How straw hats became shabby chic

By | March 5th, 2021|Categories: Edwardian Era, Edwardian Fashion, Fashion, Hats, Regency Era, Victorian Fashions|Tags: , , |

Does anyone else feel that it has been a long winter? It really is great to have the sun shining and to know that warmer days are ahead. It has me thinking about afternoons in the sun and relaxing under wide-brimmed hats with Aperol spritzes without a care in the world. All of this daydreaming [...]

Go Big or Go Home: The Merry Widow Hat

By | February 4th, 2021|Categories: Edwardian Fashion, Fashion, Hats, Victorian Fashions|Tags: , , , |

I have a lot of favorite fashions from the past. Big hats, also known as the Merry Widow Hat, are one of them. I think I just get such a kick out of how extreme the fashions of the Victorian and Edwardian eras were. Many women were looking for as many ways to stand out [...]

Edwardian Women Loved Hair and Hats! Part 2

By | May 3rd, 2016|Categories: Edwardian Era, Fashion, Uncategorized|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Here, there, everywhere hats... Edwardian women must have spent most of their time dressing for whatever came next in their day/night. It wasn't unusual for upper-class women to have at least six changes of clothing for a weekend outing. One needed to dress for shooting, hunting, lounging, promenading, dining, and more. No accessory was more [...]

Edwardian Women Loved Hair and Hats! Part 1

By | April 30th, 2016|Categories: Edwardian Era, Fashion, Uncategorized|Tags: , , , |

Hair vs. Hats As the Victorian era neared its end, hair was as reined in as the clothing. Small hats complemented the fashion of the day. But, as the 1890s drew to a close, hair grew larger (rock bands of the 1980s had nothing on these ladies) and hats followed suit. We may have Charles [...]

SIT Weekend with Madelyn Le Page

By | December 27th, 2014|Categories: Uncategorized, Victorian Era Celebrations|Tags: , , , , |

By Sue McDonald Madelyn Le Page is probably THE most faithful attendee of the “Somewhere in Time” weekend at the Grand Hotel every fall on Mackinac Island. She and her husband have attended all of the "SIT" weekends except the first one.  So, she believes that's been 22 weekends that they have attended. One of [...]

Attending a Victorian Ball

By | June 2nd, 2011|Categories: Ball Gowns|Tags: , , , , , , |

As part of the upcoming Durango Heritage Celebration this October, we have just received formal invitations to attend a Grand Victorian Ball. The theme of the ball will be "150 Years: Commemorating the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War." Although all forms of Victorian and Edwardian dress will be permitted, I suspect [...]

Featuring the “Tea Ladies”

By | May 6th, 2011|Categories: Fashion|Tags: , , , , |

When you hear that Nancy Perzo and Karen Patton are known as “The Tea Ladies”, and that they preside over tea events at a lovely historic mansion, it might be easy to assume that they are living a life of ease and indulgence; but you would be sadly mistaken. With all of the varied programs [...]

Bloomers, Pantaloons, and Knickers – Oh My!

By | April 10th, 2011|Categories: Underpinnings|Tags: , , , , , , |

Pantaloons, drawers, knickers, and bloomers. What do all of these items have in common? During the 1800’s all were adopted by women as a necessary article of clothing. During the early nineteenth century women did not typically wear anything under their skirts and petticoats. However, during the empire period early in the century, women’s clothing [...]

Victorian and Edwardian Hats

By | April 6th, 2011|Categories: Hats|Tags: , , |

Just as most of us will not venture forth from our houses without makeup and earrings on, just so no self-respecting Victorian lady would leave home without a hat. For the purposes of this discussion, we divide the Victorian period into three parts; early (1844-1855), mid (1858-1870) and late 1872-1897 Victorian. Because we are [...]