American Duchess Historic Shoes Blog
Adventures in the 1830s - For Real This Time
The Met, 1835 I've been wanting to make an 1830s dress for a long time now, but haven't actually, y'know, done it. Until now. I can't really account for how...
Dinner at The Parlor Again, Now With Added Vintage
From left: Monica, Chrissy, Curtis, Maggie, Sam, Kathy, and me. To round out my trip to visit friends in the Bay Area this weekend, we all made an effort to...
Dinner At The Parlor
This weekend, I took an impromptu trip to the Bay Area to see beloved friends. And then there was food, wine, and Cards Against Humanity. The official vintage-costume-party is actually...
Vintage 1950s Suits
Everyone seems to have a different idea of 1950s fashion, from poodle skirts to shirtwaist frocks, giant petticoats to wiggle dresses. The lovely part is that there were *all* these...
How To Make Your Own Pair of Couture Pompadour 18th Century Shoes
Last week, I showed you several pairs of custom-made shoes I designed for Whoopi Goldberg. I was so flattered by the comments - thank you! - and also a little...
About Whoopi Goldberg's Custom Made Shoes
A few months ago, I was asked by Whoopi Goldberg to design some custom shoes. She asked me to make "four pair as rich looking and feeling as you can...
Opinions Please: Fur, Plastic, and Sheepskin
Albany Institute, 1875-85 Darlings, how do we feel about fur? How do we feel about faux fur? And how do we feel about sheepskin? The reason I ask is because...
Introducing "Savoy" Edwardian Shoes - Pre-Order Now Open!
I'm so happy to finally *properly* introduce you to "Savoy," the fully-beaded, multi-strapped Edwardian stunners inspired directly by antiques in collections like The Met, The V & A, and Shoe...
The First Reno Tweed Ride
A couple weekends ago, a group of 15 intrepid, tweed-clad cyclists gathered in Idylwild Park in Reno, and endeavored to ride their noble mechanical steeds through downtown, to the University...
Bright-Ass Yellow 18th Century English Gowns
I've been obsessed with bright yellow 18th century (and Regency) gowns for awhile now, and yet I still don't have one. The marigold hue is swoon-worthy, but also intimidating, but...
Buyer's Guide to 18th Century Cotton Floral Prints
One question I receive a lot is, "where do I find appropriate 18th century floral prints?" I realize that it's taken *years* to source these out, so to save you...
The Beginnings of a Little Pierrot Jacket...Finally
This weekend I knuckled down, found some motivation, and did some honest-to-goodness historical sewing. I've had this gorgeous Colonial Williamsburg print since 2012, but it's taken me this long to...