LINKS

I did a thorough clean-up of all links in January 2020, removing all the broken ones. If you have a site you want to recommend, drop me a line through my contact form!

Costume Research & Images

  • A Stitch in Time: Fashion Documentary- "A classic American success tale."

  • All Sewn Up: Millinery, Dressmaking, Clothing and Costume- This digital collection includes millinery, dressmaking, clothing and costume books from the UW-Madison collections. These books from the first half of the 20th century (1907 – 1940’s) include the history of clothing, styles of dress, fashion drawing, and design and construction of hats, clothing and costumes.

  • Costumer's Manifesto- Free one-stop site for costume information & images. One of the best sites for costume research.

  • Costumes with Character- This is a wonderful sourcebook for those needing to make costumes for school, drama, and other "quick" projects.

  • Demode- Links to pictures of extant vintage clothing

  • Dover Publications- Dover publishes the largest line of period costuming books today. Simply indispensable.

  • Dressing Elizabeth Bennet- A fantastic feature at the JA Centre at Bath!

  • Eva Dress Patterns- Accurately reproduced vintage patterns in single and multiple sizes.

  • Fashion-Era- 890 content rich, illustrated pages of Fashion History, Costume History, Clothing, Fashions and Social History.

  • Genteel Arts Academy- Founded in 1988 to encourage interest in the clothing worn during the Civil War era; concentrating on historically accurate sewing techniques.

  • Historic Newspapers- This fantastic business has an archive of millions of British newspapers, many of which include fashion ads and features. A great way to do research!

  • Historical Sewing- Tips, tutorials, research, photos, videos -- the works! Be sure to follow Jennifer's blog, too.

  • Jessamyn's Regency Costume Companion- Images, tutorials, pattern reviews and more.

  • Kat's Online 1820s "Museum"- Fantastic Fashion Plates from the 1820s!

  • Kristina Harris's Site- This is the lady who produces all the vintage fashion books we drool over! Thank you, Kristina!

  • Marquis de Pompadour- This is a beautiful site focusing on fashion from 1400-1929 and offering a pattern exchange!

  • R.L. Shep- Historical reprints to help you with your costume recreations! 

  • Suzi Clarke- Suzi is a retired costumier in the UK who has lead numerous historical costuming tours with me in England. Visit her site to see the work she accomplished over a long and fascinating career!

  • The Costume Gallery Website- An excellent source for costumers and costume research. Tons of images and links!

  • The Costume Site- Images, inspiration, research, and tutorials...

  • The Graceful Lady- Visit Anna's galleries to see the amazing, meticulous work she has done over the years in historical fashion.

  • The Jane Austen Centre at Bath- Chock-full of all things Jane in Bath, including many excellent fashion articles.

  • The Lafayette Collection from the V&A- Photographs of men and women in court dress - prepare to drool!

  • The Renaissance Tailor- This site contains extensive helps for the home-tailor as well!

  • The Sewing Academy- With a focus on the 1840-1865 era, The Sewing Academy is your home on the (internet) range for resources to help you meet your living history goals!

  • The Victorian Society in America- Dedicated to the study of Victorian Manners and Customs. Their printed quarterly journal is beautiful!

  • Verity Vintage Studio- Kristen has lots of great tutorials that show you how to tweak modern clothes (and shoes!) to get a vintage look.

  • Victoriana- Victorian Resources for Living

  • Vintage Fashions 1840-1940- Have your photograph taken in vintage costume!

  • We Make History- An Arizona-based society that sponsors 18th-century and 19th-century costume balls!

  • Your Wardrobe Unlock'd- The online magazine for everyone who's passionate about making outstanding historical clothing--subscribe today! Enjoy exclusive interviews with professionals, master classes, forums, and more!

Costumiers & Sutlers

  • American Duchess Historical Footwear- Exclusively manufactures their own unique and increasingly varied line of reproduction 18th Century shoes, Regency slippers, Victorian button boots, Edwardian Shoes, and 1920's T-Strap Spectator Shoes.

  • Arts et Metiers- Warning: For some sites, you can only sit goggle-eyed and drool. This is one of those!

  • Aylwen's Historical Clothing- Aylwen Gardiner-Garden makes historical garments and hats of various eras for Ladies and Gentlemen and historical institutions.

  • Bustle Dress.com- Specializing in Victorian Bustle dress attire, also selling quality items from Regency to Edwardian.

  • Corner Clothiers- Specializing in 19th Century Men's Apparel (Quite pricey, but the "wow" factor makes this site worth a visit!)

