Tag: American Girl
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The Kirsten Project | Girls’ Dresses of the Mid 19th Century
In the late 1820s, women’s fashion shifted from the once high empire waistlines (think Jane Austen era) back down to the natural position. From then until the 1860s, details like sleeves and necklines morph and change, but not as drastically as before or after that time period. A small waist and a wide skirt are…
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The Kirsten Project | Happy Birthday, Kirsten!
It’s a new year and it’s time for another edition of The Kirsten Project! I’ve already recreated her looks from Meet Kirsten, Kirsten’s Surprise and Changes for Kirsten and for this version, I’m taking inspiration from Happy Birthday, Kirsten! LITTLE JESS around age 10, wearing a mom-made birthday dress and apron, a gift I received…
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The Kirsten Project | Kirsten’s Surprise
Night walks with a heavy stepRound yard and hearth,As the sun departs from earth,Shadows are brooding.There in our dark house,Walking with lit candles,Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia! Night walks grand, yet silent,Now hear its gentle wings,In every room so hushed,Whispering like wings.Look, at our threshold stands,White-clad with light in her hair,Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia! Darkness shall…
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The Kirsten Project | Saint Lucia through the Ages
Kirsten’s holiday story Kirsten’s Surprise centers around her family’s tradition of celebrating Saint Lucia’s Day – a solstice celebration of light honoring Santka Lucia. The holiday took hold during Sweden’s Catholic period somewhere between 1000-1500 and is still honored today with parades and family celebrations on December 13th. If you’re thinking, wait! the winter solstice…
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The Kirsten Project | Changes for Kirsten
Ch-ch-changes! As we move into colder weather, it’s time for another look from The Kirsten Project – this time with her winter Scandinavian outfit from Changes for Kirsten. If you haven’t had a chance to see my background research on Kirsten’s skirt, sweater and knitted accessories or my original Kirsten Project post you’ll want to…
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The Kirsten Project | Hair and Hat Inspiration
Little Lie-A-Bed’s Sad Breakfast by carl larsson 1900 One of the most iconic parts of Kirsten’s character are her signature looped braids. My hair never got long enough to make it work as a kid, so I’m determined as ever to make it happen now. So why looped braids? I got my first answers to…
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The Kirsten Project | Kjolsäck (Loose Pocket)
Like Kirsten’s apron, her spoon bag or loose pocket, called a kjolsäck, is a link to her Swedish origins. These are only a very small sampling of pockets from the Digitalt Museum, so if you’re interested, I really encourage you to see the amazing array of kjolsäck. Another source of the history of the kjolsäck…
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Introducing | The Kirsten Project
My pleasant company edition of meet kirsten (1986, when it was just her, samantha and molly!) from childhood plus original outfit. Over the course of the past year I’ve returned to one of my childhood passions with historic costumes. It was only after going to my first Jane Austen Festival did I remember how I…
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An American Girl
EDIT: This post was original written in 2016 but I’m reposting it now to correspond with the #FallforCostume challenge I have been participating in on Instagram. Also! A lot of you have mentioned to me that your dolls’ hair was all frizzed out and these are proof mine was too! She was sent to the…