Victoria

Hello All!

It’s been awhile, with the holidays and the chaos of the season, but I’m back on track! As many of you may agree, I adore the new series, Victoria, on PBS. Not only are the costumes and sets to die for, Jenna Coleman’s interpretation of Victoria is charming. In 1837, when Queen Victoria was crowned, the giant sleeves of the era were beginning to “deflate,” the fullness moving down towards the elbow. The neckline remained quite wide, and the skirts were beginning to fill out in preparation for the enormous skirt widths of the 1850s.

With Victoria coming to the throne at such a young age, perhaps her clothing and accessories helped her to feel older and more sophisticated, especially since so many of those around her considered her to be too young to rule a nation. But, rule she did for 64 years!

Of course, it’s well known that the love of her life and husband, Albert, died quite young, and Victoria mourned him for the rest of her life. Supposedly, she would lay out his clothes every evening, as if he would be dressing the next morning. It must have been so difficult to carry on the responsibilities of ruling the country without the support of Albert at her side. Nevertheless, Victoria became a well-respected queen, beloved by her people, and did indeed rule the nation until her death in 1901. In fact, on February 2, 1901, a proclamation for a day of mourning for Queen Victoria was announced in Toronto.
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Those of you who are familiar with my Spirits of Fashion “Era Presentations” will be happy to know that I will be featuring a new talk that will cover all of the Victorian period, from the 1830s through the end of the 19th Century. Although I have previously focused on the Civil War Period and The Gilded Age, this will be the first time I’ll include all of Victoria’s reigning years. This new presentation will feature a great deal of variety in clothing and accessories as well as plenty of videos to enjoy. I have recently acquired some wonderful pieces from the Victorian and Edwardian era that are just waiting to be seen and enjoyed. Until next time, catch up on the episodes of Victoria and savor the opulence and beauty of a time gone by.

Finally, I must mention First Lady Michelle Obama. This lovely woman has shown, in my opinion, beautiful taste in clothing and accessories during her eight years in the White House. Recently featured in the October 2016 issue of InStyle Magazine, her fashion choices flatter her figure and coloring, and she always displays elegance in her style. Below, Michelle announces the movie, Argo, as Oscar winner. She looked beautiful, indeed.