my18thcenturysource

[my18thcenturysource]

So... I made a bad financial decision. But a good emotional decision (lol):

I bought a ticket for the Regency Ball at the Royal Pavillion in Brighton. !!!!!!

This includes the ball and the promenade BUT I'm not sure about the details of the events, dress codes (other than HA Regency, 1800-1818) and/or other suggestions from people who have attended before. I'm going to cross the world form a VERY different weather, so let me know any and all suggestions for shoes and coats to wear, or even your favourite hotels to stay. I mean, yeah I know the February weather, but I don't usually deal with it in Regency clothes.

I have to plan to make the outfits and buy accessories and shoes, so all your info is very appreciated 🩷

Let me know if you've gone before, what did you wear, if the Penelope shoes from American Duchess are a good idea for the event of if I should go for leather shoes, if at the promenade I need a Regency coat... I have zero idea what I just got into but I am very ready to make several clothes, obviously I'll start with all undergaments, and are thinking about the references for the ball dress to make (maybe a black net with pink under dress?, or do you think white over white over white is better?).

ANYWAY. Let me know. Via comment, reblog, dm, whatever you like.

[my18thcenturysource]

The gasp I gasped.

Such a dramatically gorgeous choice for her first married woman dress.

I aspire to this level of drama in my everyday life.

Going Away Dress of wool & silk worn by Elizabeth Holms-Kerr after her 1899 wedding to John Deans Hope.⁠⠀Made by Madame Hayward, 64 New Bond Street, London⁠⠀Glasgow Museums, E.1988.104.2

[my18thcenturysource]

THE SHOUT I SHOUTED.

EVERTHING is lovely in this waistcoat.

I edited this a month and a half ago and forgot to post it. I'd filmed some footage of the red brocade waistcoat to include at the end of the brown & gold waistcoat video because I'd briefly showed the in-progress red one while I talked about the pockets.

There isn't a video about sewing this one, but there is a blog post. Most of the construction is the same anyways.

(Music is Dorset Fields by Howard Harper-Barnes, from Epidemicsound.)

[my18thcenturysource]

Oh. My. God.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THAT IS THE MOST PERFECT SHADE AND FABRIC FOR THAT WAISTCOAT SILHOUETTE.

Someone please take this ebay shop away from me.

[my18thcenturysource]

"Portrait of a Lady", ca. 1780, François Dumont.

[my18thcenturysource]

Definitely not 18th century, BUT my dad was watching Cold Mountain (2003) this weekend and I had forgotten that Jack White is in this film and that he looks great in 19th century clothing.

Also, here a snippet of the film where he sings Wayfarer Stranger (my favourite version, btw):

Photo from the top: Jack White tintyped by Stephen Berkman, costume design by Carlo Poggioli and Ann Roth.

[my18thcenturysource]

I was looking for something else, but I ended up downloading this Spanish tailoring book from the Biblioteca Digital Hispánica from 1618 (!!!!!), and after a song and some licences from the King and thank yous to Don Andrés Roig, and the note that the book does not contain anything against the Catholic faith, the book starts with the description of measurements for fabrics: la bara de medir.

Of course it has PAGES of the ways a bara can be divided, notes for how many fingers are half a palm (6 fingers), and other divisions and measurement. If you know Spanish, you can read the first page up here and the way it is signaled later in the book for the patterns like this one of a doublet:

I love the way it is explained that you can cut a garment in different ways for different widths of fabric, in this case the first option of for a fabric of one bara and 6 fingers (these appear in the first page up here), the second 1 bara and a forth, and the third is 1 bara, a forth, an ochavo (6 fingers) and 1 finger:

Weird way to measure, but sure, we all can move our patterns with this nice guide.

All images from the book "Geometría y Traça Perteneciente al Oficio de Sastres", (1618), Rocha Burgen, Francisco, Biblioteca Nacional de España.

[my18thcenturysource]

Just Georges Barbier here mixing my two obsessions: 1920s and the 1700s.

Love it.

Secret Kiss by Georges Barbier

[my18thcenturysource]

This one is for the swifties.

I case you've been living under a rock, some Taylor Swift looks are on display at the Victoria & Albert Museum, and OF COURSE they have this yellow dress from the end of the Bejeweled video (I could not see the back, but I asume it is an English gown).

This dress seems to have been made for that video, and I couldn't find the costume designer credit, but I found a pair of dresses that could have been references for it (because OF COURSE I love yellow 18th century dresses): a robe à la française from the Kyoto Costume Institute and one designed by James Acheson for Dangerous Liaisons, and also seen in 1994 film Barcelona (see the full post about this dress from Recycled Movie Costumes here).

If you happen to be in London for the tour of any other reason and want to check it out, it is displayed in the 2nd level, in room 110, Prince Consort Gallery:

Images from top:

1 & 3 - stills from the Bejeweled video, 2022.

2 & 4 - Victoria & Albert Museum.

5 - Robe à la française, 1760s, Kyoto Costume Institute.

