Corsets & Cravats 2018: Don’t Miss This!
Image courtesy of Corsets & Cravats
I’m sitting down today with Dannielle Perry, one of the masterminds behind Corsets & Cravats, a new regional conference with some great national-level presenters, about the upcoming even in Newberry, South Carolina.
Dannielle, what made you decide to develop a new educational opportunity in South Carolina?
In the summer of 2016, I taught a workshop for the Greenville Ladies Aid Society at the home of Rose Favors in Newberry, South Carolina. At one point during the weekend, Rose mentioned a historic hotel and the possibility of bringing some vendors to the town.
The next spring, Kara Bocek of Corner Clothiers and I attended the DAR Agreeable Tyrant Symposium. The quality of the presentations was amazing. After listening to lectures on things like the weave of the fabric of George Washington’s inaugural suit, we got excited. We wanted to host a heavily research-based event. We wanted an opportunity to showcase both established and up and coming researchers. Kara and I had been to the Genteel Arts Symposium in Harrisburg, but there wasn’t anything like that further south.
I reached out to Rose Favors and Ann Maddox of the Greenville Ladies Aid Society in South Carolina and they were throwing around the same ideas. The four of us met and Corsets & Cravats was born.
Looking at the mix of workshops and presentations, this is not just clothing; there’s a great mix of material culture and “internal” culture. Music, literature, technology, religion; I get the sense that there’s a push to develop the whole context of the era. Can you tell me a bit more about the goals for the conference, and how you hope to develop it going forward?
People tend to over-simplify historic figures and eras. Behaviors are not singularly-motivated today or were they in the 19th century. I am a mother, a teacher, a milliner, a business owner, and a wife. My personal actions and behaviors are not solely influenced by the evening news. Political and military events do and did affect how people behave, but there is so much more to daily life than that.
Understanding mid-19th century culture helps people realize that Americans then were not so different than we are today. Studying denominations and religious practices helps us to understand the importance of God and worship to the average 19th century American. A study of popular literature can give us a glimpse into day to day life and the issues and concerns of people of the day.
Some topics are easier to understand than others. Our cultural sensitivity class will help interpreters deal with sensitive issues like race relations and the institution of slavery. A great place to start on any of these topics is research. We are offering a class on that too. In short, our goal is to improve the cultural knowledge of attendees to better interpret history.
Moving forward, we plan to expand beyond the opera house to the adjacent conference center to allow for more classes, attendees, and vendors. We are already making plans for 2019, so stay tuned.
Will there be a focus on the Southeast, or can those from any area of the country attend and absorb some new resources?
Our focus is popular and material culture in America. We are not regionally focused or limiting ourselves to regional topics. Information should be relevant to mid-19th century interpretation throughout the United States and Canada.
I happen to be a singer myself, so the musical workshop with actual performance included is particularly exciting. Developing living history skills to include appropriate music has so much potential in every setting and event! Is there a workshop that you’re particularly excited about attending?
Kara and I came up with topics and then invited instructors, so all of them. I honestly wish I could take every single class.
I am excited to be accompanying Colleen for the music class. Samantha Bullat (McCarty) is teaching a padding workshop to help us make our clothes fit the way they should. Sarah Hermann is examining genre paintings to find all the little things like baskets, food, utensils, and even the types of livestock that make living history scenes more authentic. Carolann Schmitt and Mackenzie Anderson Scholtz are each teaching classes that work together to give us the full picture of the underpinnings that create the correct shape for the Mid-19th century clothing.
These workshops and presentations don’t seem to be limited to the very narrow Civil War years, but rather, cover a more rounded lifetime of experiences leading up to the war. What made you look to that expanded context (which I adore, by the way!)?
People are not dropped from space into a four-year period. People had lives before and after the Civil War. They had hobbies and jobs just like we do. Many people did not know specific troop movements, but they did know about day to day life.
To have a convincing impression, we need to have a knowledge of mid-19th century cultural history. What songs would we sing, what books would be reading, how and how often would we worship, etc. are all things that we should be familiar with to properly interpret the 19th century.
We also hope to expand our reach beyond Civil War reenactors to living historians and historical interpreters who interpret and study more than just 1861 to 1865.
I also notice a concentration on really honing impressions to our individual needs, from the working classes on up, with things accessible to both urban and rural life. If I’m new to creating a first-person impression, or in the middle of revamping old knowledge, where should I start?
A lot of newbies ask me where to start. I tell them it is a process. A great place to start is activities that you enjoy in the modern world and expand from there. I started to participate in living history in the mid-1990s. I love music, so a purchased a melodeon and started researching period music. I learned what I should and shouldn’t be singing/playing. I learned to sew because I couldn’t afford to purchase the clothing I wanted to wear. I learned that I was pretty good at fabric arts, so I expanded my sewing to quilting, knitting, and even spinning.
I try to have one new thing for each event. It doesn’t have to be something you can touch. It can be something you have studied. Improve a little at each event and you will be amazed and how you learn, grow, and change.
I noticed some workshops are already sold out; what’s the deadline for registering? When will pre-registration for 2019 open?
