Go Big or Go Home: The Merry Widow Hat

By | February 4th, 2021|Categories: Edwardian Fashion, Fashion, Hats, Victorian Fashions|Tags: , , , |

I have a lot of favorite fashions from the past. Big hats, also known as the Merry Widow Hat, are one of them. I think I just get such a kick out of how extreme the fashions of the Victorian and Edwardian eras were. Many women were looking for as many ways to stand out [...]

Edwardian women fashion: morning, noon, and night

By | August 27th, 2020|Categories: Edwardian Era, Edwardian Fashion, Style Guides|Tags: , , , , , |

The Edwardian Era was a great time for fashion! After the outward social stiffness of the Victorian Era, King VII came onto the stage with a bit of flair and a more relaxed approach, and things slowly started to evolve. With the new century also came a desire for innovation, and designers became increasingly inventive [...]

Lily Elsie – Epitome of Edwardian Beauty Part 1

By | May 7th, 2016|Categories: Edwardian Era, Fashion, Uncategorized, Women's History|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

by Donna Klein Little Elsie - talent and beauty Lily Elsie came into this world as Elsie Hodder on April 8, 1886. Her mother was Charlotte Elizabeth Hodder, a dressmaker who operated a lodging house in Armley. Leeds, Yorkshire. Less is known about her father, although the obituary of Arthur Borrows, a one-time opera tenor, [...]

Edwardian Women Loved Hair and Hats! Part 2

By | May 3rd, 2016|Categories: Edwardian Era, Fashion, Uncategorized|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Here, there, everywhere hats... Edwardian women must have spent most of their time dressing for whatever came next in their day/night. It wasn't unusual for upper-class women to have at least six changes of clothing for a weekend outing. One needed to dress for shooting, hunting, lounging, promenading, dining, and more. No accessory was more [...]