Hilary Davidson fourredshoes.bsky.social Profile picture
Dress Historian | Curator | Fashion | Textiles | Culture | Archaeology | Books: @AustenDress 2019; Jane Austen's Wardrobe out Sept. 2023 | In Lenapehoking
Marti G Profile picture 1 subscribed
Sep 25, 2021 13 tweets 3 min read
1/ I've been thinking about dating historic clothing prompted by this delicious find 2/ I was looking at close up photos, which can be uncertain. But there are small construction details to check which confirm a Regency dating.

And that's what so much of identifying is: looking at what people take for granted about the making process.
May 3, 2021 8 tweets 2 min read
Given the Billie Eilish cover is prompting a new wave of CORSETS BAD commentary, I need to point out that it's usually *women* who create and promote the corset myth by writing articles etc. about how restrictive/confining/patriarchal they were, without proper research or context For me, this is a misogynistic act, because the writing erases historical women's agency in making decisions about their bodies, and assume they were all so stupid they were forced into corsets and tightlaced, apparently against their will. Who forces you into your bra?
Jan 27, 2021 16 tweets 4 min read
Here's a full thread of all the #QuarantineFashionHistory

I decided to recreate a look from every decade of the 20th century using only the clothes, accessories and makeup I had in my luggage during mandatory 14 day Australian #hotelquarantine, after 10 months stuck in Britain.
Jan 26, 2021 6 tweets 2 min read
Decade 10 of #QuarantineFashionHistory and the final look - the 1990s.

I caught a serious case of black Lycra in the 90s, one I've never quite shaken, so I went with it. This is inspired by high fashion looks, especially Gaultier, Galliano and Lacroix

#hotelquarantine Many thanks for inspiration also to Christy Turlington, Yasmeen Ghauri, Versace, Hervé Léger, Anneliese Seubert, Cleo Glyde, Madonna circa Like A Prayer and Dick Tracy, Kevin Aucoin,Tori Amos, and the Springwood Hippy Shop.

That's one of the best selfies I've ever, ever taken
Jan 25, 2021 4 tweets 2 min read
Dress historians!!! I must make you aware that there exists a board game called Rococo, where the premise is 'Make dresses for a prestigious ball while managing your deck of employees!'

It's... quite something.

boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1443… Methinks they greatly overestimate the income and size of 18th century mantuamaking businesses. @RebeccaE_M @HottyCouture @TimesmithDress try not to injure yourselves laughing!
Jan 24, 2021 4 tweets 2 min read
Decade Nine of #QuarantineFashionHistory - the 1980s.

The decade my hair has been waiting for. I have to wrest it back from the 80s every morning so finally, I let it run. There were so many options for this one! In the end I did what the hair told me.

#hotelquarantine ImageImageImage I first became conscious of clothes and fashion and make up in the 80s, so this is an homage to the women in magazine pages I used to tear out and stick on my wall as visions of glossy glamour, plus the accompanying make up instructions.
Apr 17, 2020 27 tweets 8 min read
I get to investigate a lot of historic garments in my line of work. It's a joy and a privilege (as well as essential!). This is a thread sharing how I look at dress objects when researching, using photos from archive visits. Lots of juicy digital details for you. This is a pelisse from c. 1810 made of muslin lined with yellow silk, in the collection of @Fashion_Museum. After I lay the object down, I take a full length back and front shot to record its overall proportions and effects. Not like putting it on a mannequin, but useful.
Jan 2, 2020 32 tweets 9 min read
Ok, I have seen #LittleWomenMovie...
Are we ready? First, here's an article specifically about the hair.
Some highlights:

'Gerwig encouraged [hair dept] to envision the March sisters as early bohemians and provided photos from ... photographer Julia Margaret Cameron as inspiration.'

refinery29.com/en-us/2019/12/…
Aug 5, 2019 17 tweets 10 min read
This is a thread on ways to reduce the cost of getting and publishing academic images. It's based on my experience with the 182 images for my book. We're publishing more and being funded less, so I hope this is helpful for fellow authors #academicimages 1/ Use the website I put together of sources for free or nearly free academic images. You can search in the side bar for particular institutions or kinds of collections. Thanks to everyone who has contributed. academicimages.wordpress.com #academicimages
Oct 9, 2018 12 tweets 4 min read
I have just had an epiphany: There's an equation.
If B equals number of breasts visible separately, and S equals a stiffened undergarment supporting those breasts then

2B + 0S = Medieval
1B + 1S = Early Modern
2B + 1S = Modern
Aug 24, 2018 16 tweets 3 min read
It's strange to me when people dismiss female historical needlework as insignificant or conformist. It's really hard. Excellence in needlework is technical, artistic accomplishment that deserves respect - oh, and clothed huge chunks of ALL populations. All those MRA tweets about 'what have women invented'? Well, women grew every single human, fed them from their bodies, fed them food after that, and clothed them so that historical men could grow up warm, dry, respectable, in clean clothes with full bellies, to go and invent.