Always know where your tiara is.

If you’re reading this, hello and welcome! I’m Emma, and I'm starting this blog primarily to document my historic sewing projects and costumed adventures. I will probably also diverge into thoughts on researching and interpreting history, books I like, terrible puns, and whatever else occurs to me.

This is also an attempt to figure out where I am right now as a reenactor and historical costumer. I moved to Scotland last year for a Masters programme in Dress and Textile History at the University of Glasgow, and I'm trying to find more opportunities here both for professional research and history dress-up for fun. I want to record how I reproduce historic clothing as accurately as I can, on a limited budget and usually at silly hours of the morning.

The name ‘Ballgown in a Backpack’ was inspired by a trip the lovely Peryn and I took to the Bath Victorian Ball this past spring. It was just the two of us, a suitcase stuffed with ballgowns, and copious amounts of chocolate, and we felt like we could go anywhere. It was the non-galactic equivalent of knowing where your towel is.* The experience summed up why I love this hobby: wonderful people, crazy adventures that I would never go on if it wasn’t an excuse to dress up, and of course, tiaras. No matter what I end up doing with my life, that’s the feeling I want to hang on to, and which I hope to chronicle here.

Walking home from the ball with our suitcase of ballgowns. Not, in fact, a backpack, but I can't resist alliteration.
Photo courtesy of Peryn.

Always prepared.

*I'm currently listening to an audiobook of Stephen Fry reading Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. It is as delightful as it sounds.