Little Ladies: Victorian Fashion Dolls and the Feminine Ideal
In November, the Philadelphia Museum of Art will be presenting a new exhibition titled Little Ladies: Victorian Fashion Dolls and the Feminine Ideal. It features four gorgeous Victorian dolls and their equally gorgeous Victorian wardrobes. The dolls—known as Miss Fanchon, Miss G. Townsend, Miss French Mary, and Marie Antoinette—were all made in France during the 1860s and 1870s. They have painted bisque heads, leather bodies, and measure between 18 and 22 inches in height. The Philadelphia Museum of Art calls them “the ultimate toy for privileged girls of this period.” But these dolls were much more than mere toys. They were models of perfect Victorian womanhood.[…]Continue Reading
A Holiday By Gaslight: Exclusive Cover Reveal at USA Today!
Today, I’m thrilled to be over at USA Today’s Happy Ever After blog with Joyce Lamb for the exclusive cover reveal of my new Victorian Christmas novella A Holiday By Gaslight. This gorgeous cover was designed by James Egan, the same brilliant designer who created the cover for The Matrimonial Advertisement. To see it, you can click through to the USA Today website HERE. I hope you’ll all stop by and have a look! […]Continue Reading
Teeth Whitening in the Victorian Era: From Charcoal Paste to Sulfuric Acid
(Wellcome Collection. CC BY 4.0)
I like to make my historical novels as authentically Victorian as possible. However, when it comes to the subject of dental health, I’m guilty of fudging the facts. The truth is, not everyone in the 19th century had strong white teeth. Rather the opposite. In an era with no Crest Whitestrips, no veneers, and somewhat primitive dentistry, you were more likely to encounter a hero with brown or missing teeth than one with a gleaming white smile.[…]Continue Reading
On Elbows, Etiquette, and Evening Gloves
(Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna)
I can honestly say that I’ve never really paid attention to elbows. Certainly not as much as the Victorians seemed to do. They prized a delicately rounded female elbow—and abhorred one that was too sharp and pointy. Even gentlemen fell in for their share of elbow shaming. According to Victorian etiquette manuals, a pointy male elbow was worse than unattractive. It could also be dangerous. As the author of The Etiquette of Love, Courtship, and Marriage (1859) relates:[…]Continue Reading
The Matrimonial Advertisement Audiobook is Coming Soon from Audible!
I’m super excited to announce that Audible has bought the audiobook rights to my upcoming Victorian romance The Matrimonial Advertisement! This actually happened last month, but I was waiting to tell you until the ink on the contracts was dry. What does it mean? It means that very soon you can purchase the audiobook version of The Matrimonial Advertisement at Amazon, iTunes, or at the Audible store. I don’t have a release date yet, nor do I know who the narrator is going to be, but I’ll keep you all posted as I get more info.[…]Continue Reading
