Historical Romance Research Reading is a semi-regular roundup of historical information shared in the last month for authors and readers who want a deeper understanding of the context for their historical romances. Got a hot tip? Send it in or give a shoutout on twitter to @RomMFA.
How to dress your historical heroine
It’s easy to focus on historical dresses, but don’t forget the accessories. Joanna Bourne discusses shawls at Word Wenches.
The drape and swirl of a shawl, the varied possibilities with all their minute adjustments were alluring to the watcher. Displaying the shawl was an art, and this length of silk or wool might well be the most expensive object a woman wore.
I think shawls are versatile enough for pretty much any scene you might find your characters in, but what about about a costume ball? I ran across a photo collection of the costumes at Alva Vanderbilt’s 1883 party.
All of New York’s elite society turned up at the Fifth Avenue mega mansion dressed as pirates, goths, animals, gypsies and other inventive and slightly ridiculous get-ups.
Media of bygone days
What are your historical ladies reading? Sandra Schwab wrote about Victorian periodicals at Heroes and Heartbreakers.
In first half of the 19th century, the market for printed matter exploded. This was in part due to the rise of the middle classes and increased literacy, but also due to innovations in printing that made the process quicker and cheaper.
The expansion of the periodical press, especially in the 1820s and 30s, resulted in the rise of the professional writer. And because articles were typically published anonymously or pseudonymously, this new market also offered new chances and possibilities for women writers.
This won’t be useful if you’re writing Regencies, but if you’re interested in the Gilded Age in America, or the Edwardian Age in Britain, here’s info and resources for finding historical film footage from the Historical Novel Society.
The old saw, “A picture is worth a thousand words” really does have relevance in historical research. I’m sure that novelists will find that a film clip showing a 1903 fire truck in action to be more valuable than reading a text description, not to mention more interesting.
Here are websites which offer free digital videos of historical/documentary short films. I’ve highlighted some that will be of interest to writers researching a historical novel. Writers who aren’t sure what their next book will be about might find that these films will spark an idea.
That’s all for this time. Follow the Romance MFA on twitter @RomMFA for more links as I find them.
