Musings from the Millinery: Revealing the Truth About 18th-century Women’s Necklines

January 29, 2016 by Abby Cox 80 Comments

SUSANNA STUART FITZHUGH KNOX by John Hesselius 1770s Virginian Woman Sothebys Auction lot 718

Susanna Stuart Fitzhugh Knox by John Hesselius, c.1770, Sothebys Auction lot 718 (She’s Virginian!)

It was around this time last week that an image in one of our blogs sparked a debate over the representation of a woman’s body. As an apprentice Milliner & Mantua-maker, the Making History team immediately reached out to me for historical perspective. I hope this explanation helps clarify why the image was indeed period correct in its representation. I’d also like to use this opportunity to initiate a discussion of the female body and how it was viewed in the 18th century versus today. …

Musings From the Millinery: Creating a Custom Gown for Mrs. Virginia

September 15, 2015 by Abby Cox 7 Comments

Two weeks ago people from across the Foundation came together for a very special project—creating a custom gown for Jatana Jackson (Mrs. Virginia 2015). Janea and I were really excited about our roles in the process as we took on the challenge of designing and sewing the full gown, hand-quilted petticoat, and the millinery for Jatana. The next two weeks, leading up to Thursday, September 10 were a mad dash of collection visits, sewing, and fittings. And we have a behind-the-scenes look at the process from beginning to end….

Musings from the Millinery: What It’s Like to be a 21st-century Apprentice

April 27, 2015 by Abby Cox 2 Comments

It’s Abby again, from the Margaret Hunter Millinery shop. This time, I’d like to talk about our apprenticeships and hopefully this post will answer any questions that might be floating around out there….

Musings From the Millinery

March 11, 2015 by Abby Cox 4 Comments

Hello! My name is Abby and I am an apprentice milliner and mantua-maker (dressmaker) at the Margaret Hunter Shop. I would just like to introduce myself to you lovely readers out there, and give a little bit of insight into my day and career with Colonial Williamsburg….