[h-cost] Talk about "historical" fashion.....
Hello everyone, This came through on another list, and though I don't usually do this, the conversation going on about vintage fashion made me decide to pass this on. "Couture Goes Heavy Metal" LOL http://uvicmscu.blogspot.com/2007/10/couture-goes-heavy-metal.html Enjoy Genie ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Help! Please! Cultural Dancers in Costumes
minuet, A couple of people have suggested "minuet" for that image, and that may be what the artist had in mind.? However, I don't believe a true minuet involved that kind of arm motion--it looks to me like an old version of the "allamande" from a longways country dance.? It seems reminiscent of an actual period image I've seen, but I can't put my finger on it. Ann Wass -Original Message- From: Suzanne <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sun, 6 Apr 2008 1:03 pm Subject: Re: [h-cost] Help! Please! Cultural Dancers in Costumes Oh, my. Tastes in art have certainly changed over the last 100 years... ;-) Here's my take on the countries: #1 - ancient Greece; #4 - Aztec; #5 - Bali (Indonesia?); #7 - Aboriginal Australia; #8 - North Africa; #14 - Hungary; #15 - Italy (Sicily?); #17 - Czech or Slovak (or Bohemian, if that's the term they used in the 1920s). I'd also add that #9 is of course *ancient* Egypt, and I'm not seeing Turkish in #11 but I don't know *what* it is [might be some strange version of India]. And #6 could be Swiss...? As far as as the dances go, my first reactions were: tango, waltz, minuet, schottische or polka. But I'm no expert -- and none of those are "American-born" so I don't know what the artist was getting at. Your photos did turn out well! It must have been frustrating working around all the people but you got some good images. Good luck with the titles, and let us know how it turns out. Suzanne On Apr 5, 2008, at 1:00 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > From: "Penny Ladnier" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: April 5, 2008 4:17:48 AM CDT > To: "h-costume" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [h-cost] Help! Please! Cultural Dancers in Costumes > Reply-To: Historical Costume > > > I need help...please! I am so much out of my comfort zone. I have > a slideshow online of the ballroom ceiling of the Ringling's Ca > d'Zan Mansion in Sarasota, Florida. The ceiling is called > "Dancers of the World." There are 17 hand-painted medallions of > cultural dancers. I need help with what countries and dances > represented in the medallions. These were painted in the 1920s > exclusively for the mansion by children's book illustrator / > Broadway costume and set designer, William Andrew "Willy" Pogany. > He was also a designer for the Zeigfeld Follies. He was friends > with John and Mabel Ringling, the mansion's owner. He painted the > medallions in his NYC studio and then applied them to the ballroom > ceiling in Florida. > > I also need help with the photos 18-21. The curator said that > these were titled "Four Corners of American-born Dances." He told > me that photos 18 & 19 dates represented but I can't recall the > dances. I am not really sure that I have the dates correct for > photos 20 & 21. And again, do not recall the dances. > > I had one hour to photograph the ballroom ceiling because I was > running out of time and had to photograph around tour groups. This > is a popular area of the mansion and is one of the first areas that > the tour groups access. I didn't even have time to take notes. > When I was photographing this room, I had a couple of hours before > catching my flight home. I spent a week photographing other areas > of the museum. Thankfully the photos turned out good. > > If you are able to answer my questions, please refer to the photo > number on the slideshow headers in your answer. The slideshow can > be seen at http://www.costumegallery.info/ . Please make sure to > use .INFO and not .COM . When you go to the slideshow, make sure > to click on the enlarged view...it looks like the number 7 on the > right side of the menu. > > Many, many thanks in advance for your help. > Penny Ladnier, > Owner, The Costume Gallery Websites > www.costumegallery.com > www.costumelibrary.com > www.costumeclassroom.com > www.costumeencyclopedia.com ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] Old fashion in fashion - shoes
On a side note, over the last six months I have noticed older-style ladies' ankle-length boots in the stores, close enough for late-Victorian/Edwardian costume. Get in quick, this fashion only comes around every 15 years, -C. This email was sent from Netspace Webmail: http://www.netspace.net.au ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Help! Please! Cultural Dancers in Costumes
