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Carnival, Carnaval, Carnevale

Carnival, Carnaval, Carnevale

This is a bit of a tough time of year. The festivities of the harvest and winter holidays have come to an end. The new year has come and gone....
Lauren Stowell
A Little History of Mary/Marlowe Elizabethan & Jacobean Shoes

A Little History of Mary/Marlowe Elizabethan & Jacobean Shoes

Anyone who has ventured down the Renaissance Rabbit Hole has at some point run into The Shoe Problem™. What the heck did the Tudors, Elizabethans, and Stuarts wear upon their...
Lauren Stowell
All About the New 16th c. "Tudor" Exclusives

All About the New 16th c. "Tudor" Exclusives

It's been *ages* in prototyping the new Tudor shoes, but they're finally done! This has been an interesting project, one with many challenges. The first was sorting out the design....
American Duchess
Studying Up on Tudor Footwear

Studying Up on Tudor Footwear

Tudor shoes are old. They're about as old as we get for extant shoes, with the exception of a very few Medieval examples. It's quite extraordinary, really, and even more...
American Duchess
"Virginia" Renaissance Shoes GIVEAWAY!

"Virginia" Renaissance Shoes GIVEAWAY!

Today's the day, my darling dears - "Virginia," our new Renaissance shoe, has opened for pre-order, which also means it's giveaway time! Here's the lo-down on Virginia: All-leather construction: upper,...
American Duchess
How One Fugly Loafer Became the Gorgeous "Virginia" Renaissance Shoe

How One Fugly Loafer Became the Gorgeous "Virginia" Renaissance Shoe

The development story of our new "Virginia" Renaissance shoes is rather a long one (but I'll keep it short, with lots of pictures, promise!). We've been working on the design...
American Duchess
A Quick Look At Late Elizabethan/Early Jacobean Shoes

A Quick Look At Late Elizabethan/Early Jacobean Shoes

Today we kick off a series on European footwear at the end of Elizabeth I's reign, and beginning of James I's, culminating on Friday with the pre-order release of our...
American Duchess
On Location at Bacon's Castle - Journey to the 17th, 18th, and 19th Centuries

On Location at Bacon's Castle - Journey to the 17th, 18th, and 19th Centuries

The Lady of Portland House shines in "Antoinette" Mules in blue While I was in Virginia this past March, I had the opportunity to work with some truly wonderful ladies...
American Duchess
Ladies' Elizabethan Separates Explored

Ladies' Elizabethan Separates Explored

Last time, I was musing over trim styles on doublets, but towards the end of that post I realized that perhaps the design I had in mind was a "fair-ism,"...
American Duchess
Elizabethan Doublet Trimming Ideas

Elizabethan Doublet Trimming Ideas

Diane d'Andouins by Etienne Dumonstier Earlier this year, when I was feverishly sewing for Colonial Williamsburg, I put together a quick test bodice in some russet velveteen. It was just...
American Duchess
My Annual Sewing Rut

My Annual Sewing Rut

Once again, I have absolutely no motivation to make a single stitch of anything lately. I've learned that this is quite normal, and that if I force the issue I'll...
Elizabethan Costume Modeling at Nevada Museum of Art

Elizabethan Costume Modeling at Nevada Museum of Art

This past weekend I modeled again for the painting class at the Nevada Museum of Art. It's quite an enjoyable experience, even though sitting still for 3 hours is difficult....
American Duchess