Old dresses and clothes

Dear Jon,

Look for websites for Renaissance Faire clothing, or for vintage clothing, which would be for 20th century stuff. Those who frequent Renaissance festivals are fanatics about authencity, so if your daughter is interested, she has a lot of research to do for various periods. She'll need to know the various "classes" of people, so that she depicts the correct class with the correct clothing.

Vintage clothing is sold on hundreds of websites, and can be purchased as is. Farther back than 20th century will require, in most cases, replication.

Have fun. This can be a whole new experience for you and your daughter.

Teri

• snipped-for-privacy@mchsi.com

Festivals? Where?

"Class" as in "socioeconomic class" like workers, peasants, upper class, aristocrats, royality and so on? Or other groupings, like French, English, Spanish and Italian? Or various religious and political groups?

Anyway, class, period and country is equally important, isn't it?

Know that, and it is no use to travel from house to house on the Norwegian countryside. First, most is already fetched by collectors and museums and second, Norwegian used to be a modest and egalitarian¹ people, so fine /old/ clothings are generally not around any more.

But are people on this group into such home made clothes?

Thank you, and it will. :-)

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¹The Norwegian aristocrats were generally wiped out by the black death back in the 14th century.

In the US, many stores sell vintage design fabric for the clothing and I understand most people who participate in the Renaissance Faires make their clothing. This is very popular in the US. I'm certain people who do participate in faires can/will give you more advice than I can. The big 4 pattern companies sell patterns, but

is at the top, or near it, for authentic patterns. This sounds like it will be a wonderful experience for you and your DD(darling daughter). Emily

I can't read this one, so I don't know if it's useful:

Hi Jon,

I can't really help, but one thing you may wish to clarify with your daughter is does she want to collect / wear *real* vintage clothing or does she want to collect / wear reproduction vintage clothing??

There are a number of people here and on alt.sewing that make reproduction vintage clothing - generally going back a couple of centuries - look out in particular for posts from Wendy Zski - and go look at her website (sorry I don't have it book marked). Also look at Kate's website

If she wants to collect / wear *real* vintage clothing thats going to be a bit more difficult and expensive. One thing your daughter should be aware of is that peoples shape has changed over the years, and she is going to have to be careful over sizing, and some of the styles won't be that comfy to wear.

Send your daughter to the library for some research!

Sarah

• BEI Design

Thanks. Kongshirden is probably too ancient for my daughter, but it inspires us to look further. Never knew this meetup thing before.

She could also try this link:

Linda

• Linda Sweigart

Thanks

• Sarah Dale

She would like to, but admits that the possibility is limited by her sponsor's wallet. Actually she has a dress from around 1780 or something, that is trying to fall apart. Not a big deal, but she loves it. Feel free to take a look:

She already does some daydreaming research with the Internet and a few books. It hurts her homework though.

What a beautiful girl! And the dress is gorgeous, I don't blame her for enjoying wearing it. Just sorry I can not be of more help. Emily

Look at

Your daughter looks young to be thinking about college, but I guess it's not too early to know about it. If I'd known you can get degrees in costume history, I may have been much more focused in high school! I'm preparing to get a masters in it from NYU in New York, which is a more academic-based degree, and FIT in New york offers a more hands-on, museum oriented degree. There is a degree in Bath, England as well, though I don't know anything about it.

I heartily reccomend that she joins a good reenacting group that is focused on authenticity. I found it the most enjoyable way to study costume. She should also learn to sew, even if by hand (and joining a reenacting group will bring her into contact with people who can teach her).

Bring her to museums and teach her that after clothing reaches a certain age, it becomes more valuable as an historical artifact than as dress-up clothes.

• snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com

Don't know if her mother would allow her to move to the US or England, and I don't know whether her father would be that keen on it either. :-) Anyway, she is fourteen, and in Norway that means another year in what we call "ground school". At 15/16 one enters next level, High School? which is three years. Then she is free as the bird. She is fascinated by history in all variants, and in costume and culture in particular. Thanks for your tips in any case.

Good idea. Must check out further. Got some tips from here already.

Actually, she brings me, not the other way around.

The link I previously sent, for the SCA (The Society for Creative Anachronism) is one of the formost reenacting groups that I know of. It's a world-wide organization.

Linda

• Linda Sweigart

Bookmarked days ago. Thanks.

I've been off line for a couple of days, so am getting to this late. If your daughter is at all interested in how the stuff is made, let her pop over to my web site (URL below, and I sell nothing through it), and she can have a look at how I put together an 18th C style coat for a town crier, a pair of 1808 era coats for 17th Highland Light Infantrymen, and how I'm getting on with my Elizabethan court gown project, Phase 1: the Simplicity Shakespeare in Love gown. After it is complete, I'll be tackling Margo Anderson's historically correct version... :D There's also a diary of how I put together a renfair outfit, now resident somewhere in the USA...

• Kate Dicey

Thanks, this is nice. Looking into it.

Here's an excellent site for renaisance fair garb: