At the 2020 Rose Parade with Ellen Snortland

By | February 18th, 2020|Categories: Customer's Fashions, Edwardian Era, Edwardian Fashion, Fashion, Recollections, Women's History|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Ellen is a writer, journalist, and self-proclaimed women’s history geek. Ellen was one of the 100 walkers who were part of the Pasadena Celebrates 2020 in this year’s 2020 Rose Parade on New Year’s Day. The entry celebrates the 100th anniversary of the enactment of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution. It was a [...]

1920: Top 5 Changes that started the Decade of Change

By | December 30th, 2019|Categories: Recollections, Roaring 20s, Women's History|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

A lot was happening in America 100 years ago, perhaps as much as there is now. The 1920s were an exciting time to be alive and remain a popular topic of interest and time from fashion history. Here are the top five changes in chronological order that started off the Decade of Change, the Roaring [...]

The Tournament of Roses Parade (Rose Parade)

By | November 21st, 2019|Categories: Destinations, Entertainment, Victorian Era, Victorian Era Celebrations|Tags: , , |

The Origins of the Tournament of Roses Parade What do you do when the “flowers are blooming and the oranges are about to bear” and it’s cold and snowy in Chicago and New York? Well, if it is 1890 in southern California, you have a “festival to tell the world about your paradise!” – Charles [...]

The 1920s Woman – Flapper and beyond

By | November 13th, 2019|Categories: 1920s fashion, Fashion, Roaring 20s|Tags: , , , , |

See part one of The 1920s Woman The Flappers emerged onto the American scene in the Roaring 20s and will forever be associated with freedom and fun. The term ‘flapper’ has roots in post-World War I Great Britain. Originally, it referred to “a young girl, still somewhat awkward in movement and who had not yet [...]

Who is Mrs. Claus? Inquiring minds want to know!

By | November 2nd, 2019|Categories: 19th Century Literature, Christmas, Holidays, Recollections, Victorian Era Celebrations|Tags: , , |

The legend continues You’re probably familiar with the story of Santa Claus and how his presence and presents have changed over the years. The origins of his wife, on the other hand, are less known. Here’s what we know. As early as the 16th century, ‘Yule and his wife’ would join local public officials in [...]

150 Years of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women

By | September 26th, 2018|Categories: Civil War, Entertainment, Victorian Era, Women's History|Tags: , , , , |

It’s been 150 years since Louisa May Alcott introduced us to the March family in Little Women and we can’t seem to get enough of the story and the characters who inhabit it. Is it because of the diverse personalities of the March siblings? Our readers have strong opinions on who is their favorite and how the [...]

Halloween Happenings 2018

By | September 14th, 2018|Categories: Halloween, Holidays|Tags: , , , |

Halloween is one of our favorite holidays! Here are some of the Halloween happenings in a few of the larger cities in the USA. We'll add more and are interested in hearing from you about your favorite Halloween happenings. Comment with the name of the event, the date(s), location, and a link and we'll add [...]

Labor Day in the USA – the workers’ holiday

By | September 3rd, 2018|Categories: Edwardian Era, Holidays, Victorian Era, Women's History|Tags: , , , , , |

The Industrial Revolution brought many and lasting changes to the labor force. We moved from a mostly agricultural society to one dominated by mechanization. Men, women, and children as young as five worked long hours in often dangerous conditions. It wasn’t unusual for people to work 12 hours a day, seven days a week for [...]

Lydia Darragh, a Revolutionary Patriot: The First American Female Spy

By | July 4th, 2018|Categories: Holidays, Revolutionary War era, Women's History|Tags: , , , , , |

According to Revolutionary War History Buffs, Lydia Darragh was a heroine who saved many lives just prior to Christmas 1777. How did she do it? Lydia Barrington was born in 1728 in Dublin, Ireland. She married William Darragh, the son of a Quaker clergyman, in 1752, at the age of 24. Three years later, they [...]