Make Your Own Ribbon Watch Chain
by Kathe Gust During the 18th century, watches became an indispensable accessory for both men and women. In menswear of the period, the trouser pocket for watch storage was called a “fob” and the decorative attachment to the watch was called a “chain”. Even today, many denim jeans have fob pockets, but those are actually easier to access than Georgian and […]
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 […]
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 […]
Petticoats as Outerwear?
by Catherine Scholar, First published for the September/October 2012 issue of Finery No, I’m not talking about the 1980s trend of wearing vintage Victorian petticoats as streetwear. Nor do I mean the 1990s slip-dress fad. I’m talking about skirts, circa 18th century. You see, before about 1800, any kind of free-standing skirt (not attached to a bodice) was referred to […]
Short Gowns: the Revolutionary T-Tunic
by Cynthia Howell, First published for the July/August 2012 issue of Finery Puzzling about what to wear to the Revolutionary Picnic? Are you uninspired by the gowns in your closet? Are you looking for an interesting project to use up a few spare yards of fabric? Would you like to be fashionable and functional? Look no further than the short […]
Elizabethan Ruffs: Washing, Starching and Ironing
by Noel Gieleghem, First published for the September/October 2011 issue of Finery If you followed the instructions in Part One of this article, Ruff-ing It (printed in July 2011), you’re now the proud owner of a rather bedraggled ruffled collar. Starching and ironing will turn that humble object into a bona fide Elizabethan ruff. The final shape is determined, for […]
Ruff-ing It: Authentic Ruff Construction
by Noel Gieleghem, First published for the July/August 2011 issue of Finery No costumer’s career is complete without making at least one authentic Elizabethan ruff. Consider it a rite of passage. Here’s a recipe to create a 1570s-style stand-alone linen ruff of moderate fullness and depth. It’s a great jumping-off point for other projects which contain the “organized frill,” such […]
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 […]
Yes, You Can Fit Yourself!
by Katherine Caron-Greig, First published in two parts for the May/June and July/August 2006 issues of Finery I went to my first Costume College in 2003. I had been sewing for almost a year and a half at the time and, excepting some very stubborn eyelets that I couldn’t pound into a corset properly, had never had any help with […]
