"Do the Clothes Make the Man?"
A study of the relationship between identity and appearance
A study of the relationship between identity and appearance
My fascination with historical costuming began with a trip as a teenager to London's Globe Theatre. There, the theatre's costumers were presenting the various layers of Elizabethan garb, and I volunteered to be the model they dressed. As they dressed me, I found that the clothes changed the way I acted. Wrapped in petticoats and a corset, I mustered some kind of inner grace that escaped my otherwise shy and self-conscious fourteen-year-old self. I returned home with not just a passion for the mechanics of building these costume pieces, but also with a fascination about their ability to change the way I act and see about myself. Since then, I have researched Western costume history in depth and taught myself to sew; these costumes are the result.
A 1787 chemise à la reine, based on several contemporary paintings. It is made from sheer white cotton
and sewn completely by hand; the sash is silk habotai dyed by hand with turmeric.
The back of a c. 1750 robe à la française (French gown) with wide Wateau pleats. It was made out of hand-dyed periwinkle cotton with gray velvet trim, and all sewing was done by hand. (Please note: the gown still has not been hemmed, and its sleeves will eventually be trimmed with white cotton flounces.)
The front of the robe à la française, which is worn on top of the hoop panier skirt pictured below. Though not shown here, the gown will eventually be worn over a petticoat to disguise the boning of the panier.
A detail of the pleating on the back of the sleeves.
Preliminary sketch of the robe à la française, loosely based on the extant gown at right
(copyright Modemuseum im Schloss Ludwigsburg.)
(copyright Modemuseum im Schloss Ludwigsburg.)
A c. 1776-8 robe à l'anglaise (English open gown) inspired by a painting by William Gainsborough. It was made of cherry silk dupioni with machine and hand sewing and is worn with sheer cotton neckerchief.
Fully-boned, late eighteenth century pair of stays made out of cotton canvas with silk bias
ribbon finishing applied by hand. It was made to be worn underneath the robe à l'anglaise and
robe à la française (above).
ribbon finishing applied by hand. It was made to be worn underneath the robe à l'anglaise and
robe à la française (above).
Hoop panier skirt appropriate for 1740-1770 silhouette, to be worn under the robe à la française (above). It was made of hand-cut steel boning and cotton, and is worn with a sleeveless chemise, late eighteenth century stays, bumroll, and a sheer cotton neckerchief.
An 1802 gown based on an extant garment studied by Janet Arnold in "Patterns of Fashion I."
It was made of burgundy cotton and cream silk dupioni; machine-sewn with hand finishing.
It was made of burgundy cotton and cream silk dupioni; machine-sewn with hand finishing.
Unboned pair of stays appropriate for 1800-1805 silhouette, to be worn with 1802 gown (above). Machine-sewn with hand finishing, including hand-bound grommets.
Undergarments dating to early American Civil War period (1861-1863). The hoop skirt (or crinoline) is made of hand-cut steel boning and cotton. It is worn with a sleeveless chemise, lightly-boned corset, and under-petticoat.
