History is for the cool kids!

As my name implies, I’m kind of full up with history! I have two undergraduate and a Masters degree in history, and although I’m not currently working in the field, I am still doing my own private research and many of the books I read are histories. I firmly believe that history is alive and exciting, and accessible to everyone. Today’s post is all about the fun in history and how we all can enjoy it without copious amounts of studying and lectures!

Lucy Worsley is my favourite historian; currently Chief Curator at the Historic Royal Palaces in London, she has my dream job. Her works are incredibly well researched and written but still accessible and easy to understand without any sort of historical training. While the majority of her documentaries are focused on London, she has recently started branching out across Europe. Thankfully, many of her BBC docs are available on Youtube!
Tales From the Royal Wardrobe
If you haven’t noticed, I love the topic of style and fashion. While I personally tend to gravitate towards classic items, I love seeing outlandish and out there trends. This hour long documentary covers various fashion trends of the English royal court- people legitimately wore skirts three metres wide! A lot of people don’t know that the history of fashion is a developed and fully flourished field, and that fashion is a reflection of society. This is a must watch for anyone interested in fashion.

The Real Versailles 
Nothing is more fascinating and explosive than pre-revolutionary France! The drama, the gossip, the scandals, all there in abundance. If you want to know just how to understand and manage people, look no further than King Louis XIV (aka The Sun King). Versailles was the first court to bring everyone together in a single building, and is one of the most opulent and decadent buildings in existence to this day. This is the real life history behind the BBC series Versailles, and is a fast but fascinating look at the French court!

Harlots, Housewives, and Heroines
I think that now more than ever is the perfect time to learn about the various roles of women and how they can vary and change throughout history! Harlots, Housewives, and Heroines looks at the roles and activities of women in the seventeenth century after the Glorious Revolution- you might be surprised to know just how prominent women were in their fields, and how much of a difference they made. Many people assume that women “way back when” were trapped at home, essentially slave labour for their husbands- this three part series shows just how wrong that assumption is! The first act looks at women in the royal court, the second at women in the home, and the third at work and play.



What is your favourite period in history? What subject would you love to learn more about? And do you have any historical tv or book recommendations for me?
Until tomorrow,
The Historian!