Category Archives: costumes

Historical Costuming- Likes and Dislikes

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Hello, my lovely blog followers!  I have so neglected my blog as of late that I’m actually surprised there are some of you who still follow me on here.  But I’m glad you’re still around!  My life has been a roller coaster since nearly the beginning of the year.  Big challenging life things, loss of one I held very close to my heart, and changes and things to adjust to professionally as well.  I have not forgotten the lovely old blog, I just had no time at all to spend dedicated to postings.  I hope to rememdy that soon.  In fact, my life suddenly started slowing down and I got smacked with a horrific virus, so while I’m over here coughing up a lung and staying home ill from work (which is not NEARLY as much fun as having a real day off for play), I got to thinking about things having to do with historic costuming.  You see, Costume College time is yet upon us again.  Where I usually like to spend most of the last six months trying to figure out what to wear I’m finding I have about a month to get all my outfits and gears ready to go… which is somewhat frantic, and somewhat fun all at the same time.

I know I post mostly pretty little inspiration images from the past, but every once in a while I’ve got to let myself out of the bag and share some (gasp!) opinions.  I know they are not shared by everyone, but let’s take a moment to be silly and indulgent, and share my personal likes and dislikes.  This time I bring you the Historical Costuming edition of my persona Likes and Dislikes, complied with some of my favorite costumes I’ve made over the years to illustrate.  This goes both into the making of and wearing of historical costumes, which I usually think of as anything portraying 100 years from today and older.

#1

Like-  Feeling pretty in a costume.

Dislike-  Being called a “Pretty Pretty Princess.”

There’s this little thing going on around the costuming world that seems to divide the hobby into two camps.  There’s the “Historical Accuracy” club, then there’s the “Pretty Pretty Princess” club.  Surely, there has to be middle ground here?  I love historical accuracy.  I like getting the look right for the time period.  But for me it get to be “this is close enough”, and I think that tends to group me into the “Pretty Pretty Princess” group.  I love costumers from both worlds.  I like to look pretty accurate and feel pretty.  I may use modern technique and (gasp!) convincingly good looking synthetic fibres on occasion, but I like to have as accurate as possible of period cut and silhouettes but not put unnecessary pressure or stress on myself if I don’t get it 100% right all of the time.  But I hate being called a “princess”!!  That “title” was bandied about quite a bit when I was a senior in high school and I always hated it.  I have no illusions of grandeur,  I just like what I like and I want to get a good result.  So I think it’s fair that we can play a little bit in both camps.  Just don’t call me a princess, please.

#2

Likes- Shopping for Fabrics in Person

Dislikes- Shopping for Fabrics Online

I’m totally spoiled and have the Los Angeles Garment District within distance to make it daytrip-able, so I love being able to hunt for fabrics in person.  There’s nothing like being able to feel a fabric in person and see the color accurately.  But there always comes a time when you need just a yard or two of coordinating fabric to  make your project work right, and it usually comes when the budget and time for fabric is very slim.  I stalk places online, but you just never know quite how it will feel or look in person.  So I go for online shopping for things that take few yards or I know I won’t need something to coordinate with it, or when it’s just a basic I need.  Otherwise, my online shopping finds always end in disappointment.  I know for my own sake I need to stay away from the garment district as much as possible, because I go crazy and never have the time to sew all the things I have fabric for.  And why is it that no matter how much fabric you have, you never have the right thing for your project?

#3

Likes- Getting the period accurate silhouette with foundation garments

Dislikes- You have to make the foundation garment before you get to the fun part of making a costume.

Darn it, I’m now in my 30s and my figure it different. Which means I have to revisit making foundation garments if I want to make pretty dresses!  I HATE making corsets.  I think it’s SOOO boring!  But I like the silhouette I get with the right corset and other foundations that are needed for the period!  I think just about the only period underwear I like to make are Edwardian, because I can slap as much lovely lace on them that I want to.  Otherwise, sewing underwear and corsets is a snorefest for me.

#4

Likes- Going to dress up events.

Dislikes- When my somewhat timid nature is misconstrued.

