Bonhams
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Wearing History 1930s “Moderne” Dress – Done, Finally!
Wearing History “Moderne” dress with alterations, paired with a me-made cloche, and “Sylvia” two-tone 1930s shoes in red/white I finally finished it! YAY! It only took me – oh my goodness –…
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I. Miller & Sons – Shoes for Movie Stars, Chorus Girls, and You.
There are a few names in the history of footwear that conjure up instant praise and awe. You may know a few – Pietro Yantorny, Roger Vivier, and I. Miller. Differing from…
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Review: Wearing History “Smooth Sailing” Trousers
Wearing History “Smooth Sailing” Trousers, Pendleton Blazer, 1940s style shoes by b.a.i.t. Footwear My hunt for the perfect vintage pants has been long but not unfulfilled. I have made some of my…
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Plimoth Plantation: Call For Papers!
I’m boosting the signal for anyone interested in presenting at the Plimoth Plantation conference “Trimmings: Adorning the Fashionable Figure in the 17th Century,” taking place June 6 -7, 2015 at Plimoth Plantation.…
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1920s Flashy Dancing Shoes
Shiny shiny was big in the 1920s. Legs and shoes were on display more than ever, with flashy footwear being all the rage for an evening of vigorous dancing. Style influences as…
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PRE-ORDER Exclusive #3 – “Cicero” 1920s Pumps
These days we modernes can be pretty reserved with our shoes, but back in the 1920s, the flashier the better. Legs were on show and dancing was all the rage, with bugle…
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Larkin & Smith 1770s English Gown Progress
Last night I finally got back to work on the 1770s English gown. I’d only pleated the back and stitched one side down, before, but here’s what I did last night: It’s…
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Friday Video: Costumers vs. CARS!
…We’ve all been here… …can you relate? This video was SO much fun to shoot with the ladies of the Great Basin Costume Society. We all met in a Starbucks parking lot…
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English Gowns of the 18th Century
I’ve had my sewing confidence rattled lately by the utter failure of my Robe a la Turque, so I’m sorely in need of some hand-holding through a project. Enter the Larkin &…
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Early Victorian Slippers (to Get Excited About)
Women’s slippers, c. 1850 – LACMA Today’s post is all about slippers worn c. 1820s – 1850s (so a little pre-Victorian). Surprisingly ladies shoes remained fairly unchanged during this time. Shoes were…
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Cycle 3 Exclusive – Vote for Colors!
We’ve gotten a bit bogged down with the various holidays worldwide, but we’re gearing up for production to start again, so it’s time for another Exclusive! The winner of the Cycle 3…
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The Call of the Vintage Sweaters
I want to knit. I never….*ever*… thought I would say that, but it’s true. This came about mostly from receiving my Wearing History “Smooth Sailing” trousers last December, and wanting to wear…
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American Duchess In The News!
I was interviewed by a local news network last week, and here’s the little video! It’s another behind-the-scenes look at our home business. I have a tendency to say stupid things on…
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Behind the Scenes of our 2014 Winter Photo Shoot
Last November Chris and I set up a photo shoot with first-time model Anna McIlwee, who was to be our Siberian Snow Princess in a beautiful winter landscape. Trouble was, no winter…
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Auditioning for the Donner Party
Just on a lark, a few of us Great Basin Costume ladies went to an audition for a Donner Party documentary filming this year. We were in costume and all got callbacks,…
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Late 1860s at the P.E.O Sisterhood’s Founder’s Day Luncheon
This past weekend I attended a lovely event where a few members of our local costuming group, Great Basin Costume Society, were invited to dress in 1860s costume to represent the founders…
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A Mid-to-Late 1860s Elliptical Hoop Skirt
One of the things that became obvious with my purple 1860s gown was that my underpinnings were no longer doing the job. Due to shortage of fabric, I cut my 1860s skirt…
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Costuming Books from Christmas 2014
I know we’re well into 2015 already, and Christmas is a distant, fading memory, but I forgot to share with you the books I received as gifts and also found in England:…
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“Renoir” Civil War Photo Shoot with Eras of Enchantment
Last October I had the opportunity to shoot with one of my regular, gorgeous models, Liza. You might remember her from our Gibson and Astoria shoots last year. This shoot was special,…