Gloves

Posted on Nov 16, 2017 in All Blog Posts, Fashion

Gloves

“Like most little girls, I found the lure of grown-up accessories astonishing – lipstick,    perfume, hats, and gloves. When I write female characters in my historical novels, getting these details right is vital.” Sara Sheridan Winter is slipping through the cracks in frosty gusts, as we rush to retrieve scarves, hats and gloves to keep us warm and snuggly. Nothing feels quite as sensuous as slipping into a pair of leather gloves lined in cashmere. Yum! An exquisite pair of gloves peeping from a Christmas stocking will surely be welcomed, and often the first gift put to good use. Over...

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Antiques

Posted on Oct 27, 2017 in All Blog Posts, History

Antiques

“Collectors are happy people.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe A cursory glance at the September/October issue of Antiques Magazine confirms that fall heralds good hunting for antique lovers. Heirloom treasures abound at the International Show at Park Avenue Armory, Fall Antiques at Rhinebeck, Boston International Fine Art Show, Deerfield Antiques Show, Delaware Antiques Show, Philadelphia Antiques & Art Show, Shenandoah Antique Expo, Natchez Antique Forum, Louisiana Purchase Auction, Houston Antiques & Art & Design, San Francisco Fall Antiques Show, and that’s just the tip of the...

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Castles & Heraldry

Posted on Oct 6, 2017 in All Blog Posts, History

Castles & Heraldry

“The very purpose of a knight is to fight on behalf of a lady.” Thomas Malory Fall hastens her steps in a leafy swirl of gold and crimson, as the scents of cider and cinnamon, wood smoke and pumpkins signal it’s harvest time. With a skip and a smile we saunter forth to enjoy the pleasures proffered at Reaissance Faires across the country. In pseudo-Medieval villages and hamlets, we encounter blacksmiths and barkeeps, constables and country maids. Everyone from Queen Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Drake and Shakespeare, to knaves, knights, and troubadours stroll the streets to delight and...

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Parasols & Summer Sun

Posted on Aug 22, 2017 in All Blog Posts, Calendar, Fashion, Seasons

Parasols & Summer Sun

Ah, the ubiquitous umbrella – from British Bumbershoot to Parisian Parasol – one shelters from the rain; one shields from the sun. We reviewed their rainy day renditions in April Showers. It’s now time for the sunny side of summer with its plethora of parasols. Rather than ducking and dodging sleet and showers, we flirt and flutter with carousels of color. Just being in the sun evokes smiles and happiness. A parasol seems less of a shield, and more of a sidekick, protecting us while joining in the fun. The Latin word umbra means “shade” and historians claim the cooling canopy formed by...

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Emilio Pucci – the Prince of Prints

Posted on Jul 21, 2017 in All Blog Posts, Calendar, Fashion, Seasons

Emilio Pucci – the Prince of Prints

        When the swinging 60’s ushered in a world of psychedelic graphics, one artist’s images stood head and shoulders above the rest – Emilio Pucci. It’s not surprising, however, since Pucci’s dazzling originality predated the Summer of Love  by two decades. His seminal ideas and epochal images were forever ahead of convention, and stand today as timeless classics. “Color directly influences the soul.” Wassily Kandinsky, Concerning the Spiritual in Art     1969 2015 worn by Kendall Jenner   Born Marquis Emilio Pucci di Barsento to an aristocratic family in Florence, Italy,...

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