I like going to dress up events and talking to folks.  I love geeking out about costumes and vintage clothing.  But I have to fight pretty hard to overcome my shyness and somewhat timid nature.  You know that whole introverts vs. extroverts thing?  I’m totally in the first camp.  The interwebs makes it easy on us introverts, because we can say our peace and post pictures, etc, but we can then back away from it and keep petting our kitties and hiding out in our houses.  I only half jest.  But in reality, I have been told more than once by now dear friends that when they first saw me they thought I was a snob, and then when they actually talked to me they realized I was just shy.  How sad that makes me!!  I have since found that other shy types have had similar experiences.  I’m learning to be more outgoing as I get older, and once I’m confortable I’m quite a bit of a ham, but it takes a while to gain that confidence.  I don’t understand why there are many of us who have no problems putting on some big outlandish costume, but then when we actually have to talk about things our tongue gets tied.  Have you ever tried hiding out in the background in a bustle dress?  And yet we forget what we look like and retreat to our same ol’ social habits.  So if you ever meet me in person, don’t think anything of it if I’m shy or don’t introduce myself first. It’s not that I don’t want to meet you- it’s just that sometimes I don’t know what to say to get the ball rolling.  But I have learned with time, that when in doubt, we can always talk about our hobbies, and I love asking questions about how people made what they wear.

Which brings me to…

#5

Likes- Admiring other’s costumes and talking technique

Dislikes- Snarkiness or unsolicited advice

I LOVE love love admiring and looking at other people’s costumes.  If I get the nerve up, I love to ask questions and drool up close at all the beautiful details.  Ask Colleen, of Costume College, how costumer’s greet each other and she’ll show you.  We look, we fondle fabric, we pet trim, and then we look each other in the eye and give a big hug.  Haha!  It’s so true!  But what I don’t like is observing or hearing snarky comments some people make about other people’s costumes. It makes me sad and hurts my heart.  Once upon a time I thought it was amusing, but thankfully, for a long while since, I found that all that snarkiness just came from a jealousy or a need to boost up ones self, knowledge and skill.  It’s sad.  I’d much rather encourage and see people grow and learn and keep on going and doing their thing.  We all had to learn.  So instead of being snarky from afar, or in comments, or giving unsolicited advice, learn to be gracious and help each other out.  There, I’ll get off my soap box now.  But wouldn’t it be so much more fun to play dress up if we didn’t have to worry about what other people were saying behind or back (or, to our face, or in our comments?)

#6

Likes- Playing with Trim

Dislikes- Finishing

The thing I love the MOST about a dress is when it’s almost done and I can play with all the trims I want to make or put on a dress.  I love LOVE doing self trims and pouring over books and period sources to figure out how and where the trims would go.  Especially on early bustle dresses from the late 1860s to early 1870s when trim was THE THING.  But I HATE doing finishing steps, and usually I have to do that before I sew on on trim.  Hems! Blech!  Snaps and hooks and eyes! Blargh!  There has been many a time I have had a skirt permanently fasten with safety pins at the waistline.  I can make a whole darn dress but when it comes to five minutes to sew on that fastener- forget it!  And boning! Snore!  I have putting boning in Victorian bodices.  If I can get away without it I will.  And now you know my dirty little secrets.  At least two of them ;)

#7 

Likes- Getting all dressed up and ready to go out the door!

Dislikes- And then remembering you have to put your shoes on!

Shoes and then corset.  But I always forget that.  It’s hard to put your darn shoes on after you’ve been corseted.  Nuff said.

#8

Likes- Planning how I’m going to make a costume.  The design bit.

Dislikes- Having to enlarge or make a pattern, especially if I’m in a time crunch.

I love patterns.  I have an abnormally large pattern stash.  But no matter how many patterns you have, they all need some finessing to get them just right.  None ever fit straight out of the packet, and the more I learn about period cuts and construction, the fewer options I have for ready made patterns for exactly what I want to make. There are some tried and true patterns I return to time and again (like Truly Victorian, which I used to make the outfit above), but some of them I’ve sewn so many times it almost feels like cheating to use them again.  But I really dislike having to draft a pattern once I’ve got my design I want squared away.  Le Sigh.  I truly am a designer in spirit.  I dislike making patterns.  There, now you know another little secret ;)  I do, however, LOVE draping.  Too bad there’s not more opportunities when time allows for it!

#9

Likes- Feathers and Old Paper

Dislikes- Allergies!

