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Christie Stratos

@christiestratos.bsky.social

820 followers 150 following 460 posts

Victorian fantasy and suspense author. 19th century researcher with a passion for Northeastern U.S. history 1840s-1890s. Coffee and chocolate nonstop. https://christiestratos.com

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Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · Nov 16

It’s time for an introduction, what with so many lovely people joining Bluesky recently!

I’m Christie Stratos, author of historical suspense and historical fantasy.

*My works take place between 1840s and 1880s in the US.

*I collect all things Victorian era.

*Coffee and chocolate are food groups.

Photo of a white woman with brown eyes, and open-mouthed smile, and medium-length brown hair that is puffed on her head and curled over her shoulders. She is wearing a white Victorian-style shirt with lace trim at the neck. A gold and pearl brooch is pinned on her shirt at the center of her collarbones. She wears cameo earrings. Behind her is a bookshelf loaded with disorganized books.

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Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · 5d

Late 1880s three-piece cinnamon silk faille dress

Dinner bodice w/iridescent beaded & corded passementerie applique

Day bodice w/ciselé velvet reveres & flared cuffs, cream silk center-front plastron, scalloped silk satin ribbon ruffle to hem

[Augusta Auctions]

#19thc 🗃️ 🗃️🪡

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Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · 8d

1856 two-piece cocoa-brown silk taffeta day dress

Dusty-rose silk braid terminating in hand-knotted fringe as applied collar, bell sleeves, and peplum

Center-front two-tone cloth-covered button closures

Trained skirt, cartridge-pleated center-back

[Augusta Auctions]

#19thc 🗃️ 🗃️🪡

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Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · 9d

Happy October!

Fashions from the October 1847 issue of Graham’s Magazine.

#19thc 🗃️ 🗃️🪡

A page from Graham’s Magazine with color illustrations. One lady sits and wears a white off-the-shoulder dress with a pretty pink flower and green leaf design that runs shoulder to shoulder as well as down either side of the front of the skirt. The motif is also reflect in her hair. One lady stands in a long-sleeved light pink dress with one pink bow at the center front and a few draped with the top skirt down either side of the front. She wears a white bonnet with a teal feather and teal ribbon tied in a bow under her chin.

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Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · 11d

June 1870 Godey's Lady's Book

Right: Percale suit. Green underskirt trimmed w/plaited ruffles; upper skirt & waist of green & white stripe. Edge cut in turrets bound w/green w/a quilling above them. Waist basque cut in turrets. Coat sleeves. Green straw hat trimmed w/feather & satin.

#19thc 🗃️ 🗃️🪡

Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · 11d

June 1870 Godey's Lady's Book

Left: Walking suit. Underskirt of lilac grenadine, trimmed w/fringe & satin; the upper skirt of black silk, trimmed to correspond. Short sacque, w/revers of satin, w/coat sleeves & hanging sleeves over them. Lilac crape bonnet, trimmed w/lilac flowers.

#19thc 🗃️ 🗃️🪡

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Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · 20d

Bronze-green silk satin day dress.

Yoke ruffle and below-the-elbow ruffle over shaped sleeves. Silk box-pleated ribbon trim around cuff.

Center-front hook & eye closure.

Fitted inset waistband with cartridge pleating at center back.

Possibly Quaker.

[Augusta Auctions]

#19thc 🗃️ 🗃️🪡

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Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · 20d

One of my squirrel friends had babies! Here's one of them. Look how little she is!

@gallifreygamgee.bsky.social, here's the most adventurous one!

Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · 26d

Love your shirts! Beautiful but also comfortable looking.

Reposted by Christie Stratos

Voodoo Vintage @voodoovintage.bsky.social · Sep 6

#FashionHistory
"The fashions during this time allowed the textiles to stand out because of the vast surface areas of the skirt and a relatively minimal amount of excess trim."

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Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · Sep 2

Left: 1870s two-piece day dress. Tan, black & white striped cotton. Bone buttons. Gored skirt. Gathers at center back.

Right: 1904 two-piece afternoon dress. White pina fiber w/embroidered black dots. White lace & black velvet ribbon trim. Center back waist bow.

[Augusta Auctions]

#19thc 🗃️ 🗃️🪡

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Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · Aug 25

Autumn is coming! 🍂

1888 three-piece silk taffeta & velvet ensemble.

Bodice with velvet faux vest front.

Passementerie to reverse & cuff.

Dyed MOP buttons with silver inlay.

Matching velvet frock coat-style overjacket.

Skirt with pleated silk velvet godets.

[Augusta Auctions]

#19thc 🗃️ 🗃️🪡

Beautiful ensemble with a lovely large ribbon to tie the overjacket closed at the top. The color and material of the overjacket is reflected in the godets and the center-front material under the mother of pearl buttons.

In this photo, the bodice and skirt are together, separate from the overjacket. We can see the puff at the top of the long sleeve, adding interest to the bodice.

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Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · Aug 19

1860s black wool twill resist-block-printed paisley maternity wrapper.

Silk velvet-covered center-front button closures.

Free-falling collar in a V shape at center back.

Attached half belt, back peplum.

