Announcing: American Duchess’s 18th Century Dyeable Silk Shoes – the not-quite-yet-Saturday-shoe!

Fed up of boring shoes?  Looking for the ideal 18th century footwear for a Lady of Fashion?  Want to bring a bit of elegance to 21st century footwear? Now you can!  I am rather excited at the prospect of American Duchess’s Georgiana shoes – today pre-orders open for these pretties: (And, no, it’s not an [...]

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Happy Bastille Day?

It’s that time of year – Bastille Day.  I know many people celebrate today, but I feel torn. On the one hand I am no monarchist: much as I enjoy reading about the lives of historical Queens and researching and making clothes of the nobility, I’m not into that kind of class system.  (Especially when [...]

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Skates

In an effort to do some exercise (gasp!), I’ve just treated myself to these: So, watch out streets of Nottingham, I now come with wheels!  (And probably not very good balance or speed control!) But did you know that the first pair of rollerskates was patented in 1760?  They weren’t very popular, apparently, though I [...]

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Pierrots and Polonaises and Hoods, Oh My!

That pesky (and lovely) Idzit has gone and made the lovely hooded jacket in Patterns of Fashion that I’ve been lusting after since I first saw the pattern/sketches – her version is stunning, you should really go and see it. Looking at the photos of her creation and catching up on all the fabulous costuming [...]

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New Hair

I. Have. New. Hair. Which is news because (a) I haven’t had my hair cut in almost a year (surely it’s not that long?!) and (b) this is my first cut with a new Nottingham hairdresser. Perhaps not a big deal to many people, but as I have rather troublesome and very curly hair, it’s [...]

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Not the Saturday Shoe – How About Free Pattern Sunday?

OK, so yesterday’s Saturday Shoe didn’t happen.  Instead Ikea happened.  And after Ikea happened (for three hours!) the making of the things from Ikea happened.  It’s great because the flat is looking awesome and most of the storage problems in our bedroom should be sorted out (huzzah!), but it’s not so great because I’ve discovered [...]

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Georgian Period Films

I must have been a good girl in 2009 because I was lucky enough to receive amongst my presents a voucher for HMV, which I trotted out with at the weekend and bought a couple of Georgian films I hadn’t yet seen … As I had the flat to myself on Sunday night, I had [...]

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18th Century – For Sale!

Window shopping on ebay is a dangerous thing, gentle reader! After all, what in the world is there that is better to go with one’s changing styles in the latter decades of the 18th Century than an oak desk from c. 1780? Rather charming, don’t you think?  And ample room for a polonaise to slide [...]

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Versailles Stories – BBC 4

I am just watching this programme about Versailles, specifically fundraising for the restoration of the Petit Trianon.  Check it out on BBCi Player to enjoy the swoon-worthy views and information on everyone’s favourite Queen of France. One of their ideas is to recreate Marie Antoinette’s perfume – what a great idea!  Fingers crossed they’ll raise [...]

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Bathing a la Turque

In the Ottoman Empire, bathing was not just a matter of personal care – it was an opportunity for socialising, display and gossip – much like promenading in a fashionable park on a pleasant afternoon. When I wanted my protagonist to have a bit of girl-time with her closest friend, Derry, it seemed the obvious [...]

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