SUCH PAIN. On my mother's advice, I made a one-layer mockup of one side of the stays to mess around with, and while it was very useful I now want to punch myself in the face. I think they're roughly the right size around at this point, and if they're a bit too big it … Continue reading Stays Pain
Category: 18th century
Thinking about Two Paintings
Two paintings from my last post - I have no real conclusions on them, but I find that writing as though I'm talking to someone else sometimes helps me understand things. Mrs. Bryan Cooke, George Romney, 1787-1791 - Amadis sleeves - Heavyish muslin used - Double ruffle around the neckline recalls the original construction of … Continue reading Thinking about Two Paintings
The Mantua
I was thinking about making this post the other night, when a profound revelation came upon me: I am a costuming/fashion history hipster. In American Nerd, Ben Nugent defines two important aspects of hipsterism. One is purism, as a reaction against the Baby Boomer eclecticism, and the other is an attachment to an "unfashionable" subject … Continue reading The Mantua
Painting Sources
It's so handy, being able to dump a huge thing of pictures here. Portrait of a Young Woman, James Nixon, 1780-1785 Atelier of a Painter, Marie Victoire Lemoine, ca. 1787? Mrs. Bryan Cooke, George Romney, 1787-1791 Comtesse de la Châtre, Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, 1789 Lady Sophia Boyle, Anne Foldsone Mee, ca. 1790 Seated … Continue reading Painting Sources
Discoveries in Gallery of Fashion
- Waist went up to just under the bust in 1794 - First appearance of crossover-front robe in November 1795 - First spencers in May 1796 - Waist goes up higher in the back than in the front in early 1796 - Waists go back down in back in May 1797 - Start seeing less … Continue reading Discoveries in Gallery of Fashion
Mimic of Modes 