Women’s History Month

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I do apologize this is coming out a little later than I had wanted. I was hoping to have found a guest writer, but alas, everyone is busy.

March 2021 marked the 34^th Annual Women’s History Month. Women’s History Month did not begin as a month, it began with a week-long celebration. “President Jimmy Carter issued the first presidential proclamation declaring the week of March 8^th as National Women’s History Week.” In 1987, thanks to the activism of the National Women’s Project, it was expanded to a month-long celebration.

Women’s History Month highlights the contributions of women to events, history, culture, and society. It is a time to reflect on the often overlooked contributions of women to the United States (and other countries) history.

Here are a few women that should be celebrated for all they did – not just for women but for well… everything they did!

Susan B Anthony
Abigail Adams
Rosa Parks
Sojourner Truth

The 2021 theme “Valiant Woman of the Vote: Refusing to be silenced” recognizes the battle for women’s suffrage. This battle was not carried out on Social Media or the Internet. It was boots on the ground: speeches, petitions, demonstrations – these were argued and argues again until, 1920 and the 19^th Amendment.

The right of Citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on accord of sex. Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
The United States Constitution

Thank you, women for all you do… day in and day out in the here and now, the mothers, the nurses, the doctors, the fire women, the police women, the military, the artists, the CEO’s… Thank you!!!

(I keep hearing a sing in my head… Forty Hour Week (for a Livin) by Alabama… Hello

America,
Let me thank you for your time.

https://www.history.com/topics/holiday/womens-history-month

https://womenshistory.org/womens-history/womens-history-month

https://womenshistory.org/womens-history/19th-amendment-1

Fashion Era Series: Ancient World: Egypt (#5)

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Costume History Series: Ancient World: Egypt^[1]^[2]

Here we are the 5^th entry already. The skies outside today are mostly cloudy with some sun peeking through. The temperature is 63 degrees F. This is unseasonably warm for my neck of the woods (so to speak). The lilacs are blooming, the trees are budding, and the birds are singing everywhere.

In doing the research for this short article, I had so much trouble NOT chasing the white rabbit down the hole into the abyss of history. If some of you don’t already know, I am a huge fan of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.

The Ancient World timeline for Egyptian Costume is 2649 – 1640 BC. This seems like it covers many years, and it does, but the style of the garments was relatively consistent. As we have seen in cultures up till this point and even through today, clothing not only reflects the technological advancements mastered by the people, but clothing represents what your class or status is among the members if your society.

A statement I read “attire… fashion exclusively human characteristic and seen in most societies”. Does that mean there are other species out there that may or could wear attire? Just a thought….

The long and short of it: linen. Linen was the fabric of choice for Egyptians. It was light, strong, flexible, and perfect for the warm climate. Linen comes from the flax plant that was abundant along the Nile River. Animal based “fabrics” were seen as impure or only for the highest class in society. The quality of linen between classes was also evident – as were the way the garments were worn.

Men of all classes wore a loincloth. Higher class was a little longer, maybe to the knee, and possibly wore a tunic or draped cape (but the tunic and robe could be common for both genders). For much of this time period it was not unusually to see men and women with bare chests. Children were not expected to wear garments until they reached adolescence and slaves were not necessarily clothed. Those living in poverty and could not afford garments – did not wear any.

Women of the lower class wore shorter skirts that stopped at their ankles, while women of upper class wore longer skirts that may have even covered their chests. As time went on, the upper class garments began to shift to more form fitting (and covering their breasts) and elaborate, often including beads, jewels, layers (inner and outer garments), and pleats.

So here we are at the end of this little lesson…. What do you think of the costumes during this time? Leave your thought in the comments below.

^[1] http://www.experience-ancient-egypt.com/ancient-egyptian-culture/ancient-egyptian-jobs/ancient-egyptian-clothing

^[2] “Egypt, 8000–2000 B.C.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/?period=02&region=afe (October 2000)

Fashion Era Series: Assyria (#4)

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Here we are yet again following along with history. This week we will look at the Ancient World: Assyrian costume/fashion. I personally like to look back and see how far we have come or have not come, not just with clothing, but also art and culture. Art alone can tell a good bit of history about a period in time or culture. ^[1]

First, where exactly is Assyria and what else is going on in history? Assyria is the oldest civilization in the world. Located in the Middle/Near East and dates to 2500 BC. It was an ancient Mesopotamian Kingdom and Empire. This Empire spanned the early and middle bronze and the Iron age.

