From: owner-h-costume-digest (H-Costume Digest) To: h-costume-digest@lunch.engr.sgi.com Subject: H-Costume Digest V4 #117 Reply-To: h-costume Sender: owner-h-costume-digest@lunch.engr.sgi.com Errors-To: owner-h-costume-digest@lunch.engr.sgi.com Precedence: bulk H-Costume Digest Wednesday, May 15 1996 Volume 4, Number 117 Compilation copyright (C) 1996 Diane Barlow Close and Gretchen Miller Use in whole prohibited. Individual articles are the property of the author. Seek permission from that author before reprinting or quoting elsewhere. Important Addresses: Send submissions to: h-costume@lunch.engr.sgi.com (or reply to this message). Adds/drops/archives: majordomo@lunch.engr.sgi.com Real, live person: h-costume-request@andrew.cmu.edu Topics: Re: Outdoor headgear 1800 Re: Boots and shoes Re: Outdoor headgear 1800 Costumers needed for Oakland Heritage Alliance House Tour Re: Cowboy Boots/Costume Re: Cowboy Boots for Dancing Re: Outdoor headgear 1800 Re: Bonnet blank source(s) Re: Colours and Boots Stumped on 19th Century Arnold Pattern Pattern company Making day dress pattern larger Re: color names Stumped on Arnold Pattern [none] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 15 May 1996 09:44:18 -0400 (EDT) From: MONTGOMERY@CUA.EDU Subject: Re: Outdoor headgear 1800 Can anyone help with information on usage of hats/bonnets/inside caps for New England c. 1800, small town ladies. What I would like to know is what older ladies, who are painted wearing delicate and elaborate indoor caps, would wear about town, when out visiting etc. My guess would be bonnets or straw hats on top of indoor caps, but I would certainly appreciate any info. on this. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 May 1996 08:02:58 -0700 From: gwjchris@ix.netcom.com (Bill and Glenna Christen) Subject: Re: Boots and shoes You wrote: >As an English rider (well, I used to) I thought I would comment on the >question of riding boots. The (modern) English posture is very different >from the American For what it's worth. I read a very interesting article in "The Citizen's Companion", a Civil War reenactor's magazine, on how different the style of riding in America is now from just the 19th Century. Not being much of a rider myself I've forgotten the details, sorry! >There is an interesting contrast here, shoes in this period were pretty >disposable, and were not expected to last a long time Even in 1858, according to the book _Every Lady Here Own Shoemaker_ ladies' shoes (as opposed to gaiters or boots?) were expected to last about 6 weeks. Having seen some originals, they'd probably last 2 weeks on me, I'm so hard on shoes! Glenna Jo Christen gwjchris@ix.netcom.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 May 1996 08:19:22 -0700 From: gwjchris@ix.netcom.com (Bill and Glenna Christen) Subject: Re: Outdoor headgear 1800 You wrote: > >usage of hats/bonnets/inside caps for New England c. 1800, Wearing day caps was a sign of a married woman. Single women generally went capless. As for what they wore into town, I assume (a dangerous word!) they wore bonnets. Whether with or without their cap under it, I leave that to folks more knowledgeable about this era than I am. Glenna Jo Christen gwjchris@ix.netcom.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 May 96 05:16:47 PST From: Loren_Dearborn@casmail.calacademy.org (Loren Dearborn) Subject: Costumers needed for Oakland Heritage Alliance House Tour I thought some of the SF Bay Area folks on h-costume might be interested in this event. The Oakland Heritage Alliance 1996 House Tour Sunday, May 19, 1996 from 1:00-5:00 Costumes from 1880-1910 are required. The OHA 1996 House Tour highlights the 10th Avenue Historic District in Oakland. This area is a wealth of Victorian Homes all within easy walking distance of the gently sloping blocks of 10th Avenue. Houses on the tour range from full restorations with period decor to works in progress with tips for your own projects. The OHA has asked the Greater Bay Area Costumers' to help with costumed participation in this event. They have docents but are looking for people in Victorian/Edwardian costume to add to the ambiance of the event by accompanying visitors on the self-guided house tours and garden party. If you are interested in participating please contact me at 415-750-7247 during the day, or 415-731-2864 in the evening. Thank you. Loren Dearborn Community Liaison Greater Bay Area Costumer's Guild ldearborn@calacademy.org ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 14 May 1996 22:58:39 -0700 From: savaskan@electriciti.com (Julie Adams) Subject: Re: Cowboy Boots/Costume Ed Walton wrote: >In Texas, at least, you see pointy toes starting to appear about 1900-1910. >Prior to that square toes, and straight stacked heel. Yes. I just found some undated photos tonight that look to be maybe even as early as 1890s with a pointier toe. But they aren't the really long narrow toe we often see today in modern boots. In general, I would say that a modern cowboy boot does not look like a 19th century cowboy boot and I think Ed and I are in agreement here. The stitching patterns are usually different as well, though most cowboy "working" boots seem to be plain or just have a colored cuff at the top of the sheath. 