Pre-Raphaelites to Aesthetes: Their Influence on Aesthetic Dress
by Judith Hollenberger Dunlap, First published for the March/April 2012 issue of Finery The Artistic Dress movement in the late 19th century was born of two earlier artistic reform movements. In 1848 the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood was founded in Great Britain by William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. This Brotherhood of painters, poets, and literary critics believed […]
Completing the 1912 Evening Look
by Kendra Van Cleave, First published for the March/April 2012 issue of Finery In the early 1910s, women’s hair began with thick, wavy hair that was “dressed” in loose, “Grecian” styles. Wavy hair was desired, specifically the kind of wave that comes from thoroughly brushing out curly hair. If your hair did not have a natural wave, it would generally […]
Deciphering Regency Sleeves
by Jennifer Rosbrugh, First published for the March/April 2012 issue of Finery Fashionable dress in the Regency years (1795-1820) is fairly uncomplicated. Although the bodices and skirts are relatively simple, the true area of design is the sleeves. Where else do you put your personality into a garment if the skirt is plain straight and the top simply covers what […]
Edith Head: Star Costumer
by Kali Pappas, First published for the January/February 2012 issue of Finery Despite her long studio career and a stunning cache of major awards (including a record-setting 8 Oscars and 35 Oscar nominations), costume designer Edith Head is a star whose name isn’t widely recognizable. Her work, however, is instantly familiar to virtually everyone. She’s the woman responsible for the […]
Dressing for Dinner on the Titanic: Early 1910s Evening Dress
by Kendra Van Cleave, First published for the January/February 2012 issue of Finery When the Titanic set sail in April 1912, her first-class passengers boarded with trunks full of expensive, beautiful clothes. Most had probably been custom made in Paris, London, or the United States in the previous year. March and early April were a transitional period during this era, […]
19th Century Children
by Lynn Downward, First published for the November/December 2011 issue of Finery So you want to bring the kids to Dickens Fair this year – in costume! How can you possibly build children’s clothes when you’ve never researched them before and you have no time or money budgeted for it? In preparation for Dickens Fair, here is an overview of […]
Book Review: Illuminating Fashion
by Cynthia Howell, First published for the September/October 2011 issue of Finery Are you looking for inspiration for your medieval gown? Has Google failed to yield images of extant garments? It’s time to turn to an unusual source: medieval illuminations. Illuminations provide a wealth of information on the appropriate types of fabrics and trims. Accessories often play a prominent role. […]
Beyond the Muslin Gown
by Virginia Solomon, First published for the September/October 2011 issue of Finery Too many times have I heard this statement, “I can’t wear Regency dress, I don’t have the body for it.” While it is true that many Regency illustrations depict willowy young things in clinging white gowns, there are many existing gowns in museum collections and illustrations, that depict […]
Spanish Medieval Menswear
by Cynthia Barnes, First published for the July/August 2011 issue of Finery The first half of the fourteenth century was a time of social and political upheaval in Catalunya (Catalonia) and other kingdoms of what would eventually unite as Spain. The social changes are paralleled in men’s dress, as revealed by my study of serving men’s fashion in Catalan paintings […]
From Head to Toe: The Colonial Williamsburg Collection
by Cynthia Howell, First published for the July/August 2011 issue of Finery One of the real pleasures of the accessories symposium in Williamsburg VA was the opportunity to view the exhibit “From Head to Toe, the Colonial Williamsburg Collection”. The DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum housed the exhibit in conjunction with symposium. While the exhibit was not huge, it was […]
