The dress is done, although I’ll limit myself… read more about my Nell Gwyn (c. 1668) project
Costume College Prep
I think I’m going to take it easy this year at CoCo — I’m bringing Nell Gywn for the gala, but I think that’s it for big costumes. Otherwise, I think I’ll be in random vintage-y/comfy bits. I’ve been contemplating bringing my turque for the class I’m teaching on this, but then I started to list all the components I’d need (plus the fact that my hedgehog is in desperate need of restyling) and I started to feel overwhelmed… On both Saturday and Sunday I’m teaching classes where I need to be able to move and/or get grubby, so costumes are out those days. And for Friday night, I’ve got a last minute secret project… but more on that at/after!
I’ve been working LIKE A MADWOMAN on my classes… and I still have more to prep. Remind me why I do this? I wrote out a shopping list today and am trying to stick to the idea of getting supplies to fill out projects that I already have fabric for, but it’s amazing how much you need once you start to list it all out. Luckily I’ve got a 3 day weekend ahead of me, so hopefully? I’ll be able to get it all done by Sunday, and then have Mon. & Weds. evenings to pack!
Real Women’s Clothing Directory
The Real Women’s Clothing Directory has had all its links fixed, so you shouldn’t come across anything broken (hopefully). I’m slowly working on an update, but it’s making me think… as more and more museums put their collections online, it’s become harder for me to keep up with it all (hence the about once yearly update). Would you mind terribly if the guide became a link to museums’ online collections pages/databases? Or is having it all sorted for you incredibly useful?
What Would Nell Gwyn Wear?
Bodice finishing: a tragedy in pictures…read more about my c. 1668 Nell Gwyn project
La Mesur d’Excellence
For anyone interested in 18th century costume research, particularly French sources, check out the amazing La Mesur d’Excellence. The Modes section includes scans (sometimes many pages, sometimes only a few) of some really important and rare sources. It’s worth clicking on the preview images, because sometimes the full “image” actually includes a couple of pages (not shown in the preview). What an amazing collection!