She researched costumes of the past, like early 20th-century Liberty Costumes and the red, white, and blue garments made for Fourth of July parades and civic celebrations of yore. She then added her own Bode-ian twists of modern embellishment, like a fanciful emblem of Lincoln, informed by a patch on an antique children’s pullover. “I have countless childhood memories from family summertime reunions,” she adds. “My family was quite festive and loved to dress up for the Fourth, participating in the parade in the Outer Cape for many years. I still have some of the handmade costumes.”
Indeed, the designer has built up quite the personal collection of vintage and antique costumes over the years, but her favorite part of collecting is the surprises she often stumbles upon: “I recently found a handmade child’s top with applied milliner flowers circa 1940s that came with a snapshot of the girl dancing in the costume,” she says.
True to Bode’s mission, historic tailoring is made more wearable through contemporary silhouettes. The label’s sporty aesthetic further fills out the picture of American style; the new satin gym shorts and track pants reference original mid-century designs. Elsewhere, the Lincoln’s Birthplace tee is based on a souvenir shirt from the 1970s, printed with a “Lincoln’s Birthplace; LaRue County, Kentucky” graphic and embellished with decorative beadwork. And the Lincoln lantern tee reads “Old Abe, Prince of Rails” which, according to the designer, is based on Abe Lincoln’s workingman reputation and experience splitting fence rails as a youth. The Music of 1776 tee has a graphic taken from antique paper lanterns made for Abraham Lincoln’s campaign parades in the 1860s.
Shop an edit of the Americana-themed collection, below.