Turning Circles: how to draft a circle skirt pattern to your measurements
by Cybele A. Baker. Published in the September/October 2016 issue of Finery. The circle skirt has very little fabric at the waist and flares out to a full circle at the hemline. It can be any length you want but varies from person to person as it is reliant on your specific measurements. This is why you don’t see many […]
Pleasure and Beauty in La Belle Epoque
by Sally Norton. Published in the September/October 2016 issue of Finery. In the late 19th century Paris was a large, urbane city, but the neighborhood of Montmartre retained a village atmosphere; festivities and artists mixed, with pleasure and beauty as their values. In 1886, Edouard Marchand conceived a new entertainment for the Follies Bergere, the music hall revue. On 6 […]
Lovely Ladies with Lavish Coiffures
By Sally Norton. Published in the September/October 2016 issue of Finery. Hair and hats were an important feature in La Belle Époque, both on stage and off. The large hat, often with up-turned brim, sat forward on the coiffure, emphasizing the extraordinary forward tilt of the early 1900s woman. The hat, an increasingly elaborate affair, could be an inconvenience at […]
History of the Cancan
by Cybele A. Baker. Published in the September/October 2016 issue of Finery. While it may be surprising, there is not much to be found about the exact origin of the Cancan. Where it started is, of course, in France, but who first choreographed and danced it is a bit of a mystery. It is supposed that the Cancan came from […]
DIY Gentleman’s Cane
by Denise Tanaka. Published in the September/October 2015 issue of Finery. Recently I went shopping for a Victorian gentleman’s walking cane. The cheap plastic ones at the Halloween costume warehouses are… well, cheap looking. The very nice ones sold online are $50 and up— beyond my budget for outfitting a relative who may never wear the costume again. So I […]
In the Winners’ Circle
by Robin McGann. Published in the September/October 2016 issue of Finery. In this article, we take a look at several members who have won a prize in a competition as inspiration for our own costuming goals. Take a look at these creative, inventive endeavors to see what you can bring to your own costuming. Who knows? Maybe these will inspire […]
50+ Years of “Doctor Who” Costuming
by Jean Martin and Christopher Erickson. Published in the June/July 2015 issue of Finery. “Doctor Who” is a classic, long-running British science fiction show that began in 1963 about a timetraveling alien who regenerates, has adventures, saves the universe and has an affection for the human race. “Doctor Who” has become even more popular since its re-launch in 2005, and […]
Let It Go To Your Head!
by Danine Cozzens Langdell. Published in the March/April 2015 issue of Finery. If you long to don your finest Regency evening wear and step out on the dance floor, put Saturday, May 30, 2015, on your calendar. Our Sister Organization, The Bay Area English Regency Society puts on only three balls each year. This one takes inspiration from an event […]
Sheer Delight: Sheer Dresses of the Crinoline Era
by Bridget Bradley-Scaife. Published in the January/February 2015 issue of Finery. During warm weather, thin dresses made of light weight sheer fabric were worn by ladies in the mid 19th century. Known to us today as “sheer dresses,” they are most often characterized by a low body lining which shows the sheer fabric to full advantage. Research indicates that women […]
There’s No Crying in Baseball
by Lynne Taylor. Published in the January/February 2015 issue of Finery. Just about everyone has seen the 1992 movie “A League of Their Own.” It stars Tom Hanks as a former professional baseball player, who becomes the coach for a women’s professional baseball team. The movie is entertaining and contains a mix of history and fancy that served to expose […]