American Duchess Historic Shoes Blog
PRE-ORDER Exclusive #3 - "Cicero" 1920s Pumps
These days we modernes can be pretty reserved with our shoes, but back in the 1920s, the flashier the better. Legs were on show and dancing was all the rage,...
Larkin & Smith 1770s English Gown Progress
Last night I finally got back to work on the 1770s English gown. I'd only pleated the back and stitched one side down, before, but here's what I did last...
Friday Video: Costumers vs. CARS!
...We've all been here... ...can you relate? This video was SO much fun to shoot with the ladies of the Great Basin Costume Society. We all met in a Starbucks...
English Gowns of the 18th Century
I've had my sewing confidence rattled lately by the utter failure of my Robe a la Turque, so I'm sorely in need of some hand-holding through a project. Enter the...
Early Victorian Slippers (to Get Excited About)
Women's slippers, c. 1850 - LACMA Today's post is all about slippers worn c. 1820s - 1850s (so a little pre-Victorian). Surprisingly ladies shoes remained fairly unchanged during this time....
Cycle 3 Exclusive - Vote for Colors!
We've gotten a bit bogged down with the various holidays worldwide, but we're gearing up for production to start again, so it's time for another Exclusive! The winner of the...
The Call of the Vintage Sweaters
I want to knit. I never....*ever*... thought I would say that, but it's true. This came about mostly from receiving my Wearing History "Smooth Sailing" trousers last December, and wanting...
American Duchess In The News!
I was interviewed by a local news network last week, and here's the little video! It's another behind-the-scenes look at our home business. I have a tendency to say stupid...
Behind the Scenes of our 2014 Winter Photo Shoot
Last November Chris and I set up a photo shoot with first-time model Anna McIlwee, who was to be our Siberian Snow Princess in a beautiful winter landscape. Trouble was,...
Auditioning for the Donner Party
Just on a lark, a few of us Great Basin Costume ladies went to an audition for a Donner Party documentary filming this year. We were in costume and all...
Late 1860s at the P.E.O Sisterhood's Founder's Day Luncheon
This past weekend I attended a lovely event where a few members of our local costuming group, Great Basin Costume Society, were invited to dress in 1860s costume to represent...
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...