Rosy cheeks: the Victorian way

By | May 27th, 2022|Categories: Fashion, Victorian culture, Victorian Era, Women's History|

One of the first things I do when I put on makeup is to dab my cheeks with a bit of blush. I have always loved the effect and while blush has taken a back seat to eyeliner and contouring more recently, it is still a part of my most basic leaving the house routine. [...]

Victorian and Edwardian combination garments

By | May 22nd, 2022|Categories: Edwardian Era, Fashion, Underpinnings, Victorian Era, Victorian Fashions|

I love wearing petticoats! Recently I wrote a post about the history of petticoats and discovered that our readers love them as well. I am also a big fan of the history of the corset and its variations over time. It is therefore surprising that I have never done much digging into the history or [...]

Nellie Cashman: Wild West Angel

By | May 19th, 2022|Categories: American West, Old West, Victorian Era, Women's History|Tags: , |

I have recently returned back to Denver after another great trip to Tombstone, AZ. It was a magical few days full of new friendships, horseback riding, saloons, and of course, history. I picked up a copy of the Tombstone Times while I was out on one of my shopping excursions and was excited to see [...]

Teaware from times past

By | May 15th, 2022|Categories: Entertainment, History of the home, Victorian Era|

Last week I began my summer series on Victorian tea culture. There is so much to explore! One thing that interests me about the history of tea time in England is that something now considered to be so associated with the United Kingdom was relatively new in the 1800s. It quickly became an indicator of [...]

A brief history of Victorian afternoon tea

By | April 25th, 2022|Categories: Entertainment, History of the home, Victorian culture, Victorian Era, Women's History|Tags: , |

Something about springtime makes me think of picnics and afternoon tea. Last year I wrote a post that I enjoyed from start to finish on planning a Victorian picnic. I enjoyed the post so much that I referred to it for recipes to make finger sandwiches for an Easter brunch that I attended this year. [...]

Hair combs: practical and pretty

By | April 22nd, 2022|Categories: Accessories, Fashion, Victorian Era|Tags: , , |

A practical and pretty accessory that isn’t as utilized today as it was in the 19th and early 20th centuries is the decorative hair comb. This dainty little device was once seen as an essential part of a woman’s wardrobe, and many antique examples remain today. In fact, while visiting the Molly Brown House Museum [...]

Antique Easter Greetings!

By | April 15th, 2022|Categories: Edwardian Era, Holidays, Victorian Era, Victorian Era Celebrations|Tags: , |

Happy Easter Recollections Community!  I have looked forward to writing posts this time of year since I came into the Recollections blog because Easter is such a pretty holiday and I know that many of our customers love celebrating it. I enjoy Easter and this time of year because I am such a firm believer [...]

Are your egg cups ready for Easter?

By | April 13th, 2022|Categories: Entertainment, History of the home, Holidays, Victorian Era|Tags: |

I have always wished that we used egg cups for breakfast here in America. I love what a refined option it is, soft-boiled eggs are my favorite type, and of course, I love the look of the cute little device. Egg cups are something I have often thought they would be a collection that I [...]

The rise and fall of puffy sleeves

By | April 10th, 2022|Categories: Fashion, Victorian Era, Victorian Fashions|Tags: , |

The Victorian era saw many extreme fashions that came and went relatively quickly. I have covered my favorites for Recollections, including the rise and fall of the bustle, which took place in the 1880s. I have tended to focus on extreme styles that emphasized the various trending silhouettes over the years, but there were also [...]