Fashion Historian & Historical Costume Maker
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What did you get for Christmas?
Or Hanukah, or whatever…? I got: |
And with the gift money from my mother-in-law, I bought some Fugawee repro 18th century shoes (which are super cute, but are awfully tight on the toes — I think I need to exchange them for a slightly wider size) and I plan on buying some solid silk for my robe a l’anglaise plus various other odds and ends for other projects.
And you?
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dickens fair wrap up
It’s over, I’m tired, it was fun, but I’ll be glad to have my weekends back. On Saturday Heather and I posed in the Dark Garden window — here’s some pictures of us in our undies (along with a few other pictures of me properly attired!). |
I failed miserably in my attempts to document the great outfits wandering around the fair due to my inability to bring a camera. There was one woman at the GBACG gathering wearing a fabulous purple and white striped (STRIPES!) bustle dress, which I spotted in an evening incarnation at the Gaskell Ball — plus many many more gorgeous costumes. Hopefully GBACG will have some pictures up soon!
Now I’ve got 1 1/2 weeks off for Christmas break, so I am hoping to do some serious costuming (and some serious movie watching — Girl with a Pearl Earring! Mona Lisa Smile!), which will mean a bit more excitement around here in démodé land.
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Branching Out
The Elizabethan Lady site has now become Mode Historique, and she’s branching out (quite successfully!) into Victorians. Take a look at her “Victorian dress diary” — she’s working on a bustle dress, and the underskirt is just gorgeous. |
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Oh the decisions!
I’ve just found out that my mother-in-law is giving me $300 for Christmas, which I have been instructed to spend on “something fun.” Which in this girl’s world translates to FABRIC! What to buy, what to buy? I’ve had a yen forever for an 1880s day dress in velvet and satin, but I’ve never worked with velvet before and I’m intimidated. |
What would YOU buy if you had $300 burning a hole in your pocket?
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I’ve been dabbling here and there on both my robe a la francaise (finished the skirt trimming, now all I have left is the stomacher) and my 1830s dress (finished the second sleeve, still need to do the skirt — thinking of wearing this to the GBACG Currier & Ives Ice Skating Party in February), and thinking about gearing up for the next big one (1908 day dress for the GBACG Gibson Girls event). In the meantime, I’ve been working on this blouse which I’ve adapted from a 1930’s dress pattern. |
Dickens Fair is fun, although TIRING! Most of the really great costumes are actually on the customers — lots of great bustle dresses wandering around. I’ve been a dork and not brought my camera the first two weekends, which really needs to be rectified!
