The Library Ghost

    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...

    Sadly, there do not seem to be many public-facing videos on pre-decimal coinage in Britain, nor the sou/solidus system in continental Europe.  Let me know if you know of any videos or articles that cover the topic! General information      Birchwood, Vasi. " I Slept on a Medieval Mattress for a Week ." YouTube . March 7, 2025.     Draper, Jenny. " Sometimes They're John, Sometimes They're Eleanor: A Genderqueer Sex Worker In Medieval London ." YouTube . February 23, 2022.      Rowe, Kaz. " Debunking 6 Lies You've Been Told About the Middle Ages ." YouTube . November 1, 2020. Arts and architecture      Birchwood, Vasi. " I Tried Medieval Pottery ." YouTube . December 19, 2025.     Donner, Morgan. " Dissecting the Medieval Bed (and making one *mostly* from scratch!) ." YouTube . February 24, 2023.     Draper, Jenny. " 700-Year-Old Palace Ruins In London: The London History Sho...

    These are old, occasionally sarcastic notes I took while reading Rowling's book on the daily lives of normal-ish people during the Middle Ages.  It's an excellent introductory text for those wishing to learn more about normal life in the medieval period, as opposed to list of battles or major political figures.  Here is the proper citation:     Rowling, Marjorie. Everyday Life in Medieval Times . New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1968.   NB: This post is not so much a Cliff Notes as a stream-of-consciousness piece.  It should not be taken as actual scholarship, and does not necessarily reflect the author's beliefs. INTRODUCTION picture opposite title page shows a building being demolished! looks like most pics will be French, some English, rarely Italian/German prob. most pics from illustrated manuscripts, e.g. Tres Riches Heures ? acknowledgement: Waddell, Helen. The Wandering Scholars . pub. pre-1968 CH. 1 CHARLEMAGNE & SOCIETY m...

    Here it is!  The 1890s list of cook books!  I'm finally free!      I think... I think I need a little time before I work on another cookery post. Baked goods and sandwiches Cakes, meat pies, fruit tarts, breads, sandwiches.      Braun, Emil. Perfection in Baking (4th ed.) . New York, NY: Emil Braun, 1899.      Hérissé, Emile. The Art of Pastry Making . London, UK: Ward, Lock, Bowden and Co., 1893.      Schurr, Eugene, comp. The Baker's Hand Book . Chicago, IL: Robbins Brothers, 1895.      Wells, Robert. The Bread and Biscuit Baker's and Sugar-Boiler's Assistant (3rd ed.) . London, UK: Crosby Lockwood and Son, 1895.      Willis, Leida A., comp. The Rumford Bread and Pastry Cook . Providence, RI: Rumford Chemical Works, c.1895.      —. The Baker, Including Bread and Fancy Baking . London, UK: Houlston and Sons, c.1890. Cocktails and punches Mixed drinks, ho...

    The 1940s concludes the Second World War and begins the Cold War .  Once again, I've separated out the rationing-specific books.  Canning guides, gimmicky appliances, and revised editions of older books predominate in the other categories. Baked goods and sandwiches Cakes, meat pies, fruit tarts, breads, sandwiches.     —. Dormeyer Electric-Mix Treasures . Chicago, IL: Dormeyer Corporation, 1949. Dinners All dinners all the time; for big meals, not little suppers.      —. Money-Saving Main Dishes . Washington, DC: United States Department of Agriculture, 1948. Jellies, pickles, and chutneys Includes marmalade, fruit preserves, Jell-O, relishes.      Cruess, William Vere, and Arthur William Christie. Home Canning (Rev.) . Berkeley, CA: University of California, 1942.     Pederson, Carl S., and H. G. Beattie. Home Preparation and Preservation of Fruit and Vegetable Juices . Geneva, NY: New York State ...

    The Edwardian era in Britain and its colonies overlapped with the Progressive era in the United States.  Life for the middle and upper classes would change drastically after the Great War, and the period is often considered a last gasp of aristocratic decadence.  As you can see, big dinners are going out of style in favor of smaller luncheons and suppers.  I couldn't find nearly as many cookery books for this decade as for the 1910s and later, but I feel there's enough to warrant publishing the post.      Miss Norton's book (under "Miscellaneous") is a fascinating glimpse into respectability politics of the fin de siècle African-American community, as well as a useful book of recipes.  The end of the volume covers etiquette, pedagogy, and Christian morality as topics of interest for parents, teachers, and young people.  I definitely recommend it if you want to get an idea of what middle- and upper-middle-class women of color we...

    After the First World War and the influenza epidemic of 1918, the 1920s were a time of desperate decadence.  Wartime rationing was lifted or lessened, though food shortages would linger in some places until the middle of the decade.   Germany suffered economically due to paying war reparations, and middle-class women across the Western world entered the job market in unprecedented numbers, impacting their expected role as homemakers.  For the United States, 1920 marked the first year of Prohibition, driving the liquor market underground and leading to mob control of alcohol sales.  In October of 1929, the USA's stock market crashed, putting an end to the Roaring Twenties. Baked goods and sandwiches Cakes, meat pies, fruit tarts, breads, sandwiches.     Bradley, Alice. Good Things to Eat: Made with Cow Brand Baking Soda . Montreal, QC: Church & Dwight, 1924.     Hill, Janet McKenzie. Cakes, Pastry and Dessert Dis...