19th century cowboy boots also tended to be taller than a standard modern boot and the top of the boot was usually flat across the top, without the little dip in front and back that modern cowboy boots have (those are also later. There are also examples of 19th century boot tops with a flat back and an arc in the front which would go up almost to the knee. Actually some of the 19th c. boots look more like "harness" boots that guys used to wear a lot in the 1970s, but without the harness. >What Texan gives a hoot about limey booties? This irritated me so much I >crawled out into the attic to get my old "working" boots (double soled, >tall topped, mule hide, with really HIGH riding heels). I thought: In my >whole life, I've never even owned a pair of boots with only a one inch >heel. I found them and measured them. The result: 1.2" high on the outside, >1" high at the center of the sole. Oh well... I tried on some boots with 1 1/2" to 2" heels at Montana Boot Co. and talked to some friends who ordered them (who also ride). They were really high! I measured my old western boots and one pair had 5/8" heels and one had 3/4" heels. I got the 1" heels and have always found even them a bit uncomfortable to ride in as I have very short feet so the arch is steeper than the same height heel on a man. After a pregnancy my feet grew 1 1/2 sizes so my cool custom Wild West Show Heroine boots don't fit.:-( They are a burgundy-brown and with black band at the top. The front of the boot tops are taller, arching to just to the bottom of the knee, and there are 3 red stars in an arc on the black. They have no fancy stitching. What is also interesting in the Spanish Western styles is that the Vaqueros of the 1840's seemed to wear a range from very low heeled shoes to a bit over 1" heel, and even moccasins or slippers for cowboy work, but they had a very long stirrup and more of a feet forward seat (I think to offset the front positioned rigging of their saddles) and often had leather casings called "tapaderas" which protected their feet as well as preventing them from sliding through. The pictures I see of Vaqueros in the 1880s and onward all seem to have the 1" or higher heel. I have been told by several cowboy reenactor friends that their 19th century Buckaroo outfits get a lot of positive attention at country western bars :-) Believe it or not, they still fit in, but they look more "real" next to the standard urban cowboy costume. In contrast to all this, the 1970s cowboy costume I recall from high school included a very tall crowned straw or wool felt Stetson hat, or baseball cap with heavy farm machinery label (i.e. John Deer), a plain-style long-sleeved plaid button up shirt (not the snapping kind with the pointy yoke), no tie, skin tight Lee or Wrangler boot-cut jeans in blue denim or tiny plaid, (jeans must be 1" too long so the back edge of cuff is stepped on and ratty, and making their legs look soooo long), wide belt with "cowboy" nickname on back in silver letters, (i.e. Buster, Rusty, Red) and HUGE silver buckle, preferably a rodeo trophy buckle, a sleeveless down vest, and cowboy boots with such long narrow pointy toes that when they were worn awhile the toes started pointing up a bit. Men's hair styles were very short for the time. The cowgirls wore almost identical clothing, but with long straight hair and bangs pushed to the sides. The guys always had a tin of snuff or chew in the back pocket (Yuck!). The "urban cowboy" costume of the same era was distinctly different from these young cowboys who worked the ranches in the summer and often took time off for the rodeo circuit (and often came home with broken bones in casts to show for it...). Julie Adams ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 14 May 1996 22:42:50 -0700 (MST) From: cwood@primenet.com (Ysabeau) Subject: Re: Cowboy Boots for Dancing >>NOT! Most English riding boots have a low heel even now. > >What Texan gives a hoot about limey booties? This irritated me so much I >crawled out into the attic to get my old "working" boots (double soled, >tall topped, mule hide, with really HIGH riding heels). I thought: In my >whole life, I've never even owned a pair of boots with only a one inch >heel. I found them and measured them. The result: 1.2" high on the outside, >1" high at the center of the sole. Oh well... I took a poll out at the ranch today, as well as ran around my house and measured all the boots around and got an average heel height of one inch. These boots all belong to people who ride every day of their lives--most of them are Justins, firm who has been making cowboys boots since just about before the flood. I also have to side with Julie on the historic cowboy boot; I have noticed from both photographs and catalogs that low heels appear to be most common. Not to say that there weren't some people wandering around in higher heels, but even cav boots have one inch heels, and they hardly qualify as limey booties either. Perhaps some cowboys did prance around in two inch heels, but I think it's safe to say that just as many, if not more, cowboys pranced around in one inch heels or less. Besides which I think what Julie was trying to say about English riding boots was that that not all traditional riding boots necessarily have to have high heels to be effective riding boots. Or at least that is what I understood her to say. From her posts I gather she is Western to the core and hardly sounds like some one wedded to the dressage way of doing things. Ysabeau in Arizona where there a heck of a lot of cowboys still... ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 May 1996 10:46:31 -0500 (CDT) From: Deb Subject: Re: Outdoor headgear 1800 You wrote: >> >>usage of hats/bonnets/inside caps for New England c. 1800, >> >Wearing day caps was a sign of a married woman. Single women generally >went capless. >Glenna Jo Christen >gwjchris@ix.netcom.com Do the rest of you generally agree on this? I was under the impression that in 1779 *all* women, even young girls, wore caps (though for a formal evening, a few flowers in the hair might suffice). I'm surprised to hear that the habit changed that much by 1800. Deb Baddorf baddorf@fnal.gov ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 May 1996 09:14:03 -0700 (PDT) From: Shea Munroe Subject: Re: Bonnet blank source(s) Thanks for the suggestion Ysabeau! I have recut and changed the shapes of K-Mart hats (usually under $5.00) but haven't tried soaking. The main problem I find, besides the synthetic "straw", is finding the right kind of weave that will hold it's shape. I have one form that I'll try soaking. I could always add stays to the inside and cover them with a nice satin ruching, if needed. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 May 1996 09:29:25 -0700 From: KaosWarior@vcnet.com Subject: Re: Colours and Boots Caroline wrote: >mourning. Has someone misunderstood this, or is there other documentation? >I must confess I thought only black and white (French) were used for >mourning. > From what I've been told, white is a color worn for mouning widely in many oriental countries peace Scott Respectfully, Scooter ________ / / /_________ O O TO BOLDY SCOOT, WHERE NO MAN HATH SCOOTED BEFORE! ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 May 1996 12:34:55 -0700 (MST) From: cwood@primenet.com (Ysabeau) Subject: Stumped on 19th Century Arnold Pattern HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am trying to make the Day Dress 1866-67 from the Museum of Costume in Janet Arnold's Clothing of Everyday Englishwomen (or whatever it is called--the book that covers the 19th century) and I am stumped. I transfered the pattern onto pattern paper and that went okay, but the dress was (big surprise) way too small and in trying to enlarge it I have gotten hopeless confused. Now all my seams are screwed up and weird and I am crabby. Could anyone give me some friendly advice on exactly how to make a pattern of this type larger? This bodice was recommended to me as one of the easiest to make, seeing as how it only has five pieces, but I can't seem to manage it. And of course the punchline is that I need it by Saturday! Advice would be gratefully received and followed. Ysabeau ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 May 96 15:51:28 PDT From: Ches@mail.io.com Subject: Pattern company __.oO*Oo.__ Many of you have the Patterns for Theatrical Costumes book by Katherine Strand Holkeboer. This past weekend for my Mother's day present I got to go to Scarborough Fair in Texas. There I found a booth with the patterns and instructions on how to put together these patterns. The company name is Merlyn: Paul and Pricilla Shmitz 1-800-584-1495. By appt. LBJ Fwy #134, Mesquite Texas 75150. I do not know if they have permission to sell these but they were there and all the stuff was hand done then copied onto tissue. The envelopes were sealed so I could not look at the actual pieces but they were 8.5 by 11 and thick. Ciao @}\ Ches @}----`--,-- http://www.io.com/~ches/ @}/ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 May 1996 18:18:03 -0700 (PDT) From: Allan Terry Subject: Making day dress pattern larger Ysabeau, First, throw out the pattern you already enlarged. My experience is, once alterations have messed up the seam lines and grain lines, it's easier to start over. Also, throwing out the pattern (possibly tearing it up and jumping on it, or, if it can be done safely, setting it on fire) will make you feel better. Next, I doubt you'll finish by Saturday. Give yourself enough time to do a quality job. Since the dress won't get any more out of style than it is already, if you make it well you can wear it for years. I'm assuming you enlarged the pattern by gridding Arnold's 1/8" blocks onto pattern paper with a 1" grid to get the original size. If you are fairly close to the original size, you can fix any problems by leaving 2" seam allowances on the side seams (and possibly others), plus the bodice and skirt bottoms if you are taller. Then make any further changes in the muslin, where you can see the effect on the seam and grain lines, by letting out these seams. Transfer changes back to the paper pattern. If they are at all significant, make another muslin before cutting your garment fabric. If you are significantly larger than the original size, I'd suggest enlarging the pattern to your size with a projector. Most businesses have a few projectors, and some have portable ones, so you can probably borrow one from work. Or possibly from a library, though I'm not sure about that. Xerox the pattern onto transparency film (the kind businesses use for slides). Tape a large piece of