Sometimes things just work out. Perfectly. A few months ago, an acquaintance alerted me to an exhibition of 50 (yes 50!) Victorian gowns. “Sounds great”, I replied, “Where is it?” “In Saco, Maine”, came the response. Gasp! “That’s a little over 3,000 miles away, but thanks for thinking of me!”, I replied and quickly filed…… Continue reading The fates align
I admit it. I go to the antiques faire just to fondle the vintage clothing and linens. I gawk and gape at how much thought, detail, and effort went into each of them. I just can’t help but appreciate them. We’re in a time of consumerism and fast fashion. I get it—it’s easy and convenient…… Continue reading I’m a sucker for something well made or well designed.
John Redfern, was born on November 11, 1820. His father, also named John Redfern, owned a specialty clothing shop in Cowes, Isle-of-Wight, England. Young John spent his early life learning tailoring and draping techniques. John Redfern set up his tailoring business in Cowes High Street following his marriage to Harriet Beazley, and between 1847 and…… Continue reading John Redfern & Sons
One of the earliest examples of corseting (reducing the dimensions of the torso or waist) can be found on pottery figures created during the late Minoan Period (1500BC) and found in Knossos, Crete. The bodies of these snake goddesses are closely confined within their belt-like bodices, commonly thought to be made of leather or wooden…… Continue reading A brief history of the corset through 1950
I finally got around to taking some quick pictures of the outfit I made for this year’s Edwardian Ball. Sadly, I had double-lung pneumonia at the time, and although I did attend, I was not able to fully lace myself into a corset. I opted to use the buttons and lace it up the front instead,…… Continue reading Turning of the Century
I’ve been doing some research in conjunction with the outfit I am making for this year’s Edwardian ball (suffragette colors) and wow is it intense. After delving into the politics, color schemes, protest techniques, and fashion of the day, I decided I needed a bit of a break. So I headed to the antiques faire…… Continue reading Fun little finds at the antiques faire
So, it might not look like it, but I am self-taught when to comes to sewing and making corsets. My interest in fashion has always been pretty intense. I recall as a child wanting a particular item that wasn’t either in style or in-season and sadly having to wait years for the rest of the…… Continue reading My Reference Library
If you’ve been following my blog lately, you’ll have seen the corsets I just finished for “Moving Forward into the Past” at the Alameda Museum. While I take pretty detailed notes while I make each corset, it occasionally takes me a little while to move that information online. But now that the show is up…… Continue reading The Wedding Cake Corset
I love spats. I really do. As defined by Merriam-Webster, spats are a “a cloth or leather gaiter covering the instep and ankle”. Also called spatterdashers, these have been coming back in popularity as of late, which makes me immensely happy. So you can imagine how utterly thrilled I was to discover a pattern for…… Continue reading Gotta love spats
As you have probably gathered by now, I am not one for doing anything the easy way. I have this need to get something “just right” and often that requires a lot of creative license. For this year’s Edwardian Ball, I wanted to create an outfit that was reminiscent of the outfits worn at the…… Continue reading The Tweed Huntress Corset
refashioning history 