[Augusta Auctions]

#19thc 🗃️ 🗃️🪡

Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · Aug 3

Aww thank you so much, my BDFF! Every day I’m grateful for your friendship and your kind heart. ❤️🩷🧡💛💚🩵💙💜

Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · Aug 1

PAISLEY STRIPED COTTON AT-HOME DRESS, 1860s

Paisley stripe printed cotton at-home dress.

Calico and glass center-front button closures.

Entirely handsewn!

[Augusta Auctions]

#19thc 🗃️ 🗃️🪡

This paisley-striped dress has the colors of rust, a lighter but still bright yet deep (not neon) orange, and beige.

Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · Jul 31

SHOT & STRIPED SILK TAFFETA AFTERNOON DRESS, 1863-1865

Three-piece burgundy and white shot striped silk taffeta.

Fitted bodice w/yoke and pagoda sleeves trimmed w/triple row of fawn silk velvet ribbon and cream silk passementerie w/incorporated beaded drop fringe.

[Augusta Auctions]

#19thc 🗃️🪡 🗃️

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Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · Jul 26

Haha they know how to get down to business!

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Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · Jul 17

WOW! Now that's a jewelry suite!

Exceptionally rare set of 19th century star jewels by Collingwood & Son in its original wooden box [The Jewelry Lady's Store]

#19thc 🗃️ #jewelrysky

The jewelry suite consists of a necklace with large star-like diamond pieces of jewelry that can dangle from the necklace if the wearer would like. There's also a tiara, eating, and a brooch, all in the same star-like design.

Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · Jul 16

I’m glad you now have much more information. That’s so important, my BDFF. ❤️🩷🧡💛💚🩵💙💜

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Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · Jul 15

PINK SILK SATIN AFTERNOON OR DINNER DRESS, c. 1880

Two-piece two-tone pink silk satin gown with metallic shanked center front button closures.

Knitted metallic gauze cuff overlay.

Elaborate ruching and pleating to skirt.

[Augusta Auctions]

#19thc 🗃️ 🗃️🪡

The darker pink skirt has pleating down the center front that is uninterrupted, while to either side of it is ruching at the lower thigh area.

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Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · Jul 14

PRINTED COTTON DAY DRESS, LATE 1850s

Resist dyed and printed cotton calico day dress with tortoise shell center front button closure.

Cartridge pleated waist.

Hand sewn!

[Augusta Auctions]

#19thc 🗃️ 🗃️🪡

The dress is striped in two blues, one darker but not deep, still soft, and the other a lighter gray-blue. Up close, the darker blue has some very faint white slightly elongated dot-like stitches, and the lighter gray-blue has a more static-like elongated white stitching. On the stripes is a wavy pattern that adds a bit of interest. The wave is reddish pink on the darker color and white on the lighter one.

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Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · Jul 12

TEXTURED SILK & LACE DINNER DRESS, EARLY 1890s

Two-piece pink and green textured silk dinner dress.

Bodice with forest-green tucked silk satin stock collar, yoke & center front panel overlaid w/chemical lace.

Skirt w/applied bias satin bands & velvet hem facing.

[Augusta Auctions]

#19thc 🗃️ 🗃️🪡

Two-piece pink and green textured silk dinner dress. The bodice is the pink textured material on the back and sides, with forest-green tucked silk satin stock collar, yoke & center front panel overlaid with off-white chemical lace. The skirt has three slim gracefully draped forest-green applied-bias satin bands.

A closeup of the incredible chemical lace, which has the look of chain links leading down to snowflakes.

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Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · Jul 12

MOURNING DRESS, EARLY 1880s

Black silk taffeta with black Maltese lace cuff and overskirt edging.

Faceted jet center front buttons closures.

Asymmetrical draped satin skirt with bustle back.

[Augusta Auctions]

#19thc 🗃️ 🗃️🪡

Beautiful black mourning dress with high collar. The material has a dull shine to it on the bodice, and more of a shine from hip to knee as well as on the sleeve cuffs. The faceted jet buttons down the center draw the eye. The lace cuffs at the end of the shiny material look complex.

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Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · Jul 10

PLAID WOOL WRAPPER, 1860s

Blue & cream plaid wool wrapper, with applied black silk taffeta bands to center front, cuffs, patch pockets & hem.

Patterned silk-covered center-front buttons with velvet.

[August Auctions]

#19thc 🗃️ 🗃️🪡

This wool wrapper is in a bell shape, very comfortable-looking. The blue and cream plaid is wide, not a small plaid. The applied black silk taffeta bands down either side of the center-front buttons and perpendicular a couple of inches from the bottom, around the wrists, and across the tops of the pockets have a dull shine.

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Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · Jul 10

Two-piece cranberry ribbed silk dinner dress with horizontal tucking, silk velvet cord to neckline, cuffs & cummerbund, c. 1895-1900

Two-piece cream floral-printed cotton house dress with pink cotton bias trim & piping, c. 1884-1887

[Augusta Auctions]

#19thc 🗃️ 🗃️🪡

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Christie Stratos @christiestratos.bsky.social · Jul 7

I haven’t, but I just looked it up and it sounds like something I’d enjoy! Those costumes look incredible.