Category Archive: Historic Clothing

Harvest Costumes from the 1930s and 40s

In this season of harvest, I bring you some creative costumes from the bountiful Rio Grande Valley of  Texas.  They were made in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, for the annual Birthday Party… Continue reading →

“These Kids Today!” in 1862

Here is a look at precocious children from the past, courtesy of Punch magazine of London. As a former teacher, I can relate to this one, titled Missus-ism. I don’t know what “odd… Continue reading →

The Trials of Courtship in 1862

Well, since we all are enjoying these cartoons from the past, I will share some more.  These are from Punch magazine, published in London from 1841 to 1992.  These are from the 1862… Continue reading →

Men’s Fashion Foibles from 1862

Looking at my estate sale purchase, a bound issue of Punch from 1862, we see that gentlemen were not spared from the editors’ gibes …  

Domestics and the Crinoline in 1862

Yesterday we went to an estate sale at a huge ranch.  Thousands of items were being sold, but most of them were just ordinary things like throw pillows or boxes of glassware from… Continue reading →

What Clothes Reveal

You know the image of our industrious forebears — After studying textile history for the last 20 years, I had a hazy idea that that image casts our ancestors in a glorified light,… Continue reading →

Dress Diary 1855-1917

A few days ago, when I was looking at the Hollywood costume sketches at the Brooklyn Museum, I noticed this wonderful dress diary in their archives. The diary’s owner, Ida Jackson, was born… Continue reading →

1880s Favorites

I’m still staying inside out of the heat, cataloging my antique photos. I’ve been working in the 1880s, and here are a few of my favorites. When you look closely, you can see… Continue reading →

A Belle and a Wild Child

It’s August, it’s hot, and I have plans to only work on projects that involve sitting still and sipping cooling drinks.  One that fits the bill is cataloging the antique photographs I’ve collected… Continue reading →

The Cloth Antiquary

What do you do when there’s no Wikipedia page? In my last three posts, I have given you some small samples from the 1936 book, The Romance of French Weaving.  There are so… Continue reading →