Accessories, Part I

Straw hat, block printed handkerchief, and pottery water jug

 Handkerchiefs

I purchased my first handkerchief at Wm. Booth, Draper, during the Ft. Loudon Market Faire earlier this summer. As a note, this was my very first Revolutionary War event. I attended as a spectator with some friends, and it was a wonderful experience to visit the various vendors and talk with them. Everyone was friendly, knowledgeable, and kind. As you can see, I have since expanded my handkerchief collection, with a beautiful blue and yellow handkerchief gifted to me by a friend, and my newest, a vivid multicolor on white purchased from Historical Hat Lady on Etsy. I love 18th century handkerchiefs not only for their vivid but simple designs, but also because they can be styled in a variety of ways! Slightly smaller ones make wonderful turbans for 1940s workwear and casual looks, and larger ones can be made into backless halter tops for a summery 1930s look. 

Straw Hat

Trimming in progress

The hat also came from Wm. Booth at the Ft. Loudon Market Faire. I trimmed it with a blue poly satin ribbon from my stash. I took inspiration from a few different costumers on Instagram for my fancy beribboned crown. I may make some changes to it for the summer, but I'm still learning about 18th century millinery, so any changes will wait until I feel confident in making them.  

Shoes and Stockings

I purchased my shoes and stockings from Samson Historical. I found their shoes to be reasonably priced, and they have a less polished and "factory-made" look than some other options for this era. As I wanted to focus my impression on the everyday look of a working woman, I felt these shoes were more authentic to my needs. The pair I am wearing are known as the Dido Belles, the green model of their women's shoe. The buckles were also purchased from their website, and they are the Edens, in silver. I hope to punch holes in the lachets to properly secure the buckles this weekend.

The stockings ran larger than expected, so I ended up giving those from Samson Historical to a larger-footed friend and purchasing another pair from Penny River Costumes on Etsy. She has a wonderful variety of colors, and I found these to be a much better fit for my 7.5 narrow foot. I got cream for now, but I can't wait to get some of the other lovely colors in the future!