About the Historical Fancy Dress Blog

The goal of the Historical Fancy Dress Blog is to provide specific information regarding the costumes and organization of various sorts of fancy dress balls in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in order to support people who may wish to construct such costumes or run such events.

The primary post content is simply descriptions and, when available, images of fancy dress costume ideas taken directly from various period sources.  Other posts may include descriptions of different kinds of balls, hair and makeup information, general information regarding historical fancy dress, and whatever other related content strikes the author’s fancy.  If you would like information on a particular costume, please see the requests page for information on submitting your request.

Costume posts will be sorted in various ways to making finding a suitable costume easier: by wearer (men, women, boys, girls); by era (Victorian, Edwardian, Regency, and sometimes specific decade); and by theme (birds, flowers, seasons, abstract, etc.)

For infomation regarding the specific dances done at these balls, please see the sister blog on social dance history, Capering and Kickery.

If you would like to make a donation in support of Historical Fancy Dress and my research, please see the support page for a Paypal link.