Betsy Ross and company, how pastoral they all look, sewing the stars and stripes…. While we enjoy watermelon and baby back ribs, fireworks and parades this 4th of July, let’s not forget…
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Costume Analytics: 1784 Robe a l’Anglaise, from The Met
1784 Robe a l’Anglaise, from the Met It’s about time for a new Costume Analytics! I’ve been so tied up with shoes, and museums, and sewing stuff, that I’ve neglected CA and…
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Regency Wardrobe Planning for the Jane Austen Festival, July 2011
My but don’t I have a lot of work to do. My best friend Maggie moved to Tennessee this past December, and has already been enjoying the wonderful Regency era re-enactments and…
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Extant 18th c. Stays from the Marjorie Russell Clothing and Textile Museum, Nevada
A little while ago I attended a fascinating lecture on underwear through the ages, presented by Jan the Costume Anthropologist at the Marjorie Russell Clothing and Textile Research Center. While this small…
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Magazine Treasures of 1916
Recently I lucked into the acquisition of real honest-to-goodness primary source material, courtesy of an old friend of mine from high school, Corinne. Her dear mother was getting rid of a large…
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All That Glitters: White, Light, and Bright Gowns in the Past
1784 Robe a l’Anglaise (source? is this The Met?) In my travels around the Land of the Internet lately I have noticed countless white (or some version thereof, like creme, or ecru)…
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18th c. Shoes: A Bit About Heels
From the Met – early 18th c. These are men’s shoes, although it’s difficult to tell Maddalena asks: Is it true that the king used to wear red heels to distinguish from…
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Planned Projects for My 18th c. Ladies
What’s in the works here at American Duchess? KCI’s embroidered voile Regency gown, plus Janet Arnold’s open robe, done up in gleeming red taffeta. Deadline for this is December 18th, so the…
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Gertie’s New Blog for Better Sewing = Tailoring Magic for the 18th c. Costumer
Do you guys know about Gertie’s? I don’t remember how I found this blog, but it’s absolutely fantastic. She is doing a “sew along” on a retro-style winter coat, and each post…
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Costume Analytics: The American Redingote, 1791
This week on Costume Analytics we will take a trip across the Pond and look at a snazzy American fashion, depicted in Ralph Earl’s 1791 portrait of Mrs. William Moseley. This is…
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What Exactly IS a Tea Gown?
Pretty new teacup from Sacramento. There is a tea coming up, to which my Lady Mother and I have been invited, and we’re quibbling over what to wear. In our modern-American-brains we…
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What Is the Difference Between a Caraco and a Casaquin? and Other 18th c. Jackets…
Countess Olympe asked the question, “what is the difference between a caraco and a casaquin?” And what about those other jackets-with-mysterious-French-names too? Well here we go… Disclaimer: The information in this post…
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Costume Analytics: Marie Antoinette’s Dove Grey Riding Habit
Welcome to “Costume Analytics,” where we take a close look (or as close as possible) at scintillating costume pieces from portraits, movies, and museums, and break down what they’re made of, how…
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Cranach and Holbein and Durer, Oh My…
“Judith Victorious” Cranach, c 1530 Something I’m thinking about, but I’m not *sure* about right now. I’ve had an itch, a tiny only mildly itchy itch, for some years now, that I…
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The Stays That Bind: Olympe’s 18th c. Stays
Starting a new project, a pair of stays, a commission for Olympe. Olympe’s materials – cream jacquard, yellow linen, and the stays shall be interlined in canvas They will lace at the…
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18th Century Notebook
This just in, from Demode (which means most of you already know about this): The 18th Century Notebook A vast and huge consolidation of 18th c. clothing from across the webiverse. There…
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Gussets, Godets, and Gores … and progress on the 17th c. Jacket
First, the progress – the bodice is sewn together, the sleeves assembled, wings on, and sleeves set in. They still pull the tiniest bit at the shoulders, causing the shoulder seams to…
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Adventures in the Forgotten Century – American Duchess Goes Baroque
There comes a time in every girly costumer’s seamstressing career when she wants a pink polonaise, a huge, fluffy, crispy, pink taffeta 18th century polonaise. She salivates over the mere idea of…
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The 18th Century Dog
I watched a fascinating show last night, BBC ‘Horizon: The Secret Life of the Dog,’ and got to thinking about dogs of the past, and what is a “period correct” dog. I…
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The Great 1840s Digression
Today I went to the fabric store for one thing and one thing only: muslin, primarily for the purpose of mocking up James’ 18th c. men’s suit (more on this later). What…
