Old Family Photo Identification

A half or full day workshop with costumed presenter, featuring a detailed slide-show, hands-on sleuthing time, loads of books, work sheets, handouts, and other guides. This workshop helps you discover the date of an old photo, sometimes getting as close as a 2-year window, but usually not more than 10 years. Determine whether you photo could be – or definitely isn’t – an image of your ancestor So-&-So.  Learn the basic timeline of costume history through photographs. Future plans include offering a video session of the workshop, complete with all the handouts.

Or, let me do the work, by sending me your scanned pictures for an analysis. Available on-line, via e-mail, as a video report, giving commentary and a summary of the clues and conclusions your photo presents.

See the “Shows” section on our Home menu, for upcoming workshops. You may also contact us to arrange a session at your own library,  historical society, museum or other location. Usually the individual registration fees cover the cost of the workshop, but of course it depends on my travel distance. Write to me here for an info sheet.

Costume History and Socio-Costumology

Socio-Costumology is the art and science of using clothing to learn and to teach social history and material culture. All presentations are done in clothing accurate to an era and suited to the topic.

Popular topics are listed below, but we can also develop something to suit your group’s particular interests. Do, lets have a discussion about your educational and entertainment needs!

• What people wore, 1750-1910
• Retro Looks in Victorian Styles
• Planter and Loyalist clothing – Who Wore What?
• What’s in a word – the many faces of “Victorian“ styles
• “Take not Salt with a Greasy Knife” – British Victorian manners and deportment for fun, and self or character improvement.

Basic Hat Trimming

Some basic “theory” tips, and how-to’s, with a look at hat styles of the past. Great for theatre groups and other DIY-ers. Presentation may be personalized for your group, to include other relevant topics such as social standards, and other aspects of Socio-Costumology. Includes a display of trimmed hats to handle, and the option to choose from our workshop’s vast collection of trimmings, which is rarely seen at shows.