust NT 1350856 It’s commonly known that 18th century dress textiles were made and remade and remade again. A great many extant gowns in museum…

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  • My Big Fat Yellow English Gown – Finito!

    August 26, 2016

    Lauren here – Doesn’t it just feel *so good* to best a cranky project, wear it, and love it? I’d been working on my yellow English Gown for most of 2016 and…

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  • And It Was All Yellow…

    June 13, 2016

    You’re going to think I’m all-over-the-place right now, and you would be right. Projects here, projects there, moving house, moving business, omg! It’s been stressy, for sure, but this is also the…

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  • The Silver Ghost 1770s Robe a la Francaise at Costume College

    July 20, 2015

    It was a good hair day  Posting from the future – 2020. I realize I never completed the project link for the Silver Ghost Francaise. To be honest, I have very few…

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  • A Visit to l’Hermione at Yorktown

    June 17, 2015

    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…

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  • Progress on Le Polonaise AKA The Creature

    May 20, 2015

    Trimming the bodice – the left side was done with the roll hem foot and it really “ate” the fabric – the right with a different method. I will need to remove…

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  • 1770s Polonaise – Progress, but Slowly!

    April 28, 2015

    1770s Polonaise – the skirts are drawn up with cords, to create the three partition effect the gown is named for Work on this crazy froofy dress comes in spurts, but now…

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  • Shoes of the Revolution – More About “Dunmore” 1770s Shoes

    April 16, 2015

    As most of you know, yesterday we opened for pre-order our latest 18th century shoes, “Dunmore,” named for Lady Dunmore, and developed with and for Colonial Williamsburg. “Dunmore” has been a year…

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  • 1770s Powerpuff Polonaise Progress

    April 10, 2015

    I’ve been working little by little on the pink polonaise I started last weekend. It’s been incredibly tricky to figure out, but it appears to be working. I re-fit the side pleats…

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