Jennifer Garrett

In an era of peak television and prestige costume drama saturating our streaming queues, inspiration floods faster than ever for historically-minded fashion creatives like us. More people share a fascination for recreating crown jewels or debutante dresses spied on The Crown and Bridgerton than perhaps any era past as lavish drama production values make eras… Read More »Pop Culture Inspiration: How Film, TV, and Celebs Spark Period Costume Creativity

Just as decadent fabrics authentically anchor historical dress designs to their era, intricate decorative flourishes further propel bespoke creations transporting both maker and muse. No matter the period, embellishments add bespoke distinction even forgiving minor pattern miscalculations in their showstopping crusade toward textural eye candy.  Luckily myriad techniques shine gently on beginner hands just as… Read More »DIY Detailing: Essential Embellishment Techniques for Elevating Period Costumes 

As a seasoned costume designer catering to all manner of historical recreation from museum displays to theater performances, I field many inquiries about translating my period pieces into playful pop culture pastiche fit for ever-popular comic and anime conventions. Of course, fanciful fandom dress-up proves utterly different than academically accurate attire! Before a needle ever… Read More »Con Coverage: Navigating Costume Play at Fan Conventions

In my decades designing and crafting historical attire, I’ve been privileged to outfit everyone from museum curators to film actors in intricate period dress. But few patron passions run deeper than those who dedicate weeks of their year embodying roles fully by reenacting past eras through interactive education and performance art. I recently sat down… Read More »Period Piece Profile: Channeling a 15th Century Spanish Noblewoman 

From Game of Thrones’ sumptuous silhouettes to Harry Potter’s wizarding robes, fantasy worlds beyond our own capture imagination through stories…and iconic attire. But can the striking yet unreal costumes gracing our favorite fictional realms translate from vivid page and screen into everyday reality? Challenge accepted! With the right touch of sartorial magic, creative costuming lets… Read More »Fantasy Fiction Fashion: Translating Signature Styles from Page to Reality

From plunging Renaissance velvets to intricate Victorian brocades, few elements bring a historical costume to life quite like luxurious period-appropriate fabrics. But what makes an Elizabethan silk “Elizabethan” or a Jacobean lace authentically “Jacobean”? In the world of historical attire, fabrics make the era so gaining fluency in deciphering elegant textiles proves invaluable inspiration for… Read More »Fabric Focus: Decoding the Lavish Textiles of Period Fashion

Few eras capture the imagination quite like Elizabethan England. The Virgin Queen herself cuts an iconic figure, bedecked in pearls and pastel finery, fiery red hair aglow under elaborate ruffs. Such a recognizable look – but what’s behind the origins of her majestic style? Let’s step back into 16th-century royal courts to uncover the sumptuous… Read More »A Royal History Spotlight: The Extravagance of Elizabethan Fashion

Here at Polyhymnia Concepts, I often get asked about what exactly goes into designing and constructing one of our intricate historical or fantasy gowns. From conception to completion, it’s a fascinating process that blends artistry, imagination, and expert technique. I thought I’d give you an inside look by documenting the full creation of a recent… Read More »Behind the Seams: Creating a Renaissance Gown from Start to Finish