American Duchess Historic Shoes Blog
How to Dress 18th Century - 1770 - 1780 Robe a la Polonaise {Video}
Howdy! I've been trying to make videos for getting dressed in different decades of the 18th century, since this is quite a visual subject and video is a natural tool...
1720s - 1740s Robe Volante - Initial Musings
I just can't get enough of 18th century back pleats! The time has come. This one has been brewing for awhile. I have a sortof underdog love for weird garments...
1765 Robe a la Bon Bon Sacque - Simplicity 8578 - Construction Complete!
Trying on the new sacque - it's always nice to have something, y'know, fit at its first real try-on. Next time I say something like, "oh I'll just throw this...
Getting Dressed in 18th Century - 1780s - 1790 {Video}
Let's get dressed! Hi Lovelies! I made a short video showing the steps and pieces of getting dressed in a 1780s Italian gown or Robe a l'Anglaise. I know for...
Pattern Notes on Simplicity 8578 - Robe a la Francaise Dress Pattern
A couple years ago now we worked with Simplicity to create a Robe a la Francaise pattern (Simplicity 8578) based on Abby's sacque in The American Duchess Guide to 18th...
What Is a "Hedgehog" Hairstyle *Really*?
A lady sporting the hedgehog hairstyle - 1775-78. Gallerie des Modes, MFA.org 44.1344 It is a truth universally acknowledged that all 18th century historic costumers, when we first start, quickly...
Cake or Death - Marie Antoinette
I have a new video for you today, the first in a series! I'm quite proud of this, even though it's...weird, and possibly off-color. I hope you enjoy it!
18th Century Printed Cotton Do’s & Don’t’s
A beautiful printed cotton gown, 1785-95. The Met. A very condensed version of this essay, without pictures, appears in The American Duchess Guide to 18th Century Dressmaking. Because there is...
The Countess of Melbury's Ball c. 1789 - Inspo!
The Met, 1780s Italian gown. Inspiration for my own gown for this event. Next March, 2020, I am attending the Countess of Melbury's Ball in Walnut Grove, California. The event...
The Isabella Mactavish Fraser Pattern & Documentary!
Ladies and Gentlemen, we are very proud to release to you today the Isabella Mactavish Fraser gown pattern and construction PDF along with our short documentary about this famous tartan...
The Isabella Mactavish Fraser Project - Day 2
Georgia Gough wearing the finished Isabella Mactavish Fraser wedding gown and arisaid - Edinburgh, Scotland I'm back with the second day reporting from the Isabella Mactavish Fraser wedding-gown-in-a-weekend project, a...
The Isabella Mactavish Fraser Project - Prep and Day 1
Braining hard on the Isabella Mactavish Fraser wedding gown - Edinburgh, Scotland, June 2019 Abby and I are back from our whirlwind trip to Scotland, and I've had a nice...