The Library Ghost

    Please keep in mind that the folks at Gentleman's Gazette , while enthusiastic about their subject matter, do occasionally make inaccurate claims like "wigs were infested with lice" (they were not; head lice drink human blood and would starve to death in a hairpiece) or "girding one's loins is about turning a robe into a loincloth" (it is simply about putting on a belt or girdle; the loins are at the lower back and hips, where the belt sits, and not the pubic area).  I have attempted to use only the most accurate of their articles and videos, but take anything about pre-1900s history with a grain of salt. General information Timeline, silhouette, miscellaneous.      English Heritage. " Fashion Through History: Episode 6 – The 1940s ." YouTube . August 19, 2025.     Hallay, Amanda. " HISTORY in COLOR: The 1960s ." YouTube . October 7, 2020.     Itzcovitz, Natasha. " Explaining 1960's Fashion ." Natasha Itzcovitz...

    This post mainly covers the period from 800–1100, during the so-called Viking Age in Europe.  This period is also called the Early Middle Ages or the Dark Ages in western Europe.  I can find surprisingly few museum-quality videos about Viking-era medicine and toys, but I will persevere! General information      Banijay History. " Norman Conquest: The Real Impact - Britain's Most Historic Towns ." YouTube . Posted October 2, 2024.     Cambrian Chronicles . " The Prince of Wales: What Everybody Gets Wrong ." YouTube . Posted October 17, 2022.     National Museum of Ireland. " Viking Ireland 4 What was Daily Life like in Viking Ireland? " YouTube . Posted November 16, 2020.     SCC Archaeology. " Anglo-Saxon Daily Life ." YouTube . Posted August 16, 2021.     Smarthistory. " Charlemagne and the Carolingian revival ." YouTube . Posted June 14, 2013. Arts and architecture    ...

    I thought I'd throw together a generic overview of western fashion, as a kind of introduction post to the period-specific introduction posts.  It covers the post-Roman era through the mid-20th century. General information     Le, Mina. " Chicago (2002): the history of showgirl costumes ." YouTube . February 13, 2021.     Rudolph, Nicole. " How much clothing did they *actually* have back then? " YouTube . June 15, 2024.     Rowe, Kaz. " Why the Medieval Aesthetic Never Dies: The History of Medieval Revival Fashion ." YouTube . April 27, 2023.     Rudolph, Nicole. " The History of Standardized Sizes in Womens Fashion and Why They FAILED ." YouTube . May 16, 2021. Accessories      Cox, Abby. " A Fashion Historian Explains the History of the Handbag ." YouTube . January 26, 2023.     Cox, Abby. " Flappers, Y2K, & Capitalism are Why Women "Don't" Have Pockets ." YouTube . Jan...

    Once again, my sources are fairly limited for this period, but I think the videos here are pretty comprehensive!  I'd love more sources for Dublin, the Kingdom of the Isles, Kievan Rus', and the Danelaw, particularly when it comes to music, poetry, and games.  Let me know if you have any! General information     Draper, Jenny. " The Collapse of the Roman Empire, or, Why were medieval people more primitive than the Romans? " YouTube . May 30, 2024.      Johnson, James. " What was Medieval Wales really like? " YouTube . August 30, 2020.      Johnson, James. " When Was The Viking Age? " YouTube . November 9, 2021. Arts and architecture      Draper, Jenny. " Why You Can't Find Vikings In London: The London History Show ." YouTube . January 18, 2021.      Johnson, James. " Viking Age Tools and the Mighty Mästermyr Tool Chest ." YouTube . August 30, 2023.      Johnson, James....

     Another in my "Young Person's Introduction to Fashion" series, this time about the Viking Age!  That's, oh, 8th to 11th centuries CE?  Not very long, all things considered, but the events have had a massive impact on Western culture.  Unfortunately, there are very few people producing entry-level articles and videos about the topic of Viking fashion, so I must apologize for using the same sources over and over. General information      Courtney. " Viking Capsule Wardrobe: Strategically Building Your Historical Closet ." YouTube . August 20, 2021.     Johnson, James. " How to Buy Viking Clothes (and What to Avoid!) ." YouTube . December 7, 2020.      Johnson, James. " Viking Women's Fashion: A (Very!) Basic Guide ." YouTube . January 5, 2021. Accessories      Johnson, James. " I Make Viking Gloves (And Play in the Snow!) ." YouTube . February 15, 2021.      Johnson, James. " REAL...