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 […]
A Bicycle Built for Fashion
by Sahrye Cohen, First published for the March/April 2010 issue of Finery The late Victorian era saw an increase in the middle class and the rise of a lifestyle in which, for the first time, many people had a certain amount of leisure time. A number of recreational activities became popular among the upper and middle classes including bathing, lawn-tennis, […]
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 […]
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 […]
Rococo Beauty Tips
by Kendra Van Cleave, First published for the November/December 2009 issue of Finery Coiffures of the 18th century defined the style of the era. Women’s hair was always curled, waved, or frizzed before styling. When higher hairstyles came into fashion, they were accomplished by raising hair over pads made of wool, tow, hemp, or cut hair. Throughout the century, hair was […]
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 […]
Quick Bright Things
by Linda Wenzelburger, First published for the September/October 2009 issue of Finery Perhaps the first thing people think of when it comes to faerie costuming is wings. Wings can be simple or incredibly elaborate. There are so many possibilities! They can be bird wings or butterfly. Dragonfly or bone. Branches or leaves. Hard or soft. Paper or fabric. And on, […]
Shadows in the Sun
by Sally Norton and Frannie Germeshausen, First published for the September/October 2009 issue of Finery Dark Shadows, which aired every weekday afternoon from 1966 to 1971, was one of the all-time great cult TV shows. It starred a vampire, featured time travel, and included witches, ghosts and even a werewolf. The GBACG will celebrate the show this year with a picnic on Saturday, October 17. 2009. So, what should one wear […]
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. […]
Faeries Bright and Dark
by Bridget Bradley-Scaife and Jennifer Jespersen, First published for the July/August 2009 issue of Finery When observing faeries on the whole, there are two distinctions that have become most well-known: those of the Seelie Court and those of the Unseelie Court. This division is based in Scottish mythology, and it is used to determine the good faeries from the bad. […]