History of Millinery

Drop-Dead Gorgeous: The Killer Fashion of the 19th Century

When we get up in the morning and pull on our jeans, t-shirts and jackets, we feel protected, shielded and comforted – nobody has to see our wobbly bits, phew! But throughout history, clothing and accessories have been the cause of madness, disease and even death; sometimes by accident and sometimes...

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Coco Chanel Before She Was Coco

Coco Chanel is hailed as the “the most influential designer of the Twentieth Century”. She pioneered easy elegance for the modern woman, contributing to the demise of the corset and frivolous detailing. What most people don’t know, is that Coco Chanel was a milliner before she was a fashion designer...

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Sue Wood Millinery Makes Victorian Hat For Mayor of Neston

At the beginning of December, I travelled back to Victorian times for the second Neston Christmas Festival. The event was organised by Neston Town Council in partnership with Neston Rotary Club and Neston & District Churches Together. I was delighted to be asked along to give a talk about hats an...

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Saint Catherine and the Rise of the Unmarried Women

Each year, the 25th of November marks St Catherine's Day. A historical figure from the fourth century, Saint Catherine of Alexandria is the patron saint of lace-makers, spinsters, milliners and couture. The story goes like this ... Catherine saw a vision of the Madonna and Child who persuaded...

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