  • Earthly Delights Historical Music, Dance & Clothing- Earthly Delights is a banner under which - through classes, workshops, events, commissions, performances and publications - an enormous range of related passions are exercised.

  • Emily's Boutique- Reproduction Clothing for Special Occasions

  • Fall Creek Sutlery- Beautiful Reproduction Civil War Clothing and Patterns

  • James Townsend & Son- Clothing, tents, books, knives, tomahawks, oak barrels and lots of other goods appropriate for 1750 to 1840 - especially the American Revolutionary War and War of 1812.

  • Lavender's Green- Authentic reproduction clothing and accessories for various vintage styles from 1776 to 1945. 

  • Maggie May's Historic Clothing- Beautiful historical clothing for women and children.

  • Melanie Schuessler Designs- Costume Design & Construction

  • Nehelenia Repro Vintage- Gorgeous work!

  • Ninya Mikhaila Costumes- High quality reconstructions of historic dress, working to the individual needs of heritage sites, museums and private clients.

  • Originals by Kay- Corsets and Victorian fashion by the talented Kay Gnagey.

  • Period Corsets- Complete period undergarment silhouettes from all historical eras as well as custom designs.

  • RedThreaded - Specializing in high quality historically inspired corsets and costumes for the historical enthusiast, entertainment industry, educational, and interpretive fields.

  • Recollections- Elegant, vintage-inspired clothing for all occasions. 

  • The Scarlet Thread- Beautiful clothing for moms and daughters, including lots of historical and heirloom items.

  • Twin Roses Designs- Beautiful, custom-made costumes for men and women by Andrea Wakely.

Costume Accessories

Sewing, Patterns & Fabric

  • Acme Notions- Old-fashioned and vintage needlework tools, hard to find notions, vintage sewing patterns, embroidery patterns, needlepoint canvas', vintage and retro housewares.

  • Ageless Patterns- Victorian Reproduction Patterns 1867-1917

  • American Sewing Guild- A national non-profit organization dedicated to people who love to sew! ASG's Notions magazine includes special discounts for members.

  • Baker Lane- Practical, pretty patterns for mother and child (lots of breastfeeding options here, too).

  • Basic Crochet Stitches - A very helpful tutorial to get you crocheting.

  • Bonne Provence Fabrics- Looking for authentic printed cottons for Regency day dresses? This is the place! These fabrics have been produced in Nimes, France, since the 1790s!

  • Clementine Pattern Co.- I love these beautiful, old-fashioned embroidery patterns!

  • Collector's Weekly- Vintage Sewing Items

  • CorsetMaking.com- Everything you need to create your own corsets--boning, busks, kits, and more!

  • Decades of Style Patterns- Vintage sewing pattern reproductions from the years 1920 through the 1950s, updated for a modern fit!

  • Edelweiss Patterns- Inspired by the original Sound of Music costumes, these sewing patterns capture all the charm of the Austrian gowns worn in the “last golden days of the 30s”. Gorgeous!

  • Eva Dress Patterns- Accurately reproduced vintage patterns in single and multiple sizes.

  • Fabric Depot- Thousands of fabrics and fabulous customer service.

  • Fabrics Store- Excellent choice of fabrics,including the most extensive selection of linen I've ever seen.

  • Fabulous Fit- The best dressforms on the market and the best fitting system (compatible with standard dressforms, too!).

  • Farmhouse Fabrics- A wonderful source for imported heirloom laces, swiss batiste, silks, mother of pearl buttons, and more!

  • Farthingales- Costuming Supplies and More!

  • Folkwear- Some of the classiest retro patterns on the market today. 

  • Fred's Haberdashery- Sewing and crochet supplies in the United Kingdom

  • Greater Bay Area Costume Guild Pattern Review Site- If you have tried a historical pattern, post a review here!

  • Kannik's Korner- Historic Patterns and Related Books, Cross Stitch Kits and Patterns and Toy Theater.

  • Lacis- Everything you can possibly imagine for sewing!

  • Laughing Moon Mercantile- Excellent patterns for historical clothing.

  • Leather Hide Studio- Need leather for costuming? This is your source!

  • MacCulloch & Wallis- This is THE place for historical costumers in London, and this is where you'll find real English muslin (only they call it "Egyptian muslin," so be sure to ask for that!).

  • Make Your Own Dressform- Threads Magazine shows you how!

  • Martha Pullen Online- Martha is the queen of heirloom sewing, and her site is a super resource for books, patterns and more.

  • Metro Dyeing- Custom fabric dyeing, including for single garments!

