Dressing for the 1940s USO Tea
By Kathe GustGBACG Membership Coordinator There are two things I will not be addressing in this article. I won’t discuss military uniforms, because if you wear uniforms you likely know more about that than I do. If you want confirmation of your authenticity, I suggest you look for articles like this one by expert Byron Connell “WWII U.S. Army Officers’ […]
English, French, and Burgundian Women’s Bonnets in the 15th Century
One costumer’s exploration and recreation of historical headwear by Cynthia Barnes, First published for the March/April 2014 issue of Finery Before the heavily wired and beaded hoods so familiar from the portraits of Queens Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn, there were softer versions. As seen in manuscripts, these hoods adorned the heads of women of various social levels, be […]
Accessories for the Regency Gentleman
by Chris Bertani, First published for the September/October 2013 issue of Finery The English Regency is a long period of time. Although technically it only covers the years when the future George IV ruled as a proxy for his father (from 1811 to 1820), the Regency period is often considered to encompass the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars as well […]
Care and Feeding of Men’s Hats
by Cable Car Clothiers, Reprinted with permission for the January/February 2013 issue of Finery Your hats will actually improve with age with proper care! This is a brief guide explaining how: Touch your hat with clean hands; oils from your hands may stain a light hat. When you put your hat on or take it off or need to adjust […]
25 Ways to Trim an Early Victorian Bonnet
by Jennifer Rosbrugh, First published for the September/October 2012 issue of Finery Flipping through a stack of (digital) fashion plates, I was enthralled by so many ideas for how to decorate an Early Victorian Bonnet. I was doing trim research a couple years ago to complete my poke bonnet for Costume College 2010 and fell in love even more with […]
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 […]
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,” […]
Accessories Make the (Victorian) Man
by Virginia Solomon, First published for the May/June 2010 issue of Finery Modern men have streamlined their attire so extremely that the only accessories ever seen are a handkerchief in the pocket and perhaps cuff links. Nothing else distinguishes one’s class, affluence and style. But in the Victorian/Edwardian Era, the numerous accessories one carried and wore could easily aid the […]
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 […]
Learning to Make a Fabric Covered Buckram Hat
by Lynne Taylor-Seavers, First published for the March/April 2006 issue of Finery One of the first millinery projects I ever worked on was a fabric covered buckram hat. As a matter of fact, I took the class at a GBACG workshop. It was my very first contact with GBACG and the costuming community that I now know and love, but […]
