4th of July Conversation-Starters Roundup

By | July 3rd, 2020|Categories: 4th of July, Revolutionary War era|Tags: , |

Happy 4th of July! To get things started, we thought it would be fun to provide you with some conversations starters, some stories of brave Revolutionary women, and some of our own content that we love.  Whether you are gathering for family BBQs, enjoying a long solo weekend, or simply enjoying a few days off [...]

5 facts about Betsy Ross and the origins of the American flag

By | June 30th, 2020|Categories: 4th of July, Revolutionary War era, Women's History|Tags: , , |

I remember pictures of Betsy Ross in my American history textbooks in elementary school and 184 years after her death many still know her as the seamstress who created the first-ever American flag. While I am glad that she is remembered, the image that many have of Betsy Ross undermines her real accomplishments as a [...]

The Victorian Laundry Day

By | June 27th, 2020|Categories: History of the home, Victorian Era|Tags: , |

Last week I wrote about Edwardian depictions of women and the threat that many men felt about women claiming more and more independence in the early 1900s. One of the common depictions was of a wife heading out of the house with the husband forced to stay at home and attend to the laundry. This, [...]

Femininity in Question: Edwardian Depictions of the New Woman

By | June 22nd, 2020|Categories: Edwardian Era, Women's History|Tags: , , , |

By the end of the Victorian Era, society was changing so fast that some people had a hard time keeping up, much less accepting it. From a cultural standpoint, the first two decades saw advances for women that were more rapid than the Western world had ever before seen. The status quo held on tight [...]

Hattie McDaniel's Continued Legacy

By | June 15th, 2020|Categories: Entertainment, Women's History|Tags: , , |

Queen Latifa as Hattie McDaniel in Hollywood If you haven’t already seen the Netflix miniseries Hollywood, I strongly recommend binging it this weekend. It is a retelling of the “golden age” of Hollywood that seeks to imagine how things could have been different if it had started off on the right foot in regards to [...]

Swimsuit Police to the Rescue!

By | June 14th, 2020|Categories: 1920s fashion, Roaring 20s, Women's History|Tags: , , |

Last week we took a look at three modern mermaids and their audacity that helped pave the way for us to frolic on the beach today. One of these women was Annette Kellerman, the famous water ballerina. Another was Esther Williams, who would play Kellerman in the biopic about her life. Million Dollar Mermaid covers [...]

Modern Mermaids: Annette Kellerman, Katherine Curtis, and Esther Williams

By | June 7th, 2020|Categories: Women's History|Tags: , , , , , |

Last week we covered the bathing machine and how women in prim and proper Victorian Europe and America enjoyed a day at the beach. The demise of the bathing machine led to the quick transition to co-ed sunbathing as more women demanded more public space. Opening up the shores to women was followed by more [...]

Women and the Victorian bathing machine

By | May 30th, 2020|Categories: Victorian Era|Tags: , , |

I don’t know about you, but to me, it feels like a decade since the last summer. Having the pandemic hit in the middle of winter and summer has made carefree days of warm weather seem like a far off dream, and it feels so good to know that it is fast approaching.  So, let’s [...]

Three pioneering women’s outdoor clubs that broke all the rules

By | May 23rd, 2020|Categories: Edwardian Era, Victorian culture, Women's History|Tags: , , , , , |

Spring is here and summer is fast approaching. While 2020 might not include family reunions, street festivals, and out of state vacations, there is still the opportunity to get out safely and enjoy nature. My own COVID-19 schedule includes daily walks in my Denver neighborhood with various exercise routines at a local park. As I [...]