Our Pompadour 18th Century Shoes are an American Duchess classic! With their custom, curvy Louis heel, easy-to-use tabbed latchet closure, and period accurate white rand, these babies are a tried-and-true shoe; Pompadours…
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Bastille Day Sale 2024
Is it really July again? Yes, yes it is, and that can only mean one thing…the yearly American Duchess Bastille Day Sale! From July 8-14, lots of American Duchess favorites will be…
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French Fashion History, c. 1785-1805
The end of the eighteenth century was a seriously fascinating and pivotal time for fashion. Influenced by major cultural movements and political changes (the French Revolution, anyone?), fashions for European women’s clothing…
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Designing Josephine: Behind the Process
The latest American Duchess design has been released in the form of the Josephine 18th Century Pumps! The Josephine Collection pre-order is in full-swing, and we’re having so much fun seeing your…
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The Josephine Collection Pre-Order is Live!
Dearest friends! With the official onset of the summer months, the air is warm, the sun is shining, and best of all, we are releasing a brand-new, absolutely delightful historical reproduction shoe.…
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Designing Historical Shoes: 18th-Century Style
Did you know that American Duchess has been designing 18th-century shoes since 2011? In fact, our very first design ever was the “Georgiana,” a satin 18th-century latchet shoe. (Oh, and here’s a…
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A Little History of Oxblood Red Shoes
We love a good oxblood leather shoe here at American Duchess Historical Footwear! After all, there’s something a bit magical about red shoes, isn’t there? Possibly the boldest color out there, red…
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New Silk Stockings are HERE!
Good news, friends- our new silk stockings are finally here, and we couldn’t be more excited! We have been working on developing our new line of stockings for a while now. Our…
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It’s Hot: Let’s Look At Some Bathing Suits
Hello lovelies- mid-August is upon us. It feels like pretty much everywhere, it’s hot, hot, hot. And until the relief of fall comes, it will, presumably, continue to be hot. What helps…
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Pink Popularity in the 18th Century
If you’re anything like us, you have probably been really into the moment the color pink is having in fashion this summer, thanks to a certain iconic doll. It’s been really fun…
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American Duchess x Bata Shoe Museum: History of the Museum and it’s Founder
The second week of our In Bloom collaboration collection pre-order with the Bata Shoe Museum is underway, and we are just thrilled with the reception it has received! It makes us so…
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In Bloom: Bata Shoe Museum x American Duchess Collaboration Collection Pre-Order
We are so excited to announce an extra-special collaboration collection for pre-order: the In Bloom collection, designed in collaboration with the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, Canada! This collaboration collection was inspired…
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Fabrics for the 18th Century and Beyond
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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1780s Embroidered Italian Gown – Skirts and Sleeves
In the first post on this project, I constructed the bodice front and back. Now it’s time for skirts – the fun part – and sleeves – the evil part. Skirts first.…
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A 1780s Embroidered Italian Gown – Finally
Most of my 2020 was spent in working on – and finishing! – UFOs or “unfinished objects.” I completed my 1760s Sunset Silk Robe a la Francaise, an 1890s linen jacket, a…
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{Video} Cake or Death – Marie Antoinette
This is a bit of a weird one. Last Spring, 2020, I made an attempt at Youtube, like SO many of us. I had an idea for a series of cake-decorating-meets-interesting-historical-deaths. Dark…
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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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Old Projects I, Uh, Forgot to Post About
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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Lessons of the Volante – So Far
Du….Du Hast…Du Hast Mich… There’s something about pleat-to-fit garments that both attract me and drive me bonkers. I think it’s a combination of no two surviving examples being the same and my…
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How to Fix Funky Points on 18th Century Stays
See those points on the front edges of the stays, at the bust? If you’ve got a pair of 18th century stays that lace at the center front, either fully or…