It’s been nearly a year since I was aware I had allergies, and this will be my first Costume College with my awareness of my allergies to feathers!  WOE!  If you haven’t gathered, by the photos I’ve shared, I LOVE feathers.  They make hats that much more special.  But I am sadly now aware I’m allergic to both feather and the mold that grows on old paper, vintage clothing, and vintage fur.  Alas!  I’m still battling the allergies and going in for my allergy shots, so hopefully one day I can indulge slightly in my loves more than I have so far.  But if you’re wondering why I haven’t been posting as much in the way of original source material or listing vintage patterns as much on Etsy, now you know why.  I can do it with my ever so elegant Darth Vadar-esque face mask on, and sometimes without, but with my hyper sensitivity to these things, it’s often better to just do without.

#10

I had fully intended to make it to number ten, but I’ve run out of things to say.  Instead, I’ll give you my version I made of a meme that was circulating on facebook a year or so ago.  That says enough ;)

Can you relate?  Do you have your own likes and dislikes?  Let me know in the comments below!

Finished Project: Blue Corset from 1868

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I just put the finishing touches on this today, and I’m so glad to finally have it done!  I started the mock up for this sometime last year.  I really wanted a corset I could wear to get a decent silhouette for late 1860s/early 1870s gowns.  I have one Victorian corset I made myself, but it’s more appropriate for the 1880s and didn’t give me much form.  I started reading up about how women who weren’t endowed got their shapes, and talked to other costumers about it.  Jen of Festive Attyre was especially helpful in figuring out what to do.  This corset has sort of revolutionized my thinking about making them, and I’m glad to say that I’m no longer paranoid about making corsets.  It was revolutionary to me to realize that I could make myself fit a corset shape, and fit a corset to fit *me*, when my shape is so not what was the period ideal for the Victorian era.

When I started thinking about this project I knew I wanted a blue corset, like in Edouard Manet’s painting Nana, from 1877.  Although later than this corset by nearly ten years, I have always loved this painting and knew I wanted to mirror this color scheme when I made mine.

The pattern for this corset came from Francis Grimble’s Reconstruction Era Fashions book.  It was reproduced from an original Harper’s Bazar pattern from 1868 and then scaled down by half.  I re-enlarged the pattern and did my mock up. I found in the mock up stage that the original sizing of the corset pattern was several  inches too big for me, so I did some adjustments at the side seams, and some smaller adjustments to the hip and bust gussets, but made sure to leave enough room and not over fit it, so that I had room to pad out to achieve close to a period shape.

The original pattern called for boning across the back, but I decided I would rather have cording as I thought it would be both more comfortable and more decorative.  My husband was a darling and did the grommets up the back for me.  That’s one thing I really don’t like to do!  The chemise I am wearing is an antique in my collection.  Although I wouldn’t really wear it under clothing for fear of damaging it (although it is quite sturdy), it was fun to wear for pictures.  I need to make one along similar lines someday.

I should also mention that when I went to do my boning channels I realized I missed a tuck that was called for that went from the bottom of the front bust gusset to the bottom of the corset.  Oops?  Since I had already done all my fittings without this tuck I just decided to leave it be, but that accounts for one of the bust gores having a squared off shape at the bottom rather than a point.  Doesn’t bother me, but in case others wanted to try this pattern I thought it should be mentioned.  And as with all period patterns of this age, no seam allowances were included in the original pattern.

The fabric I used was white cotton coutil, to which I flat lined blue cotton sateen.  I was sick for quite a few days last week, so I used the opportunity to do something I don’t usually do- and embroider a little motif up the front of the busk and add some flossing.  I don’t have much skill at this sort of handwork, but it was fun to do and I think it looks kind of pretty!  My initial thought was to do flossing and add a contrast binding and wide lace at the top, but I really like the simplicity of these accents and I’m glad I didn’t go with my first plan.

Just like today, women would pad out what nature didn’t give them naturally.  As I mentioned previously, I was on a quest to get a bit more of a Victorian shape than I had naturally or with my previous corset.  When I took my mock up of this corset to work with me, I had some help from a theatre perspective and found that they still use this trick. One of the “tricks of the trade” are to use men’s tailoring shoulder pads and place them strategically at the sides, both at top of the corset, and at the bottom, to create more of an hourglass shape.  Then you can use little pads in the front for extra support- to create a bit of a shelf.  I tried this, and lo and behold, I actually had a decent shape for the era! Much better than I had had previously.

Since this project was done in conjunction with the Dreamstress’ great group, The Historical Sew Fortnightly, here’s the info required.

