Jessamyn's Regency Costume Companion. Take a look at my samples, prices, and a discussion of how I work. I make non-Regency garments also: historical costumes of all periods and custom-designed special-occasion clothes!
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Yep, eBay. Most seamstresses of simple, low-margin Regency gowns don't stay in business long - honestly, it's a recipe for burnout - so their websites come and go. But there's always someone on eBay with low-priced, simple cotton gowns.
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The Knight Shadow will make you a complete Regency men's outfit, from cravat to coat. Remember that a custom Regency coat is an ambitious undertaking and prices will reflect that.
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Jas. Townsend & Sons has a great online catalog of mostly eighteenth-century but some Regency-era clothes (particularly men's), plus patterns and many reenactment supplies.
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C & D Jarnagin Company is a "Provider of Fine Wares from 1750 through 1865" offering men's military and civilian clothes and equipment. Click on "War of 1812."
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Calapooia Traders offers 18th-century clothing, but some works for later - especially their wool greatcoat (Regency garrick); while not cheap, it would make a cool coat for modern wear as well!
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All Dressed Up is a rental company for those times when you don't have the time or the money to buy or make custom garb. Click "Themed Weddings" to see beautiful 18th-century costumes.
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Barry's Capezio sells dyeable white satin ballet shoes with full leather soles, quite close to period ball slippers (search for satin ballet), under $20. For men's formal or women's day wear, try the black leather version with a full suede sole (search for DJ105).
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Weddings for Less has nice matte-satin ballet flats (this fabric looks less plasticky than the usual blue-white nylon satin) with long ankle ribbons in dyeable organza.
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For those of you in the U.K., Stagestruck sells a very period-looking white-kid half-boot in child and adult sizes for £32, and full-soled jazz shoes for men's Regency impressions.
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River's Edge Dancewear's canvas jazz boot makes a cheap Regency half-boot at $17.60; replace the half-soles with full leather at a shoe repair shop. Black, or special-order four colors.
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Back Bay Dancewear provides another nice option for men's formal and semiformal wear: a jazz shoe in black or tan, probably more comfortable than a ballet slipper. Only $23. Also available in children's sizes!
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Thomas Lincoln Boots & Brogans offers replica square-toed leather knee boots, in several minor style variations (similar to these but without the turndowns), for the quite good price of $150 the pair.
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Hatcrafters sells felt hats wholesale to the public. Ladies' are poor repros, but men's are excellent: Empire or Young Man for early Regency, Cabbie for mid, Beau for late, Colonial Bicorn for dress.
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Clearwater Hats offers fewer but fancier, more finished men's hats than Hatcrafters. Click on "Fur Trade" for a variety of hats appropriate to the Regency (although, Alas! no more chapeaux bras).
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Austentation offers extremely reasonably priced Regency hats and bonnets, many of which are fine replicas of period styles. Also caps, reticules, patterns, and a good links page. Worth a look!
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Enhancements Costume Supply offers a wide range of men's felt hats, including bicorns in numerous styles, plus millinery supplies. Send $2 for catalog to PO Box 8604, Anaheim, CA 92812-0604; fax (714) 638-4545.
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Bradley Company of the Fox sells cotton day caps, low-crowned straw hats, cockades, felt hat blanks, and voyageur caps. Select "Hats & Caps," then keep hitting the "Next Item" oval.
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AmpleHats.com offers an "Amish Bonnet" in black or white cotton which is really quite presentable for Regency - and is priced at a very reasonable $16.
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Hamilton Dry Goods sells inexpensive over-the-knee socks (a.k.a. fairly period-correct stockings) in cotton and wool, nice leather gloves with gauntlets, and well-priced ladies' wool capes.
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Weddings for Less offers reasonable prices on white cotton gloves in a range of lengths; also A-line petticoats that form the right shape (though in period-incorrect materials) under 1820s gowns.
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Ostriches On Line offers all sorts of feathers and feather items such as fans and boas. Use the individual feathers for trims, cockades, or early-Regency headdresses for balls.
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Visit The Ladies' Parlor for falls - sausage curls, "grecian" curls, and braidable hanks to add to your own hair - in a variety of realistic colors, at quite reasonable prices.
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Amazon Drygoods' general catalog (not on-line) includes notions such as boning and clasps, plus hats and books ($3); there are separate catalogs for patterns and shoes. Service can be slow.
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AlterYears sells boning, clasps, and other corset supplies, and has a large pattern catalog. Also hoop wire in case you need side hoops in which to attend court!
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The
Metropolitan Museum of Art's on-line shop often has lovely scarves, shawls, and jewelry inspired by period examples, such as the 18th-century-based earrings at left.
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Past Times is now based only in Britain, so shipping is high for U.S. customers! But the ever-changing stock of historically inspired doodads and garments is still worth a browse.
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