Costumers of Color

08/09/2026

In March 2027, six travelers are coming with me to Italy for eight days of wine, history, and the kind of meals that make you never want to leave. Chianti Classico in the Tuscan hills, Brunello in Montalcino, Lambrusco near Modena, Prosecco in the Veneto… and the story of each place woven into every stop.

Italy By the Glass is a small-group wine journey designed for curious travelers who want to understand what they’re tasting and where it comes from. Led by scientist / public historian Gigi Coulson and scientist / wine educator Dr. Chelsea Stephens of Vinstinct™ | Learn Wine w/ Me .

Italy 2027 has two spots remaining. If you’ve been thinking about it, now is the time.

Link in bio → CostumersofColor.org Fill out the interest form and we’ll set up a chat.

07/31/2026

07/25/2026

Memories of tea time at Burgie House… and now, for the announcement of the next Regency house party in Scotland! ✨ ANNOUNCING ✨
Step into the elegance of the Regency era at beautiful Innes House in Scotland, 2-5 July 2027.

Spend four unforgettable days immersed in history, surrounded by fellow enthusiasts in one of Scotland’s most spectacular country houses.

✨ What awaits you ✨

🎭 Masquerade Soirée & Ceilidh
🫖 Afternoon Tea
🛍️ Regency Fayre
👧 Children’s Ball
🔍 Scavenger Hunt
🎲 Gambling Den
🏏 Croquet Tournament
👩‍🍳 Regency Cooking Demonstration
💃 Dance Lessons
🎨 Salon Activities
👗 Regency Fashion Show

And for those looking for even more adventure, premium experiences will also be available:

🥃 Whisky Tasting
🍷 Wine Tasting
🍸 Gin Tasting
🍫 Chocolate Tasting
🫖 Tea Tasting
🧀 Cheese Tasting
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scottish Shortbread Tasting
⚔️ Historical Fencing
🏹 Archery
🐎 Horseback Riding
🎯 Clay Shooting
🐴 Horse & Carriage Rides

Whether you come to dance until midnight, perfect your Regency wardrobe, learn a new skill, indulge in Scotland’s finest food and drink, or simply enjoy the company of friends in a magnificent historic setting, there will be something for everyone.

Who wants to plan their journey to Scotland? Ticket link in bio!

07/21/2026

Have you ever looked at a historical costuming event and thought — that looks extraordinary, but I don’t know if it’s for me?

It’s for you. I promise.

In July 2027, Costumers of Color is heading to Innes House in Moray, Scotland for the Queen’s Regency House Party by events — three nights of full Regency immersion in a real 17th-century Highland estate. Grand Ball. Masquerade Soirée. Afternoon Tea. Promenades on the lawn. Dancing. And an immersive Regency plot that runs all weekend.

All costuming experience levels welcome. A Modiste will be on-site if you need to rent or buy Regency clothing. We have a fashion guide linked in bio if you want to start planning.
After the event, we’re spending four more days in the Scottish Highlands — Speyside distilleries, Cawdor Castle, the Moray Firth coast, the Cairngorms, and the Falls of Bruar. You’re welcome to join us for the full journey or just the event.
The Duchess invites you to Scotland! Come with us.

📍 Innes House, Elgin, Moray · July 2–9, 2027
🎟 Tickets at the link in bio.

07/19/2026

Nine days. Four women. Scotland.

I started Costumers of Color because I knew there were people of color who loved historical dress and publish history but felt unseen, unwelcome, or simply unprepared to navigate spaces that were not designed with them in mind. This trip was the answer to that.

We dressed in muslin and silk in a Highland estate and belonged there. We stood in Stirling Castle where Mary Queen of Scots was crowned and we saw ourselves in that history. We walked the underground streets of Edinburgh and asked the questions that most tours don’t leave room for.

Travel is not neutral. The stories we tell about who gets to go where, and who belongs in historical spaces, matter. We are writing a different story.

Next up: New Orleans in January. Venice Carnevale in February. Italy in April. Scotland again in July. Who’s in?

07/18/2026

On to Edinburgh.

There is a reason this city appears on every list of top UK destinations, and it is not the tourist shops on the Royal Mile. It is the layers. Medieval closes tucked under Georgian terraces, layered under Victorian tenements. A skyline that looks like it was designed by someone who had read too many novels. A castle on a volcanic rock at the end of the main street.

On the way to Edinburgh from Stirling we stopped to view the Kelpies, which I highly recommend to you. The Kelpies are a pair of monumental steel Clydesdale horse-heads between the Scottish towns of Falkirk and Grangemouth. Each head is 30 metres high and weighs approximately 300 tonnes. They are beautiful and happen to be the largest equine sculptures in the world.

Next we toured Edinburgh from Cowgate to the Castle to Grassmarket aboard the Edinburgh Tour Bus — Calton Hill. Holyroodhouse. Castle Rock on the horizon. Enjoy the video of all my photos of the ancient city.

07/18/2026

On to Edinburgh.

There is a reason this city appears on every list of top UK destinations, and it is not the tourist shops on the Royal Mile. It is the layers. Medieval closes tucked under Georgian terraces, layered under Victorian tenements. A skyline that looks like it was designed by someone who had read too many novels. A castle on a volcanic rock at the end of the main street.

On the way to Edinburgh from Stirling we stopped to view the Kelpies, which I highly recommend to you. The Kelpies are a pair of monumental steel Clydesdale horse-heads between the Scottish towns of Falkirk and Grangemouth. Each head is 30 metres high and weighs approximately 300 tonnes. They are beautiful and happen to be the largest equine sculptures in the world.

Next we toured Edinburgh from Cowgate to the Castle to Grassmarket aboard the Edinburgh Tour Bus -- Calton Hill. Holyroodhouse. Castle Rock on the horizon. Enjoy the video of all my photos of the ancient city.

07/17/2026

The two sites we visited today were spectacular.

First: Loch Ness. We stopped at Drumnadrochit village, walked to the shore, and stood in front of 23 miles of cold, dark water that has been hiding something — or nothing — for a very long time. The scale of it is not something a photograph prepares you for.

Second: Stirling Castle. Whoever held Stirling, held Scotland. Mary Queen of Scots was crowned here as an infant. The Great Hall and the Renaissance Palace are among the finest rooms I have stood in anywhere in Europe. The painted ceiling alone is worth the trip.

Nothing about Scottish history is subtle.