Civil War Evening Hairstyles

As I was scrolling through a file of old reenacting photos I noticed that I have made a lot of 1860s evening headdresses in my day and thought that you might enjoy pictures of them to inspire you to try your hand at making your own. I'd always love to take custom orders for headdresses as well. Please inquire for prices. HistoricalFashions@gmail.com These were one of the first items that I reproduced for customers and they're one of my favorite items to make. My mother is an excellent floral arranger and some of my earliest memories (aside from banging pots and pans with my brother) include watching her make flower arrangements and wreaths for our home. I'd love to answer your questions about how these were made, as well. So, without further adeau...

Civil War Evening Hairstyles

This was prior to learning that my hair could make its own sausage curls. Fake hair. This hair comb was created by box pleating ribbon and attaching it to a large hair comb. Ribbon a cording were used to create the decoration on top of the pleated ribbon. This was made to replicate a period magazine illustration. Two tone ribbons like this have been seen on originals.

Pearl beaded hair comb. I just had to try it. Unfortunately for me, right after I made this without directions an article was published in a modern civil war reenacting magazine with directions. Ugh. And I was trying to be ahead of the game in our reenacting circle. :)

A seperate hair comb is attached at the side with flowers and leaves wired to it. The front of the hair also has a hair comb with flowers and leaves. Based off of a period illustration.

Civil War Evening Hairstyles

Silk wrapped headdress formed on a millinery wire base.

Vintage Velvet Flowers and beaded leaves trim the back. A pair of beaded gold tassels decorate the side.

Civil War Evening Hairstyles

I just know you're going to want to make one of these after this! And for those of you who think you can't do this, you can always commission me to make you one because I'd love to! ;)

Civil War Evening Hairstyles

My favorite time of year to shop for headdress supplies is after Christmas when all of those wonderful beaded and sparkly berries, leaves, and flowers go on super clearance at JoAnns, Michael's, and AC Moore.

Civil War Evening Hairstyles

Headdress created for a customer. Formed on a millinery wire base with ties at the back to adjust to different head measurements. Satin ribbon was knife pleated and stitched into place.

Civil War Evening Hairstyles

This headdress was created from ribbons sewn together with a gold cord and large tassels. The ribbons and cord were wrapped into place and secured with hair pins.

Headdress to replicate one worn by Mrs. Lincoln.

Civil War Evening Hairstyles

Headdress created with sheer organza flowers (I love these!), sparkling berries, satin leaevs, pearls, and hand made orange silk rose buds (it's easier than you'd think!). The millinery wire was shaped to the head and wrapped with ribbon.

I find Sausage Curls really easy to make with my thick curly hair. A hot curling iron is crucial (I learned this recently!). I use Revlon curling irons and set them to the highest temperature. To create this hairstyle I usually divide the top of my hair that will be rolled at the sides from the hair that will be sausage curled. I part my hair in the center and roll each side, securing the roll with hair pins. I then secure the back of the hair with hair pins. Either splitting the hair into sections, twisting, and forming a chignon, or curling the hair. Okay, I'll admit, sometimes I hide a hair band under there.

To form the sausage curls I grab a large section of hair to curl. Usually I trim the ends of the hair (but I also cut my own hair, so if you're classy and go to a salon you're probably thinking I'm crazy!). Then, with the Revlon curling iron preheated to the highest temperature, I curl the hair. Usually I just spray with hairspray when I'm finished. I've found that this method works the best for me. But if you have less curly hair to begin with you may need to use a few more products to get the same results.

Vintage beaded clip on earrings and a brooch were added to the hairstyle to replicate a hairstyle seen in a period magazine. These charms were secured in the hair with bobbi pins.

Civil War Evening Hairstyles

This is one of my favorite headdresses. Created from millinery wire shaped to fit the head and wrapped with green satin leaves and pink satin fabric flowers. Small sparkling white balls are intertwined throughout. A sparkling white butterfly is attached at the back. A beaded tassel hangs at the side and does wonders to hold the headdress on my head unsecured.

Millinery wire ring wrapped in ribbon and decorated with velvet and paper flowers and leaves with silver berries.

Fine lace, metallic ribbon and a large tassel trail down the back. This headdress was made with supplies at hand.

The Leopard Movie

Madamemodiste recently posted an interesting youtube clip from a European movie costume exhibit. It was in another langauge, so it was a little difficult to determine the movies that some of the costumes were from. But I was quite taken by this sheer ballgown and had to know what delightful movie featured this lovely costume! So, after a little searching online, I discovered that it was a costume from the movie 'The Leopard' from 1963 starring Claudia Cardinale and Burt Lancaster. Although it is rather expensive to purchase the DVD, you can watch it with Amazon Video on Demand for $2.99 (you can watch the Trailer on that page). I haven't seen it yet, but if this dress is in it, if may be worth the $2.99 to watch!

Aren't those ballgowns beautiful?

Friends Gift Exchange

My lovely friend Carrie came for a very short visit earlier this fall. In our limited time together we hatched a plan to have a monthly gift exchange to keep our long distance friend relationship real!

This is the first of the gifts that I've received. Isn't it lovely?

In all of her creativity, Carrie spotted this vintage beaded piece at an antique store and instantly saw potential. She strung a chain to it and sewed two gold star buttons to the back for a whimsical fashion statement necklace. I love it!

Carrie knows that the vintage glamour of this piece is totally me. I'm sure to wear it lots and lots!

Isn't it lovely?

This is my beautiful and super talented friend, Carrie! She's currently working on creating her own fabulous cooking blog which I can't wait to share with you!

Ballgown Progress

Well, here's my little progress report on the 1860s Green Silk Ballgown!

Currently I'm working diligently on the ballgown skirt - lots of hand sewing trim. 1.5" wide strips of silk were cut with a pinked edge rotary cutter and gathered. My mistake - not finishing the edges with Dritz Fray Check! As you can see, it is fraying a lot, even as it is pinned on, and it gets worse. I thought I could get away without Dritz Fray Check, but I was SO wrong! Never, fear, the mistake is being fixed even as we speak. ;) I am now applying Fray Check to the edges after it has been sewn onto the skirt. This is not as simple as it could have been, but it is working fine.

1" strips of Silk Organza were cut with the pinked edge rotary cutter and gathered. Fray Check was not applied and there is no fraying. The Organza strips are applied on top of the green silk trim in a triangular pattern around the skirt.

Purple bugle beads, small round purple beads, and swarovski crystal beads are being sewn on top of this trim. Rosettes of swarovski crystal bugle beads will be sewn at the corners of the triangles. I have 9 yards of the trim to use for this.

And here is the beading process...the swarovski crystal beads

I love this vintage star trinket dish!

And in other news, I've started wrapping Christmas presents!

I'm embarassed to admit that the Christmas wrapping paper and I had a little run in a few weeks ago. It rolled in front of my path for the last time (I had been putting up with it popping up here, there and everywhere since the move), and I trashed it and said 'take that you horrid Christmas wrapping paper'. Pathetic. So...now I feel that it would be silly of me to purchase more, so I am making do with the comic strips and pretty satin bows. I kind of like it. This is my own little effort to rid Christmas of commercialism. ;)