Having -danced- in Tatra Mountain costume, I can say #14 is not that... ; ) For one thing, the women of the region don't wear red boots, they wear leather slippers (with a really cool one-piece construction where the strip of leather than laces the flat piece of leather into a shoe shape is actually cut as part of the shoe, it's still attached...) Men wear similar leather shoes, not the boots the man in the painting wears. If anything, this might be an interpretation of the costumes worn in the Krakow area (which is the stereotypical costume most often worn in the country to represent Poland). But distinctive parts of Krakow costume are missing for the man-- namely red and white striped pants, and peacock feathers in the hat. Her red boots would work for Krakow, her flower/ribbon headdress would. As I said before, though, the apron is unlike anything I've seen, and her bodice is fantasy. There should be shoulder straps! *** Astrida Schaeffer, Assistant Director The Art Gallery, University of New Hampshire Paul Creative Arts Center 30 College Road Durham, NH 03824-3538 603-862-0310 FAX: 603-862-2191 www.unh.edu/art-gallery *** -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] on behalf of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sun 4/6/2008 7:43 PM To: Historical Costume Subject: Re: [h-cost] Help! Please! Cultural Dancers in Costumes My take on the pictures is: 13 is definately Russian, look at his shirt - proto-typical of Russian historical shirts. I have seen sleeveless over pieces like hers on historical documents/ pictures. Most likely worn during the 'hot' summer days. 14 appears to be from the Tartar Mountain region of Poland, look at the man's boots and pants. Her outfit is like many different regional variations, however the lace sleeves and the flower on the apron is NOT at all period to any time/ area (accept for modern 20th Century 'dancing' outfits made for the tourists) Katheryne who has been researching 12thC Polish female outfits - Original Message - From: "Schaeffer, Astrida" > > I'm thinking #14 would be more Hungarian than Polish-- I've > never seen such aprons on a Polish costume-- But in truth I fear > the task will be made that much more difficult by the liberties > taken by the artist. For example the red strapless front-lace > bustier garment in #14 is sheer invention... > > My guesses: > 13 definitely Russia > 14 generic Slavic or Hungarian (not sure Polish would have been > depictedas a nation Poland had just come out of over a > century of non-existence, though it did briefly exist again as a > sovereign nation in the 20s so maybe it was in vogue...) ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Help! Please! Cultural Dancers in Costumes
My take on the pictures is: 13 is definately Russian, look at his shirt - proto-typical of Russian historical shirts. I have seen sleeveless over pieces like hers on historical documents/ pictures. Most likely worn during the 'hot' summer days. 14 appears to be from the Tartar Mountain region of Poland, look at the man's boots and pants. Her outfit is like many different regional variations, however the lace sleeves and the flower on the apron is NOT at all period to any time/ area (accept for modern 20th Century 'dancing' outfits made for the tourists) Katheryne who has been researching 12thC Polish female outfits - Original Message - From: "Schaeffer, Astrida" > > I'm thinking #14 would be more Hungarian than Polish-- I've > never seen such aprons on a Polish costume-- But in truth I fear > the task will be made that much more difficult by the liberties > taken by the artist. For example the red strapless front-lace > bustier garment in #14 is sheer invention... > > My guesses: > 13 definitely Russia > 14 generic Slavic or Hungarian (not sure Polish would have been > depictedas a nation Poland had just come out of over a > century of non-existence, though it did briefly exist again as a > sovereign nation in the 20s so maybe it was in vogue...) ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Old fashion in fashion
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > She offered me a job once but I was not > interested at all, I am a conservationist to some degree, atleast in > preserving the clothing an appreciating what they represented from a > bygone era where morals still meant something, as evident by the > beautiful ways in which ladies chose modesty in fashion, atleast by > today's standards. Viewing historic fashion through a modern filter certainly would give the misleading impression that it was modest, but its merely that--an impression. Contemporary accounts exist in any era for the "immodest fashions" of their time. Even garments designed for the sake of modesty, such as women's drawers, first met with shock when they were first introduced. People were no more moral or immoral than we are now, but if you view the clothing they wore with a modern perspective then its going to skew what you see and you'll come away with a false impression of our ancestors. ~Joseph ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Old fashion in fashion
