Headwrapping and head covering – historically

(Topic: Historical Fashion) Hi Friends! A friend of mine recently started wearing headwraps, and I ended up trying them too, after someone suggested they may help with my anxiety (mixed results: once they are on, I at least perceived a certain amount of comfort from them, but getting them on sometimes was more stressful…). Well,

Plaid Ball Gown

Dear Friends, I have recently had the pleasure to have a ball gown made by Sarah Crow, of The Preacher Wife’s Gowns and Carr Antiquities (Facebook)! She and I discussed options, the primary limiting factor being that we would work only with fabric I already owned, with minimal purchases for trim. I had a lovely

1860s-Style Mourning Dress

Hi Friends, As some of you know, we recently experienced a loss in our family. This led me (of course!) to looking into historical customs of mourning, specifically for the American Civil War era (1861-65). Garment Data:– Type: Dress, specifically for mourning or half mourning, depending on the accessories– Date made: August 2016– Pattern: My

1920s dress!

Ladies and Gents,I was recently asked by a friend to help make them a 1920s costume for a one-time event. I agreed – this could be a fun challenge!It’s not an era I know much about, so I threw myself headlong into research.One of the notable things I found out is that skirts were not

Remembrance Day, Gettysburg

Well, Ladies and Gents! This week was most auspicious. On November 19th, 1863, President Lincoln spoke a few words (after the main speaker had given a speech of nearly 2 hours, I believe!). His very short address became famous, and one of the weekends near the anniversary of his speech has become a recurring event,

More possible Civil War hairstyles

Playing around with hair – May 2013. This is just a rolled and pinned looser style, done right after my hair dried so that I have a lot of fullness and curl. The ribbon/lace thing is based loosely on a Godey’s illustration, and could be worn for fancy occasions. Same style as above, sans decoration.

A Ball!

By February 2013 I had gotten my “ball” gown ready enough to wear. I’d been to a few reenactments (Summer 2012 – posts will follow at some point!), and was excited to hear about the Grand Military Ball in Canton, Ohio. (Edited to add: the ball is called the Ohio Regimental Military Ball [SK 2/17/2014])I

Parti-Colored Cotehardie

Posting some older items, to catch up with what I’m working on now! Garment Data:– Type: Cotehardie– Date made: ?– Pattern: Self-drafted, based on a “block” (personal pattern) that I drafted based on the directions in The Medieval Tailor’s Assistant– Fabric: Unfortunately, this was a poor choice: A Linen/Rayon blend. Rayon doesn’t breathe, and is