From the "Head for Fashion" Conference, Colonial Williamsburg

Isabella reporting,

I've spent the last few days in Colonial Williamsburg attending the "Head for Fashion" Conference, which was great fun of the nerdy-history variety. I met many wonderful like-minded folk and learned many new things, some of which inspired blogs that will appear over the next weeks.

I'm still with limited wifi, but I did want to share these photos from the presentation ("Head Dress at Sixes and Sevens") given by our friends at CW's Margaret Hunter millinery shop. This was the final "line-up", front and back. The replica clothes here roughly span 1770-1820, and were all made by hand by the ladies in shop (who are also among the models.) As always, click on the images to enlarge them.

Also please take note of the fabulous hair, all done by mantua-maker apprentice Abby Cox. I've written before of Abby's research and prowess with 18th c. hairdressing, here and here. She dressed everyone's hair today in a marathon session of powder and pomade, and no hairspray or other modern products were used to create these styles - only pins, hair cushions, pomade, and powder.