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Hello, I have found the same to be true where I am also and I actually > find it a little frustrating, because my antique clothing dealer gets > alot of trendy women from the city in her shop who look at her older > things like camisoles and petticoats to turn into funky modern outfits, > she firmly believes the same as I do that it is sacriledge, cause many > of the people who buy the antique items for purposes of looking like a > designer showpiece have intentions of altering and or butchering them > for the same reason. I don't give a hoot what other people do with their own vintage and antique clothing. Not everyone is obligated to be a museum. I wear my antique pieces myself and have a lot of fun doing it. I am delighted when antique styles come into fashion and I can wear them in public. I also don't give a hoot about long-skirt "modesty"--I do wear vintage underwear as well as outerwear in public. I just like the styles. I like having a way to not only just dress "authentic" when I want to, but to dress "inauthentic" when I want to. Unfortunately, she does make some business by > people who just really don't understand or care at what cost their > funky finds effect the market. So a more common desire for antique clothing is putting some pieces out of your price range--that has nothing to do with conservation. > It would be nice to see those things more or less drop out of fashion > as they seem to be gradually, Not nice at all for me! I adore it when things I like are trendy, as I ignore a lot of fashion the rest of the time. > I just long now for the "Victorian look" to go back to belonging to > those who really have a passion and appreciation for historical > fashions, it really hurls alot of bad information and impressions out > there to those who aren't looking into it from a serious angle and only > doing it for trend's sake. Not everyone has to be "authentic," and certainly not on the street. I think it's great when people discover and love older styles. Why should that be some cliquey private preserve? Why should Victorian styles only appear at reenactment events! I make "authentic" reproductions, I collect and wear vintage clothing, I alter the style when I want to, especially for damaged pieces, I alter the sizes whenever they don't fit me, I buy cheap gauzy repro skirts, I buy vintage-inspired designer pieces like Krista Larson: I love it all. Well, not all of it: I think the Goths have great ideas but I look awful in black and jewel tones. Never mind. On with the bustles! Fran Lavolta Press http://www.lavoltapress.com ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] Costume Con 26 membership available - in negotiation
I have several interested parties. I'll re post if it doesn't sell to one of them. My daughter is not able to go to CC26 this year. So I have a membership up for sale at the early 2007 rate it was purchased at. Contact me directly off list if you are interested. Jeanine [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Old fashion in fashion
Hi Paula, the bustle petticoat is supported by a bustle frame - like a crinoline. However, they do not go around the body, but are inserted into one piece of fabric. This piece is joined between two smaller pieces. The two small pieces are sewn or laced together. When the bustle is worn, the laced bit rests against the wearer´s legs, keeping the bustle from being pushed to the front. It´s a bit like 18th century pocket hoops - in this picture you can see the piece of fabric that rests agains the dummy´s hip: http://www.farthingales.on.ca/pocket_hoops.htm. Imagine a bustle like a pocket hoops with a bit of skirt in the front to keep it from shifting and you got it. There´s a good instruction with pattern in Jean Hunnisett´s "Period Patterns". Best wishes, Hanna At 21:59 06.04.2008, you wrote: >Hi all, > I have often wondered how these bustle > petticoats keep their shape, that is how do the > stay to the back without being pushed to the > front with all the weight of the historic > garments. There must be something I'm not > seeing in various patterns I've seen. Can > anyone point me to a diagram or other information that can explain this? >Thanks to all, >Paula S.> Date: Sun, 6 Apr 2008 09:32:08 +0200> >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: >[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [h-cost] Old >fashion in fashion> > Hi,> > Yesterday I walked >trough Utrecht, a city in the Netherlands and >saw > something familiar in a clothing shop.> It >was a bustle petticoat like this one > >http://trulyvictorian.com/catalog/108.html but >without the boning made > in army green.> > I >thought it was so funny that you can wear your >19century bustle > petticoat out on the street >and people would think you're wearing modern > >fashion.> > Deredere> > >___> >h-costume mailing list> >h-costume@mail.indra.com> http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume >_ >Get in touch in an instant. Get Windows Live Messenger now. >http://www.windowslive.com/messenger/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_getintouch_042008 >___ >h-costume mailing list >h-costume@mail.indra.com >http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Old fashion in fashion
One thing they often did with a long bustle/part cage, is to put tape ties on the sides towards the back, to tie together and therefore keep the bustle area behind the legs. Fran Lavolta Press Books of Historic Sewing Patterns http://www.lavoltapress.com [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Hi there, > In regards to your question about petti coats holding their shape, I do > knot what you mean, you'd think with all the weight the entire cage of > a bustle would just go forward. ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Old fashion in fashion
