A brief look at Victorian party etiquette

By | January 4th, 2024|Categories: Entertainment, Victorian culture, Victorian Era, Victorian Era Celebrations|Tags: , , |

Did you enjoy your holiday season? If so, how are you adjusting to being back into the swing of things? It has been a bit challenging for me as I would much rather be continuing to have fun hangouts with friends. There must be something in the air, as the invites have continued coming in.  [...]

The social season: 19th Century's time to party

By | May 27th, 2023|Categories: Entertainment, Regency Era, Victorian culture, Victorian Era|Tags: , , , |

Did you know that if it was 1823 rather than 2023 many of us would be right in the middle of the “social season”? From Jane Austen novels to Bridgerton, it is commonly referred to in stories set in the 19th century, and as I start to make my own plans for what is sure [...]

January History News Roundup

By | January 31st, 2023|Categories: Victorian culture, Victorian Era, Women's History|Tags: , |

We are going to try out a new feature here on Recollections! Knowing how much our community loves all things history, fashion, and women’s history related we will now be gathering news stories through the month that includes the latest in research on each topic.  What history news would you like us to make sure [...]

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 [...]

Preserving Victorian architecture: San Francisco's Painted Ladies

By | July 24th, 2022|Categories: Victorian Era|Tags: , |

Late Victorian architecture is the stuff that fairy tales are adorned with. It was a time of expanding wealth for the “common man” and homes reflect the desire that so many had to embrace and display their abundance. Exteriors were adorned from top to bottom with as many embellishments as possible. The famous “painted ladies” [...]

Have fun, but not too much fun: Victorian ball etiquette

By | June 16th, 2022|Categories: Entertainment, Victorian culture, Victorian Era, Victorian Era Celebrations|Tags: |

Last week I wrote about the majesty of Victorian ball gowns and how there are few things I would rather look at. I can only imagine the splendor of an actual Victorian ball and a room full of more than a hundred people dressed in their 19th-century finest. Balls were more than just an opportunity [...]

The rise and fall of puffy sleeves

By | April 10th, 2022|Categories: Fashion, Victorian Era, Victorian Fashions|Tags: , |

The Victorian era saw many extreme fashions that came and went relatively quickly. I have covered my favorites for Recollections, including the rise and fall of the bustle, which took place in the 1880s. I have tended to focus on extreme styles that emphasized the various trending silhouettes over the years, but there were also [...]

Victorian traveling dress: guidelines for a proper lady

By | March 3rd, 2022|Categories: Fashion, Victorian Era, Victorian Fashions, Women's History|Tags: , |

The travel bug has bitten me once again! I have been a world traveler my entire adult life and found it challenging to stay put the last two years, though I did gain a lot from doing so. My first trip since the beginning of the pandemic was my glorious Christmas holiday to Tombstone Monument [...]

Snapdragon: Extreme Victorian Parlour Game

By | December 22nd, 2021|Categories: Christmas, Entertainment, History of the home, Holidays, Victorian Era, Victorian Era Celebrations|Tags: , , , |

How do you spend time with family and loved ones over the Christmas holiday? Are there games or traditions that you enjoy? Do any of them involve trying not to catch on fire? In the Victorian era, that is exactly what one could anticipate with the playing of a popular Christmas eve parlour game, snapdragon.  [...]