25 Ways to Trim an Early Victorian Bonnet
by Jennifer Rosbrugh, First published for the September/October 2012 issue of Finery Flipping through a stack of (digital) fashion plates, I was enthralled by so many ideas for how to decorate an Early Victorian Bonnet. I was doing trim research a couple years ago to complete my poke bonnet for Costume College 2010 and fell in love even more with […]
Petticoats as Outerwear?
by Catherine Scholar, First published for the September/October 2012 issue of Finery No, I’m not talking about the 1980s trend of wearing vintage Victorian petticoats as streetwear. Nor do I mean the 1990s slip-dress fad. I’m talking about skirts, circa 18th century. You see, before about 1800, any kind of free-standing skirt (not attached to a bodice) was referred to […]
Short Gowns: the Revolutionary T-Tunic
by Cynthia Howell, First published for the July/August 2012 issue of Finery Puzzling about what to wear to the Revolutionary Picnic? Are you uninspired by the gowns in your closet? Are you looking for an interesting project to use up a few spare yards of fabric? Would you like to be fashionable and functional? Look no further than the short […]
Pattern Review: The One Hour Dress
by Carol Wood, First published for the May/June 2012 issue of Finery So, you want to get dolled up for the the Gatsby Picnic or Fiddles and Roses? Maybe you just want a pretty little somethin’ somethin’ to slip on for a special occasion? The clock is ticking, so you think, “Golly, there’s that pattern for the One Hour Dress […]
Red Lips and Cat Eyes
by Ariyana Kylstram, First published for the November/December 2011 issue of Finery What do Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly have in common? They were all different faces of beauty during the 1950s, and each used two common techniques to give herself the hallmarks of 1950’s beauty: red lips and cat eye liner. Elizabeth Taylor was the […]
Elizabethan Ruffs: Washing, Starching and Ironing
by Noel Gieleghem, First published for the September/October 2011 issue of Finery If you followed the instructions in Part One of this article, Ruff-ing It (printed in July 2011), you’re now the proud owner of a rather bedraggled ruffled collar. Starching and ironing will turn that humble object into a bona fide Elizabethan ruff. The final shape is determined, for […]
Ruff-ing It: Authentic Ruff Construction
by Noel Gieleghem, First published for the July/August 2011 issue of Finery No costumer’s career is complete without making at least one authentic Elizabethan ruff. Consider it a rite of passage. Here’s a recipe to create a 1570s-style stand-alone linen ruff of moderate fullness and depth. It’s a great jumping-off point for other projects which contain the “organized frill,” such […]
The Conquistador Hat for Girls
by Thena MacArthur, First published for the May/June 2011 issue of Finery No, not talking about that metal helmet worn through the jungles of the Yucatan on the way to wiping out entire civilizations, I’m talking about a style of ladies’ hat and bonnet made popular in the 1880s. A useful fact about hats in the Bustle period that will […]
La Mode du Vampire
by Perian Sully, First published for the March/April 2010 issue of Finery Since the publication of Dracula by Bram Stoker in 1898, the classic or romantic vampire has been a very popular cultural phenomenon. A vampire is a sympathetic figure, their personal struggle between some spark of latent human goodness – usually instigated by his falling in love with a mortal […]
Instant Zouaves!
by Liz Martin, First published for the November/December 2009 issue of Finery The Dickens Fair costume shop walks a fine line, balancing historical and theatrical needs while accommodating the skills of their volunteers. Following is a condensed workshop on modifying a modern women’s jacket into a mid-nineteenth century Zouave style. Women’s Zouave jackets were a variation of the bolero jacket […]