  • Michael's Fabrics- Stunning selection of high quality fabrics at great prices!

  • Miller's Millinery- PORTFOLIO PATTERNS™ specializing in historically accurate 18th and 19th century head wear and clothing accessories.

  • Newark Dressmaking Supplies- Order their fantastic print catalogue!

  • NY Fashion Center Fabrics- An amazing selection of dupioni silks and much, much more!

  • Past Patterns- Accurate Federal, Jacksonian, Civil War, Gilded Age, Edwardian and WWI up to WWII Clothing Patterns for Men, Women and Children

  • Patterns from the Past - They stock original vintage sewing patterns from the 1920s to the present.

  • Patterns of Time - Online catalogue stocked with every historical pattern on the market!

  • Reproduction Fabrics- Wonderful Reproduction Fabrics from the 18th-20th Centuries

  • Revival Fabrics- Your resource for authentic mint condition vintage fabrics from the 1920s - 1970s.

  • Rocking Horse Farm Patterns- A large selection of original men's, women's and children's patterns

  • Sew Essential- Sewing notions in the UK!

  • So Vintage- Huge selection of original vintage patterns from the 1900s through the 1990s!

  • The Blue Gardenia- Vintage Sewing Patterns for the Snootiest Fashionista!

  • The Mantua Maker- Historical sewing patterns, including longline Regency stays

  • The Old Petticoat Shop- Specializing in patterns & supplies for undergarments, accessories & more for creating your 19th century silhouette.

  • The Recollections of J.P. Ryan- Exquisite 18th-century Patterns!

  • The Vintage Pattern Lending Library- A fantastic source for original patterns!

  • Truly Victorian- Stunning Patterns from the Victorian Era

  • Victorian Crochet- Dedicated to the art of Victorian & Edwardian crochet.

Vintage Clothing & Accessories Retailers

History & Reenacting

  • Austen.com- For lovers of Jane!

  • Austenticity.com- The everything Austen site!

  • CDSS English Dance Music Catalogue- Find the music for all those wonderful English Country dances!

  • Commonwealth Vintage Dancers- CVD econstructs, teaches and performs American ballroom dance of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. They focus on the Federal, Civil War, Gilded Age, Ragtime and Roaring Twenties Eras.

  • Dover Dancers- English Country dancing in Delaware

  • Earthly Delights Historical Music, Dance & Clothing- Earthly Delights is a banner under which - through classes, workshops, events, commissions, performances and publications - an enormous range of related passions are exercised.

  • Genteel Arts Academy- Founded in 1988 to encourage interest in the clothing worn during the Civil War era; concentrating on historically accurate sewing techniques.

  • Historical Emporium - Historical costumes for cosplay and more

  • Historic Newspapers- This fantastic business has an archive of millions of British newspapers, many of which include fashion ads and features. A great way to do research!

  • Historic Richmond Town- A completely authentic, real and original town and farm museum complex on Staten Island, featuring unique treasures dating all the way back to the mid-1600s. 

  • Jane Austen Weekends- Imagine a literary retreat that will slip you quietly back into Regency England in a beautiful old mansion where Jane herself would feel at home.

  • Latta Plantation- Circa 1800 cotton plantation and living history farm, located within Latta Plantation Nature Preserve.

  • Locust Grove - Beautiful plantation in Louisville, KY, which plays host to the Jane Austen Festival in July each year.

  • Medieval Braiding Techniques- In-depth notes, resources and instructions.

  • Regency Society of Virginia- Become a part of an organization filled with those who share your enthusiasm for the period between 1790-1820.

  • Surname Web- Wonderful Genealogy Help

  • The Citizens' Companion- The Civil War Directory for reenactors. Massively helpful!

  • The Jane Austen Centre at Bath- Chock-full of all things Jane in Bath, including many excellent fashion articles.

  • The Jane Austen Information Page- Exhaustive links to her writings and more.

  • The Republic of Pemberley- A message forum for the Austen addict!

  • The Sewing Academy- With a focus on the 1840-1865 era, The Sewing Academy is your home on the (internet) range for resources to help you meet your living history goals!

  • The Victorian Society in America- Dedicated to the study of Victorian Manners and Customs. Their printed quarterly journal is beautiful!

  • Victoriana- Victorian Resources for Living

  • Vintage Victorian- Fashion History and Reproduction Clothing.

  • We Make History- An Arizona-based society that sponsors 18th-century and 19th-century costume balls!

  • Westville- Georgia's working 1850s town. A fantastic living history resource!