How to be a Boss at Research Part 1: Intro, Different Types of Sources Hey Ya’ll! Abby here, and today I want to start a conversation with you about something that’s really…
Do you want Search?
Random Post
Search
Search
-
-
Research: We See What We Want to See; We See What We Know
Dress research is one of the great pleasures of the historical costuming hobby, and it’s also a necessity. We all start off along this interest in old clothes knowing nothing, then slowly…
-
Simplicity Pattern Catalog, August 1940
Simplicity Pattern Catalog, August 1940 About a month ago I acquired my first vintage counter book – you know, the big pattern catalogs we go and flip through at the fabric stores.…
-
What The Heck Is This 18th Century Dress?
I keep a Pinterest Board called “Historical Costuming Weirdness,” wherein I pin all the things I find that don’t match up nicely with what we think we know about historical dress *right…
-
Regency Foxed Slippers – Inspo
The Met, c. 1805-10 As we near the end of 2016 and look towards 2017, it’s time to think about new historic shoe styles. Yaaaaaaaay!!!!!!!!!!! Whenever I start musing on new styles,…
-
Finding Inspiration in the 1790s with Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun
Self Portrait by Vigee-Lebrun, 1791 Those of you who have been following for awhile will know I’m not a huge fan of, well, anything with an empire waist. I just can’t seem…
-
The Great China Adventure, Or, How Jet-Lag is Evil
Hello Lovelies! Abby here – sort of… Jet lag is evil & mean. But I’m here in body, even if that means my circadian rhythms are still totally bananas and I now…
-
1830s Corset Inspiration & Research
Hello Lovelies – So I’m plugging away on my 1830s corset, and all seems to be going to plan…which is good seeing as how when I picked up my needle and thread…
-
The Original 1916 – 1921 Party Dress
Well, this is a topic I can genuinely say I haven’t blogged about before. It’s amazing what send us down what rabbit holes. Metal thread embroidery with couched metal. These are all…
-
The Problem with “Always” and “Never” in Historical Costuming
Dress – 1864-67 – cotton – The Met < soapbox > Every once in awhile some new statements will pop up in this community that make me balk. These statements usually come…
-
Artifact: Paragon Home Shoe Button Kit
In my journey of studying and recreating old-fashioned footwear, I get to geek out on old technologies re-discovered. I just love the how and why of things: the effect an innovation in…
-
The Historical Costumer’s Holiday Book List
I don’t know about you, but about 90% of what’s on my Christmas list this year is books on historical costuming. We in the community are lucky to have so many excellent…
-
Studying Up on Tudor Footwear
Mary Rose Shoes – via Tudor shoes are old. They’re about as old as we get for extant shoes, with the exception of a very few Medieval examples. It’s quite extraordinary, really,…
-
The Versatile 18th Century Market Hat
On my trip to Colonial Williamsburg this week, I decided to be bold and attempt to underpack. The idea of wearing a different or new dress every day is a modern one,…
-
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…
-
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 &…
-
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…
-
Mademoiselle Guimard in Turkish…or Chinese…Costume
In my journey concerning The Turque thus far, I’ve learned that contemporary French terminology surrounding this type of gown, and other orientalist gowns, is fuzzy. Levites, Circassiennes, Polonaises, Turques…they kindof all smoosh…
-
So a Robe a la Turque is What, Exactly…?
In my first post about the Robe a la Turque, I wound up with more questions than I answered, realizing I’d only just peeked into the rabbit hole that is 18th century…
-
Costume Analytics: What Is a Robe a la Turque Anyway?
It’s been a long time since I’ve done a Costume Analytics, but I’ve found myself entering “new territory” with a type of 18th century gown I *thought* I understood until I took…
