Dressing Marie Antoinette

If you like fashions of Marie Antoinette's era, check out the Yahoo group "Dressing Marie Antoinette". I've been a member for some time now, and the group mainly focuses on recreating costumes seen in the movie and portraits of the queen. I of course, have sewing skills nowhere near those of some of the members in this group. The costumes some members have made or are working on are really spectacular--the trimmings, the fabric choices, and embroidery are beautiful. Not to mention they even involve real corsets and hoop skirts for true authenticity! I think you have to be a member to view the posts and photos. Even if you don't sew lavish costumes, you can join if you like to discuss fashions and costumes of the era in general.


Click to join dressingmarieantoinette

-R*

Create an outdoor haven

I'm back from Vegas! Well, I have been for almost 2 weeks now. It's good to be back! Brocade Home is having it's semi-annual sale, and their outdoor furniture is to die for! Here are some of their items they have on sale:Medallion dining table, $499 & Medallion chair, $299

I love the rococo-inspired lines of this table and chairs! The crisp white color is a nice alternative to typical black, also. The chair cushions are on sale for $39 each.

Medallion daybed, $699, & Cushion, $399

This sort of matches the tables and chairs above. Isn't it nice to imagine yourself relaxing on this on a sunny day? The side table is also on sale for $149.

Silhouette outdoor dining table, $599

After seeing this picture, I was reminded of the scene in "Marie Antoinette" where they are eating outside one night at Le Petit Trianon. Pair the votive chandelier($399), some chairs, flowers, and food with this table, and voila! An instant re-creation of that.

These are just some of the outdoor items for sale. For more, check out their website.

-R*

Tea in bloom

I apologize for not posting in over a week; I was out of town in Richmond for a few days. Lucky for me there were several antique shops in the area...I saw many beautiful chandeliers, plates, etc that screamed Marie Antoinette or 18th century France, but of course, the prices were not exactly in my budget. I mean c'mon, $800 for a chandelier? Read below for something I know you will love, that won't give you sticker shock....
If you're like me, and you see every little detail in movies, you may have noticed the tea that blooms in "Marie Antoinette". After scouring the internet, I have found it at last! You too, can have this awe-inspiring tea. Jasmine Blooming Flower Tea, made by Summit Tea Company, is available on Amazon.com. For $9.99, it comes with 10 hand-tied jasmine flower teas made in the Fujian Province, China. Watch as the jasmine leaves slowly unfurl once you pour the hot water in a teapot, and a beautiful Red Globe Amarnth flower is revealed! This would be great to wow your guests at a party, or as a unique gift for a tea-loving friend. There are also other blooming tea varieties available by Adagio Teas on Amazon.
To heighten the blooming tea experience, Numi makes a flowering tea glass teapot, also available on Amazon.com for $21.99. Everyone will get to see the bloom with this teapot!-R*

Tie it with ribbon

Next time you're dressing up, why not wear a ribbon around your neck? Instead of a garish necklace, try something simpler like a black velvet ribbon, or any color for that matter. I personally love the way the black ribbon ties off the look of Kirsten Dunst's (or should I saw Marie Antoinette's) pastel dress in the photo at left. This look would work especially if the collar of your shirt or dress scoops down in a circular or V-shape.
To buy this dainty velvet ribbon, hit your local fabric store or check out these velvet ribbons, available in various widths, by Midori Ribbon.


Your comments and/or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

-R*

And the Oscar goes to...

If you watched the Academy Awards last night, you probably know by now that Milena Canonero, the costume designer for "Marie Antoinette" won the award for best costume design. According to Oscar.com, this was Canonero's eighth Oscar nomination. Other contenders for the award this year were The Queen, The Devil Wears Prada, Dreamgirls, and Curse of the Golden Flower. In my opinion this award was well-deserved...the costumes in "Marie Antoinette" are any girl's dream and easily beat the other nominees!

-R*

Ladurée: it's a candy-colored world

Just as popular now as they were in the 18th century, gourmet macarons are a tribute to the glamorous lifestyle of Marie Antoinette. The pink macarons on the left are from the famous Ladurée bakery in Paris, and are rose petal flavored. They come in many other colors and flavors, including but not limited to: chocolate, vanilla, coffee, raspberry, lemon, etc.

There are also many pretty boxes you can order them in. My favorite is the blue “Bonaparte” box. If you’re looking for a great gift, check out their gift sets. There’s even a “Marie Antoinette” gift set decked out in purple and green. Speaking of which, the candy-colored macarons seen in the 2006 movie "Marie Antoinette" were supplied by Ladurée itself! By now you’re probably wondering where you can get your hands on these delicious treats. The Ladurée shops are located throughout Paris, and there are other locations in Monaco, Geneva, and London as well. Unfortunately, many of us live on the other side of the world (like me) and can only dream about these macarons in our sleep. But wait: Gesine, a confectionary and gourmet market in Vermont, offers French-recipe macaroons with a twist in maple, mocha, or lemon flavors. You can order them online at their website. Bon apetit!

Know of any bakeries in your area that sell killer macarons? Or a website where you can order them online? Leave a comment with your name and the name of the bakery/company in this post.

-R*