Linda
Charron began her journey to her
current business while a youngster.
Her mother taught her the art of
being a master seamstress at the
young age of seven. She took to the
skill quickly and had the best
dressed dolls in her home town of
Phoenix, Arizona. She even costumed
her third grade class play. As a
teen, she made dresses for herself
and then began to sell them to earn
enough money to construct her next
dress. Her business really took off
when her father built a Civil War
canon in his basement. Of course, he
had to go to a Civil War reenactment
to fire off his newly constructed
canon, and Linda went with him. She
was taken with the period costumes
of the re-enactors and the rest is
history.
The dress on the left is
representative of the Victorian age,
circa 1885. Check out the bustle, an
affectation imported from France.
The dress on the right is from the
romantic era of the 1830’s.
Once Charron created one unique
dress from a bygone era, she had to
create another. It occurred to her
that there might be other women who
would want something unique to wear,
but did not have the time or talent
to create a period dress. Once she
began advertising on the internet,
the quality of her dresses became
known all over the world.
Linda Charron creates a historically
accurate dress when she receives a
commission. She carefully researches
all of the intricate design details
from an era and copies them. Buttons
are sewn on the dress that are from
the era, either reproductions or
original. Lace is historically
accurate or is original, as are
jewels and other bling that ornament
a dress.
Charron scours the internet for
sources. The fabric from which the
dress is made is also accurate to
the era. Hoops and bustles are in
evidence for her 19th century
finery. She also creates period
undergarments that are necessary to
fully display the dress. “I learn
something new every day about
clothing from past times. I want to
make sure that each dress is
historically accurate,” she said.
When she receives a commission, she
carefully questions the buyer about
what period the dress will
represent, and what sort of function
it will be worn at. This all has a
bearing on the style and colors that
will be selected.
She also advises her clients to
carefully take their measurements so
that the finished dress will fit
perfectly. She has been doing this
long enough to be able to tell when
the measurements she receives are
accurate, if they are properly
proportioned. Each dress can take up
to six weeks to create.
Because of the careful attention to
detail, they can range from the high
three figures to over four figures.
“When a woman purchases a dress from
me, she is getting a one-of-a-kind
product,” Charron said.
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Charron’s dresses have won awards
at many competitions for period ball
gowns. Her website has been reviewed
all over the globe. “My goal is to
suck the oxygen out of a room when a
woman walks in wearing one of my
dresses. I want my client and her
dress to be the center of
attention,” she said. She always
asks her clients to send photos of
them wearing her dress. Women have
worn her dresses to cocktail
parties, weddings, period
reenactments. Charron counsels each
client about how to wear the dress
for the function where it will
appear.
Who buys a Linda Charron original?
An actress from Finland, a
photographer from Monaco, a cancer
researcher from New York City, a
concert pianist from California, a
dairy farmer in Germany, a tour
guide in Alaska, all have a Linda
Charron dress in their closet. “I
have friends all over the world now
who have purchased my dresses, but I
have only met one of them. I keep in
touch with clients over the
internet. People find out about me
from my website,” she said.
One of her originals designed for
Anne Mosely at the Lincoln Heritage
Museum at Lincoln College graces the
cover of a steamy romance novel
about the Wild West. Another is
featured in a television commercial.
They have been sent from her studio
in Lincoln all over the world.
The Logan County Genealogical &
Historical Society meets monthly on
the third Monday at 6:30 p.m. at
their research facility at 114 North
Chicago Street in Lincoln. There is
always an interesting presentation
from guest speakers. Everyone is
welcome to attend.
[Curt
Fox]
Frocks of Ages:
www.frocksofages.com
Linda Charron:
frocksofages@aol.com
(217)732-4399
LCGHS: 217-732-3200
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