While selfies and text messages may be reminders of the time we spend with friends, in times past handmade gifts, letters, and keepsakes such as hair jewelry or a cross-stitch may have been items that people would exchange to keep memories alive. Up until the early 20th century, many people kept friendship books to capture [...]
Last week I explored the Victorian croquet craze and the role that flirtation played in the game’s quick rise in popularity. Young men and women delighted in the opportunity for casual socializing and flocked to lawns around England and America to interact. It lost as many fans as it gained, however, with many losing their [...]
I recently wrote a post on how women in the American frontier dressed as they settled into new lives in the West. I looked at how they adapted their clothing to accommodate their new household responsibilities, how they clung to the fashions of the day and those they were used to and considered feminine, and [...]
What did dressing during the Victorian era look like? It was a lot more involved than making sure you had a corset and the right style of dress for the occasion! It also involved a LOT of layers and a LOT of time to make sure that you got each one just right. Here's a [...]
Updated August 2024. There still may be a bit of summer left on the calendar, but soon the leaves will be changing color and autumn will be in the air. When that happens, all of our thoughts will turn to... Halloween! Here are some interesting tidbits about one of our favorite holidays. Halloween's origins can [...]
Where to start? I have just returned from this year’s Costume College, put on by the Costumer’s Guild West, and held at the Warner Center Marriott in Woodland Hills, California. Nearly 400 attendees, dressed in every type of costume imaginable (and some highly unimaginable) gather each year at the end of July. We come to [...]
by Donna Klein Gloves - a Part of Fashion for Nearly One Thousand Years Gloves have been used by humans for protection since antiquity. One legend relates that gloves have been a fashion statement among nobility since the 11th century when, according to The Evolution of the Glove, “the Doge of Venice, Domenico [...]
Recollections Fashion Show Recap The Lake Huron Discovery Tour 2015 has come and gone, but the Recollections fashion show at the Centennial Building in Alpena continues to live in the memories of those who joined us on October 10 for the festivities. The day started early for Recollections, with the models from the show prepped [...]
Another Period airs tonight on Comedy Central at 10PM, right after Amy Schumer. This looks like a night of serious laughs. Another Period follows the Bellacourts, a ridiculously wealthy family in 1900s Rhode Island. Think of it like Downton Abbey meets Keeping Up With The Kardashians—a spoof on reality TV with an all-star cast in [...]