Book Review: Seventeenth-Century Women’s Dress Patterns, Book I
by Diana Habra, First published for the November/December 2011 issue of Finery This book, edited by Jenny Tiramani and Susan North and published by the Victoria & Albert museum in London, is the first of the Pattern Book series and builds on the publications of Janet Arnold, Norah Waugh, Linda Baumgarten, and several other prominent historical clothing experts. In addition […]
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 […]
Visiting the 18th Century
Accessories at Williamsburg by Kendra Van Cleave, First published for the May/June 2011 issue of Finery In March, Colonial Williamsburg presented a research symposium called “Costume Accessories: Head to Toe,” which coincided with an exhibition of (mostly 18th century) accessories at the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum. When it was first announced, I thought, “Cool! But – why is everything […]
Book Review: Betsy-Tacy Series
by Catherine Scholar, First published for the January/February 2011 issue of Finery Why review a beloved children’s series for a costume newsletter? It’s a fair question, one the author partially answered herself: “in these Betsy-Tacy stories, I love to work from real incidents.” The Betsy-Tacy books were based closely upon author Maud Lovelace’s own life, and almost all of Betsy’s […]
Book Review: Elephant’s What?
by Betsy Hanes Perry, First published for the September/October 2010 issue of Finery Elephant’s Breath and London Smoke: Historic Colour Names, Definitions, & Uses, edited by Deb Salisbury, is a sorely needed resource; anybody who’s spent time reading old fashion magazines has been frustrated by descriptions such as “a dress of serpent-gray silk”, which would have been transparent to the […]
Down the Rabbit Hole
by Carol Wood, First published for the July/August 2010 issue of Finery Nothing says “Alice in Wonderland” more than a blonde in a light blue dress. A light blue ball gown will get you as far as Cinderella, a slinky blue dress will even get you to the Devil, and a light blue gingham pinafore will get you all the […]
Film Review: Steadfast as Thou Art
by Gailynne Bouret, First published for the May/June 2010 issue of Finery The 2009 movie “Bright Star” depicts the doomed romance of poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne, the girl next door and the inspiration for some of his most memorable work. Director and writer Jane Campion and costume and set designer Janet Patterson treat us to a visually rich […]
Adventures in Costuming
by Lisa VandenBerghe, First published for the January/February 2010 issue of Finery Bonjour from Paris, France! A year ago my husband started a new job in Europe, and I packed up our three teenagers and dog to join him. While the move literally turned our lives upside down, we saw it as a unique opportunity that simply had to be […]
A Legacy of Linen
by Betsy Hanes Perry. First published for the July / August, 2009 issue of Finery Many costumers, having waited for years for the late Janet Arnold’s Patterns of Fashion 4, will have already either bought or checked out this book. This review is therefore an appreciation and an introduction for those lucky readers unfamiliar with the Patterns of Fashion series. […]
Film Review: Persuasion, Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park (PBS, 2007)
by Elizabeth Urbach, First published for the March/ April 2008 issue of Finery In Persuasion, the women’s costumes were mostly well done, although it seemed to me that they were almost always wearing the same thing. I would have appreciated more variety in accessories and outerwear, especially, although I did enjoy seeing Anne’s “invalid” sister wearing a dotted shortgown over […]
