Clara's American Attic Free chapter

Bring a little vintage elegance back into your wardrobe.

Four illustrated guides from $19 and five 30-day challenges, on any device, with a 30-day money-back guarantee. See the books

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Take the whole attic home

Two ways to have it all at once. Each is one payment, and yours to keep.

Best value

The 30-Day Wardrobe Revival Challenge The 30-Day 1960s Wardrobe Challenge The 30-Day 1970s Wardrobe Challenge The 30-Day Forgotten Kitchen Challenge The 30-Day Hostess Challenge
The 1950s Wardrobe Revival The 1960s Wardrobe Revival The 1970s Wardrobe Revival The Lost Art of Grace

Everything

All four books and all five challenges.

$79$161 bought one by one · one payment, yours forever
  • All four books, as PDF and EPUB: the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s Wardrobe Revival, and The Lost Art of Grace
  • The three printables: the 1950s colour & capsule wardrobe guide, the 7-day "dress with intention" plan, and Clara's red-lip & pin-curl quick guide
  • All five 30-day challenges: the 1950s Wardrobe Revival, the 1960s Wardrobe, the 1970s Wardrobe, the Forgotten Kitchen and the Hostess
Get Everything · $79
The 1950s Wardrobe Revival The 1960s Wardrobe Revival The 30-Day Wardrobe Revival Challenge The 1970s Wardrobe Revival The Lost Art of Grace

The Complete Collection

All four books and one challenge.

$56$93 bought one by one · one payment, yours forever
  • All four books: the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s Wardrobe Revival, and The Lost Art of Grace
  • The three printables: the 1950s colour & capsule wardrobe guide, the 7-day "dress with intention" plan, and Clara's red-lip & pin-curl quick guide
  • One challenge: the 1950s 30-Day Wardrobe Revival Challenge, a 44-page workbook
  • 223 pages in all

The 1960s, 1970s, Kitchen and Hostess challenges are in Everything, not in this one.

Get the Full Collection · $56

30-day money-back guarantee · Visa · Mastercard · PayPal · Apple Pay · Delivered by email the moment you buy

Clara in a 1950s sitting room
Clara, in the front room

"There was a time when getting dressed was a small act of self-respect."

We did not throw something on. We put ourselves together: a defined waist, a finishing touch, a moment at the mirror before we walked out the door.

That elegance never left us. It has only been waiting, quietly, in the back of the closet, for someone to bring it back into the light. These little books are how we do it together, one lovely piece at a time.

Start with one. Wear it on a Tuesday.

Start with the decade you remember wearing.

Which decade did you wear?

Tap your decade, or keep reading and the dial turns on its own.

Volume II · Poise and manners

The manners, posture and quiet confidence that went with them.

The Lost Art of Grace: the etiquette, poise and quiet confidence of the 1950s woman.

  • 30 forgotten graces of presence, conversation and confidence
  • A full illustrated plate for every one
  • Hosting, conversation and everyday graciousness
  • A daily ritual for feeling put-together
  • 41 pages · instant PDF

30-day money-back guarantee

The Lost Art of Grace, the book

One small job a day, for thirty days.

A tick sheet, and a PDF you keep. $17 each. Pick the one that fits your house.

The 30-Day Wardrobe Revival Challenge, cover

The 30-Day Wardrobe Revival Challenge

Thirty days with your own closet. How the women of the 1950s chose, cared for and wore a small wardrobe, and which of those habits and shapes work today.

  • Week one: the closet, the one piece that fits, and the seam
  • Week two: the care, from pressing wool to a hem that does not show
  • Week three: the pieces, shirtwaist to slip, and where each hangs today
  • Week four: vintage without the costume, the tailor and the thrift shop

The challenge is $17 on its own. The Complete Collection ($56) includes this one challenge with the four books and the three printables. Everything ($79) includes all five challenges with the four books and the printables.

The 30-Day Forgotten Kitchen Challenge, cover

The 30-Day Forgotten Kitchen Challenge

For the Forgotten Kitchen: the pantry, nothing wasted, the jar and the skillet.

Get it · $17
The 30-Day Hostess Challenge, cover

The 30-Day Hostess Challenge

For the Forgotten Parlor: the table, the welcome, the gathering.

Get it · $17
The 30-Day 1960s Wardrobe Challenge, cover

The 30-Day 1960s Wardrobe Challenge

For the Forgotten Closet: your own closet, the 1960s way.

Get it · $17
The 30-Day 1970s Wardrobe Challenge, cover

The 30-Day 1970s Wardrobe Challenge

For the Forgotten Wardrobe: your own closet, the 1970s way.

Get it · $17

All five challenges, the four books and the three printables, together.Everything, $79. The five challenges alone are $85 bought one by one.

Get Everything · $79

What Clara's viewers say

"When I wear one of my 1950s style dresses, I get compliments everywhere I go. I love it!"

Shelly J. · YouTube viewer

"I remember my mother and my aunts wearing these clothes. I'm 71, and I loved those clothes."

Katherine M. · YouTube viewer

"Thank you for teaching us to bring back dressing in a beautifully feminine way."

Haydeé V. · YouTube viewer

These are comments left on Clara's American Attic videos on YouTube. They are about the era and the channel, not about these books. When readers write in about the books themselves, their words will go here instead.

Common questions

What format are the books, and can I print them?

Each one is a PDF, emailed the moment you buy. It opens on a phone, a tablet or a computer, and it is laid out so you can print it at home if you would rather hold it.

