Princess Alice and the Tragic Kiss of Fate
Princess Alice, the second daughter of Queen Victoria, didn't lead the charmed life of many 19th-century princesses. …
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Castle de Haar—straight out of a fairy tale
Rising majestically above the trees, deep in the center of the Netherlands, the towers of Castle de Haar glisten in the …
Belle of the Ball: A 5-Minute Guide to Ball Gowns
Delicately and exotically trimmed, and made of luxurious fabrics, ball gowns are the most formal female attire for …
The Roaring Twenties Fashions: A 5-Minute Guide
Dubbed the "Roaring Twenties" in Britain and America, the "Années folles" (Crazy Years) in France, and the "Golden …
Boston's 17th-Century Burying Grounds
The Grim Reaper made frequent visits to colonial Boston. Disease and the difficulties of childbirth sent many men, …
10 Fascinating Facts About the Great Exhibition of 1851
In 1851, Great Britain stood at the very pinnacle of industrial and cultural leadership of the world. But running in …
The Language of Flowers - the secret Victorian love code
For Victorians, flowers were the language of love. Proclaiming feelings in public was considered socially taboo, so the …
Peleș and Pelișor - Castles of the Romanian Royal Family
Flanked and backed by majestic fir trees, Peleș Castle, sits atop a rise in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains …
18 Victorian Seaside Pleasure Piers
Britain's heritage of piers dates from the boom in seaside resorts during the Victorian era. The first seaside piers …
Valentine's Day in the Victorian Era
From Christian martyrs to Chaucer to Shakespeare, Valentine's Day can be traced back to Ancient Rome, but it is the …
A Five-Minute Guide to Waistcoats and Vests
Today, waistcoats, or vests, are the essential third piece in the traditional three-piece male business suit. Historians …
Exquisite Pocket Watches of a Bygone Time
Designed to slip into the pocket of the new waistcoats introduced by King Charles II of England, pocket watches became a …