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 […]
Steampunk Transformation
How I went from a historic costumer to a Steampunk and loved it by Kory Dean Doyle, First published in the July/August 2014 issue of Finery It has been said there are as many definitions of Steampunk as there are people who call themselves Steampunks. There are those who will tell you what it is and it isn’t as if […]
Completing the 1912 Evening Look
by Kendra Van Cleave, First published for the March/April 2012 issue of Finery In the early 1910s, women’s hair began with thick, wavy hair that was “dressed” in loose, “Grecian” styles. Wavy hair was desired, specifically the kind of wave that comes from thoroughly brushing out curly hair. If your hair did not have a natural wave, it would generally […]
Last Dinner on the Titanic: Developing the Menu
by Sahrye Cohen, First published for the January/February 2012 issue of Finery The RMS Titanic is remembered not only for the tragic iceberg strike that resulted in 1,517 deaths, but also its incredible opulence. When we first started discussing an event commemorating the Titanic’s centennial, we knew we knew it was an opportunity to do something truly fantastic. One of […]
Dressing for Dinner on the Titanic: Early 1910s Evening Dress
by Kendra Van Cleave, First published for the January/February 2012 issue of Finery When the Titanic set sail in April 1912, her first-class passengers boarded with trunks full of expensive, beautiful clothes. Most had probably been custom made in Paris, London, or the United States in the previous year. March and early April were a transitional period during this era, […]
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 […]
Hairstyles and Hats of the Edwardian Era, 1900-1915
by Kendra Van Cleave, First published for the July/August 2008 issue of Finery Hairstyles and headwear are inextricably linked in almost every era; hairstyles affect the shape and placement of the hat and vice versa. The “pompadour” popular in the 1890s belied its name. Rather than a large amount of volume, hair was dressed loosely but still simply and close […]
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, […]
