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 […]
Mad Style
by George McQuary, First published for the July/August 2010 issue of Finery The “Age of Optimism”, 1960-1963, was the last gasp of formality in everyday men’s wear. During the Eisenhower and Camelot/Kennedy eras, men wore slim two- or three-piece suits, slim-fitting white shirts, skinny ties with tie bars and pocket squares. Art Deco-era suits can easily pass for mid-century, as […]
Collecting Vintage Today
by Judith Hollenberger, First published for the March/ April 2008 issue of Finery Since the days of the $4 thrift store Victorian bodices are gone, what’s a person who wants to start collecting vintage clothing to do? First you must decide what you want to collect, for what purpose, and for how much money. Victorian? Art Deco? Display? Study? To wear? […]
Fashion and Non-fashion and the Beat Generation
by Sally Norton, First published for the March/April 2006 issue of Finery The 1950s Beat Movement in San Francisco was a non-fashion moment. Clothing was of minimal importance to the San Francisco writers, poets and musicians in North Beach. Words, music and ideas mattered. Clothing was practical, necessary and of little aesthetic value. You would see people wearing ordinary, everyday […]
Sewing Hints for Vintage Patterns
by Sally Norton, First published for the January/February 2006 issue of Finery Using vintage patterns creates a whole new set of issues and requirements. The hints listed herein should help make your experience more enjoyable. Prior to 1960, most people sewed many of their garments and sewed for their homes: curtain, linens, tablecloths and napkins. Sewing expertise varied, of course, […]
The Effect of World War I on American Fashion
by Kendra Van Cleave, First published for the March/April 2005 issue of Finery By 1913, the characteristic Edwardian female silhouette, with its tightly corseted body and long skirts, had given way to a straight, high-waisted look that was thought to be more “natural” than previous styles. As the decade progressed, women’s fashions grew less restrictive, and flared skirts, loose jackets, and […]
Gibson Girls on the Loose
by Anonymous, First published for the March/April 2004 issue of Finery Will you be a graceful Edwardian lady in a lavishly trimmed white gown or a sporty Gibson Girl in a trim shirtwaist and tailored skirt at our garden party on April 25th? Edwardian dress gives you many choices and styles to choose from. In the summer of 1899, fashion […]
Modern Times: Changing Society 1900-1930
by Sally Norton, First published for the July/August 2003 issue of Finery The life process is essentially social from the start. Throughout our lives we affect, and are affected by, many people. During the first quarter of the 20th century, society in the United States went through a gradual, but astounding evolution. The forces affecting these changes were varied: education, […]
