 |
| "My doll is asking, are these are summer clothes?" "Yes, dear, this is 1849." |
There is something that I love about stories that are true. When I was in grad school, what inspired me was how in the really popular, third-rate Victorian novels, the writers put in all sorts of extraneous things about fashion and parties and everyday life, in a way that Dickens (for example) did not (because he was more artistic/creative/what have you). In other words - things about real life. Things that were not made up.
And it is no surprise I guess that it is hard for me to write fiction. I have not given it up or anything but I am looking at all the posts I have written here - which were always meant to form the basis of a book - and I'm thinking about what to do with them. It may well be that what I was meant to do was more of, say, an encyclopedia of odd pop-cultural moments in NYC history: fortune tellers and mock marriages and emerald fireworks over Brooklyn Heights in the 1840s. I've found the story of a bigamous woman in the 1850s in NYC that is fascinating. And more true crime. And ghost stories. And patent medicines.
I've also discovered some 18th century ancestors (in Germany) who were actors and actresses (one of them had his own traveling troupe), and another who was a minor poet-playwright who was not a success, and ended up working as a court secretary. He kept writing poems, though, even while he was a court secretary - which in itself is rather inspiring to me! Anyway, I might write about them once I translate all the masses of information I have about them, most of which is in Fraktur (an old-fashioned, Gothic typeface that is a bit tricky to read, never mind that my German is a bit rusty anyway).
So it may be that I will continue Dime Museum while shaping selected posts into a pop history book. Or else I'll start that new blog specifically for the pop history book project. I will also probably try my hand at fictionalizing some of the stories - just for fun, which will take the pressure off. Oh, and I'm going to revive my reading skills in German, too (I'll give it a good try, though).
The image is from NYPL Digital Gallery and shows the latest fashions for August 1849 from Godey's Lady's Book. I can't imagine wearing this sort of thing in August - even if it wasn't quite as hot as this August is turning out to be!
4 comments:
A book would be so cool. As a native New Yorker, your blog and the Bowery Boys, keeps me informed of cool things about my city.
I just found your blog, from looking up something that I saw on tv about a phosphate drink from yesteryear, and wow. Time to start browsing your blog :)
Someone please explain to me how women weren't constantly passing out in those outfits, especially knowing they were wearing corsets as well.
Elizabeth - Thank you! I really appreciate the encouragement :)
Diane - Thank you so much! It means so much to me to know that people are reading (and I hope enjoying) what I write - I really do love writing history stuff, it feels great to be getting back to it.
thedickdujour - I wonder about that too. I think that they got used to things like diminished lung capacity etc (what fun, huh?) but suffered quite a bit all the same. Especially in the hot weather, can you imagine?
Post a Comment