Bonjour from Paris where the keyboards are wacky! In Bruxelles I went to the Musee du Costume et de la Dentelle, which was, as reported, small and relatively unexciting. Mostly lace, of course – it was Brussels – but about 10 gowns. One really nice early 1900s gown in sea green silk taffeta with a pleated front pigeon bodice and pleated belt. Also some interesting 18th c. gowns, including one robe a l’anglaise that looked converted from a francaise – it had a round skirt, but open bodice with stomacher and fitted bodice back.
Much more exciting was to get together with Philippe, a Belgian costumer who is all alone in a wasteland of non-costumers. We had fun looking at corsets and other costumes he had made, and pawing through his extensive fabric stash, much of which he’d gotten in Paris.
Today we arrived in Paris, and went to the Marche aux Puces at Saint-Ouen to look (not buy!) antique corsets — but of course as soon as I got there I was very sad not to be able to buy the E450 late 19th c. corsets, and started trying to rationalize how I could afford one… luckily sense prevailed and I bought a 1923 fashion pouchoir instead to sate my costume lust.