All posts filed under: Events

Costume College! Friday photos

I’m at Costume College, and it’s AMAZING, and I’m meeting so many fabulous people and learning so much. I’ll attempt to blog intelligently and cohesively about it later, but for now, here are my favourite photos from Friday. I’ve named and linked to peoples blogs where possible (i.e. where my brain, which is refusing to remember anything but the two talks I’m giving, can come up with them), but I know I’ve forgotten some, so if you recognise yourself or someone, please let me know and I’ll add a link. Set Phasers to Sew! (with Natalie of and Vivien of Fresh Frippery – Vivien’s dress is based on the Wearing History Dahlia blouse pattern). Jennifer of Festive Attyre as Edwardian Kylo Ren. Check out her bag! And her parasol lightsaber! There was actually a large group of people in historical Star Wars outfits. One of my roommates was Medieval Leia (and I forgot to get a photo!), but I missed most of the others. Yay, 1910s! (blouse adapted from the Wearing History Elsie blouse pattern, …

“A perfect day for a garden party” The Katherine Mansfield Garden Party at Hamilton Gardens

Published by The Dreamstress

Last weekend I flew up to Hamilton to give a talk on Katherine Mansfield and Garden Party fashions at the Glory Days Salon at the Katherine Mansfield Garden Party at Hamilton Gardens. Hamilton doesn’t have a reputation for being the most interesting city in New Zealand, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’m happy to say that I had an absolutely marvellous time, and that everyone I met and interacted with was absolutely delightful. The point of the garden party is to raise money for a new Katherine Mansfield garden at Hamilton Gardens, which will recreate the garden described in Mansfield’s The Garden Party (that’s a link to the story, and if you haven’t read it, do. It’s delicious. The more I read Mansfield the more I love her, and the more I understand why Virginia Woolf said that Mansfield was the only person who ever produced writing that she envied). The Hamilton Gardens are just spectacular. I wish I’d had a week to explore them! And the Garden Party was fabulous. Hamilton Garden’s …

Come join me for a Garden Party Salon

Published by The Dreamstress

It’s mid-January, and once again I am madly sewing 1920s fashions…but not for Art Deco Weekend. This time I have something even more novel and exciting – I’m a featured speaker at the Glory Days Salon at the Hamilton Gardens’ Mansfield Garden Party. The Mansfield Garden Party (Sunday 7 Feb, 10-5) celebrates New Zealand’s most famous author (and one of my personal favourites) and one of her most famous works: The Garden Party (if you haven’t read it, do, it’s wonderful). If you are in Hamilton or driving distance (come down from Auckland for the day!) do come along to the Salon (book tickets through the Glory Day’s link above). I’ll be talking about garden party fashions in the first two decades of the 20th century, from the dresses Mansfield wore to garden parties in Wellington in 1907, like the one she wrote about in her story, and garden party styles in the early ’20s, when she wrote her story. And, of course, there will be models! Come and learn, admire, and be admired! And …