Before I fell down the rabbit hole and decided to host a Mad Tea Party, I had other plans for my blog. But I think I've fallen in love with hats and will use hats as my theme for the month.
If you are one of my fans who visits for posts about Marie Antoinette, don't despair!!! Hats were eye-popping confections in the 1770s and Rose Bertin, the marchandes des modes of Marie Antoinette, initially made her reputation based on hats. I will have plenty to write about to keep my historical fashion fans happy.
If you want to join the Mad Tea Party, please send me photos of your hat creations (whether made using the origami instructions, crafted, knit, or sewn) or your favourite hat that you are wearing (feel free to pull the brim over your eyes if you are shy or wish to remain incognito). I will post them in groupings of four since four guests attended the Mad Hatter's Tea Party, including Alice, the Mad Hatter, the Dormouse, and the March Hare. I will accept photos up to and including March 31st. Please send your submissions to artismylife@mac.com.
As for what else is going on in the world of fashion, here are some March highlights:
March 4: Interchange, Taking Shape Lecture at the Textile Museum of Canada - A discussion with artists and curators about the exhibition The Cutting Edge, which focuses on the shape of a garment and what it signifies
March 6: Dr. Alexandra Palmer will be giving a lecture on Christian Dior: History & Modernity to Friends of the Textile and Costume Members of the Royal Ontario Museum.
March 8: Last day to visit the Fashion No-No show at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto. In this show, six female artists present their points of view about the body and its relationship to technology, art and design.
March 8: Green is the New Black at the Costume Museum of Canada in Winnipeg. An evening to showcase Winnipeg talent who focus on up-cycling fashion. (I won't be going; you couldn't pay me enough to go to Winnipeg in the winter!). If you go, check out the Nightwear exhibition which explores the intimacy of bedroom clothing.
March 9: The infamous Barbie will celebrate her 50th Birthday!!!
March 22: Last day to see The Nature of Diamonds at the Royal Ontario Museum. There are some spectacular diamonds on display. (My favourite jewels were the exquisite diamond dog collar necklace and the two matching black lace cuff bracelets speckled with diamonds!!)
March 31: The exhibition Court Pomp and Royal Ceremony opens at the Chateau de Versailles. The gown belonging to Marie Antoinette which is owned by the Royal Ontario Museum will be on display there. If you cannot attend the show which will run until June 28, 2009 and would like to see photos of this dress, please see my postings from October and November 2008.
And lastly, don't forget to pop over to Blog of a Bookworm. I recently posted a review of 18th Century Embroidery Techniques and tomorrow will post a review of The Art of Dress.
