A charming 1820s dress featuring the high-waist style of the period is transformed into an elegant dinner dress with the simple removal of the detachable lower full-length sleeves. Fashion plates from this period consistently illustrate dresses with a bodice decorated with trimmings in a “V” angle on both the front and back. Read full story.

The Cincinnati Art Museum presents Wedded Perfection: Two Centuries of Wedding Gowns. The exhibition, which runs through January 2011, unravels more than 200 years of the evolution of the wedding gown paralleled with the social, economic and political status of the women they adorned.Wedded Perfection features over 50 gowns from the late 18th-century to modern … Continue reading Wedded Perfection →

Luxurious textiles, exacting tailoring, and lush trimmings abound in Fashioning Fashion: European Dress in Detail, 1700 – 1915 celebrating the evolution of European dress through two centuries.Fashion is in the details. The textiles, tailoring, and trimmings all work together in the creation of the finest pieces. Drawing on the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s … Continue reading Fashioning Fashion: European Dress in Detail →

Janeite Barbara says, "Don't miss this...it seems like a must watch for Janeites!"http://www-tc.pbs.org/video/media/swf/PBSPlayer.swfWatch the full episode. See more Masterpiece.Airing January 9, 16, 23 & 30, 2011 on PBS Check local listingsThe Downton Abbey estate stands a splendid example of Victorian confidence and mettle, its family enduring for generations and its staff a well-oiled machine of … Continue reading Masterpiece Theatre this Sunday →

Want to see a Victorian lady’s unmentionables … red, white, pink or black?The online site, The Antique Corset Gallery, not only features an array of early, mid, and late Victorian corsets but also showcases similar undergarments from the 18th century through the 1920s. Each era highlights the beautiful designs of the day, accompanied by historical … Continue reading 250 Years of Corsets – Online →

Here's a little comic. ;)(By Kate Beaton, via Kat)

To be considered accomplished in Regency England, a young gentlewoman must be proficient in playing an instrument and singing. Read the full story »

WGBH/Boston is planning for the 40th Anniversary of Masterpiece on PBS (officially January 2011. They will be refreshing our online archive of Teacher's Guides and Book-to-Film discussion guides - including numerous resources on Jane Austen. They will also be streaming certain films from the Masterpiece archive throughout the year, running a sweepstake for a U.K. … Continue reading Masterpiece is celebrating 40 years on PBS →

Your CNJ JASNA Webmistress is going to enjoy the holiday season with family and will return after the New Year. Here's to a Happy New Year to you and yours! May your 2011 see you happy and healthy. See you Jan. 3rd.