How are you celebrating the arrival of spring? I will be spending a few days in the mountains next week, both as a farewell to the long winter we have had in Denver and also for my birthday which lands on May 3rd. I will be following in a long tradition of venturing out into [...]
Several months back I came across a framed glove on the Victoria and Albert Museum website. Upon further inspection, I was pleased to discover that it was a Valentine from 1836 from an unknown person to their unknown lover. It got me more than curious about the possibility of other existing 19th-century Valentine’s gifts. I [...]
We are going to try out a new feature here on Recollections! Knowing how much our community loves all things history, fashion, and women’s history related we will now be gathering news stories through the month that includes the latest in research on each topic. What history news would you like us to make sure [...]
I have such an interest in learning new things about Victorian culture. Last year I discovered that clovers and pigs were popular symbols to represent the start of a new year and were featured on greeting cards for decades. I wondered if there was a similar thing to learn about 19th-century Christmas cards and loved [...]
It is an example of one of those things you don’t notice until someone points it out to you, and then you see it everywhere. The wonderful founder of Recollections recently suggested that a post on Victorians and plaid may make for a fun read. I had never really thought about it before, but when [...]
Last week I wrote about the majesty of Victorian ball gowns and how there are few things I would rather look at. I can only imagine the splendor of an actual Victorian ball and a room full of more than a hundred people dressed in their 19th-century finest. Balls were more than just an opportunity [...]
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. [...]
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. [...]
It might just be me, but I absolutely love Downton Abby scenes where dining etiquette is discussed. From the downstairs staff being trained to how things played out upstairs, I find the details so intriguing; especially considering how much things have changed since. Victorian table etiquette carried over into the first decades of the 20th [...]