These Victorian-era paintings of autumn leaves will make you love the season even more

By | October 23rd, 2022|Categories: 19th Century Literature, Victorian Era|

"There is no season when such pleasant and sunny spots may be lighted on, and produce so pleasant an effect on the feelings, as now in October." ~Nathaniel Hawthorne It is a great autumn season here in Denver. Luckily we haven’t had snow yet, and the leaves are getting brighter by the day. I know [...]

The history of corduroy

By | October 20th, 2022|Categories: 1950s Fashions, Fashion, Textiles|Tags: , |

Fall is here, the perfect time for corduroy clothes of all types. It’s warm, durable, and oh-so-cozy, just what one wants for the transition from summer to the colder months. Just thinking about corduroy clothing makes me picture walking through my neighborhood park and enjoying the bright-colored leaves that Denver is blessed with right now. [...]

A short history of witches’ hats

By | October 11th, 2022|Categories: Halloween, Women's History|Tags: , |

A witch has been one of the most popular Halloween costumes for women since the beginning of the 20th century. In fact, it might be one of the most enduring trends, still ranking as the top pick in 2021. It is long-lasting in most senses, with little variation to the recipe: sleek, black dress and [...]

Sarah Mognoni: Celebrating the connection between women and horses

By | October 6th, 2022|Categories: Customer's Fashions, Recollections|Tags: , , , , |

So many of our customers are involved in such interesting pursuits! It has been a joy to connect with many over the years to learn about their passions and how Recollections shows up. This week I had the chance to speak with Sarah Mognoni, an equestrian who is passionate about the connection between women and [...]

Have luxury, will travel. 19th-century dressing cases

By | October 2nd, 2022|Categories: Regency Era, Victorian Era|

I am a big fan of cute, little things. In my various research for Recollections, I have often stumbled upon dressing cases and thought they would make a fun topic for a post. As I have just returned from one vacation and am starting to plan my next one (I’m headed back to Tombstone for [...]

19th century spicy trinkets: Nutmeg graters

By | September 25th, 2022|Categories: History of the home, Regency Era, Trinkets, Victorian Era|Tags: , |

About a month ago I covered the cute history of the tie-on pocket. Part of my research involved reading articles documenting the various items that 18th and 19th-century women would carry with them day-to-day. Items of a predictable nature included keys, money, and gloves. Not-so-predictable items on my list were pincushions and nutmeg graters. "Why [...]

Jean Beraud : Documenting the Belle Epoque

By | September 19th, 2022|Categories: Edwardian Era|Tags: , , |

The work of Jean Beraud was recently brought to my attention by a member of the Recollections team and I am so glad that it was! For the past several days I have been scouring the internet to find examples of his late Victorian and Belle Epoque paintings and enjoying every minute. His art is [...]

The stories behind five of Queen Elizabeth II's most famous looks

By | September 16th, 2022|Categories: Women's History|

I have followed the British royals since I was a young girl. I was, of course, saddened to learn of the passing of Queen Elizabeth last week. It was inspiring to watch her long reign and dedication to her role and to her country. The late Queen put a lot of thought into her clothing [...]

Will you wear white after Labor Day this year?

By | September 3rd, 2022|Categories: Fashion|

Happy Labor Day weekend! We hope that everyone has a great time celebrating and easing into the last part of the year. If you are celebrating, are you wearing white? Or, will you be wearing any white to your upcoming fall celebrations? “No white after Labor Day” is a rule that most people are familiar [...]