Mimi Matthews's Blog, page 7

Victorian Romance Cover Reveal & Sale!

Today, I’m thrilled to reveal the cover for A Modest Independence, the next book in my Parish Orphans of Devon series! Since the story is set partially in India, the cover features shades of orange and spice, with an auburn-haired Jenny Holloway at its center gazing out over an Indian tea field. It was designed […]

A Holiday By Gaslight Audiobook!

I’m super excited to announce that my Victorian Christmas romance A Holiday By Gaslight is now available on audiobook! The audiobook is performed by British actor Alex Wyndham, who might be familiar to some of you from his work in the 2008 mini-series Little Dorrit, as well as in HBO’s Rome and BBC’s The Crimson […]

Victorian Christmas Decorating, featuring Frosted Branches and Gilded Acorns

There’s nothing more quintessentially Christmas than a Victorian Christmas, complete with mistletoe, tinsel, and candles on the tree. But there was more to Victorian holiday decorating than tinsel and candles. Just like us, many Victorians had a fondness for glitter and gold. In my new Victorian Christmas romance A Holiday By Gaslight, there’s a scene […]

A Victorian Lady’s Guide to Fashion and Beauty Paperback Release Day!

Today my non-fiction fashion history book A Victorian Lady’s Guide to Fashion and Beauty is out in paperback in the United States! It’s already available everywhere else in both ebook and paperback. I apologize that it’s taken so long for it to be available in the U.S. (and I doubly apologize if it’s already back-ordered […]

Victorian Dining Etiquette: Common Sense Advice for Eating in Company

With the holiday season well under way, it seems an appropriate time to review a few of the many Victorian era rules for dining in company. The etiquette of the table hasn’t changed a great deal over the years. Some rules are merely a matter of basic common sense. Nevertheless, we could all do with […]

A Holiday By Gaslight Release Day: Blog Tour, Giveaway, & More!

It’s release day for my new Victorian Christmas novella A Holiday By Gaslight! To celebrate, I’m over at the USA Today Happy-Ever-After Blog with an exclusive excerpt. I’m also embarking on a virtual book tour, complete with reviews, excerpts, and a special giveaway. So, without further ado, let’s get started! Note: I’ve received quite a few questions about this […]

Rolled Coiffures of the 1860s, featuring Rats, Cats, and Mice for the Hair

During the 1860s, ladies often wore their hair rolled back at the sides and at the nape of their neck. These rolls were usually created using false hair or “rats.” A rat was a homemade hairpiece made from the hair collected from a lady’s brush each evening. It was used to pad out the rolls […]

A Halloween Tea Party for Unmarried Victorian Ladies

In the Victorian era, Halloween parties were rife with games designed to help young ladies see into their marital futures. These games were generally played at co-ed Halloween celebrations. There were even some which could be played by gentlemen. The bulk of these games, however, were geared toward marriage-minded females. It is therefore not surprising […]

Little Ladies: Victorian Fashion Dolls and the Feminine Ideal

In November, the Philadelphia Museum of Art will be presenting a new exhibition titled Little Ladies: Victorian Fashion Dolls and the Feminine Ideal. It features four gorgeous Victorian dolls and their equally gorgeous Victorian wardrobes. The dolls—known as Miss Fanchon, Miss G. Townsend, Miss French Mary, and Marie Antoinette—were all made in France during the […]

Victorian Advice on Civility Toward Women

Nobody likes to be shouted at or spoken to in an abusive, combative tone. In the Victorian era, however, such behavior was especially distasteful when engaged in by a man and directed at a woman. Men were generally larger in size and more powerful in position. It was their duty as gentlemen to treat women […]