Like many other societies, their clothing would differentiate the societal hierarchy through modification. This modification could be the length of a tunic, the layers one wore, the fringe, embroidery, and other “decoration”. However, the overall “style” remained the same: tunics and shawls. These items could be dyed, using natural dyes, for colors such as blue, red, yellow, green, and purple.

Middle class: tunics reached their feet, sometimes shorter to the knee.
Higher Class: long tunics descending to their feet, edges had fringe and braids, may even be embroidered and of wool fabric
Dignitaries of the court – they added girdles around their chest and their garments were dyed purple to indicate power
Royal garments: they wore a long robe that was on top of their first garments, these spiraled along the body and included fine embroidery with detailed geometric figures or flowers (most often repeated over and over).

Working women wore long tunics with long fringed shawls.
All women wore some type of hair decoration.

https://www.ecosia.org/images?q=assyrian%20archaeology – this shows many tablets that have been uncovered that clearly depict the garments/costumes of this time and this culture.

^[1] https://ancientcivilizationsworld.com/clothing/#Ancient_Persian_Clothing

Spring is in the air…. I can feel it everywhere…

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Sitting here listening to the birds sing in the tree and shrub outside my office window… the sun is shining ever so bright… blue skies above… alas, and the clocks go back this weekend… here we will all be confused…

This post will be short… there are many patterns to be made and muslins to sew for the F/W 2021 RTW Collection… Along with client garments and any other number of things…

If you are on Instagram and looking for a way to be active, you should follow @pinsent_tailoring and his #modernlessmarch – it has been fun to see all the topics and how people respond. I will be following along as we move through the next week. Today’s topic is #acceptance. This has been a year of hard lessons and acceptance is the key and has been the way to move from day to day. Accepting life may never fully return to pre-covid and creating different ways to work together from a distance.

I am grateful for covid in some regards, it provided me the opportunity to “do what I love” not necessarily what my college education provided. I absolutely love designing, making, sewing, working out how to make something work. It has also afforded me the time to find my niches and “meet” some really great people. I look forward to the future when we can all get together and celebrate.

If you missed it, there was a live Q & A session this past week — https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAJ5-WFNIL1vGqJKQELMN_Q – this link will take you to our YouTube Channel. Be sure to subscribe – this way you will always know (first) when new videos are forthcoming.

Ah, yes. My client received her dress yesterday. “It is beautiful” “It is perfect” are just some of the ways she expressed how happy she is with the garments.

Be on the lookout for some promotional give-a-ways and referral gifts. That post will be out next week. We have also added a podcast to our Repertoire of ways to keep up with us. In the meantime, find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Did you watch any of the designers during fashion week?

Live Q and A today on YouTube

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Good Morning all my fellow followers and some that may just come across this. This should have been out yesterday. None the less…. Today at 2:00 PM EST there will be a Live Q & A session on Youtube https://youtu.be/IYFiKbnzAF0. This is the time to drop in and say hello. If you cannot make it but have a question that you would like answered, send it via email to jennifer.adams@lucky-7-studios.com and it will be answered during the live event. The video will stay up indefinitely for your viewing pleasure at another time.

I look forward to seeing ya’ll there!

#lucky7studios #liveqanda #fallwintercollection #fashiondesign #regenyera
#regencyfashion #victorianera #victoriancostume #historiccostume
#couture #bespoke #18thcenturycostume #salemohio #salemohiobusiness
#womanownedbusiness

Welcome to March 2021… it’s been a year…

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Welcome to March

Good day my dear friends. I must first apologize for lack of post, video, and newsletter last week. It was insanely busy. My studio is still not ready to move back in and I have been finishing a customer’s dress. (There will be a post all about that, after she receives it). When the studio is up and running – there will be a video about that.

So welcome to March. How did we arrive here so quickly? It was just snowing and freezing and you couldn’t see the grass. This month is so filled with exciting things for Lucky 7 Studios and you as followers.

