MegueyB
@megueyb.bsky.social
Mother of the Apocalypse, founded #PbtA. Museum curator. Material culture, ttrpgs, leftist politics, kindness & appropriate levels of vengeful fury. I'm the only one of me. She/her,☪️,🌈, breast cancer survivor. Baker house: https://www.patreon.com/lumpley
The finished edge around the arms eyes and neckline of the older dress are of course accurate to the age: extremely tiny silk bias tape! 1/8” wide!
November 20, 2025 at 9:46 PM
The finished edge around the arms eyes and neckline of the older dress are of course accurate to the age: extremely tiny silk bias tape! 1/8” wide!
There is also a lot of metal beadwork and metal embroidery on the authentic 1920s dress, and zero sequins.
November 20, 2025 at 9:39 PM
There is also a lot of metal beadwork and metal embroidery on the authentic 1920s dress, and zero sequins.
There are no side or shoulder fasteners; this dress slipped over the head and rested on a separate underdress. The beaded motif is complete on both sides.
November 20, 2025 at 9:33 PM
There are no side or shoulder fasteners; this dress slipped over the head and rested on a separate underdress. The beaded motif is complete on both sides.
The shoulders are much thinner on the 100 yr old dress, about 1” rather than the 3” on the Tricorne dress.
November 20, 2025 at 9:30 PM
The shoulders are much thinner on the 100 yr old dress, about 1” rather than the 3” on the Tricorne dress.
The lace is a much looser net, with long fronds and flowers, and the bodice is made of six of the same motif as the long skirt panels. I’m not a strong enough lace historian to say it’s handmade lace, but it’s got some of the things I look for, like “mistakes” in the ground.
November 20, 2025 at 9:19 PM
The lace is a much looser net, with long fronds and flowers, and the bodice is made of six of the same motif as the long skirt panels. I’m not a strong enough lace historian to say it’s handmade lace, but it’s got some of the things I look for, like “mistakes” in the ground.
Ok, on to the gold one!
It’s much more fragile, to start. The skirt is six beaded panels that do not create a full skirt without the slip! There are purple& rose & blue beaded flowers, & pale green beads outlining the leaves in the sandy gold lace.
It’s much more fragile, to start. The skirt is six beaded panels that do not create a full skirt without the slip! There are purple& rose & blue beaded flowers, & pale green beads outlining the leaves in the sandy gold lace.
November 20, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Ok, on to the gold one!
It’s much more fragile, to start. The skirt is six beaded panels that do not create a full skirt without the slip! There are purple& rose & blue beaded flowers, & pale green beads outlining the leaves in the sandy gold lace.
It’s much more fragile, to start. The skirt is six beaded panels that do not create a full skirt without the slip! There are purple& rose & blue beaded flowers, & pale green beads outlining the leaves in the sandy gold lace.
There’s something interesting going on at the hem, though: it’s got tucks in it! Perfectly pattern matched on the outside, the tucks take up the length of the skirt about three inches. Did they repurpose an older costume? Perhaps!
November 20, 2025 at 9:05 PM
There’s something interesting going on at the hem, though: it’s got tucks in it! Perfectly pattern matched on the outside, the tucks take up the length of the skirt about three inches. Did they repurpose an older costume? Perhaps!
And here’s the name tape! “Miss Voorees” might be the character or the actress, and the costumer is Tricorne, which is an absolutely top notch outfit in NYC. The other tape has a number - 0929 - and that makes me wonder about the inventory system. Was in the company? In a museum? What?
November 20, 2025 at 8:57 PM
And here’s the name tape! “Miss Voorees” might be the character or the actress, and the costumer is Tricorne, which is an absolutely top notch outfit in NYC. The other tape has a number - 0929 - and that makes me wonder about the inventory system. Was in the company? In a museum? What?
And look at the shoulder seam on the one side: giant hook & eyes, meaning the actress could open that shoulder, unzip, & step out in under 5 seconds w/o messing with any hair/makeup. Because this is 100% a costume. But unlike the silk dress we saw last time, this was made as a costume! I think?
November 20, 2025 at 8:53 PM
And look at the shoulder seam on the one side: giant hook & eyes, meaning the actress could open that shoulder, unzip, & step out in under 5 seconds w/o messing with any hair/makeup. Because this is 100% a costume. But unlike the silk dress we saw last time, this was made as a costume! I think?
Ok, I’ve turned it inside out & this is definitely not 100 yrs old. Nope. Not with that whopper of a 15” plastic toothed zipper up the side into the arm’s eye! Metal zipper at the waist, from widest hip to mid-ribs, in a dress like this in 1920, maybe. Plastic fine tooth the whole way? Not a chance.
November 20, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Ok, I’ve turned it inside out & this is definitely not 100 yrs old. Nope. Not with that whopper of a 15” plastic toothed zipper up the side into the arm’s eye! Metal zipper at the waist, from widest hip to mid-ribs, in a dress like this in 1920, maybe. Plastic fine tooth the whole way? Not a chance.
The ground fabric is a gray mesh, synthetic & strong. This feels more modern. And there’s suspiciously no missing beads.
November 20, 2025 at 8:40 PM
The ground fabric is a gray mesh, synthetic & strong. This feels more modern. And there’s suspiciously no missing beads.
I’m going with the silver one first. It’s in much better condition, for one, as it has the whole slip intact. Classic Art Deco beading, with rows and rows of sequins making a fairly geometric pattern with a few circles and loops. About 37” from shoulder to the bottom of the fringe.
