Rolled Coiffures of the 1860s, featuring Rats, Cats, and Mice for the Hair
(Met Museum)
During the 1860s, ladies often wore their hair rolled back at the sides and at the nape of their neck. These rolls were usually created using false hair or “rats.” A rat was a homemade hairpiece made from the hair collected from a lady’s brush each evening. It was used to pad out the rolls and to help them keep their shape. Since it was made from a lady’s own hair, it provided the best match in color and texture.[…]Continue Reading
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
The Matrimonial Advertisement Release Day: Blog Tour, Giveaway, & More!
It’s release day for my new Victorian romance novel The Matrimonial Advertisement! To celebrate, I’m over at the USA Today Happy-Ever-After Blog for an interview. I’m also embarking on a virtual book tour, complete with reviews, interviews, and a special paperback giveaway. To top it all off, The Matrimonial Advertisement ebook is priced at just $2.99 for the entire week, and my last novel, The Viscount and the Vicar’s Daughter, has been reduced to $0.99 just to mark the occasion. So, without further ado, let’s get started![…]Continue Reading
A Parisian Dog Arrested for Theft
In December of 1888, the Gloucester Citizen reported on the arrest of a Parisian dog thief. Mind you, this was not a human who dognapped canines. It was, in fact, a dog who regularly absconded with goods from the fashionable shops of Paris. This dog thief is described as “a big Newfoundland.” On the day of his arrest, he entered a large shop located near the Bastille. According to the Gloucester Citizen:[…]Continue Reading
A Victorian Lady's Guide to Fashion and Beauty eBook Release Day!
Today is the ebook release of my non-fiction fashion history book A Victorian Lady’s Guide to Fashion and Beauty! Complete with over 60 images, it provides an overview of fashionable women’s clothing, accessories, and beauty essentials from Queen Victoria’s ascent to the British throne in 1837 to her death in 1901.[…]Continue Reading
