I have been looking forward to doing a post on the history of paper dolls for a while. And wow - talk about biting off more than I could chew! As soon as I started prepping a couple of weeks back I realized it was WAY too huge of a topic to tackle in one [...]
After studying the S-curve silhouette a few weeks back, I started thinking about the real women behind the iconic Gibson Girl. Although the Gibson Girl was an illustration, artist Charles Gibson did use real models, and she was meant to portray Gibson’s idea of how a woman should not only look but behave. His own [...]
If there is one thing that visually defines the Edwardian era it is the Gibson Girl and that short-lived but highly distinguishable S-silhouette. The look was a far cry from the silhouette of the Victorian era: a skirt expanding at the waist with a very fitted bodice. Rather than being defined from a front view, [...]
Bessie Coleman has a remarkable story and one that should be as well known as that of any other pioneering woman from the early 1900s. As we are exploring the Edwardian era this month I jumped at the chance to feature her on the blog and do my own part to make she is remembered. [...]
The time has come! I have been wanting to dive into the history of the chatelaine and this week I got the chance. And you know what? I often get excited about the posts I write for Recollections, and this one had me clapping my hands in joy a few times. Not only are the [...]
The beginning of the 20th century was an exciting one for fashion. During the 1800s women’s clothing had some interesting “outliers” such as Regency fashions, but overall the standards of what was acceptable remained within a small window. The Edwardian era would completely change that forever. We see an artistic desire for experimentation with clothing [...]
Last summer I had quite a fun time exploring how the straw hat went from an accessory used mostly by laborers to a shabby chic accessory still enjoyed today. I discovered that bonnets have a similar history, although they started out being used to protect hair while working, were extremely chic for a century or [...]
Recently one of our customers reached out to us to purchase a new blouse to refresh a costume she uses in her most interesting of one-woman shows. She got her blouse and sent lovely compliments our way as well. When we learned that she was a long-time performer portraying 19th-century writer and missionary Fanny Crosby, [...]
Christmas in July is here! While many of us will be celebrating with warm pool parties or cocktail get-togethers, it is also a great occasion to start putting together a Mrs. Claus costume to use later in the year. I know a lot of our readers enjoy dressing up, and the world can use more [...]