Seeing red: colors in the Victorian era

By | November 3rd, 2023|Categories: Colors in the Victorian era, Fashion, Fashion history, Victorian Era, Victorian fashion, Victorian Fashions|Tags: , , |

Red is one of the most striking colors and one of the colors found most in nature. It is especially ingrained in humans with it being the third color that babies recognize. Throughout history, it has also been considered the most alluring, with it showing up as a symbol of sensuality in ancient times and [...]

The history of cottagecore

By | October 26th, 2023|Categories: Fashion, Fashion history|

Cottagecore has been one of the biggest trends in “aesthetics” in the past few years and it doesn’t look like it will be a short-lived craze. The interest in the look for both home design and fashion is growing. The look emphasizes history, simplicity, and nature. Recollections is happy to now be offering clothing based [...]

Purple, please. Colors in the Victorian era

By | September 15th, 2023|Categories: Fashion, Victorian fashion, Victorian Fashions|

“Purple is the most retiring of all rich colors; it is composed of red and blue, but it is not their medium color, being heavier in its effect than the latter. Purple is symbolical of dignity, state, and regal power; it is color frequently adopted for mourning, and is expressive of gravity, sorrow, and sadness.”-Color [...]

Four fashion icons and the history of lipstick

By | September 5th, 2023|Categories: 1920s fashion, 1950s Fashions, 1950s fun, Fashion, Fashion history, Victorian culture, Women's History|Tags: , |

I love to wear lipstick and do so almost every day. Occasionally I notice that in casual settings I am the only woman doing so, but there is something about it that makes me feel like “me.” Coloring one’s lips has a history that goes back thousands of years, with it signifying different meanings entirely [...]

A brief history of hat boxes

By | March 19th, 2023|Categories: Accessories, Edwardian Fashion, Fashion, Fashion history, Hats, Regency Era, Victorian Fashions|

There is something about hat boxes that adds such a nice touch to a room or a feeling of sophistication to a scene. While they may not elicit as much excitement as vintage hats themselves, they are elegant reminders of a time past. A time of daily formality and attention to detail. A time when [...]

Did Queen Victoria turn Victorian Wedding Dresses White?

By | January 20th, 2023|Categories: Civil War, Fashion, Victorian Era, Victorian Era Celebrations, Women's History|Tags: , |

Victorian wedding dresses are a sight for any eyes - sore or otherwise. The era was a big time for weddings as life was becoming more public and both parties were increasingly given more say in who they met at the end of the aisle. Queen Victoria herself is a great example of this gradual [...]

A time capsule of glamour: hair from the 1939 New York World's Fair

By | January 14th, 2023|Categories: Fashion, Women's History|Tags: , , |

A couple of years ago I came across some great photography from the 1939 World’s Fair World of Fashion, a large exhibition space built to highlight trends and innovations in fashion. New York was just barely on the brink of beginning to compete internationally as an authority in this area and it was meant to [...]

Cardigans through time

By | December 14th, 2022|Categories: Fashion, Women's History|Tags: , |

‘Tis the season to be cozy! To many of us, that means wool socks, space heaters, and when we finally leave the house, cardigans.  A salute to the origins of the cardigan I love a good fashion history origin story! Especially those that involve accidental trends started by literal fires. Remember the story of the [...]

The history of corduroy

By | October 20th, 2022|Categories: 1950s Fashions, Fashion, Textiles|Tags: , |

Fall is here, the perfect time for corduroy clothes of all types. It’s warm, durable, and oh-so-cozy, just what one wants for the transition from summer to the colder months. Just thinking about corduroy clothing makes me picture walking through my neighborhood park and enjoying the bright-colored leaves that Denver is blessed with right now. [...]