Last summer I had quite a fun time exploring how the straw hat went from an accessory used mostly by laborers to a shabby chic accessory still enjoyed today. I discovered that bonnets have a similar history, although they started out being used to protect hair while working, were extremely chic for a century or [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
When we think of Victorian hats, we tend to think of extravagant hats with feathers and lace and ribbons. However, these hats are more indicative of the late Victorian era instead of the era as a whole. Remember, the era itself was almost one-hundred years long, and the styles were bound to change throughout the [...]
Throughout the entire Victorian Era, hats were a major component to wardrobes. A hat could make or break an outfit in the same way that dress colors and hairstyles could. However, because the era lasted so long, the style of hats changed just as drastically as the style of dresses. Just as there were bustles [...]
By Donna Klein On the northern edge of Alpena, not far from the Thunder Bay River, is a gem of Northeast Michigan called the Besser Museum. Named for Jesse Besser, a pioneer in modern concrete technology, the museum is home to a variety of exhibits. Each year, the museum hosts a "Season [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]