Hi there, In regards to your question about petti coats holding their shape, I do knot what you mean, you'd think with all the weight the entire cage of a bustle would just go forward. Bustle support pads went on underneath the bustle cage and it set right over on top of that, filling in the empty space that would otherwise be forced forward under the weight of the gown. Also, gravity does have some effect on how the weight falls, many times just falling straight down and because of the angle of the bustle it doesn't always force it forward. I wear an original bustle for programs on Victorian era topics and find that without the modern hand made bustle pad underneath to support the cage, the dress will not stand out as strongly, so it really is a simple solution, though tournures and such existed to be used without a cage altogether or to be worn over the top of the bustle to soften the shape. This is a link for a page with various patterns for bustles, though I have never purchased any. http://www.agelesspatterns.com/bustles.htm Hope this helps, take care:) Justine. ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Old fashion in fashion
Hi all, I have often wondered how these bustle petticoats keep their shape, that is how do the stay to the back without being pushed to the front with all the weight of the historic garments. There must be something I'm not seeing in various patterns I've seen. Can anyone point me to a diagram or other information that can explain this? Thanks to all, Paula S.> Date: Sun, 6 Apr 2008 09:32:08 +0200> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [h-cost] Old fashion in fashion> > Hi,> > Yesterday I walked trough Utrecht, a city in the Netherlands and saw > something familiar in a clothing shop.> It was a bustle petticoat like this one > http://trulyvictorian.com/catalog/108.html but without the boning made > in army green.> > I thought it was so funny that you can wear your 19century bustle > petticoat out on the street and people would think you're wearing modern > fashion.> > Deredere> > ___> h-costume mailing list> h-costume@mail.indra.com> http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume _ Get in touch in an instant. Get Windows Live Messenger now. http://www.windowslive.com/messenger/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_getintouch_042008 ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Old fashion in fashion
I do agree with you Carol, most people would rather spend the least money for something they can wear out than a whole lot for a repro, but the way I see it is that repros are also more disposable unless made by one of a kind materials, because they can just as well be made again. That dress you got was a bargain! People did alter gowns, which is why antebellum gowns are more scare today than bustle gowns, because they cut them up to make bustle gowns later, but those weren't considered rare and antique items then, it would be like if you or I open our closet and say, yeah this skirt from 1995 is really pretty, I love the buttons and material but don't like the cut of it, so I will make a new skirt from it. It's different from saying, this beautiful antique bodice I am being sold seperately from the matching skirt that could be in a museum and 125 years old could make a really funky jacket like this that or the other designer had in the magazine, the one that all my friends liked. The same lady who sells me my antique clothing as I said would rather see them preserved, so she goes out of the way to hold them for me until I can pay them off, sort of like pay as you will indefinite layaway, which is really really generous of her. Atleast someone realizes the connection though, of fashion trends stemming from period movies, I saw a commercial for two models making their own clothing line with insipiration from art nouveau (having trouble spelling today) flowers, and state how they were used in fashion in the 1970s! Not alot of fashion consumers realize the connections of what they are wearing. When the gauzy boho look came around, people didn't realize alot of what that was wasn't just Victorian or Edwardian inspired, but more inspired by the Victorian and Edwardian style lacy and summer whites brought into fashion in the 1970s and early 1980's after things like Little House on the Prairie and Somewhere In Time came out. My mother loved that delicate femminine look, she owned Gunne Sax pieces to which I have inherited her favourite one. She no longer fits into it but it's a gorgeous, incredibly well made dress that really invokes a spirit of Edwardian femminity. The thing second worse to me than altering existing originals that can never be replaced for the sake of being in style is the misrepresentation of the term "Victoriana", usually is consists of an ultra froufrou, lacy, flowery, modern concept of Victorian that really is reminiscent of Edwardian and not Victorian at all. Justine. ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Old fashion in fashion
