If you love making and wearing flounces (aka deep ruffles) then welcome to 1850s fashion! Stuck between the demure, sweet, simple trends of the 1840s and the billowing hoops and war-torn fashions of the early 1860s, came the frilly, airy, and fanciful 1850s styles. This decade was all about the Skirt. (Oh, and the sleeves Read More...
What I Learned from NOT Going to Costume College
Costume College 2016 just ended. If you don’t know about it, it is a 3+ day annual conference held in the Los Angeles area and is for all costumers wanting to “up their game” through learning and being challenged by others. I’ve been attending since 2000 and been teaching since 2004. This year, my plans Read More...
Corset Covers, Chemisettes and Under-Bodices, Oh My!
Recently, one of my Bustle Day Dress Class students asked me what the difference was between chemisettes and corset covers. Both being items worn under the dress proper (and considering they both start with C), I can see how their purpose and function could be mixed up. Let’s clear up the confusion with a few definitions Read More...
Victorian Clothing and the Heat of Summer
It’s summertime for most of us – time to debunk the myth that layers of Victorian costumes are so much hotter than today’s clothing. Read More...
Ruching Basics for Victorian Clothing
Ruched panels – in all their glorious, gathered loveliness – seem to pop up frequently throughout the Victorian Era (1837-1900). You’ll find ruched bodice panels, puffings as skirt trims, and gathered accents in ribbons for all sorts of marvelous decorations. The process of ruching isn’t hard. But in some ways it looks so complicated! Ruching, Read More...
Mockup Sewing Shortcuts
We all know that when making up a new historical costume we need to start with a mockup. Yeah, yeah…. But sometimes we get lazy. We skip them (inconceivable!). Or we try our darnedest to make them just as the final garment will be and spend so much time doing so that the event deadline is Read More...
Duplicating Antique Garments – Do you really want it THAT historically accurate?
It’s a most wonderful thing to study antique garments then create your own reproduction based on your research! Our ancestors were wise when it came to sewing up their clothing. But then again…. It was only their clothing. We modern day costumers look at antiques with such reverence. We want to know their secrets. How Read More...
Regency Gown Closures
The Regency Fashion Era (1795-1820) is a wonderful time of simple silhouettes, drape-able fabrics, and a freedom from tight dressing (as compared to the Rococo period before and Victorian Era after). With these delicate styles comes light closures – ones not to disturb the easy shaping. They are fairly simple. Basic really. Uncomplicated. And generally Read More...