The Challenge: Under it All

Fabric: Cotton coutil, cotton sateen

Pattern: Reproduced Harper’s Bazar pattern from Frances Grimble’s Reconstruction Era Fashions Book.

Year: 1868

Notions: Metal spiral and flat steel boning, corset busk, grommets, corset lacing, cotton embroidery floss, stay tape, thread, set of pre-made shoulder pads, cotton quilt batting to make two more pads, white muslin to cover shoulder pads.

How historically accurate is it?  Looks accurate on the outside (embroidery inspired by, rather than reproduced authentically from, period examples), but the inside and construction are done with modern methods.  The gussets were flat lined then serged, and applied with  lapped seams rather than flat felling.

Hours to complete: Several.  From start to finish, perhaps around 10 hours, including several mock ups and time to enlarge and alter the pattern.

First worn:  Not worn yet other than for photos

Total cost: Didn’t keep track but I’m guessing $35-40ish, not including the book cost.

Finished Project: The Tissot Dress

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Fair warning- this is a long and picture heavy post!

This dress had been a long time on my wish list.  I’m an ardent fan of James Jacques Tissot’s paintings, and a particular dress that appeared in a few variations in several of his paintings really inspired me.  The dress is not an exact copy, but is inspired by the following paintings.

This was the first one I found, called The Gallery of H.M.S. ‘Calcutta’ (Portsmouth), 1877.  This image is from the Hermitage Collection Connection’s blog.  My good friend is eventually going to make the one in blue so we can go about together in our ensembles :)

 Then I found several more paintings in which this image appears:

Portrait of Miss Lloyd (on left) from loveisspeed.  July (on Right) posted by a friend online.

July: Specimen of a Portrait from Flickr (on left), Fete Day at Brighton from Wikimedia Commons (on right) has different color bows but is the same dress.

  I started this dress in June of last year and actually did wear it to Costume College last year, but only for an hour or two, during which I taught a class.  After Costume College last year I finished it up and meant to take pictures the entire year, but after a bit of thought decided I liked it too much to not wear again, so it made another (longer) appearance this year.  The photos below combination of photos taken at Costume College this year and afterward at a public park.

The skirt was made from the Truly Victorian natural form Fantail Skirt pattern.  I wanted this to be a transitional dress between early bustle and natural form, so I actually tied the back of the skirt looser (it’s on a drawstring) and fit it over my Truly Victorian Petticoat with Wire Bustle, and tied the tapes inside the bustle somewhat loosely to have a smaller bustle shape.  The “polonaise” was made using the basis of Truly Victorian bodice shapes and I compared the cut with several in Francis Grimble’s Fashions of a Gilded Age (I don’t remember if it was book 1 or 2).  Since I am already familiar with the cut of Truly Victorian bodices I found this to be easier than scaling up and fitting a bodice from an original pattern I wasn’t familiar with.

The skirt and polonaise are both accented by pleating that is edged in lace.  The front fastens up the center front with hook and eye tape, and the bows are taffeta cut into bias strips and then tacked on.  The dress is made from a cotton/poly blend.  I was told it was all cotton when I purchased it in the Garment District in LA, but boy- was pleating it a pain!  I used the Perfect Pleater, but since it had poly in it, it did not want to hold the pleats.  In the end I used a combination of vinegar/water to set the pleats- sprayed it heavily and ironed the pleats in until they were well dry.  I waited for it to cool.  I then did a heavy coating of spray starch, gave it a second to set, then ironed it well (too soon after spraying and it would stick!), and then waited for that to cool.  Part way though this project I realized how beneficial a press cloth can be!

Yes, it took FOREVER and is not something I’d like to repeat soon.  I’m actually unsure of the yardage. I just kept going until I ran out of fabric! I’d still like to make the matching jacket but I ran out of fabric.  I just saw it again on the last trip to LA, but forgot why I wanted it.  Of course, now I remember! I hope they still have it whenever I go back- I went on a wild goose chase last year trying to find the darn fabric again with no luck!

At the last minute before Saturday at Costume College I remembered I didn’t have a hat so threw one together very quickly with fabric scraps and hot glue on a straw base bought from Truly Victorian when they sold these.  My husband painted it white for me last summer.

I just posted my favorites here (and I know there’s a lot) but I have several more photos of this dress on Flickr which aren’t in this post.  You can see them here.

