The Battle Road Clothing Committee was pleased to present Barbara Delorey as our featured speaker as we explored ladies gowns of the Revolutionary War era.
Mrs. Delorey, a long time member of the reenactment community going back to before the bicentennial days, is a consultant, writer, lecturer, historic interpreter and costumer. She is editor of the The Circle of the Rose©, a publication for historical interpreters and reenactors. She holds membership in the Costume Society of America, The Costume Society (UK), and The Company of Military Historians. Mrs. Delorey has been a symposium speaker at the MFA Boston, and Costume Society symposia in Ohio, New Hampshire & Massachusetts and has held workshops and programs for numerous historical and genealogical societies. In the Museum of Fine Arts Boston she had five years experience in the Costume and Textile Department conservation lab and as a research associate in curatorial, and was also curator of collections at the Braintree Historical Society, She is currently serving a 3-year term as Massachusetts State Historian, Daughters of the American Revolution, where she also holds 3 chairmanships-- Commemorative Events, George Washington Bicentennial Commiittee and Revolution 225..
The afternoon's program began with a slide presentation dealing with the reenactors' approach to replicating the clothing of both the middling sort and the lady of quality. The riding habit and its place in a lady's wardrobe was discussed as well. Then onto discussion and questions concerning choice of fabrics to depict the role one is playing, construction techniques, pattern sources, and presentation of one's self in a gown. We rounded out the afternoon with a tea and cake social and, just for fun, an additional presentation of slides reflecting a potpourri of gowns, both ordinary and unusual.