pattern paper with a 1" grid onto a wall. Move the projector back and forth till the bodice pieces, measured across the bust (not the waist) and added together (allowing for the ones cut twice) come out to your bust size. Make sure the grids are aligned. Trace the pattern with a pencil and transfer marks. Take it off the wall, cut it apart, and add the seam allowances (Arnold doesn't include them, in case you didn't notice). Then make a muslin and fit it over your chemise and corset. Note that some parts of the body increase more than others; for example, a larger bust size does not necessarily mean a proportionately larger neck. You'll have to alter the muslin in places even if the bust size is perfect. The principle is the same for the sleeves and skirt, but you may need different projector positions for each. The sleeves should be projected to your arm length, plus seam allowances. For this skirt, which has few waist pleats, I'd first adjust the projector so the pieces add up to your waist size, and draw the waist lines only. Then measure how much longer you are than the original from waist to hem at center front of the skirt (since Arnold's drawings have no feet, check some fashion plates to see how long day skirts were worn). Add several inches extra to turn under at waist and hem--best to be a bit generous; you will have to fit the skirt over the crinoline which will take up some length. Move the projector so the skirt is the right length at center front. Then draw the rest of the lines on all the pieces. Since the waistband is a rectangle, just draw a new one in your waist size plus 1" ease (or you might allow a bit more to accommodate undergarments). Hope this helps. Fran Grimble ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 May 1996 21:18:42 -0400 From: Gaelscot@aol.com Subject: Re: color names I'd like to thank Penny Ladnier for her informative listing of color names -- what a nice quick reference! However, I'd like to remind anyone thinking of using them to check out the sources she cites. A few years ago (to tell a sad tale of my own) I was given a large amount of sturdy light-blue-green velveteen. I used it to make an Elizabethan gown for a dance troupe I was in. Only after I made the dress did I find the Elizabethan costume source (Costume in the Drama of Shakespeare and his Contemporaries) Penny also used. From the very nicely descriptive text, I found that my color was (as close as I could tell) "watchet" as opposed to other hues of blue -- and also that blue was, at the time, used by servants! A blue costume in a contemporary play would by itself indicate that the wearer was a servant. Needless to say, this wasn't meant to be a servant's dress. Luckily for me, I wasn't wearing it for an Elizabethan audience! My point (I do have one) is that there is a lot more to color than you can explain in a line of type. And also that you should do your research BEFORE you sew. Gail Finke/gaelscot@aol.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 May 1996 22:49:54 -0400 From: BarbMVD@aol.com Subject: Stumped on Arnold Pattern Day dress - 1866-67 from Janet Arnold's Patterns of Fashion 2: Taking a quick look at this diagram, as is, it would fit a 19 inch waist & 31 inch bust without alterations, and because Janet Arnold diagrams actual garments which were in all probability cut for a custom individual fit originally, they frequently require alteration. And remember, you must add seam allowance. It pays off to make a muslin of the bodice first, allowing more than the usual seam allowance. (If your first check of the measurements seems close to your own, you can adjust your muslin easily) If your measurements are much larger you might find a center-back enlargement necessary, as well as an increase on the other seams. Corsetted posture usually resulted in narrower backs than our modern physiques. The most important consideration when enlarging any bodice is keeping the seams where they belong, i.e.most 18th & 19th century "side seams" are not directly under the arm but are toward the back, shoulder seams slant down the back rather than on the top of the shoulder, etc. Keep the bodice pieces in the same proportion as the original. You sort of combine pattern methods w/drape and pin. And , Woeful Ysabeau, if you have nothing to do but sew before Saturday and don't require much sleep you'll make it! Lots of luck! Barbara Delorey BarbMVD@aol.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 May 1996 21:34:37 -0700 From: Cin Subject: [none] From _A Manual of Etiquette_ by "Daisy Eyebright", David McKay, Publisher, Philadelphia: A woman of eighty years, was asked in a court-room, by the judge, at what age a woman ceased to take thought concerning her personal appearance. Her reply was:-- "Your honor must ask that question of some person older than myself." (I regret that the source is undated. A sample invitation on another page mentions "1873", if that's rellevant.) - --cin cin@netuser.com ------------------------------ End of H-Costume Digest V4 #117 ******************************* A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to subscribe to that instead, send the command lines: unsubscribe h-costume-digest subscribe h-costume end in the body of a message to majordomo@lunch.engr.sgi.com. Thanks and enjoy the list!