The Gilded Age included dynamics that had never been seen before in American society. The combination of enormous amounts of new wealth and rapid industrial advancements created a brand new way of life for many families. One of these new ways of life was an international lifestyle and more American families living a life of [...]
When many of us think about Gilded Age fashions we think of over-the-top evening gowns, bustles, and pure opulence. While these types of styles may have dominated the fashion world of the early Gilded Age, by the end of the century an entirely new look was trending: tailored suits. Made for everything from walking to [...]
Have you been keeping an eye on our striking new bustle dresses? I have been loving seeing each one unveiled and at the same time, looking forward to getting caught up on HBO’s new series, The Gilded Age. Because I know we have so many readers who enjoy Julian Fellows and period dramas in general, [...]
Have you gotten started on your Valentine’s yet? If not, will you know what to say when you do? Last week we explored the Regency Valentine’s manual for men, Richardson's New London fashionable gentleman's valentine writer, or, The lover's own book for this year : containing a very choice selection of original and popular valentines [...]
The classic French pannier dresses of the 18th century have been a long-time interest of mine but something that I have never delved into studying. Recently I purchased a set of antique brass bells online and when they arrived I was pleased that one of the bells is shaped like a woman wearing what I [...]
This weekend I have been hard at work preparing a presentation for Historic New England titled: The Dress Reform Movement: Who, What, When, Where, and HOW. One of the points I love making in my presentations is that the radical nature of the bloomers and the public outcry that they caused when they momentarily returned to [...]
I have often seen references to "Irene Castle Corticelli" in my research for Recollections blog posts but didn’t know much about the woman behind the brand. I love studying the lives of women related to the fashion industry of the 1910s and 1920s so have had her on my list for a while. I was [...]
I recently gave a presentation on women and the Victorian bicycle craze and explored the way that women’s fashion was examined as the popularity of the bicycle. At the end of the presentation, I touched briefly on the next craze on wheels that hit the public, the automobile. I showed a selection of images from [...]
I love studying the beginning of women and sport, especially as it relates to advancements and social change that took place in the Victorian era. Last week I was preparing to give a presentation on women and the bicycle craze of the 1890s and as the temperatures were dropping each day I started thinking about [...]