How long are they?

41 pages each, with a full illustrated plate for every one of the 30 entries. They are designed to be browsed a piece at a time rather than read straight through. The Complete Collection adds three short printables of five pages each and the 44-page 30-day challenge, 223 pages in all. Everything holds the same four books and printables with all five 30-day challenges.

What is in each book?

Volume I · The 1950s Wardrobe Revival

The Dresses: the Full-Circle Swing Dress, the Wiggle (Pencil) Dress, the Shirtwaist Dress, the Halter Sundress, the New Look Day Dress. Coats & Outerwear: the Swing Coat, the Cropped Bolero Jacket, the Trench Coat, the Fur-Collar Wool Coat, the Car Coat. Tops & Knitwear: the Twin Set, the Peter Pan Collar Blouse, the Fitted Cashmere Sweater, the Gingham Tie-Front Blouse, the Boatneck Top. Skirts & Trousers: the Circle Skirt, the Pencil Skirt, the Capri / Cigarette Pants, the High-Waisted Wide Trousers, the Pleated A-Line Skirt. Accessories: the Silk Headscarf, the Cat-Eye Sunglasses, the Top-Handle Handbag, Pearls, Wrist-Length Gloves. Shoes & Finishing Touches: the Kitten Heel, the Ballet Flat, the Saddle Shoe, the Peep-Toe Pump, the Red Lip & Pin Curls.

Volume IV · The 1960s Wardrobe Revival

The Dresses: the Shift Dress, the A-Line Dress, the Empire-Waist Dress, the Trapeze Dress, the Little Black Dress. Coats & Jackets: the Collarless Jacket, the Faux-Fur Coat, the Pea Coat, the Trapeze Coat, the Belted Raincoat. Tops & Knitwear: the Breton Stripe Top, the Skinny-Rib Turtleneck, the Pussy-Bow Blouse, the Sleeveless Shell, the Colour-Block Knit. Skirts & Trousers: the A-Line Skirt, the Box-Pleat Skirt, the Cigarette Trouser, the Palazzo Pant, the Pinafore. Colour & Print: Op-Art Black & White, the Psychedelic Swirl, Houndstooth, the Polka Dot, Paisley. Shoes & Finishing Touches: the Low Block Heel, the Go-Go Boot, the Mary Jane Flat, the Structured Handbag, the Wide Headband.

Volume III · The 1970s Wardrobe Revival

The Dresses: the Wrap Dress, the Maxi Dress, the Prairie Dress, the Peasant Dress, the Shirtdress. Trousers & Denim: the Bell-Bottom Jean, the Wide-Leg Trouser, the Corduroy Flare, the Jumpsuit, the Trouser Suit. Tops & Knitwear: the Peasant Blouse, the Ribbed Turtleneck, the Wrap Top, the Long Cardigan, the Halter Top. Skirts: the Wrap Skirt, the Pleated Midi, the Denim Skirt, the Patchwork Skirt, the Culottes. Coats & Outerwear: the Trench Coat, the Shearling Coat, the Suede Fringe Jacket, the Wool Cape, the Denim Jacket. Shoes & Finishing Touches: the Platform Shoe, the Knee-High Boot, the Clog, the Silk Head Scarf, the Gold Hoop.

Volume II · The Lost Art of Grace

The Art of Presence: the Upright Carriage, the Graceful Entrance, the Poised Sit, the Unhurried Walk, the Still Hands. The Graceful Conversation: the Art of Listening, the Warm Greeting, the Gracious No, the Withheld Opinion, the Sincere Compliment. The Confident Woman: the Quiet Confidence, the Kept Promise, the Composed Response, the Self-Respect, the Graceful Recovery. The Gracious Hostess: the Welcoming Home, the Set Table, the Thoughtful Host, the Thank-You Note, the Unflustered Hostess. Everyday Elegance: the Morning Ritual, the Signature Scent, the Tidy Handbag, the Red Lip, the Pressed Detail. The Quiet Strengths: the Patient Heart, the Kind Word, the Gratitude Habit, the Dignified Silence, the Enduring Warmth.

Do I have to dress in costume?

No, and the books are firm about that. Every entry has a "how to wear it today" note, because the point is one lovely piece worn with the clothes you already own, not a head-to-toe reproduction.

Is it a subscription?

No. You pay once and the book is yours to keep. Nothing renews and there is nothing further to buy.

Which one should I start with?

Start with the decade you remember wearing: there is a book each for the 1950s, the 1960s and the 1970s, and all three are about the clothes. The Lost Art of Grace is the odd one out, and it is the posture, manners and confidence that went with them. If you want the lot, Everything is $79 for all four books, the three printables and all five challenges ($161 bought one by one).

What is the difference between Everything and the Complete Collection?

Both hold all four books and the three printables. The Complete Collection ($56) adds one challenge, the 1950s 30-Day Wardrobe Revival Challenge. Everything ($79) adds all five: the 1950s Wardrobe Revival, the 1960s Wardrobe, the 1970s Wardrobe, the Forgotten Kitchen and the Hostess. Everything also has each book as an EPUB.

What if I do not like it?

Write to Clara within 30 days and you get every cent back, no questions and no hard feelings. You keep the files.

It has been waiting in the back of the closet.

Four illustrated guides to the loveliest clothes there ever were, and how to wear a little of them on an ordinary Tuesday. Five 30-day challenges to go with them. From $17.

30-day money-back guarantee · delivered instantly · PDF