This dress feels like a dream to wear. I just adore white dresses from the Victorian and Edwardian eras!  I need more excuses to pull this one out in the future

Finished Project: The 1870s Green Plaid Bustle Dress

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I’m back from Costume College, my good friend is on her way back home to Texas, and it’s time to get back to real life. Woe!  But I have some fun photos to share coming up, and the first of which I want to share is the 1870s plaid bustle dress project I posted about previously.

I finished it all up for the most part by the time my friend arrived, but since she had some extra sewing to do I started doing trimming.  And more trimming.  And more trimming.  Someone on the American Duchess Facebook album of Costume College photos said it looked similar to old fashioned ribbon candy- and you know, I have to agree!

This one was lots of fun to trim.  I love this time period.  I can trim, and trim the trims, then trim the trim with trims.  In this case the most fun things to make for trimming were the ruffles which were finished with a bias binding in the peach. Over the top of the ruffles at the side I ran a braid which was made of three tubes of bias made into cording and then braided.  The bows that are accented with tassels at the end were lots of fun to make, too.

This outfit was made using Truly Victorian patterns.  The bodice was made with Heather’s new 1872 Vested Bodice Pattern, TV403.  The skirt was made with the 1875 Parisian Trained Skirt Pattern, TV216 (you can see my previous version of the skirt in their website photo).  I’m a huge fan of Truly Victorian patterns- they make these Victorian patterns so accessible, and they make up really well!  I documented working on this bodice in prior posts here, here, and here.

Capturing the correct colors of this outfit has proved quite difficult.  In reality it’s probably a combination of the photos here in front of a blank background and the photos above.

The hat is actually a 1930s hat I had in my vintage collection.  At the last minute I remembered I didn’t have appropriate headwear so I pulled out this one, which just so happened to match perfectly.  I pinned little accents of the green onto the hat, added a pink feather and a few dress clips, and it suddenly became passable for 1870s.  The entire dress was made from polyester taffeta (gasp!) but the fabrics looked so much like authentic silk taffeta, even in person, and had the same hand to the touch, that I was able to make the dress look passable on a much better budget than by using a more authentic silk.  For a dress I’ll only wear on occasion, I decided it was a good sacrifice for me to make and it helped out my pocketbook ;)

That wraps up this project!  The End ;)

TV403- We Can Have Buttons!

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Last night I finished up my facings, made my buttonholes and sewed on my buttons. It’s just about wearable now, but I still want to add more trim if I have time.

The buttons are vintage or antique ones I picked up at The Vintage Marketplace, a shabby chic/vintage flea market that happens a few times a year where I have a booth.  Luckily there are a lot of buttons, because I still need to make two more buttonholes and buttons!

Next up: hem the skirt and add trim.  I most likely will not be posting more pictures of this until after the event, but you won’t have to wait long as it’s less than a week away!

TV403 Bodice Progress

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I’m plugging along on this bodice! This is Truly Victorian 403, the new 1872 bodice.

I am crazy and picked a giant plaid, which has made things more difficult than they needed to be.  But I’m pretty happy with it so far!  I am different proportions than my dress form, and the sleeve hangs differently on my body, but you’ll  just have to take my word for it- it fits me better than it does my form.

The sleeves were such a pain! For some reason I always have problems getting the sleeves of Truly Victorian patterns to fit me (though I absolutely adore Heather’s patterns), so I had to alter them significantly.  But also, figuring out the cut of the plaid was difficult. And then there was actually sewing the things! I ended up machine sewing the underarm, then putting it on my dress form and pinning the sleeve to place, then hand sewing the sleeve caps in so I could get the pattern to match up how I wanted it to.

On to the next steps! I’ve got to finish the bodice facings and hem, then on to fastenings!

Busy, Busy, Busy- and Lots of Sewing

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I’ve been a bad little blogger! I’m around, but I’ve been frantically working on some projects!

First of all, I finished up one of the two vintage gowns I’m making that I spoke about in the Hollywood Inspiration post.  The other one is all finished except for some trim.

Then I madly started making the new Truly Victorian bodice, TV403, the 1872 Vested Bodice.

And because I’m just *that* crazy, I am making it out of a giant plaid.  But check out my skills of a plaid matcher- that’s a front with two darts, a side piece, a side back piece, and a center back piece with a seam down the center. Next up is cutting the two piece sleeve.

I’ve also been doing crazy things like making neat little handstitches on things that will never be seen (not even by me) because it’s sandwiched between two layers of fabric!

