For the first time in American Duchess history, we’ve created shoes in several very strong pinks, all drawn from and inspired by a late 1930s “Surrealist” palette. As with many things in…
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Bold Moves – The “Avant Garde” Vintage Shoe Collection with Karolina Zebrowska
Today is quite an exciting day. We’re proud to introduce a new capsule collection in collaboration with Karolina Zebrowksa! The story of this collection is rather amusing. In 2020, Karolina posted a…
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Surrealism and the Avant-garde in Fashion
There are many times throughout history when fashion has gone a bit wacky. Color, material, extreme silhouettes all coming together to create an unforgettable look of usually a quite short moment in…
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Bessie Coleman & Black Women in Aviation {Fundraiser}
This month we’re very proud to introduce the “Bessie” Aviator Boots, something of a “holy grail” of vintage reproduction shoes that I’ve wanted to produce for years. We’ve named them after Bessie…
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Let’s Make Some Men’s Shoes
…for real. A couple years back we made a stab at developing a men’s historic footwear collection. We did a pump, a latchet shoe, and a boot all from around the 1780s-1810s.…
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April Vintage Pre-Order is OPEN!
I will admit I haven’t been sewing much (Covid energy-sap), but I do have plans. Honestly all I’ve really been up to is -work- but at least it’s fun work, getting so…
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The {FREE} American Duchess Cape Pattern
Click Here for the pattern Howdy! Since we put our Patreon to sleep, we needed to find a new place to host the #ADCapeCult 1910s Wrap Cape pattern. So it’s going to…
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My 2020 Costuming Year in Review
This has indeed been a weird, challenging, rough year. I think I’ve left my house, like, 20 times max for 10 months. During this time I feel I sewed very little, but…
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The Pincurl Diary – How to Do 1930-50s Hair for a Whole Week
How remiss am I in never posting this video I made earlier in the year. This is a tutorial of sorts for how to set wet-set one’s hair and then maintain it…
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Finished Vintage Dress UFO #2 – Simplicity 3280
Simplicity 3280 1939 dress in rayon faille Two weekends, two finished vintage dress UFOs, and I have to say it feels *great* to pick up old projects and finish them! I hate…
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Finished Vintage Dress UFO #1 – Simplicity 8248
Simplicity 8248 1930s day dress with alterations. Reader, I must admit I am *terrible* at finishing UFOs – “unfinished objects.” I have two sewing mindsets: I want something quick, easy, and satisfying…
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Review: Vecona Vintage Three-Piece Ladies’ Suits
Sporting the Vecona Vintage “Viktoria” three-piece suit in grey wool blend, in Portugal. Anyone who follows my personal Instagram page (@lauren_stowell) will know I’m a *big fan* of menswear, particularly three-piece suits.…
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Pattern Review: Decades of Styles #3011 1930s Stardust Skirt
Hey Everyone! Abby here, and today I want to share with you a very quick pattern review for Decades of Style’s #3011 1930s Stardust Skirt.* Before I get into the review –…
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Vintage Capsule Wardrobes
May 1940. Marie Claire. Though the term “capsule wardrobe” wasn’t coined until the 1970s, the idea stretches much further back. The general purpose of such a collection is to have a wardrobe…
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I’m Going “Durrells” For the Summer
Or forever. Fans Addicts of British television will be familiar with the wonderful series “The Durrells” (or “The Durrells in Corfu” if you’re here in the US where for some reason we…
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Podcast Episode 15: Jazz, Dandies, and Vintage Style with Dandy Wellington
Hi All! We’re back with the first of our “second season” of Fashion History with American Duchess! Our first episode is with our talented & well dressed friend, Dandy Wellington. Lauren and…
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The Vintage Makeup Review – with Lauren & Abby
Whether you’ve gone fully down the vintage style rabbit hole of everyday dress or you need a faceplan for an impending costume party, today we’re going to share with you our discoveries…
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A Very Vintage Trip to the UK
Hi! I’m Lauren – remember me? I’ve been away for awhile on a much-needed vacation to the UK. Hooray! Vacay! It was a wonderful, restful and also stimulating trip. We did many…
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Oh Snap – A 1930s Photoshoot
A couple weeks ago we had the opportunity to shoot with a stunning woman, Rachel, who transformed from a hip, modern gal into a statuesque Joan Crawford movie star. Love these shoes.…
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Simplicity 8248 1930s Dress – Results and Review
Simplicity 8248 – 1930s Dress – made in rayon-like cotton. Ever since Simplicity released two new 1930s patterns last Fall I have been just dying to make one up. The timing seemed…