This was a quickie costume I threw together for Costume College because I’d heard the Friday Night Social had some kind of literature cosplay theme. Also, it was the hottest summer on record, I was only going to be at the event for a short time, thus I needed an easy, comfortable outfit. What’s better
I got this length of fabric from Sarah ages ago and had dreamed of making something long, elegant, and flowy with it. Like a tea gown. So finally, in summer 2022, I went ahead and used the Laughing Moon Mercantile princess-line tea gown pattern with this fabric. There was just barely enough of the velvet,
The first event of Carnevale 2023 was a brunch, which called for fancy pajamas. I went for deshabille because I had these fun things to wear that hadn’t seen the light of day yet! Starting with a custom Victorian corset by Redthreaded, using a cotton stripe fabric I provided, then a ruffly black cotton robe and
This spring, I was planning on a sabbatical in London, and near the same time, Kendra was going to be in Paris. She found out about a historical ball with an 1870s theme and asked if I wanted to go. Sure! But I didn’t have anything appropriate to wear. Well, I did have an 1870s
Despite my oft-stated distaste for Regency / Empire / 1790s-1820s costume, that’s what I’ve made and worn for all of 2021. I guess that’s what global pandemic does to you? Weird. Really freakin’ weird. Well, as easy as it was to sew that pelisse and evening gown, that was all I wanted to have to
At least two years ago, I was inspired by the HBO series Gentleman Jack (2019) to start a jacket with the intention of recreating this outfit worn by Anne Lister: I mean, really, I already had a vintage top hat! So I started with a basic Period Impressions pattern, fitted it to me, and cut
With Bridgerton still on my mind and a massive longing to travel again after being cooped up in my house by myself for a year and a half, I took a leap of faith and bought a ticket to the Empire Party at the Grand Trianon of Versailles. Which meant making another 1810s-ish costume, a
Of all the things to help bring back my costuming mojo during the pandemic, I never thought it would be a Regency romance! But Bridgerton is so ridiculously over-the-top and plays with historical fashion in a way that sang to my DGAF-ness of the times. Also, it’s a known issue that I despise the typical
One of the events my friends and I planned to attend at Venetian Carnevale 2020 was the Napoli Ball, and 1860s evening attire was requested. But Victorian ballgowns bore me, so I decided that Leonard should branch out from the 18th century. I bought a black wool tailcoat tuxedo, a waistcoat, and a shirt. I
For several years, I’d planned to recreate a costume like those worn in the Chinese TV drama The Empresses in the Palace (2015), aka The Legend of Zhen Huan (2011). I reviewed the shortened Netflix version of the series for Frock Flicks and was in love with the costumes, of course. Based a smidge of
This is the presentation to accompany the lecture I gave at Costume College 2018. The topic was what a fashion accessory that we derisively call a “head necklace” over on Frock Flicks, and here I explain that there are a few times and places when this item actually was worn and isn’t snarkable. Myths, Truths,
This is the presentation to accompany the lecture I gave at Costume College 2017. The topic was what women wore during the height of the suffrage movement at the turn of the 20th century, what colors were symbolic of the movement in the U.S. and U.K., and how the symbols were used. Suffragette Fashions: Myths
This is the presentation to accompany the lecture I gave at Costume College 2016. The topic was the evolution of the gothic subculture’s fashion, rising out of punk in the 1970s and combining historical fashion elements with music, literature, art, and pop culture, plus how gothic fashion became high fashion. Punk + History = Gothic
I have a hankering to recreate Charlotte Brontë’s going-away dress, c. 1854. Specifically to wear at Costume College in 2015, since the theme will be “Plucked From the Pages,” aka books and literary characters. I have a pattern (really just a scaled diagram) taken from the actual dress that is at the Brontë Parsonage Museum
Finished and worn at Dickens Fair! More pictures on Flickr.