Today’s post is all about carriage boots. I’m maybe a little TOO excited about our new “Victoria” Carriage Boots…I’m…well…wearing them right now. They went to Starbucks with me this morning, and now…
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1860s Purple People Eater – Finished, Just Barely! and the Magic of Gored Skirts
This past Tuesday I was in a mad rush to finish the day version of my 1860s purple gown, just in time for the tree lighting ceremony downtown. This was about 2:00…
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1860s Purple People Eater Ballgown Bodice – Musings
In my mad rush to get three pieces of 1860s attire (and let’s not even think about the accessories) done in time for a bevy of upcoming Victorian Christmas events, I’ve been…
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Progress on the 1860s “Purple People Eater” Gown
I have a million things going at the moment, and two major projects on the table, with all their various bits and bobs and parts and bodices and trims and underpinnings –…
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Oh What a Beautiful Mourning – “Death Becomes Her” at the Met, Opening October 31
On the evening of October 31, a somber shadow shall fall over the halls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. For the first time in 15 years, the Costume Institute…
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Civil War Gown Inspiration and Plannings
…oh yes, *plannings* ! I have terrible Costume A-D-D at the moment. Terrible. One of the many things I want to make *right now* is a new Civil War gown. I can’t…
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My 2014 Steampunk Ball Costume – Complete!
So the ball was ages ago, but I didn’t have a good photo of my whole costume until today. As it stands, you can’t see much detail in this, but I didn’t…
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Hard Lessons in Victorian Corset Making – My “Duh” Moments…
Left side – boning, strength additions, and padding. I still have wrinkling, but it’s better than it was.Right side – no boning, no strength layers, no padding. I can make a mean…
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Costume College 2014: Part The One
So as you all know, I spent the long weekend in L.A., attending Costume College, which was, is, and shall forever be *fabulous* Between the smartphone and the 10 lb Nikon, I…
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What to Wear to Costume College 2014
This year I didn’t kill myself with insanity-sewing for Costume College. I realized I had more than enough costumes to choose from, and way too much in my work schedule, so I…
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My First 1830s Dress – Complete!
I managed to finish something! It feels so good, considering the *pile* of started, half-finished, nearly-finished, and will-never-be-finished costume bits & bobs I have cluttering up my desk and all over my…
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Options for 1830s Headgear
This coming weekend is the first time I’ll take the red 1830s dress out for a spin (assuming I :::cough::: finish it :::cough:::), and while I had grand plans to create a…
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Adventures in the 1830s – For Real This Time
The Met, 1835 I’ve been wanting to make an 1830s dress for a long time now, but haven’t actually, y’know, done it. Until now. I can’t really account for how the sewing…
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Opinions Please: Fur, Plastic, and Sheepskin
Albany Institute, 1875-85 Darlings, how do we feel about fur? How do we feel about faux fur? And how do we feel about sheepskin? The reason I ask is because I’ve been…
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Introducing “Savoy” Edwardian Shoes – Pre-Order Now Open!
I’m so happy to finally *properly* introduce you to “Savoy,” the fully-beaded, multi-strapped Edwardian stunners inspired directly by antiques in collections like The Met, The V & A, and Shoe Icons. Here…
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Celebrating Renoir – The Artist
In the Garden, 1885 I haven’t been doing much (any) sewing since I got back from Williamsburg, so I don’t have much (any) to show in that department. Instead I’d like to…
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Coming Monday: “Renoir” and “Tissot” Civil War Boots and Slippers
It’s been forever and a day that we’ve been working on these two mid-19th century shoes, but finally I have “Renoir” button boots, and “Tissot” slippers for you! Both styles are accurate…
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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…
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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…
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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…
