November 20, 2025 at 8:30 PM
I’m going with the silver one first. It’s in much better condition, for one, as it has the whole slip intact. Classic Art Deco beading, with rows and rows of sequins making a fairly geometric pattern with a few circles and loops. About 37” from shoulder to the bottom of the fringe.
#LHSRescue thread for the day! I have here two 1920s dresses to review. I wish there were polls here, so I could ask y’all if you’d like to see the silver one or the gold one first.
#DressHistory #FashionHistory #embroidery #sparkle #beading #1920s
#DressHistory #FashionHistory #embroidery #sparkle #beading #1920s
November 20, 2025 at 8:14 PM
#LHSRescue thread for the day! I have here two 1920s dresses to review. I wish there were polls here, so I could ask y’all if you’d like to see the silver one or the gold one first.
#DressHistory #FashionHistory #embroidery #sparkle #beading #1920s
#DressHistory #FashionHistory #embroidery #sparkle #beading #1920s
#BakerHouseBand 2025! This is the current #AW3rd game going on at our house. These folks will be credited in the book as early players, and many of them will be contributing to the e-zine of additional materials.
November 19, 2025 at 9:43 PM
#BakerHouseBand 2025! This is the current #AW3rd game going on at our house. These folks will be credited in the book as early players, and many of them will be contributing to the e-zine of additional materials.
Share a TV series you've watched from beginning to end more than once.
November 19, 2025 at 4:29 AM
Share a TV series you've watched from beginning to end more than once.
Stretch goal met to the dollar!!! The Faceless, The News, and The Show all get updated for #AW3rd! Next up: bonuses for those creators at $150!
November 18, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Stretch goal met to the dollar!!! The Faceless, The News, and The Show all get updated for #AW3rd! Next up: bonuses for those creators at $150!
This morning’s #mending: a vintage Italian sack coat belonging to my son, in need of new lining in the sleeves. What are you working on fixing today?
November 16, 2025 at 2:59 PM
This morning’s #mending: a vintage Italian sack coat belonging to my son, in need of new lining in the sleeves. What are you working on fixing today?
The missing underskirt & waistband meant the silk had more strain on it, which somewhat accounts for the increased wear on the back.
November 16, 2025 at 3:10 AM
The missing underskirt & waistband meant the silk had more strain on it, which somewhat accounts for the increased wear on the back.
The hemline as it is is all wrong, because it was tucked up to have less/no train. Imagine if the three tucks at the back half were released; the skirt would fall beautifully and the hem would be level instead of curving up at the back.
November 16, 2025 at 3:06 AM
The hemline as it is is all wrong, because it was tucked up to have less/no train. Imagine if the three tucks at the back half were released; the skirt would fall beautifully and the hem would be level instead of curving up at the back.
The lace flounce is in good shape, only a few small snags or holes in the net, and the double-sided ruffle around the hem is a nice reference to the cummerbund and slightly surplice bodice. (That’s what a bodice where one side crosses over the other is called.)
November 16, 2025 at 3:01 AM
The lace flounce is in good shape, only a few small snags or holes in the net, and the double-sided ruffle around the hem is a nice reference to the cummerbund and slightly surplice bodice. (That’s what a bodice where one side crosses over the other is called.)
This is the center back, and the crudeness of the stitching on this tuck is shouting “costume!!” to me rather than looking like it was carefully made over for a later fashion.
November 16, 2025 at 2:54 AM
This is the center back, and the crudeness of the stitching on this tuck is shouting “costume!!” to me rather than looking like it was carefully made over for a later fashion.
Oh, indeed! The front is a full width of cloth, then there’s a full width of cloth at each side that tapers to the waist, then more cloth pieced in at the center back. You can see the selvage edges used as a way to have a fast finished edge with no extra weight.
November 16, 2025 at 2:51 AM
Oh, indeed! The front is a full width of cloth, then there’s a full width of cloth at each side that tapers to the waist, then more cloth pieced in at the center back. You can see the selvage edges used as a way to have a fast finished edge with no extra weight.
Before we get too excited about the tuck being for growing in height, let’s check the back; there are THREE sewn tucks at the back, taking up roughly 9” of length!! So the wearer who needed the tucks & snaps & pins lacked the proper undergarments (likely a small proto-bustle) to support the skirt.
November 16, 2025 at 2:46 AM
Before we get too excited about the tuck being for growing in height, let’s check the back; there are THREE sewn tucks at the back, taking up roughly 9” of length!! So the wearer who needed the tucks & snaps & pins lacked the proper undergarments (likely a small proto-bustle) to support the skirt.
See that side front seam? Perfectly straight on the grain, hip to hem. And a big tuck, just at the top of the ruffle.
November 16, 2025 at 2:37 AM
See that side front seam? Perfectly straight on the grain, hip to hem. And a big tuck, just at the top of the ruffle.
Found the matching snaps! This confirms a later use, where the skirt was snapped /over/ the tiny flaired pointed peplum. I’m guessing the wearer didn’t have the proper undergarments so the skirt was gathered oddly to lift it up in back.
November 16, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Found the matching snaps! This confirms a later use, where the skirt was snapped /over/ the tiny flaired pointed peplum. I’m guessing the wearer didn’t have the proper undergarments so the skirt was gathered oddly to lift it up in back.