-
ThreadTalk is Moving… and Changing – Thoughts on Twitter, Boundaries, and Platform Ownership
You say that things change, my dear For the last 14 years, Twitter has been the center of my writing life. And no single contribution has been as big or far-reaching as ThreadTalk, my fashion history mini-lectures on the beautiful and terrible world fabric culture. Twitter has never been safe; it’s always been a double-edged sword. Even before this most recent crap, countless users (myself included) have been the target of hate groups, threats, and more, just for stating opinions or, you know, existing. And it’s about to get worse. It’s already gotten worse. We’ve seen the writing on the wall. As someone who built my other career on social…
-
The Sumptuous, Sinful, and Sultry Costumes of The Sandman Series from Netflix
My Patrons voted, and boy I’m glad they did. We had quite a reaction on Twitter for this one, getting the attention of both Neil Gaiman and one of my favorite directors of all time, Guillermo del Toro. I loved watching the first season of The Sandman on Netflix, and I was brought back to reading the comics almost 20 years ago — really my first comic book experience that helped me see graphic novels as an art form beyond what I’d ever expected. I cried, I laughed, I covered my eyes. I swooned for Lucifer. You know, as you do. 1 – π«Awake, dreamers. Tonight we don garments of…
-
These Boots Are Made for Walking: Boots Throughout History
ThreadTalk gets the boot.
-
The Crowning Affair: All About Crowns
The scandalous and beautiful history of crowns, tiaras, and diadems.
-
Bonnet’s Banyan Bounty: Our Flag Means Death and Those Robes
1 – Ahoy! #threadtalk is sea bound–or at least a cozy room below–exploring the phenomenon of OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH & its revival of mens night-gowns, or banyans.π« This pinnacle of masculinity has a rich, wide, global history, full of intrigue. Away to Bonnet's banyans! #ofmd 2 – There is some disagreement about when exactly the banyan became a Western gentleman's fashion staple. We know influences from Japan & India coalesced in the late 17thC. Between colonization & an obsession with "chinoiserie", by 1730, it was a fad. Matthew Prior (below) 1718. 3 – The word banyan (or banjan, or banian) has an interesting etymology, coming to English (it is…
-
Marie Antoinette and Her Squad
1 – βοΈπIt's time for #ThreadTalk & today we're going big with the infamous Marie Antoinette: the oft-misquoted, scandalous, fashion forward last Queen of France (before the Revolution). Her image is iconic, but she did not do it alone. To her dying day, she had a *squad*.πβοΈ 2 – Born in 1755, Marie was not French; she was Austrian. Daughter of Empress Maria Theresa, Hapsburgs bigwig. Known then as Maria Antonia, she even met young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart during her charmed childhood. Here she is in 1762, bedecked in satin, ribbons, and flowers. 3 – At 14, she was married by proxy to the Dauphin of France, in an effort…
-
Color, Form, and Fashion: Glimpsing History in BRIDGERTON Season 2
Visit a Regency period that never was, and explore the styles and designs of this imagined time.
-
#ThreadTalk Tackles Amazon’s Wheel of Time Series
My patrons voted, and March's #ThreadTalk went to Two Rivers and Beyond, with a look at Season One of the Wheel of Time series.
-
Glimpses Into the Costuming of The Lord of the Rings, the Rings of Power
I've been a big fan of The Lord of the Rings since the age of 14. Seeing the series come to life through costume is a huge pleasure, and I can't wait to see what they share next.
-
Rivia’s Riveting Wardrobe: A Look at The Witcher’s Season 2 Costumes
A new season of the Witcher is upon us. What do the costumes look like?
-
Don We Now Our Christmas Frippery: A Look at Holiday Fashion
1 – Welcome to #ThreadTalk! We're talking #Christmas frippery. πππ Fair warning: If you came for an uncomplicated, nostalgic look at this winter celebration, I suggest you take your eggnog & jingle along, Santa baby. Still with me? Cool. Let's don our gay apparel & begin! 2 – Before we get to the frocks, Christmas as we know it is quite new. At least, the whole lighting trees, fancy outfits, presents, consumerism business. We have Dickens, Hessian soldiers & capitalism to thank for that. Prang, 1880, below. Watch out, kids. That's real fire! 3 – Lots of our current traditions are rather "new old-fashioned". See, up in until the 19th…
-
Men’s Regency Style: Is Beau Brummell to Blame?
1 – Welcome to #ThreadTalk! Our topic: the dandy of the Regency Era, Beau Brummell, oft credited with ruining men's fashion. Yes: he arrives at a cultural moment when "masculine" fashion takes a sharp turn away from color, patterns & frippery. But let's dig deeper, shall we?π 2 – The Regency look is now iconic, thanks to Brummell's contemporary Jane Austen. But at the time, it was quite a shift. The elaborate "Macaroni" style favored wild colors, wigs, & designs, frequently mocked in satirical comics, had been the playground of rich young men. 3 – Although the English were a bit more restrained, Paris knew no limits. (Keep in mind…
