First came the dress that rustles when I move. Although it's not a party frock it very much sounds like one, and this startled me at first. I bought it second hand sometime around 2009, and the design is clearly based on a 1950s wide-collar full-skirt dress. I loved it from the second I tried... Continue Reading →
While at the V&A for a study weekend in conjunction with their current Undressed exhibition, one of the attendees asked if I'd seen the contestants on this year's Great British Sewing Bee trying their hand at making a bra. I hadn't seen any of the current series and so, when I got home, headed over... Continue Reading →
Knowing that I have an academic interest in fashion history and a love of mid-twentieth century clothing, a friend of mine recently asked if I had seen a recent 1950s themed episode of the Great British Sewing Bee. Now in its third season, the basic premise of the format is much the same as the... Continue Reading →
One day last week, I found myself wandering around the building where I work while holding my ID pass, a pen and an envelope. On realising I needed to use my hands for something else, I was momentarily dismayed that I didn't have a bag with me. Then I remembered something amazing... the skirt I... Continue Reading →
I've always had a fondness for old clothes. Whether I'm looking through my mother's lovingly saved garments, rummaging in a vintage shop or browsing an antique market, touching a piece of the past has always been my most powerful window into history. Whilst looking at images of what people used to wear is fascinating; being... Continue Reading →
I don't really do outfit posts on this blog, as a) I'm much more about the text than the photos, b) I rarely snap anything more than selfies of my clothes, and c) how much can you really say about one outfit? OK, so I could meticulously list where I got every item that I'm... Continue Reading →
It might sounds a bit strange to ask how a fabric handles, as this is usually a question reserved for sporty motorised vehicles. However, the definition is pretty much the same in both cases - "To behave or perform in a particular way when handled" - and refers to how the object feels. Handle is... Continue Reading →
As my involvement in burlesque has developed, so has my interest in lingerie. It seems to be an appropriate thing for me to write about on this blog too as lingerie pretty much sits at the intersection of feminism, body image, sex/relationships and fashion. However, although I have done a couple of short courses that... Continue Reading →
You know how grammar nerds get all uppity at people using the wrong word or mis-using apostrophes? You know how sci-fi geeks delight in pointing out that the quote you've just uttered is inaccurate? Well, I'm a new kind of pedant. I'm a garment nerd. I hate it when talentless hacks describe Lady Gaga's latest... Continue Reading →