Regency dress is worn today by members of historic groups such as the Jane Austen Society. The historic style of dress plays a major role in the activities of Regency groups. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to examine the design decisions related to the personal needs and the desire for authenticity of reenactors creating Regency gowns as a historic style of dress. Data were collected using a netnographic approach. Blogs discussing the creation of 19 Regency gowns made by reenactors were analyzed to determine how the designers balanced their personal needs with their desire for authenticity. The gowns discussed in these blogs were made to be both wearable and authentic; thus, three major categories emerged from the data: personal needs, authenticity, and limitations encountered when creating Regency gowns. Finally a model, Historic Styles of Dress Design Considerations Model, was developed.
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