Well, recycling old clothes to the current fashion has been done throughout history. I think it's due to the post-WWII consumerism that we're not used to it the way our ancestors were. Whether something is thrown out or worn to rags, it's gone. I think what vexes many historians is when a garment is dormant for 20 or more years (stored) and *then* worn to rags or thrown out. Sometimes it's a fashion trend (inspired by a period movie, for example) and sometimes it's an individual's interest. The only way to "prevent" such things is to buy and preserve vintage clothing yourself and support museums that do the same. It's all supply and demand. Personally, I also cringe at an item that has been altered, or an extant gown where someone has cut off the entire placket for the buttons (rather than removing them individually). I once bought a 1920s dress for $5 where the dealer said only the lace was worth saving — after a careful washing and light pressing the entire thing was in great shape. Also there are many people who can reproduce a garment or style (out of fresh, new, isn't-going-to-shatter fabric), but some customers would rather take their chances with a $50 vintage item than pay $250 for a repro. -Carol ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] John Adams HBO series
--- Mary Mumley <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > If you look at the show's website, you will see that > the costume designer made the New Englanders drab on > purpose. Remember that the Adamses lived > before the vibrant dyes of the 19th century were > invented. The color range > for a New England housewife was very limited. I beg to differ. I have seen a full set of eighteenth century crewel-work bedhangings in Wethersfield, Connecticut, in the Webb-Deane-Stevens set of houses. Silas Deane signed the Declaration of Independence. The hangings were as bright and gorgeous as if they'd just been embroidered--red and pink, shades of blue, green, yellow, and brown. Wethersfield was, at the time, a fairly small town, but had trade, often cash income from onions, and they are right on the Connecticut river. Traditional way for a woman to get a cash dowry in the eighteenth century was to raise herself a crop of onions. So I'm not talking NYC, but not an isolated backwater, either. If Wethersfield could have lots of color, so could rural Massachusetts close to Boston. Ann in CT You rock. That's why Blockbuster's offering you one month of Blockbuster Total Access, No Cost. http://tc.deals.yahoo.com/tc/blockbuster/text5.com ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Help! Please! Cultural Dancers in Costumes
Oh, my. Tastes in art have certainly changed over the last 100 years... ;-) Here's my take on the countries: #1 - ancient Greece; #4 - Aztec; #5 - Bali (Indonesia?); #7 - Aboriginal Australia; #8 - North Africa; #14 - Hungary; #15 - Italy (Sicily?); #17 - Czech or Slovak (or Bohemian, if that's the term they used in the 1920s). I'd also add that #9 is of course *ancient* Egypt, and I'm not seeing Turkish in #11 but I don't know *what* it is [might be some strange version of India]. And #6 could be Swiss...? As far as as the dances go, my first reactions were: tango, waltz, minuet, schottische or polka. But I'm no expert -- and none of those are "American-born" so I don't know what the artist was getting at. Your photos did turn out well! It must have been frustrating working around all the people but you got some good images. Good luck with the titles, and let us know how it turns out. Suzanne On Apr 5, 2008, at 1:00 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > From: "Penny Ladnier" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: April 5, 2008 4:17:48 AM CDT > To: "h-costume" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [h-cost] Help! Please! Cultural Dancers in Costumes > Reply-To: Historical Costume > > > I need help...please! I am so much out of my comfort zone. I have > a slideshow online of the ballroom ceiling of the Ringling's Ca > d'Zan Mansion in Sarasota, Florida. The ceiling is called > "Dancers of the World." There are 17 hand-painted medallions of > cultural dancers. I need help with what countries and dances > represented in the medallions. These were painted in the 1920s > exclusively for the mansion by children's book illustrator / > Broadway costume and set designer, William Andrew "Willy" Pogany. > He was also a designer for the Zeigfeld Follies. He was friends > with John and Mabel Ringling, the mansion's owner. He painted the > medallions in his NYC studio and then applied them to the ballroom > ceiling in Florida. > > I also need help with the photos 18-21. The curator said that > these were titled "Four Corners of American-born Dances." He told > me that photos 18 & 19 dates represented but I can't recall the > dances. I am not really sure that I have the dates correct for > photos 20 & 21. And again, do not recall the dances. > > I had one hour to photograph the ballroom ceiling because I was > running out of time and had to photograph around tour groups. This > is a popular area of the mansion and is one of the first areas that > the tour groups access. I didn't even have time to take notes. > When I was photographing this room, I had a couple of hours before > catching my flight home. I spent a week photographing other areas > of the museum. Thankfully the photos turned out good. > > If you are able to answer my questions, please refer to the photo > number on the slideshow headers in your answer. The slideshow can > be seen at http://www.costumegallery.info/ . Please make sure to > use .INFO and not .COM . When you go to the slideshow, make sure > to click on the enlarged view...it looks like the number 7 on the > right side of the menu. > > Many, many thanks in advance for your help. > Penny Ladnier, > Owner, The Costume Gallery Websites > www.costumegallery.com > www.costumelibrary.com > www.costumeclassroom.com > www.costumeencyclopedia.com ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Old fashion in fashion
