The magic of the cape

By | December 21st, 2020|Categories: 1950s Fashions, Fashion, Victorian Fashions|Tags: , , , , |

We love capes and so do our customers! We carry a wide variety, from the barely-there style seen in the 1950s to full-length-style cloaks similar to those worn in Victorian times. And of all the clothing we create, the cape is perhaps the most historic. Is that a surprise to you? This week we take [...]

A short history of the hand muff, one of history's cutest accessories

By | December 15th, 2020|Categories: Accessories, Fashion, Victorian Era, Victorian Fashions, Women's History|Tags: , , , |

Last year I wrote about the various ways that women and families stayed warm during the cold months in Victorian times. I mentioned the little-known use of hot ceramic bottles sometimes placed in a hand muff and said that I’d love to come back to write more about this particular fashion accessory. Well, hand muffs [...]

100 Years of Winter Coats

By | December 8th, 2020|Categories: 1920s fashion, 1950s Fashions, Fashion, Victorian Fashions|Tags: , , , |

There is no denying that winter is here. For the past year and a half I have lived in Denver, Colorado and I am still learning about how to dress for the chilly months and I’m enjoying it more than I thought I would. I was raised in Arizona and before moving to Denver had [...]

Victorian Hair Jewelry: Yay or Nay?

By | September 26th, 2020|Categories: Accessories, Victorian culture, Victorian Era, Victorian Fashions|Tags: , , |

As a blogger of the history of fashion, I am always interested when I see a surge of interest in a particular trend of the past. One such thing that I’ve noticed is the attention given to the hair jewelry of the Victorian era. While such pieces have been on display in museums and passed [...]

Flirting with a hand fan

By | August 15th, 2020|Categories: Accessories, Victorian Era, Victorian Fashions, Women's History|Tags: , , , , |

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 [...]

Crimes of Fashion

By | April 4th, 2020|Categories: Victorian Era, Victorian Fashions, Women's History|Tags: , , , , , , |

How Women Used Their Skirts to Smuggle Goods in the Victorian Era When I covered the rise and fall of the bustle in a post late last year, one of our readers brought up a good point. The extra space under the skirts of the popular dress styles of the mid to late 1800s would [...]

Caption this! Welcome Victorian and Edwardian Spring 2020 and win $50

By | March 21st, 2020|Categories: Contests and Games, Edwardian Era, Fashion, Recollections, Victorian Era, Victorian Fashions|Tags: , , |

We welcome Spring this week with this caption contest. Your caption can be funny, thoughtful, or even a poem. Our panel of judges will choose from the entries to determine the winners. Each winner receives a $50 gift coupon to use on regularly-priced merchandise at our website! Enter your caption by midnight PT on Wednesday, [...]

Pioneer Clothing: What Women Wore in the Western Frontier

By | February 4th, 2020|Categories: American West, Fashion, Old West, Pioneer Dress, Victorian Era, Victorian Fashions, Women's History|Tags: , , |

As many of our readers, I enjoy spending my free time dreaming about owning Victorian gowns and wishing that I could spend more time in the layers, colors, ribbons, and elegance that come to mind when I think of the era. I am also a true woman of the Southwest - an Arizona native and [...]

Staying warm in the Victorian winter

By | January 14th, 2020|Categories: Victorian Era, Victorian Fashions|Tags: , , , , , |

A few weeks ago I bought my first pair of snow boots and cannot believe the difference that they have made in my overall comfort this winter. I have recently moved to snowy Denver after five years in Australia and had to accept that my Converse Allstars aren’t really the best for walking around icy [...]