Hello dear readers! I’ve not done this in quite a while, and I wanted to regroup with you before the craziness of the holidays sets in. This past year has absolutely been the most enjoyable of the blog. Focusing on history and culture with you, chatting style, I am loving it. And from what I’ve heard, you are loving it, too. This post is not only going to let you know what will be coming up on the blog in the last quarter of 2019, but also a quick recap of my major posts and series. So, without further adieu…
I’ve really enjoyed sharing my trip with everyone! I was able to see so many different things, and look at so many different areas of history. From a lot of the feedback I’ve received, a lot of readers have learned something from my posts, which is wonderful. I’m going to highlight a few of my favourite posts from the trip, in case you missed them!
Why You Should Visit Banqueting House
Banqueting House was on my to-see list for years, but it always managed to be closed while I was in London. However, I made sure to visit it on my first day in London this time, and it certainly paid off. One lonely remnant of the Palace of Whitehall, Banqueting House was the site of Stuart masques and banquets, and saw incredibly elaborate events. Peter Paul Rubens’ ceiling is jaw-dropping, and is stunning in person. Charles I was also executed here in 1649, to take a sadder turn. If you find yourself in London, absolutely stop by!
Dior: Designer of Dreams
Unless you are brand-brand-new to the blog, you will know that I utterly adored the Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibition at the V&A. The exhibition just closed and saw almost 600,000 visitors. While I did enjoy the whole exhibition, the second room, the Dior Line, and the third, Dior in Britain, were my favourites. They both featured those classic Christian Dior pieces that we all know and love, and had incredibly unique staging. I am just sad I can’t visit the V&A more often!
Women’s Fashion at the Jane Austen Centre
The Jane Austen Centre in Bath is quite small, but I loved it from start to finish! It touches on a little bit of all of the aspects of her life (both in Bath and elsewhere), and there is something for the Jane newbie to the experienced Austenite. The fashion at the Centre was one of my favourite parts. We’ve all seen those bodice-ripper Regency covers, but these faithful reproductions give you a much better idea of what Jane would have worn. I’ve also included the history behind the trends of the Regency period, and why the clothes looked like they did!
Queen’s House, Greenwich
I was excited to visit the Queen’s House in Greenwich, but it more than exceeded my expectations. The entire area of Greenwich is beautiful, and it feels like you are actually escaping the craziness of London. And the Queen’s House itself is rather small when you imagine a palace, but is beautiful in its simplicity. Built by famed architect Inigo Jones, it houses one of the most infamous royal portraits in the world (you will have to read the post to find out which). The Royal Museums Greenwich art collection is certainly impressive, and the Royal Park of Greenwich is, as well.
Ongoing History Series
I do have a few ongoing history series right now that I am really enjoying working on. I enjoy building throughout a series- I get to do more in-depth research, I don’t have to rush, and I think that you as a reader get more out of it. I am trying to keep them timed so they are periodic, though, to avoid overload! (And if you aren’t interested, it won’t be an every week thing.)
Style History: Designer Histories
At the beginning of the year, I really started digging into fashion history posts for Style File Friday. (Not every Friday, but more often!) I have been sharing the style history of different designers and their houses. In addition to Dior, I’ve shared the history of Balenciaga and the history of Schiaparelli. I love researching these designers further, because what we know of these houses today are often quite far from their founder (or don’t exist at all.) You can expect Pierre Balmain, Gabrielle Lanvin, and several other designers in the coming months! There will be one designer style history a month, so keep your eyes peeled. And please do let me know if there are any designers in particular that you are interested in!
History of Ballet
My History of Ballet series just launched yesterday with the origins of ballet! As most of you know, ballet has always played a very large role in my life, and I find the history of it fascinating. Several readers have contacted me over the years asking for more info behind the ballets that I see and review, so I thought I would share that with you. One of the important aspects of this series is that I’m going to highlight what about that period of ballet history affects what you see on stage today! And I’m sharing some of the important but potentially lesser known figures that helped in the development of ballet. (You never know, you might use it to win Jeopardy!) This is also going to be a monthly series, for the rest of 2019.
Note: I will have a post on the history of La Bayadère and on the history of The Nutcracker up before I see each of them, but they aren’t officially part of this series!
Upcoming History Posts and Series
And finally, there will be another history of Christmas series starting in November! Last year, I focused on different royal Christmas traditions. I began with the Tudors/Stuarts, continued with the Georgians/Victorians, and finished with the Windsors. This year I will be focusing on different historic recipes and traditions that you try for yourself, as well as some historic Christmas books to read! (I will also be sharing my favourite ornaments, but those aren’t historic for anyone but me 🙂 )
What are you most excited to see on the blog in the next few months? Any history blog posts you are looking for?
Cheers,
The Historian
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