Hello, I have found the same to be true where I am also and I actually find it a little frustrating, because my antique clothing dealer gets alot of trendy women from the city in her shop who look at her older things like camisoles and petticoats to turn into funky modern outfits, she firmly believes the same as I do that it is sacriledge, cause many of the people who buy the antique items for purposes of looking like a designer showpiece have intentions of altering and or butchering them for the same reason. A lady in a nearby shop who sometimes buys thing from my dealer really tries to cash in on this, she hires girls to help with sewing for her, rather underpaid too. She offered me a job once but I was not interested at all, I am a conservationist to some degree, atleast in preserving the clothing an appreciating what they represented from a bygone era where morals still meant something, as evident by the beautiful ways in which ladies chose modesty in fashion, atleast by today's standards. One of the common jobs she was telling me, is to take old bodices and gowns (I almost fainted) and she adds ZIPPERS to the backs so that young women can wear them as modern art pieces. She also was trying to sell me something that was attractive, a late Victorian capelet, for much more than it was worth, despite it's extent of damage, just because she had purchased in Paris. It was without any sort of label or marking also, and I couldn't believe her standards for business in a vintage clothing market. Unfortunately, she does make some business by people who just really don't understand or care at what cost their funky finds effect the market. It is interesting as you said to see people wearing bustle petticoats and such on the street as modern day wear, partly it is good because in buying new pieces like that they are readily available and ready to wear without fear of damage and can be used in inauthentic costuming or dressing up when you wish to portray the feel of Victorian or Edwardian style without wanting to go to dinner in an all out bustle or trained ensemble. It makes dressing in a rather old fashioned way a little more understandable to those who can recognize the look, because it has become fairly mainstream in that it's presence is out there in modern fashion, but most still do not recognize what it is, not where I live atleast, and some completely misinterpret my intentions all together. The thing that is funny is that I wear those peices as undergarments, layered in the correct way under modern old-looking outter wear, and cannot step outside the any longer dressed in just a slip or undershirt! It has actually come to feel wrong for me after having done it for so long. It would be nice to see those things more or less drop out of fashion as they seem to be gradually, though buying repro jewelery, boots, undies, etc. is easier, it has gotten hard to find those things in the last few years, whereas when my sister got turned on to acquiring fashion items which were of her long favoured period in time (since childhood) she was able to go out and buy repro boots and things at the local clothing store, if only I had been interested then and had money to shop, I would have stockpiled while it was available. I just long now for the "Victorian look" to go back to belonging to those who really have a passion and appreciation for historical fashions, it really hurls alot of bad information and impressions out there to those who aren't looking into it from a serious angle and only doing it for trend's sake. Just thought I would write a response to your message, it was very interesting to actually hear someone else make the same observation and wanted to share some of the experiences I've had in dealing with that situation. Take care:) Justine. ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] Looking for a handweaver
Is there a handweaver on the list who works in linen or cotton? If so, would you mind contacting me off-list? I may want to commission a small piece from you, but have some questions first. Leah Watts [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] Old fashion in fashion
Hi, Yesterday I walked trough Utrecht, a city in the Netherlands and saw something familiar in a clothing shop. It was a bustle petticoat like this one http://trulyvictorian.com/catalog/108.html but without the boning made in army green. I thought it was so funny that you can wear your 19century bustle petticoat out on the street and people would think you're wearing modern fashion. Deredere ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
