Mabel Decatur Storer's Wedding, Goodwin Mansion, 1884

Mabel Decatur's holiday wedding, December 30th, 1884, must have been a breathtaking event. Her creme gown, of satin silk weave, embroidered floral brocade, and silver and white embroidered thread would have shimmered in the light of the parlor of the Goodwin Mansion. The silk bodice was well-fitted with darts to hold bone stays. Most likely of imported fabric and sent up from Boston (note the original packing case for the gown). The designer was Richard M. Matthews of Boston, clearly a well-trained professional. The gown would have required at least several fittings. The shoes--astonishingly narrow- are a cream satin with all the drama focused on the bows of the same color.

Gift of Alice Decatur Armsden, #1997.167
Gown, photograph, Tara Vose
Shoes, photograph, Bridget Sciales

Brooches, Caps and Collars: Adornment in Portsmouth Portraits, 1800-1850

Not to be missed!

The Portsmouth Historical Society will present a gallery talk by curator Sandra Rux for the exhibit “Brooches, Caps and Collars; Adornment in Portsmouth Portraits 1800-1860” on Saturday October 30 at 11AM at the John Paul Jones House, 43 Middle St Portsmouth NH. Artists– known and unknown—of the sixteen portraits, will be the focus of this talk. Joseph Greenleaf Cole, the painter of five of the portraits was covered expertly by Tom Hardiman in his July lecture, so we will touch only briefly on his time in Portsmouth. Many of the other paintings are unsigned and some were painted in other cities. Ms. Rux will discuss where the subjects lived after they left Portsmouth and why they might commission portraits by out of town artists—for example the portrait painted of Martha Hooker Rollins from a daguerreotype by an artist in Brazil. This exhibit will close on October 31—make sure not to miss it. The gallery talk is free and open to the public.

For more information call 603 436-8420 or email info@portsmouthhistory.org

Photographs Courtesy Portsmouth Historical Society/John Paul Jones House

cupcake from concetta's closet

This sweeter than sweet homecoming dance dress was worn by a woman to her '60s Manchester West HS Homecoming -and she was crowned Queen!

I recently purchased the classic hippie dress--smocked bodice, "patchwork" type print, with lace and floor length.

From Concetta's Closet, vintage clothes, in funky Newmarket, NH.

Ellen McDermott photographs "Lacie" at Goodwin House

Another beautiful day at Strawbery Banke, perfect for a photo shoot. The artistic team of Ellen McDermott and creative partner Bridget Sciales focused on the elaborate--nearly over the top-- elegance and layering of silk, satin and tiers of lace, in deep green, brown and cream which comprise the gown. Of particular note is the balance between the militaristic precision of the bodice and the ultra feminine lace, especially concentrated on the sleeves.

Lacie's bodice and skirt had become separated over the years and its was the keen eye of designer Sarah Beth which placed the ensemble back together. She was so taken with the piece, that she has selected Lacie to inspire her contemporary formal wear.

Several of Ellen's contact sheets are shown her, as are Sarah's preliminary sketches. Follow these pages for final proofs next month.

Enjoy this discovery and its application!

Designer Highlight- Liz Ronzio

Strawbery Banke Museum is delighted to be working with Elizabeth Ronzio, recent winner of TOMS shoes competition. Liz recently told us about her influences and interests:

“I was born on August 21, 1990, in St. Louis, Missouri. Starting at an early age the things I most enjoyed were the ever-present mixture of fashion, fine art, and travel. As my life progressed, I began traveling and acquired new ideas regarding my personal style both in fashion and art. Currently attending Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts, I am pursuing a degree in Marketing Communications with a minor in Gender Studies. To this day I have visited over twenty-two countries on five continents. With each adventure, I continue to incorporate these aspects into all my designs.”

Liz Ronzio talked about her design inspirations and technique for her line of Toms Shoes for Teen Vogue. Check out this link from Teen Vogue and get to know Liz a bit better.

http://www.teenvogue.com/video?videoID=599047209001

Photo Shoot Redux

Photographer Ellen McDermott and Creative Partner, Bridget Sciales will visit Strawbery Banke's textile and costume collection for a second photo shoot for Passion for Fashion. Follow these pages for Samuel Cutts suit, lacy evening confections, hats, wedding slippers and shoes, crewel work pocket and much more--photographed on site.

Silkbrocade

The Process: Collections, Design, Inspiration

Passion for Fashion photo shoot in Chase House, Spring 2010. Photogrpaher Ellen McDermott sets up the shot while Lydia Shilland, Kimberly Alexander and Larry Larose look on.

Center and bottom left: Strawbery Banke Museum textile collection storage area and workroom

Bottom right: Results of photo shoot, Green silk brocade dress, Pierce family of Portsmouth, ca.1765-1775, Gift of Priscilla Pierce Decker.