About W&R
Hello and welcome!
My name is Cait and I’m the creator of Willoughby & Rose, purveyor of historical clothing, costumes, and accessories.
I’ve been obsessed with history from a very young age. Fashions of the past served as the gateway for me, and I spent over a decade researching and absorbing all the information I possibly could in this subject. I also dabbled in modern sewing here and there. It wasn't until 2014 that I I combined my interests upon joining a reenacting unit. I suddenly needed an entire collection of historical clothing!
I started from the bottom and worked my way up. I told myself if I could hand sew a shift, I could definitely do a petticoat. If I could handle both, I could probably manage stays. I decided if I was able to make it through all that, I would allow myself to sew a gown…and so I did. Several years later, the shift fabric has long been repurposed into other items and the stays have had their bones salvaged and the outer fabric thrown out, but I still wear my imperfectly sewn, heavily repaired petticoat to almost every event I attend. I have made so many petticoats for myself and others since 2014, but there’s something comforting about having such an old article of clothing stand the test of time.
Willoughby & Rose was opened in March 2015 because after going through the process of outfitting myself and my family for reenacting, I realized how much I sincerely loved hand sewing. I began to receive requests from my fellow reenactors for shifts and, though my offerings have grown considerably since then, shifts are definitely my “thing.”
That said, I am always up for a challenge! Recently I have expanded into the 15th, 17th, 19th, and 20th centuries, and I can't wait to do more with a broader knowledge of historical dress.