Evelyn Nesbit – Super Model, Sex-Goddess, and Bona-fide Celebrity

By | January 8th, 2016|Categories: Edwardian Era, Uncategorized, Victorian Era, Women's History|Tags: , , , , , , |

By Donna Klein   Long before Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton, there was Evelyn Nesbit, who is considered to be America's first super model. But, how did she attain this status and that of sex-goddess?   Evelyn Nesbit's Meteoric Rise to Celebrity and Stardom   Her story begins in Philadelphia. She was discovered at the age [...]

The Most Extraordinary Story of Sister Blandina Segale – Pt. 2

By | November 20th, 2015|Categories: Civil War, Old West, Victorian Era, Women's History|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

What Made Sister Blandina Segale's Service in the Old West Extraordinary? Sister Blandina Segale wrote a memoir of her time in Colorado Territory, titled At the End of the Santa Fe Trail. Stories of her adventures while serving in the Old West have been featured in novels, television programs, histories, and even a comic book. The CBS [...]

The Most Extraordinary Story of Sister Blandina Segale – Pt. 1

By | November 19th, 2015|Categories: Civil War, Old West, Victorian Era, Women's History|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Sister Blandina Segale, Servant of God Sister Blandina Segale has been in the news lately. Earlier this month, the Archdiocese of Santa Fe (New Mexico) closed its inquiry on why she should become a saint in the Roman Catholic Church. The file has been sent on to the Vatican for consideration. So, who was Sister [...]

Emmeline Pankhurst: Suffragist – Part 2

By | October 30th, 2015|Categories: Edwardian Era, Uncategorized, Victorian Era, Women's History|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

by Donna Klein continued from part 1 ... The Suffragette Gets Radical By 1903, the women’s suffrage movement saw a lot of talk but little action in Parliament. She left the ILP, and in October helped found the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), which was only open to women and focused on direct action [...]

Emmeline Pankhurst: Suffragist – Part 1

By | October 29th, 2015|Categories: Edwardian Era, Uncategorized, Victorian Era, Women's History|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Who was Emmeline Pankhurst? I recently saw a trailer for a new movie called "Suffragette," in which  Meryl Streep portrays Emmeline Pankhurst, a political activist who championed women’s rights in Britain during the late 19th and early 20th century. I decided to find out more about this historical figure and found Emmeline Pankhurst’s story to be [...]

The Brontë Sisters – Classic Victorian Tragedy

By | August 13th, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized, Victorian Era, Women's History|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

The Brontë Sisters - the Early Days Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë were born between April, 1816 and January, 1820; middle children of Patrick Bronte and his wife, Maria. Each is remembered for literary accomplishments that might not have been fully recognized as such during their lifetimes, but continue to be enormously popular today. Charlotte is probably [...]

Harvey Girls – the Other Pioneers of the American West

By | August 10th, 2015|Categories: American West, Old West, Pioneer Dress, Uncategorized, Victorian Era, Women's History|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

The Harvey Girls were an important part of the history of the western expansion remembered today in film and by women’s history enthusiasts excited to uncover the often overlooked role that women played in Frontier America. Their story is a fun mix of American ingenuity, the pioneer spirit, and the use of women’s traditional yet [...]

First Female Buffalo Soldier

By | February 10th, 2015|Categories: Civil War, Old West, Women's History|Tags: , , , , , , |

How did Cathay Williams become the first female Buffalo Soldier?   Overview   Although African Americans have served in every American war, it wasn't until 1866 that Congress passed legislation to create six all African American army units; two cavalry (9th and 10th regiments) and four infantry (38th, 39th, 40th, and 41st regiments). The infantry [...]

The Difference between Corsets and Bustiers

By | May 19th, 2011|Categories: Fashion, Underpinnings, Victorian Era, Women's History|Tags: , , , , |

Bustiers and corsets are common historical undergarments that pair well with Victorian and Edwardian dresses. While the terms are sometimes used synonymously, in reality, they are two completely different undergarments used for different reasons. Dressing for a historic event? Check out our complete guide: Preparing for an Edwardian-themed event. Corsets The bustier and the corset [...]