An Introductory Post

Back when I was a dreamy young tween, I began a lifelong addiction to period dramas. History in petticoats was and is absolutely my thing. From the very first time my mum put on our wobbly home video copy of 1993’s Pride and Prejudice, I have been a self-avowed historical “costume nerd”, and often used to act out intense historical melodramas with my beloved, somewhat scruffy Barbie dolls. There was only one thing spoiling my games, and that was the clothes my dolls were wearing!

 

Actually had these - and the shorts ended up on the Ken doll!

It was a little hard to re-enact the execution of Mary Queen of Scots with lamé strapless ball gowns and tie-dye hotpants, which made up most of my doll’s wardrobe as a child of the Nineties – and my lack of clothing for guys meant my single solitary Ken used to end up playing the romantic lead in a pink t-shirt and the aforesaid hotpants – a sad thing for any Victorian hero!

After several years of intense costume enthusiasm and volunteering in my local theatre’s wardrobe department for six years, I finally developed my sewing skills enough to get up the confidence to remedy this situation. Modern clothes no more!  Rescuing some of my old Barbie favourites, I’ve determined to keep my hand in with sewing and historical costume research by finally using my skills to make the fantastic costumes I always dreamed about as a child – as the Twelve Inch Tailor. This blog will be a costume diary of my projects and a place to record the things I learn along the way.