For this year’s Costume College gala, the theme was “The Opulent Streets of Venice,” which can be, well, anything really! Abby, Chrissy, and I decided to be opulently wide and fluffy, so…
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Costume College 2019
American Duchess crew in 18th century attire – Friday night at Costume College 2019 Another year, another fabulous Costume College! If you’re unfamiliar with Costume College, it’s a 5-day costuming convention in…
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Resplendent in 1835 – A Photoshoot
Nicole Rudolph in her c. 1835 ensemble. OK, so it’s pretty obvious I’m obsessed with the 1830s now (though I will never stop loving the 18th century deeply). I’ve made two gowns…
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#SewingIsHard – 1830s Bodice Video
It’s time for another episode of #SewingIsHard ! This time we’re covering 1830s bodices, with some behind-the-scenes tips, tricks, and discoveries to help you in your own 1830s project. Enjoy! Next up…
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Ikea Costuming 101 – Making Historical Gowns with Duvet Covers, Curtains, and Sheets
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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#SewingIsHard – 1830s Skirts!
Hi lovelies! It’s time for a new video all about the magical world of 1830s skirts. If you’re working on an 1830s gown, be it for day or evening, we’ve got some…
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#SewingIsHard – A Corded Petticoat
via I realize I never posted this video here for you guys. Abby shares her trials and tribulations in making her 1830s corded petticoat. Enjoy! If you’d like the PDF pattern and…
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All About 1830s Corsets and Fan Lacing
One of the biggest questions we get about our 1830s ensembles is about the corsets, so we’ve made a video telling you all about them: Both of our corsets were purchased from…
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My 1830s Bonnet
In the quest to be ever huger in our 1830s attire, the Gigot Girl Gang™ chose a variety of headgear to top off each of our ensembles. Maggie used bonnet shapes from…
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My Ghosts of Dickens Fairs Past
This year will be my first visit to Dickens Fair in San Francisco in many years, and I’m *excited.* I’ve been to Dickens many times, and even worked it as a member…
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1833 Plaid Dress – Sleeves!
Museum of FIT – go big or go home! The best part about early 1830s gowns, in my opinion, is the sleeves, of course! Big, huge, mega gigot sleeves are the primary…
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1833 Plaid Dickens Dress – Progress!
Abby and I think these gowns look rather like 1950s evening gowns before the sleeves go on and ruin everything! More 1830s goodness! All the other Gigot Girl Gang members were working…
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An 1833-ish Dickens Fair Gown!
#goals I have had an inexplicable love affair with the early 1830s for many years now, but it’s never been satiated….until NOW! This year, our Gigot Girl Gang™ is headed to Dickens…
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Vlog: The 1830s Bustle!
Howdy! We’re deep, deep down the #1830s rabbit hole, working diligently on our gowns with much haste in preparation for our trip to Dickens Fair in San Francisco on December 15th. Abby…
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Book Review: The Workwoman’s Guide by A Lady, 1838
Hey there you lovely costuming creatures, you! As many of you know, Lauren and I are currently up to our eyeballs in all things 1830s. Yep, we’re both busy ladies trying to…
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A Little History of “Vienna” Victorian Congress Boots
With the release of our shiny new “Vienna” Congress Boots this season, we thought we’d give a little history of this interesting, rather special kind of footwear. In the US the elastic-sided…
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An 1880s Bodice Plastron – Refit
Me and Abby in our bustle gowns – totally different styles but we actually used the same pattern for the apron. Do you ever pop into your Costume Closet to decide what…
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A Little History of “Eliza” Early Victorian Shoes
American Duchess “Eliza” Early Victorian Oxfords in brown Today in our “little history” post I’ll give you some background on our new split-vamp oxford “Eliza.” The idea for the “Eliza” shoes came…
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What I’ve Learned About the 1830s in 2.75 Days
Dress, c. 1835 – FIDM Though I have less and less time to devote to making historical costumes these days (ironically, but such is running two footwear companies), I still love a…
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A Late Date with the 1830s
Bunka Gakuen Costume Museum, 1835. Is it finally time to venture into the 1830s? I’ve talked about it for years; I’ve seen my friends do incredible 1830s gowns and even reproduce the…
