This historical blog is a natural evolution of my Instagram account, where I have been sharing my love of history for quite a while now. I live in the middle of nowhere slap bang in the centre of Wales, and am pretty sure I am the only young person (well, 32 years old – relatively young) for a good couple of miles that is interested in history and heritage – its not exactly the ‘coolest’ thing for someone of my age to be interested in. Instagram has been a great way to connect with like-minded people, and there are some brilliant history accounts on there. In the first of a series of posts on what historically themed accounts you should be following, I present the top fashion history Instagram accounts I come back to time and time again.
(N.B. All the pictures in this post are taken from the respective Instagram accounts, and all copyright etc belongs to the account owners)
Kate Strasdin (@katestrasdin)
Kate is a fashion historian, senior lecturer in cultural studies at Falmouth University and a bit of a world leader in the field of fashion history tbh. She has published several books on historical fashion, but I really like her recent work Inside the Royal Wardrobe: A Dress History of Queen Alexandra as I love my royal history and court studies. (Random fact – she is also one of the few remaining practitioners of Honiton lace!)
The Corseted Beauty (@the_corsetedbeauty)
I love this account as the owner is not afraid to show historical outfits from paintings, films and television as well as fashion preserved in museums and presented ‘traditionally’ on mannequins. The outfits are also presented in ‘themes’, to demonstrate how fashion in modern films can draw inspiration from the past for example. A recent collection of star-themed dresses included a 1895 House of Worth evening dress with star accents and Hedy Lamarr’s famous star costume ensemble from the 1941 film Ziegfeld Girl.
Cassidy Zachary (@the_art_of_dress)
Cassidy is a fashion historian and collections manager from Alberquerque, New Mexico. She is also the co-creator and presenter of the Dressed podcast, which is my number one podcast to listen to – her presenting style is so informative but fun! Her Instagram account has an emphasis on fashion from the 1910’s, and is a great visual accompaniment to the topics that are covered in the podcast.
Ephemeral Elegance (@ephemeral.elegance)
Ephemeral Elegance is run by Caroline London, a dress historian. This account is a good one to follow as it covers the whole scope of fashion history – as well as outfits you get pictures of accessories and jewellery, and you get both day and formal wear from a range of different countries. I particularly like the historical insights into film costume design and this year’s Met Gala outfits. The Instagram account is accompanied by a Tumblr blog.
A Tiara A Day (@a.tiara.a.day)
This account does exactly what it says on the tin – a beautiful, sparkly tiara everyday, usually with a good dose of royal or aristocratic provenance thrown in for good measure. The owner has done a great job making A Tiara A Day an encyclopaedia dedicated to this glittering form of headwear, introducing us to some unusual examples along the way such as the Valkyrie Cartier Diamond Tiara. If you’re a secret magpie like me, this account is sure to satisfy you.
Comtesse_comtesse (@comtesse_comtesse)
The owner of this Swedish account describes herself as a ‘lover of art, history and glittering jewellery’ (a girl after my own heart) but unfortunately doesn’t provide her name. Whoever she is, her account is chock full of Georgian and Regency historical fashion. It also appears that she both designs and makes her own replica dresses. I wish I was as talented as this lady!
Dressed In History (@dressedinhistory)
Dressed in History is run by costumier Hannah Mays Chandler, and is accompanied by her authoritative blog which always contains commentary on the latest relevant exhibits. Her Instagram account is relatively new and has only been online since April, but since discovering it I am always looking forward to seeing what she posts next. The exquisite fashions she chooses to feature are always accompanied by just the right level of historical detail.
Defunct Fashion (@defunctfashion)
This is another account I choose to follow for the width and breadth of fashion history it chooses to cover. Its also another account that features present day outfits and fashion from movies and shows to provided a well-rounded and comprehensive overview of how fashion has evolved over time. Occasionally, the owner also shares some of his fashion illustrations (worthy of their own account) with us lucky followers.