The deadline for registering is July 15, 2018. However, we only have a few spots available and registration will close when it is full.
As you mentioned, many of the classes are already full and many only have one or two spots left. We kept class sizes from 15 to 20 people based on the subject matter and the size of the classroom. We wanted participants to be able to feel comfortable interacting with instructors and each other. We feel small class sizes contributes to meeting that goal. We are calling them classes rather than workshops because so often participants leave workshops with UFOs (unfinished objects) that take forever to finish. We wanted attendees to learn skills rather than walk away with half made objects.
Pre-registration for 2019 will open shortly after the Corsets & Cravats 2018 weekend. However, this will be a hold my spot only as we haven’t lined up all of our teachers for 2019 at this point. Some speaker class ideas for next year include heirloom gardens, naturalists, humor, and what it means to be middle class.
Is this a conference best suited for those who are more experienced with living history, or are “newbies” going to fit in well? How much experience do I need to have before attending?
You don’t need experience to attend. We have attendees who are new to living history and we have people who have been participating for decades. We have had interest from other costuming communities beyond living history. We are open to all who are willing to learn.
A quick peek at the vendors shows a well-curated group of merchants. Will the juried vendor space be open to the general public, or reserved for conference attendees?
As a vendor, this is a topic close to my heart. Being a vendor is a job not a hobby. Vendors work for weeks before an event producing, and preparing stock geared toward a specific event. We spend years and thousands of dollars researching the items we reproduce. Vendors need to not only meet expenses but make money to make the time and effort they have made to attend an event worthwhile.
The vendors will be open to attendees and the general public. The best time for the public to visit will be Saturday morning. Weekend attendees will have adequate shopping time throughout the weekend. We want to give our vendors the best opportunities possible to have a profitable weekend, so they will come back.
The overall conference cost is only $165, and that includes up to five workshops on two days and the Saturday presentations; tell me a bit more about the special events connected with the conference?
Beyond classes and presentations, weekend attendees are invited to attend a Friday night sociable, Saturday night entertainment, and Sunday morning church services. Our theme for Friday night is “What? This old thing? It was just hanging in my closet.” Attendees can wear any impression from 1830s to 1870s and will be given a chance to explain the outfit and give documentation. We will also have tours of the opera house and refreshments provided by the Greenville Ladies Aid Society.
Saturday night at 8:45 the Joyful Harps will entertain us on the opera house main stage. Sunday morning, Reverend Brantley will lead us in worship at the opera house.
For an additional fee, we are offering Tea on Friday, and Supper on Saturday. Tea will be hosted by Reverend and Mrs. John Taylor Brantley at a local tea house. Unfortunately, the tea is already sold out. Saturday evening, we have a period inspired supper at the community hall adjacent to the opera house with local SC foods. There are still spots available for supper.
Do I need to be in period dress the whole time?
No. You don’t have to dress out at all if you don’t want to. Period is dress is encouraged for tea, Friday night, and Saturday evening. We feel participants will be more comfortable during classes in modern clothing.
I see there is a period photographer; I love having a plate made as a truly unique souvenir of an experience! Looking at the photography page, there are a lot of options to suit my budget, with size, optional prints, and optional framing. How do I reserve time, and what should I expect of the experience? Could I have a wetplate done in modern clothes, or must I be in period clothing?
We are excited to have Harrington Traveling Photographic Artists joining us for the weekend. Their work is phenomenal. The Harrington’s made a ruby ambrotype of my family in a picnic scene at the Maryland, My Maryland event in 2012.
Most collodion artists only do ferrotypes, but Todd and Vivian make ambrotypes, ferrotypes, and carte de visite.
You may have wetplate done in period or modern clothes. In fact, many Newberry locals plan to come have their image struck. To make a reservation email admin@corsetsandcravats.com.
I’ve not been to Newberry SC before; what should I plan to do or see while I’m there for the conference? With independent lunch windows, where should I plan to eat? Any local specialties I shouldn’t miss?
I got help with this one. Rose is our local Newberrian. She is compiling a huge list of things to do and see in Newberry and all of South Carolina. She is not quite done with the big list, but here is an abridged version.
Where to eat? There are several places within walking distance of the opera house. For a sit-down lunch, try Figaro or Cabana. Figaro’s Chef John Worthington has promised to make some special fare for C&C attendees. Figaro market has to go lunches. There is also an ice cream shop called The Corner Scoop which has sandwiches too.
What to do? There are lots of great shops and boutiques in downtown Newberry. Two great antique shops are As Time Goes by and Eurolux. For history lovers, Rose Hill Plantation and Hampton-Preston house within a reasonable drive from Newberry. The town also has an internationally acclaimed nursery known for its orchids.
What top three bits of advice would you give to any attendee?
1. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Your instructors are happy to help you.
2. Let us know if there is something we can improve. We do not know if there is a problem unless you tell us.
3. Relax and have fun.
There you have it, everyone!
For complete information on the new Corsets & Cravats educational conference in Newberry SC, August 3-5 2018, please click through to www.corsetsandcravats.com. Register ASAP to claim one of the few remaining spots! It’s sure to be a fantastic experience for all!
