Author: Christine Skirbunt When we think of World War II heroines, images of spies, nurses, and munitions workers often come to mind. But another group of women quietly transformed the British home front with determination, boots, and a hoe in hand: the Land Girls. Members of the Women’s Land Army (WLA), these women kept Britain’s [...]
Author: Christine Skirbunt 250 Years 25 Decades One Nation in Motion Decade 11: 1876–1885The telephone was invented – and America started talking. The First Telephone In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell was awarded the first U.S. patent for the telephone, forever changing the way people communicated. His first words over the device were, “Mr. Watson, come [...]
Author: Christine Skirbunt In today’s digital age, it’s not uncommon to hear concerns about the impact of violent video games, explicit music lyrics, or provocative TV and films on young minds. But this pattern of blaming popular media for societal ills isn’t new. Back in Victorian England, Penny Dreadfuls – cheap, sensational fiction aimed primarily [...]
The 1930s was a key era in the evolution of women's fashion. This decade was characterized by a shift from the extravagant and ornate "flapper" styles of the 1920s towards more refined, sleek silhouettes. The glitz and glamour of Hollywood played a significant role in shaping fashion trends in the 1930s. Chic evening dresses, tailored [...]
Recollections is moving into the 21st century! (and we're not talking about clothes) A year ago, we set out on a mission to revolutionize our manual cutting processes. Each piece of clothing - be it a dress, skirt, blouse, or jacket - necessitated meticulous hand cutting using our decades of cherished patterns. It was a [...]
Happy Thanksgiving! We know it is a big week for many of you, plus the beginning of the shopping season and a flurry of activity. We enjoy being a part of your holiday season and adding some fun to it. As a special thank you for a great year and as a special kick-off to [...]
Happy Thanksgiving! I so enjoy seeing how people from the past celebrated holidays. It is something we have enjoyed covering on the blog over the years (I will link to a bunch of Thanksgiving history posts below). Vintage Thanksgiving magazine covers are a great way to see how society has changed. For instance, these days [...]
I love history myths, especially those related to fashion. For instance, I have done extensive research on both misconceptions around the idea that the bicycle craze led to the emergence of women wearing pants (or “bloomers”) and the many myths about the use of corsets in the 19th century. In my study into the history [...]
April was a great month for history news and research! I have compiled my favorite stories from sources near and far and hope that it will make for fun weekend reading. A few highlights: A comprehensive Beatrix Potter exhibition in NashvilleThe castle that marked the beginning of Catherine Howard’s downfallA guide to the Restoration I [...]