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1930s Pink Easter Dress and Vintage Underpinnings

1930s Pink Easter Dress and Vintage Underpinnings

I love a holiday, a great excuse to wear something frothy, frilly, and vintage. I've been rather lazy the past several holidays, though, not wanting to shimmy into the underpinnings...
American Duchess
Tagged: 1930s Undies Vintage
A Mid-to-Late 1860s Elliptical Hoop Skirt

A Mid-to-Late 1860s Elliptical Hoop Skirt

One of the things that became obvious with my purple 1860s gown was that my underpinnings were no longer doing the job. Due to shortage of fabric, I cut my...
American Duchess
18th c. Red Petticoat Re-Fashion

18th c. Red Petticoat Re-Fashion

Woot! The first project of 2015 is complete, and piece #1 of my Robe a la Turque is ready. Refashioned red petticoat with apron This petticoat was once a sad,...
American Duchess
Hard Lessons in Victorian Corset Making - My "Duh" Moments...

Hard Lessons in Victorian Corset Making - My "Duh" Moments...

Left side - boning, strength additions, and padding. I still have wrinkling, but it's better than it was.Right side - no boning, no strength layers, no padding. I can make...
American Duchess
1740s Riding Habit Waistcoat and Shirt

1740s Riding Habit Waistcoat and Shirt

It's been a flurry of sewing madness here, getting ready for Colonial Williamsburg next week. I've ripped into a lot of garments, and made some pretty big changes to many...
American Duchess
The Angel Wing Bum, 1785

The Angel Wing Bum, 1785

Save for one tiny bit of stomacher fabric, my wedding gown is DONE! *happy dance* Last week, when sorting out hems and skirt volumes, I decided I needed a new...
American Duchess

Victorian & Edwardian Stockings

Via - I'll take any of these, please. Throughout history, people have worn some pretty spectacular hosiery. I'm tickled today when I see fantastic socks for sale (and I often...
American Duchess
Finished Project: 18th Century Grand Panier

Finished Project: 18th Century Grand Panier

And my, what a big panier it is! I purchased the now-out-of-print Simplicity 3635 pattern on eBay a few weeks back. The package contains patterns for stays, pockets, a chemise,...
American Duchess
Finished Project: Regency Half Stays

Finished Project: Regency Half Stays

They ain't pretty, but they seem to get the job done... I've finally finished something! I've been experimenting with Regency stays for a bit, trying out different designs, and I...
American Duchess
Tagged: Regency Undies
How Wide Should Your 18th Century Panniers Be?

How Wide Should Your 18th Century Panniers Be?

I've set out on the adventure of making a Grand Pannier to wear under voluminous 18th century apparel, and the first question that came to mind is - how wide...
American Duchess
V357: Beginning Corset Training - Day 1

V357: Beginning Corset Training - Day 1

My New Years Resolution for 2013 is to experiment with corset training. Nothing crazy. Nothing extreme. I'm just curious about the effect consistent pressure on the natural waist will have...
American Duchess
V353: 1920s Knickers Pattern

V353: 1920s Knickers Pattern

Hi all! Miss Emily, of My Vintage Visions Blog, sent over this adorbs little original 1920s knickers pattern. Aren't these just sweet? /want/ I'm off to cut my hair like...
American Duchess