Comments on: Some Things Are Better Left in the Past

By: Michelle

Michelle — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 18:08:15 +0000

I agree with Arnie. I too do westward expansion era clothing, specifically late Victorian prairie/immigrant. Please remember, those old photographs were our ancestors in their Very Best clothing. Most of the women would get a new spring/summer dress or a fall/winter dress. The lucky one might get one for every season. The dress had to be made after your work was done, usually by lamp light. If it was a good season or you had a windfall, you might get to order one from the Sears catalog.

They found pictures of accessories in the women’s magazines that were passed around the entire community only after the original owner was done. A lot of them couldn’t read English or only a very little. The “doily” might have been her best attempt at recreating something she saw. With the busy lives and sheer labour of their daily tasks, kudos to her for even attempting the jabot to “fancy” up her best dress and make it go another season.

I look around my brightly lit sewing room, with my patterns, abundance of trimmings and supplies. Then I look at the portrait of Great Great Aunt Mary in her white lace gown from the early 1900s. I feel so proud of those who came before, dressed themselves and their families, made do or remade. They helped build homes, towns and a country.

Guess it was a long way to say it. I kind like the doily….. on her.

By: Photographs of Historical Fat People | closetpuritan

Photographs of Historical Fat People | closetpuritan — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 03:07:55 +0000

[…] third picture down in this post shows a larger Victorian lady with an unfortunate jabot-doily-thingy. (Unfortunate according to the […]

By: Jennifer Rosbrugh

Jennifer Rosbrugh — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 21:23:34 +0000

In reply to Joan Watkins. Having documented proof to back up our decisions is the best!

By: Joan Watkins

Joan Watkins — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 18:47:42 +0000

Love your interesting articles, I too find myself justifying what I want to wear by searching for pictures of certain styles. I used to grow my hair bangs (fringe) from January onward for the Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza, until I noticed a famous Money painting with a lady dressed beautifully and with a FRINGE! I am happy now to chop away to my hearts delight with proof , if necessary!

By: Gail

Gail — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 03:31:06 +0000

In reply to Lady Mellilah. Neon colored fishtail skirts with chervon patterned off the shoulder blouses on slouched over, bow-legged, pigeon-toes heroin-dosed models with long hair in their faces. *Sigh*

By: Gail

Gail — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 03:27:23 +0000

You can only be so accurate to a point. If I’m going to spend tons of time, money & energy on making a historical dress for myself– I’m going to put some accuracy to the side. I mean, I’m the one wearing the dress. I’m planning on taking advantage of my times’ techniques, materials and aesthetics to create a dress that would please me.
Some of the bustle dresses on Pinterest can be almost ugly due to the excessive amount of lace. Back in it’s day, the dress could have been the cat’s pajamas but now I want nothing more than for someone to take the lace off. I know it’s pretty and for the Victorians it was awesome to have lace EVERYWHERE but to me, it really makes a dress look “overdone”.

By: Lady Mellilah

Lady Mellilah — Wed, 04 Sep 2013 19:31:23 +0000

I sometimes wonder what historians WILL recreate when they look back at us…what documentation will get lost in a fire or other natural disaster? Which clothes will they see as our norm?

By: Mireille Weller

Mireille Weller — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 22:10:32 +0000

In reply to Varika.

This company do medieval glasses frames they also work for the Tudor period. Al you have to do is take them to your optomitrist and get the prescription lenses put in.

http://www.medievaldesign.com/english.asp