Démodé

historical costume projects & resources

Random Ramblings

Whitaker Auctions is starting to post photos from the upcoming Tasha Tudor auction and WOW is there some great stuff! I am particularly in love with this later 1860s dress (you know how there are eras you think you’ll never get into, and then suddenly you go OHMYGODIMUSTHAVEIT!? Well, I am having that lately about late 1860s. Weird. When I have enough money, I’m going to make an elliptical hoop and then…). There will be more pictures (hopefully soon!), and as I posted previously they will be publishing a catalog (yay!).

In other random news:

I’ve found THE PERFECT FABRIC for an 18th century stripey francaise, and another PERFECT FABRIC for a stripey pet-en-l’air — only to realize that we are flat broke and there’s no way I can afford to spend $150 on fabric. Sob.

So I am thinking about what I can make out of my stash — most obvious is the 10 yards of black silk duchesse satin that I scored last year from Trim Fabrics. I am thinking about a natural form evening gown, and am poring through tons of images trying to find something that I want to make. The question is whether to go all black with black beaded trim, or to use this gorgeous antique purple brocade that I got at Lacis a few months back (but is in lots of little pieces, so can only be used as an accent). I can’t decide!

I did, however, find the perfect fabric — a super sheer silk/cotton voile, which goes perfectly with the vintage accent fabric I had in my stash – for The Come Hell or High Water, I’m Going to Have a New Dress for Gatsby if it Kills Me Dress! at Stone Mountain. Purchased, thank god, before I realized how broke I was.

And I am woefully behind on movie reviews. As a note to myself, I need to write reviews for: The Secret Life of Mrs. Beeton, The Painted Veil, and The Ruby in the Smoke. And I really need to find time to watch: the new BBC Dracula, new ITV Mansfield Park (still trying to find Persuasion and Northanger Abbey), Amazing Grace, and Miss Potter. Shocking!

5 thoughts on “Random Ramblings

  1. Black & purple, black & purple, black & purple, black & purple, black & purple, black & purple, black & purple, black & purple, black & purple, black & purple, black & purple, black & purple, black & purple, black & purple, black & purple, black & purple, black & purple, black & purple, black & purple! *squee*

    Funny how that 1860s dress’ webpage says “Hawaiian shirt” in the address bar 🙂

  2. My favorite book from childhood was The Secret Garden illustrated by Tasha Tudor. I had no idea she was American. And, wow, what a collection.
    -Frannie

  3. Frannie: I still have my childhood book of fairy tales, which is illustrated by Tasha Tudor. I make Michael read it to me when I’m sick. 🙂

  4. I have that one, too! And her A Little Princess. Secret Garden was the life-forming one, though, text and images.
    Frannie

  5. They’ve got Northanger Abbey at amazon.co.uk – here, and Persuasion here – looks like you can buy them together at a discount. I have to admit, the first 15 minutes of Mansfield Park were so bad that I switched it off… I managed to sit through Persuasion though and it was… okay. Not nearly as good as the Amanda Root/Ciaran Hinds version.

    I’d love to know what you think of Amazing Grace – I thought it was great visually, but the script had been heavily Americanmarketified… you know, where they state the plot very loudly in words of one syllable at key moments. Sigh.

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