Last week Chris and I worked on a new shoot for Antoinettes and Highbury. We wanted to create a ladies’ boudoir space, similar to the interiors in these paintings: Francois Boucher, La…
Do you want Search?
Random Post
Search
Search
-
-
Happy Valentine’s Day!
…here’s a pink dress… LACMA, 1830 It’s a dress I’m madly in love with. It’s the kind of painful sort of love that makes me want to attempt to make this, but…
-
LACMA Sacque – Done! And I Love It!
Sometimes it’s really does pay off to just press through the rough patches and finish a costume, even if you hate every stitch along the way. I’m glad I finished this one.…
-
Please Vote for the New February Shoe…
It’s that time again, dears! What shall be the next offering from AD? Up for consideration are: The new Georgiana Georgiana (est. $120 – $140 retail) Made of improved fabric, on Kensington’s…
-
LACMA Sacque – The Home Stretch (Maybe?)
I have been working on this gown on-and-off for, gosh, a year? I’m ready for it to be done, but not willing to put in the effort to get it there, lol.…
-
18th Century Riding Habit Waistcoats for Women
Lately I’ve been working on a waistcoat to go under my Snowshill riding habit. I really love the look of this menswear inspired style, but before jumping in, I needed to take…
-
Interview with Merja of “Before the Automobile”
Today’s seamstress needs no introduction. She is renowned world-wide for her gorgeous costuming, amazing fit, brilliant styling, and – oh!- that silhouette! Merja Palkivaara of “Before the Automobile” and “The Aristocat” is…
-
American Duchess Shoe Shop Announcements
Howdy! Today I have a couple shop announcements for you. First… Imperfects Sale We have quite a few styles available, but only a small and random selection of sizes in each. The…
-
Accessorizing for Williamsburg: The Do-It-Again-George Cape-Mantle-Thing
Of course, my cape looks nothing like this… I’m off and running on my Williamsburg accessories. Feeling good about the muff, I jumped into making a cloak…something simple, easy, quick, right? Uh,…
-
Accessorizing for Williamsburg: An 18th Century Fur Muff
On my list of things to make for our March trip to Williamsburg was a fur muff to keep the hands warm, in case of chilly weather. Mrs. Wilbraham Bootle, 1781 by…
-
Accessorizing for Williamsburg, 2014
For once I have a decent number of gowns to wear to a big event, but what I *don’t* have is a selection of accessories to help with what might be quite…
-
Returning to Williamsburg in March 2014
Colonial Williamsburg, here we come! I’ll spare you the “squee” (but know that it’s happening) – my dear friend Maggie and I will be attending the Millinery Through Time conference in Colonial…
-
Review: “Creating Historical Clothes: Pattern Cutting From Tudor to Victorian Times”
Title: Creating Historical Clothes: Pattern cutting from Tudor to Victorian times by Elizabeth Friendship (c) Batsford 2013 ISBN: 0896762858 $21.00 – $26.00 Every once in awhile there comes a book that changes…
-
Test Driving “18th Century Hair & Wig Styling – The Book”
As all of you 18th century beauties will already know, Kendra Van Cleave, the intrepid costumier and long-time blogger of Demode, has finally produced a how-to book on authentic 18th century coiffures.…
-
Extant Victorian Side-Lacing Gaiters
Darlings, I realize I’ve been going on and on about “Gettysburg” boots without showing you the real deal! So here are lots of examples of pretty gaiters from the 1830s to the…
-
Are “Gettysburg” Boots Appropriate For Civil War Costuming?
Litchfield Historical Society – 1860 There’s quite a lot of quibbling on Facebook about the dating on the new “Gettysburg” boots, so I’m here to give some insight into how I chose…
-
Pre-Order: “Gettysburg” Victorian Side-Lace Boots
Today I’m happy to open the pre-order for “Gettysburg” Victorian Side-Lace Boots. Pre-Order January 10 – 30, 2014 SALE $135 ($155) www.AmericanDuchess.com Gettysburg boots are typical of footwear found between 1830 and…
-
Practical Footwear, 1860-1880
AuntieNan asks: What did they wear in the way of practicality, on a railway journey, say, or going to town? Why, boots! Delicious, delightful boots! Just like the re-emergence of the heel…
-
The Quilt of A Thousand Vintage Fabrics
This past Christmas, I received a lovely gift from my mother. She won at auction, a few weeks before, a beautiful hand-made, hand-tied quilt created entirely from fabrics of the 1920s through…
-
And The Next AD Shoe Is…
Thanks to everyone who voted in the poll to help determine what our next shoe release is. I’m happy to announce that the winner, by a landslide, is Gettysburg! We’ll be preparing…