6 - Mia Sorvino wearing a dress designed by James Acheson in the movie Barcelona, 1994.

[my18thcenturysource]

A place in my block just opened, and they have loud club music every night until late (like 4am kind of late), and honestly, I think I am slowly losing my mind. Haven't slept properly in WEEKS, and the music is loud enough to sound like I have the party in my living room.

[my18thcenturysource]

I know I'm late, VERY late. BUT I haven't stopped thinking about this from the opening ceremony.

The red dresses. The hair. The song. THE METAL BAND.

ugh, just chef kiss.

The song is Ah ! ça ira, dictum populaire, air du carillon national" by Jean-Antoine Bécourt, published in 1790, and here it is, in case you wanted to have the music sheet:

[my18thcenturysource]

hello! this is your annual reminder that Valentine's Day as a celebration of romantic love was not "invented to sell cards" or whatever other minor conspiracy theories are floating around

the earliest known association between the day and romantic love was in Chaucer's The Parliament of Fowles, a poem written in 1382. the oldest known Valentine tribute exchanged between lovers was written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife in the 15th century. it's also mentioned in Hamlet

have a happy Valentine's Day, Pal-entine's Day (my alternative to Galentine's, because as a lesbian I'd be having that even with a partner), or just a wonderful day in general!

[my18thcenturysource]

I have to tell you all that this collection is on sale too, and the sale ends on 30th December.

I don't know if you're ready for this BUT American Duchess and the Bata Shoe Museum just launched a collab collection called In Bloom.

They made 3 styles in several colours using 3 styles from the the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries from their current exhibition "In Bloom: Flowers and Footwear", and are currently in pre-sale, with estimated deliveries between July and August 2023.

Let's take a look:

We start at the 18th century with the Primrose shoes, based on their Dunmore model, accurate for 1770s-1790s they are embroidered on satin and are $179 USD while in pre-sale and later will be $199. The original style is in black and pink silk satin, and OF COURSE that's my favourite variation, but the green ones are a close second.

Images from top: 1780s shoes, Bata Shoe Museum / Primrose shoes, American Duchess.

From the 19th century we have this style called Flora, accurate for the late 19th century (1870s-1900), are $230 USD while in pre-sale and later will bee $250. This embroidered boots with satin ribbon laces are probably my favourite style from the collection. Of course my fave colour is black, which is also the colour of the original piece, but the lavender ones are just *chef kiss*:

Images from top: the original French embroidered boots by Francois Pinet, late 1870s-early 1880s, Bata Shoe Museum. / Flora boots, American Duchess

Finally, the 20th century style is the Daisy, accurate for the 1920s-1940s. A vintage style full of flowers and colour, this T-strap style is perfect to pair with a simple dress from any decade and have a very decent 6.3cm heel, so you can dance all night in these art deco shoes.

1920s shoes, Bata Shoe Museum / Daisy shoes, American Duchess.

The sales from the In Bloom collection will support The Bata Shoe Museum in their study, outreach, and conservation of historic footwear, and we're here for it.

More info:

"In Bloom: Flowers and Footwear"

Read more about the collaboration at the American Duchess Blog.

Buy the whole collection in pre-sale here.

Which style are you looking for the most?

[my18thcenturysource]

A reblog for the morning people 😌

I DON’T KNOW HOW TO BE CHILL ABOUT THIS!!!

But get ready because the sale starts tomorrow, November 20th.

Just click here and it will take you to the site.

And good news for all of you that want pretty shoes but have a hard time, they have made a fee changes! They now have some models in wider fit, and new several styles with no heels. And for all of you who are scared of heels, their lower ones are usually more comfy than flats, so do not fear!

I think I’ll be having the Parker shoes in black:

I just love them! What is in your wish lists?

[my18thcenturysource]

I DON’T KNOW HOW TO BE CHILL ABOUT THIS!!!

But get ready because the sale starts tomorrow, November 20th.

Just click here and it will take you to the site.

And good news for all of you that want pretty shoes but have a hard time, they have made a fee changes! They now have some models in wider fit, and new several styles with no heels. And for all of you who are scared of heels, their lower ones are usually more comfy than flats, so do not fear!

I think I’ll be having the Parker shoes in black:

I just love them! What is in your wish lists?

[my18thcenturysource]

Was reading La Gazette de Bon Ton from (almost!) 100 years ago the January 1924 edition) and there's this little article about sports shoes by Perugia with examples for skating, tenis, golf, and riding, and I thought "I've seen those boots before!", so I went looking for them and here we are: crocodile riding boots by André Perugia from the 1920s as reported in this French magazine and some outfits to complement.

Images from top:

Illustration of Perugia boots and outfit, illustration by Pierre Mourgue, La Gazette du bon ton : art, mode et frivolités, January 1924.

Riding boots, Perugia, circa 1920, sold at auction.

Gladys Wagner (model and dancer) modeling a riding habit in San Francisco, 1920s.

Woman’s Riding Habit, 1920s, The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Saks Fifth Avenue ad Illustration, spring 1925.