3 Periods of Costume Posts
3 more Friday newsletters and posts
A quick post about Paris Fashion Week
2 live Q & A  March 10 & 24 YouTube @ 2:00PM (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAJ5-WFNIL1vGqJKQELMN_Q) – be sure to subscribe to the channel so you know first when new videos have been uploaded and videos scheduled.
2 videos (at least) (See live Q & A)

Let’s not forget this is Woman’s History month. I may seek out a guest writer. St. Patrick’s day (we are all Irish on the 17^th), the first day of spring (something to definitely celebrate), and Palm Sunday, are all part of the month of March. And who could forget Daylight Savings Time? It begins for those of us where our government insists on confusing not only the humans but EVERY SINGLE animal out there! I have mine trained that they eat at a certain time. Well, when the time changes, they have to be trained all over again (or maybe it is I, that needs to be retrained?).

I am taking custom orders for reenactments and weddings. Plus the new collection goes live in May. The website will also be getting a facelift this month – be on the lookout for changes coming your way.

It has been a year since the news of COVID-19 spread across the globe and everything was shut down to slow the spread. Here we are a year later….. small and large businesses alike are struggling to keep their heads afloat. I have seen businesses that have been around for centuries, fall apart and shutter their doors forever. I challenge each and everyone of you to find a small business (mine would be great) and put your support there. Preferably in your own town. Shopping from the big box tops is overrated and the products are like everyone else. Look for something that is one of a kind!

A week in Review

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I sit here and watch the birds tease my cat as she sits in the chair by the window and advises me of their presence. Can you find the birds?

This past week went by faster than I had anticipated, and my planning was a little fleeting at best. My intentions on Friday mornings are to lay out my plan for the following week. Last week, well, I wanted to do anything but sit at the desk any more than was absolutely necessary. Fortunately for y’all I knew some of what I wanted to post this week.

I have been working on a customers’ Historic Recreation shirt and dress. Here is the video from where I dyed the fabric to obtain the perfect color. (And even the swatches to get to the final). Kitters thought she was helping once or twice. Here are a few other photos.

I have been writing the transcript for the video that will post next Friday – patternmaking. And it will provide a sneak peek into the Fall/Winter 2021 collection that will be virtually showing in May.

Next Wednesday, February 24, I will be live on my YouTube channel for anyone with questions. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAJ5-WFNIL1vGqJKQELMN_Q If you won’t be able to attend, email your questions to Jennifer.adams@lucky-7-studios.com prior to Feb 24 and I will answer them live.

The renovations of the studio continue. I have to wait till its finished before I can add more photos.

This was the last week of the Introduction to Mantua-making: An 18th Century English Gown in Miniature by Burnley and Trowbridge https://burnleyandtrowbridge.com. There is much I have learned and hopefully have made a few friends.

I am looking forward for the weather to break. I need to get outside on the trail again. Here are a few photos from last year.

Be sure to follow us on all our socials. You may find a surprise, as we post throughout the week.

Fashion Era Series: Sumerian (#3)

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The Sumerians are the earliest known civilization in the historic region of southern Mesopotamia. Believed to have lived from c. 4100 – 1750 BCE. This part of the world can get very hot during the year, so some of the statues with few garments would not be out of line with the climate.

In researching Sumerian culture, the images that are presented provide an account of the types of costume they would have worn during that period of time. It appears men wore what looks to be some type of robe maybe that they pulled over their heads – shoulder straps that connected to the back that was lower than the front. Most representations of men appear to wear a costume that is wrapped and tied about the waist.

The Smithsonian has a statue “Rim-Sin Carrying Clay” – this is a statue of the King of that time. He appears to be rounded at the bottom half as if he were wearing what we would call a “skirt”. However, there does not appear to be a costume on his upper half. ^[1]

In the book Development of Sumerian Art by Wooley C Leonard^[2], there are a handful of complete statues that definitively separate the male and female. The male continues to wear a costume on the lower half – in a circular shape (as such we would call it a “skirt”) and the women appear to have what appears to be a “strap” of same material as the rest of the costume – it goes around her one shoulder – it most likely connects the front and back parts of the costume.

In much the same way we study existing extant garments from before the 17^th Century and thereafter, we can study the art, carvings, and symbols from a long-ago culture/society/people. Studying these items, provides much detail to their lives, and allows us to look in for ourselves. I have included several images below. These I clipped from the book that is referenced.

Leave a thought in the comments. What do you see in the images?