Finery Blog

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. […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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Fashioning the Fit: the Evolution of the Doublet and Hose

by Frances Classe, First published for the May/June 2011 issue of Finery Costuming historians generally agree that tailoring techniques shifted significantly towards the middle of the 14th century. This shift towards more closely fitted garments and away from garments patterned by geometric forms (rectangles, trapezoids, triangles, etc.) is explained by some as an adoption of military under-dress for civilian usage. […]

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Bee in Your Bonnet?

by Thena MacArthur, First published for the March/April 2011 issue of Finery I am crazy for Victorian hats and bonnets. It should come as no surprise that I am writing about them: those who know me are probably rolling their eyes. For the sake of brevity, I will not comment on what passes these days for a “Victorian Lady’s Hat,” […]

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Strut Your Tut

Eastern Influences on 1920’s Fashion by Carol Wood,  First published for the March/April 2011 issue of Finery The 1920s was characterized by exploration, experimentation and invention. This holds true for fashion in particular: No more restrictive corsets, experimentation in dress was socially acceptable, and more women earned money to afford the new fashions. Not only did hemlines run up and down […]

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