As part of the upcoming Durango Heritage Celebration this October, we have just received formal invitations to attend a Grand Victorian Ball. The theme of the ball will be "150 Years: Commemorating the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War." Although all forms of Victorian and Edwardian dress will be permitted, I suspect [...]
When you hear that Nancy Perzo and Karen Patton are known as “The Tea Ladies”, and that they preside over tea events at a lovely historic mansion, it might be easy to assume that they are living a life of ease and indulgence; but you would be sadly mistaken. With all of the varied programs [...]
My love affair with gloves began shortly after my husband and I joined a re-enactment group who dressed in 1800’s period attire. While looking for ideas for clothing I came across a picture of an outfit that stopped me in my tracks. What was so stunning? Her gloves! This lady’s gloves were the richest shade [...]
Pantaloons, drawers, knickers, and bloomers. What do all of these items have in common? During the 1800’s all were adopted by women as a necessary article of clothing. During the early nineteenth century women did not typically wear anything under their skirts and petticoats. However, during the empire period early in the century, women’s clothing [...]
When my husband and I moved to the relatively small town of Prescott Arizona several years ago, I never dreamed that I would soon be spending all my time (and a great deal of money) in an effort to look as though I lived in the late 1800’s. For my husband, the transition was fairly [...]
Many of us tend to think “Victorian” whenever we see certain floral prints, or a vintage-looking Valentines card. However, when applying the term to clothing we must follow a very specific set of guidelines. The “Victorian period” of history coincides with the ascension and reign of Queen Victoria from 1870 to 1900. Young and lovely, [...]
Hat pins! There are few accessories a lady wears that are even more fun than they are functional. Although they enjoyed their greatest popularity between the 1880’s and 1920’s, hat pins are very collectable even today because they are often fabulous, and fanciful. For those who dress in period attire, they are also an indispensable [...]