Here’s hoping it actually gets done in time.  I’ve still got work on my classes I’m teaching to do, too! Eep!

Bustles, Books, and Gardens

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Hello!

I’ve been puttering away on an 1870s bustle ensemble using green, peach, and plaid.  Here’s a little peek- the ruffles and trim are just pinned on right now. I’m using the Truly Victorian Parisian Trained Skirt pattern. I’ve made a skirt from this pattern once before and really love it.

I’ve been spending some time outside playing with flowers and reading.  I’m still making it through the Anne of Green Gables books and am about halfway done with Rainbow Valley.  I love L.M. Montgomery’s books. Reading them is like visiting with old friends.

The Aloha rose is a new addition to our garden. I’m waiting impatiently for the bloom to open!

Hope you are having a beautiful week.

A 1910s Outfit in Honor of the Titanic

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Yesterday the San Diego Costume Guild got together for a costumed walk-a-bout of the Del Mar Antique show.  It very nice to get dressed up and see several friends I had not seen in a while, and it was great to talk to many of the attendees and vendors there, who were interested in our dress.  The show’s great fun, too- more for looking than for buying for me, but we were awed by beautiful antique jewelry, furniture, and art.  Since it was the centennial of the sinking of the Titanic, the costume theme was Titanic era costumes and many costumers had amazingly lovely and creative creations.  It was an interesting way to pay remembrances to the historic event that happened on that day one hundred years ago.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to bring a camera in to the show (and it turns out I could have- will remember next time!), but I had my husband snap a few shots of my outfit when we got home.

It was quite rainy outside and a little chilly inside the building that the show was held, so on top of this outfit I had a vintage jacket from the 1910s.  I had been feeling poorly this week so wanted to make sure to keep warm! I do have some photos with the jacket and I will try to post those later.

The blouse I wore was vintage from the 1910s era- cotton with lovely pink polka dots and cotton net collar edged in bias of the polka dot fabric.  The sash was made of about a yard of silk remnants I had in my stash.  The skirt was made from an original 1910s sewing pattern, which was quite a puzzle to figure out- Beth and I recently found it at a flea market and the poor thing had most of the illustration missing and was a mystery size.  The shoes were thrifted and I added vintage buckles to them when I wore them for my wedding a few years ago.  I made the hat by using old placemats and taking them apart for the braid and hand attaching them to each other using a base from a 1909 pattern reprint for a brim and then decorated it with vintage silk from an estate sale and new silk flowers from a craft store and new feathers.

Many thanks to Mari for letting us take part in the walk-a-bout at the antique show!  It was a nice afternoon spent dressed up with friends.

This Easter’s Hats and Bonnets- Ladies Home Journal- April, 1897

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If you’re following me on Facebook you may have seen a photo I posted this week of a lovely find I recently received in the mail- several years of bound Ladies Home Journal magazines.  I have been itching to share some of the content with you, so today we’ve got hats and bonnets from the April, 1897 issue.  The layout of this page made it quite hard to share a scan (the magazines are a large format), and the layout was bizarre with very small pictures, so I have transcribed the article here, complete with the remastered pictures a little larger than they appeared in the original.

 

The fashionable materials for this Easter’s hats and bonnets are chip, manilla, Leghorn, Neapolitan, Madagascar and English straw, and all the straw braids, especially those imitating satin.  Black velvet is largely used for trimming with moiré and stain ribbons, deftly looped.  Ostrich tips and long feathers are in vogue, though flowers are given preference over everything.  The big Parma violets, as well as the enormous roses and poppies that were so generally used last season, continue to obtain, while camellias, tuberoses, white lilies, lilies-of-the-valley, blue hortensias, ragged robins and primroses are counted as quite new.

An extremely smart little bonnet (no. 1) is made of dull red straw, the front being turned back, exposing the hair, somewhat after the fashion of a Scotch cap.  Very slightly to one side of the front is a bunch of black ostrich plumes, caught in place by a Rhinestone clasp.  The simplicity of this bonnet is its special charm, while its style is cited to show that the woman who looks best when her hat is off her face has been considered.  A little bonnet (No. 2), which may or may not have ties, has a small frame covered with a drapery of white satin embroidered with jet, turquoises, and silver spangles.  It is raised on the left side and decorated with pink camellias and one large black silk poppy.

Click the link below to continue reading. If you see no link, you’re in the right place!

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