American Duchess Historic Shoes Blog
How to Dye Ivory Leather Shoes
You know that special, excited feeling you get when you're sewing, about creating a project will be unique and customized just for you? Imagine that excitement doubled (or tripled) for...
The History of Mary Jane Shoes
The new Prism collection features not one but two splendid Mary Janes, Anna May (3 inch heel) and Millie (1.75 inch heel). We have been working on these babies for...
All About Anna May Wong
Anna May Wong in Daughter of the Dragon, 1931 Have you heard of Anna May Wong? Anna May is widely considered to be the first major Chinese-American film star, and...
"Prism" by American Duchess - August 2022 Pre-Order is Open!
The new "Prism" collection is now ready! This collection is all about colors, presenting several new colorways in AD classics, along with a new design in two different heel heights....
#ADEurope - Shoes Are Now In Stock!
At last! At LAST! It's taken what seems like an age to work through all the funky bugs of setting up our European website and shipping hub, but the amazing...
We're Sports People Now: A Brief History of Victorian/Edwardian Tennis Shoes
Are you a fan of our Kedwardian Sporting Oxfords? This lovely style is a reproduction Victorian/Edwardian sporting shoe! This shoe is the ancestor of our modern sneakers. We were primarily...
Jazz Standards - Introducing the New Vintage Collection
At last, we're proud to present a big new collection of vintage shoes that hit all the right notes, the "Jazz Standards" Collection. These are the classics, the quintessential styles...
A Little History of Arsenic Green
There is no doubt that green is one of the more alluring, interesting, and complex colors of fashion through the ages. There are many myths around various greens and their...
Heck Yeah, Witch Shoes
This month we're all about unexpectedly 'modern' designs in historical fashion. The May '22 "Avant-Garde" collection explores bold colors and geometric shapes in 1930s/40s shoes, and also an older trend,...
A Little History of Shocking Pink
For the first time in American Duchess history, we've created shoes in several very strong pinks, all drawn from and inspired by a late 1930s "Surrealist" palette. As with many...
The "Star Princess" Camille Boots
The stuff sparkly dreams are made of. Back when we did the color poll for the Camille Edwardian Boots, we got a fair few comments about doing them in metallic...
The 'Bridgerton' Lady Danbury Pelisse - Done!
I love a quick and fairly simple make. Last time I constructed the bodice of this 1815 Regency pelisse inspired by Lady Danbury's in Bridgerton. Now it's time for the...