Kendra

Website

Kendra has been a fixture in the online costuming world since the late 1990s. Her website, Démodé Couture, is one of the most well-known online resources for historical costumers. In the summer of 2014, she published a book on 18th-century wig and hair styling. Kendra is a librarian at a university, specializing in history and fashion. She’s also an academic, with several articles on fashion history published in research journals.

Latest

Eighteenth CenturyNineteenth Century22

WCW: Empress Josephine

By Kendra on November 13, 2019

The woman we know as Empress Josephine of France was born Marie Josèphe Rose Tascher de La Pagerie in Martinique in 1763 to French parents. When... Read more →

Frock Flicks GuideNineteenth Century25

How Contemporary Hairstyles Affect Historical Costume Movies: The 1940s, Part 2

By Kendra on November 8, 2019

There are lots of movies that aim for a historical aesthetic when it comes to hairstyles and others where it’s a mishmash. But it seems to me that... Read more →

Nineteenth Century17

TBT: The Countess of Castiglione (1942)

By Kendra on November 7, 2019

I've had a thing for the real-life Virginia Oldoini, The Countess of Castiglione (1837-1899) for a loooong time now. First, a gorgeous photo of her... Read more →

Fifteenth CenturyWoman Crush Wednesday21

WCW: Lucrezia Borgia

By Kendra on October 30, 2019

Lucrezia Borgia (1480-1519) was the daughter of Pope Alexander VI, a member of the House of Borgia, and famous for her beauty, possibly incestuous... Read more →

Woman Crush Wednesday13

WCW: Sophie Marceau

By Kendra on October 23, 2019

Sophie Marceau is another French actress who I particularly associate with historical costume films, even if she hasn't done any since 2008.... Read more →

Frock Flicks GuideTwentieth Century14

How Contemporary Hairstyles Affect Historical Costume Movies: The 1940s, Part 1

By Kendra on October 21, 2019

There are lots of movies that aim for a historical aesthetic when it comes to hairstyles and others where it’s a mishmash. But it seems to me that... Read more →

18th-Century QuestEighteenth Century18

18th Century Quest: Manon Lescaut (2013)

By Kendra on October 15, 2019

Manon Lescaut is a weird (TV) movie, guys. It's based on a 1731 French novel by the Abbé Prévost, and the summary is supposed to be "woman ruins... Read more →

Woman Crush Wednesday8

WCW: Isabelle Huppert

By Kendra on October 9, 2019

Isabelle Huppert is a goddess of French cinema. She's acted in over 120 films and is the most nominated actress for the César, the French Oscar.... Read more →

18th-Century QuestEighteenth Century10

18th Century Quest: Lady J (2018)

By Kendra on October 8, 2019

Y'all, I really need to get back to my 18th-Century Quest, wherein I try to watch every historical costume film/TV show set in the 18th century.... Read more →

Woman Crush Wednesday14

WCW: Juno Temple

By Kendra on October 2, 2019

Juno Temple isn't really a Big Name in movies or TV, but she's played supporting roles in a decent number of historical productions. She has a really... Read more →