Date a pair of stays

So, my dears, what do you say about these stays (NM.0001007)? Just by looking at it, which date would you give it? My first reaction was late 17th century. The shoulder straps are set so far out and angled so they must have rested at the shoulder joint, which is more of the fashion of the late 17th century than the 18th. Shoulder straps on stays usually seem to be placed just inside the neckline, not several centimeters away. The front also seems to mimic the late 17th century. What do you say?

Source: digitaltmuseum.se via Elisa on Pinterest

Some 17th century clothes I would like to see

I think that it’s great that Digitalt museum is around so I can search in the collections of Swedish and Norwegians museums, but the search function is awful! Difficult to navigate and it doesn’t pick up everything. An example from today: I know for a fact that Nordiska in Stockholm has two children’s gown from the second half of the 17th century. I know that because they were photographed for a book years ago. I search for them with every search word I can think of, gown, children, fashion, clothes and nothing comes up. Then I widen the search so I get the items that haven’t been photographed and get a children’s gown without photo. Still nothing, but you also get suggestion for similar clothes when you look at an item and there I see one of the gowns. This one:

Source: digitaltmuseum.se via Elisa on Pinterest

Yay! And lo and behold, it is tagged with the very search word I used, so why hasn’t it showed up before? The information is also sadly lacking, not a peep about material and colour. *grumble grumble*

I have also found a few interesting things that doesn’t have pictures like the gown I mentioned before, which is also dated to the 1660’s and is made out of silk velvet. Gold and embroidery is also mentioned. (NMA.0045037)

A hip roll in cotton, linen and horsehair, dated 1600 (NM.0087051)

Rather intriguing, a fashion doll painted in oil on a copperplate with 12 additional gowns painted on sheets of mica. You lay a sheet on top of the fashion doll to change its clothes, much like a modern paper doll. Dated 1630-1660 and “Queen Christina” is painted on its box. Wouldn’t it be great to actually see what this looks like? (NM.0266394)

What I haven’t been able to find, though I have seen it before, is a pair of stays in brown leather. The museum dates it to the 1720’s, but they have an inscription on the inside with the year 1687. Without a picture it’s impossible to say anything about its real date. And I’m very annoyed with myself for forgetting to write down its number.

Finally, a delightful knitted silk jacket from Norway. Isn’t it just amazing?

Source: digitaltmuseum.no via Elisa on Pinterest

A maid ladling up soup

I'm a little in love with her outfit which seems a mix between pretty and practical. Her petticoat looks like two-tone silk- her mistress cast-off perhaps? The shoes are very dainty too. But the caraco, or jacket, seems to be woolen and rather loosefitting. The apron seems very practical too, and, I think, pushed into the pocket openings of the jacket. The cap is small and cute too- I think the fabric she has tied around her chin is to make sure it doesn't fall off into the soup...


Pehr Hilleström

Red lip paint

My first try in making red lip paint can now be seen here.

Meet Eddie

Perhaps you remember that we took over one of my brother-in-law's dogs a year ago, because one of his kids started to get allergic and they wanted to limit their pets. We got the Shetland Sheepdog Lipton and it worked out great. He is a really sweet dog, though a tad reserved to strangers- very typical of his breed, in fact. Well, now my BIL find that he can't keep the other dog either and asked us if we could consider another one. Eddie has been living with us for a week now and yesterday it become official, we are keeping him. So meet Eddie:



He is a rather unusual breed, a Dutch kooikerhondje. Like Lipton he is very sweet and friendly, though a tad wilder. They grow up together and is the same age and when Lipton moved in with us I was a bit worried that he would miss his buddy. Well, he hasn't pined, that's for sure, but they both seem very happy to be back together.



Eddie seems to be settling down very nicely with us and we are happy to have him. He is a very cuddly dog and love sitting in your lap, even if he is a bit too large for that.

Temporarily not here

I try not to let ordinary life, unless it is about something close to the theme of the blog, spill over too much here, but I have been rather silent for a while. (Writing about 18th century beauty doesn't count- I can do it in bed...)The reason have been some ongoing health problems that has grew worse lately. Now I have finally found out that I have a version of pneumonia and hopefully anti-biotics will set me right soon. However, the rest of the week I will just rest, keeping computer time to a minimum. The plan is to be back, full of energy and zest, next week.


(Picture source: http://www.thepinupfiles.com/elvgren2.html)