A Fractured Fairytale

Several years ago, I saw a portrait by George Romney at The Huntington Library and Gardens, and I immediately knew I had to reproduce it one day. The sitter, Susannah (Miller) Lee Acton, is wearing a cream redingote with wide lapels and huge capes. She has a large gauzy cap and fichu, and her waist is accentuated by an aqua silk sash that matches the ribbons decorating her cap. How could I not instantly fall in love? Read more...

And now for what I wore! Read more...

Another Costume College has come and gone! This year marked my 9^th CoCo, but my 10 year anniversary! It’s hard to believe that I once had the courage to fly across the country by myself to meet up with a bunch of strangers, but I did, and that first trip (and subsequent trips) introduced me to some of my closest friends. It’s funny to think how much Costume College has changed in the past ten years. Its grown significantly, with so many people and amazing costumes both during the day and at the official evening events, that it can be very overwhelming to a quiet, shy person like myself, even after all these years. Read more...

I’m home from a wonderful weekend attending the Jane Austen Festival in Louisville, Kentucky. I recently wrote about my experiences last year, and what a great event it is, but I must say this year was even better. Read more...

My latest white 1790s dress (worn to a ball in Bath and at the 2016 Jane Austen Festival) was a bit of an experiment. I had been planning to make a new late 1790s white dress for some time. I wanted a gathered front for adjustability, but I didn’t want to do the exact same construction as my green sarcenet gown. You see so many different ways of constructing front gathered gowns in this transitional period, and I wanted to explore more with this style. Read more...