18th century fashion – Brady’s Faithful Reproductions

18TH CENTURY BUTTONS©

By: Vickie Brady, aka the historicfoodie To know what type buttons were used in the 18th century we look at paintings which are often easy to date, what has been discovered in archaeological digs, and what we find in run-away ads or merchant advertisements. Buttons were made from a variety of materials including various metals,Continue reading “18TH CENTURY BUTTONS©”

A RECREATED WEDDING

By: Vickie Brady Several people asked to see the dress after Caroline’s splendid introduction for Martin’s presentation at the March DAR meeting so I will oblige. The original dress was made in Scotland in 1750 and worn for a wedding. It became a tradition that every bride in that family wore the dress – theContinue reading “A RECREATED WEDDING“

Alabama SAR Auxilliary Program

February 2022 I had the pleasure of speaking with the SAR Ladies Auxiliary at the February 2022 state SAR conference about 18th century embroidered clothing and accessories. Carol Irving assisted with the projector and photos. I shared the history of the art and photos of original garments along with embroidered clothing and accessories from myContinue reading “Alabama SAR Auxilliary Program”

Words to Cringe By ©

By: Victoria Brady Whenever I hear anyone use words like always, never, the first, the only, etc. etc. etc. I immediately find myself questioning the person’s credentials and knowledge base. There are exceptions to every rule as the following photos will show, and no one can with any certainty prove an illustration or an itemContinue reading “Words to Cringe By ©”

CLOTHING COLORS IN THE 18TH CENTURY©

One of the least understood aspect of 18th century clothing is the colors available in fabric, threads, and other materials such as embroidery floss. A common myth is that they wore only blue and brown and nothing could be farther from the truth. A cursory look at fabric swatch books from the period will quicklyContinue reading “CLOTHING COLORS IN THE 18TH CENTURY©”

A La Polinaise

Polinaise is a fancy way of saying the skirt of a jacket is bunched up in the back. Costume historians disagree on the specifics which will be largely ignored here as originals are found to support both theories. There is no question that the bunched-up skirts were worn and that they can be accurately recreated,Continue reading “A La Polinaise”

LADIES’ CAPS©

Caps were worn by all classes, the difference being primarily the fineness of the fabric and level of decoration with ruffles and other trim. Women weren’t as likely to wear caps in a formal setting as in doing work or “undress” (at home). Almost always, the caps were white, the exception being a pink capContinue reading “LADIES’ CAPS©”