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Miniature of the MonthClothing by Janet Middlebrook Wedding dress by Janet Middlebrook. Movies have always been a part of Janet Middlebrook’s life. The California native grew up watching old movies with her mother and to this day can recall lines recited by the likes of Clark Gable, Jean Harlow and Betty Davis to name a few. She can also tell you what they were wearing. “I love clothing from past eras,” explains the IGMA Fellow who has been creating 1/12th-scale clothing for 45 years. “Classic movies are one of my favorite things mainly because of the storyline, the stars and the wonderful fashions … the designers in Hollywood could outdo any in Paris.” Her love of period-specific fashion is all-encompassing, she adores the fabrics and trimming, the detail and talent it took to create the costuming and the stories behind the wardrobe history. “Beaders, as they were known, were paid some of the highest wages,” explains Janet of the Hollywood seamstresses. “Some of the gowns they made were so heavy the stars actually lost several pounds while wearing them!” She goes on to tell of slant boards that were used between takes so actresses could rest without sitting down to ruin the look of the costumes. Some outfits were incredibly heavily jeweled and boned making them quite rigid. Others, she says, were actually glued to the star's body to achieve a very smooth look.  Left: The 1920s peach silk evening dress by Janet Middlebrook.Right: This coat was created with silk velvet to resemble mink or beaver. Knowing these tidbits, one can only imagine what it takes to create these designs in miniature and Janet is a master of the craft in fine scale. You have no doubt seen her exceptional work in the wedding display we exhibit each year and in other vignettes throughout the gallery. Our newest acquisitions from Janet include a 1920s dress and two outerwear articles. The peach silk evening dress is made for dancing with its two-media skirt—one part being silk chiffon. The skirt is cut on a circle so when worn it swings and sways beautifully. The pearls on this dress are from about 1900 and were probably made in what was formerly Czechoslovakia. A matching slip or nude color slip would have been worn underneath this piece in the Roaring ’20s. Janet’s faux fur coat is amazing to both see and touch. She used vintage luxe fabric for the coat which she designed in a style popular from the 1930s to 1960s. “Silk velvet,” says Janet, “is very hard to find and very hard to work with because it moves and wiggles every time you touch it. I feel it is worth the effort, though, because of the drape and the look of mink or beaver.” Well worth it, indeed! Janet’s latest piece, reminiscent more of Brando than Bogart, is a vintage leather biker jacket in 1/12th scale. It was staged in front of our miniature Cox Building just last month and she helped to drape it over the mini motorcycle in true Hollywood fashion.  Janet’s version of a Harley Davidson jacket draped over a vintage motorcycle in front of the Cox Building. |
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KSB Miniatures Collection at The Kentucky Gateway Museum Center |
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