Edwardian Era

Edwardian-era vintage crafts and fashion from The Modern Priscilla (1917) offer a rare glimpse into everyday life during World War I, where filet crochet patterns, Red Cross knitting, and elegant hairstyles reflected both beauty and duty. These 1917 magazine articles, photographs, and advertisements capture the transition from late Edwardian style into early 20th-century modernity, blending domestic arts with patriotic work for soldiers at the front. From bridal linens and doilies to family wedding portraits and housekeeping advice, this collection reveals how women’s creativity, home life, and fashion were shaped by wartime needs and changing cultural values.

Early 1900s Summer Fashion Illustrations

Early 1900s Summer Fashion Illustrations

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These fashion illustrations show what women wore in 1913, and what was in style. Apparently, embroideries were the rule, and placed where there was the smallest excuse for them. This illustration shows three fashionable early 1900s women and a little girl. On the right side is an advertisement for a Venus adjustable dress form. The text includes detailed descriptions and how to order the dress patterns to make the fashions the models illustrated are wearing.

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Converts: The Love Story of a Primitive Man and a Suffragette by Joan Paul

Converts: The Love Story of a Primitive Man and a Suffragette by Joan Paul

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You can see how the issues of womens’ suffrage had made it into the mainstream by 1913! This story about a love triangle between a suffragette, a gold digger, and an eligible bachelor was found in the July 1913 issue of The Modern Priscilla and I’ve included the text (extruded from the image- so excuse typos). I think it’s a fascinating document of womens history, and the social history of voting rights in the USA.

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Punched work darning designs, and Eight different collar designs

Punched work darning designs, and Eight different collar designs

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Here are some ideas on finishing edges and making attractive collars. Illustrated and described are Venetian Lace collars, “new look” collars (which foretell the later 1920s “art deco” look), elaborate frills on a collar, an antique Hebedo design, simple shirtwaist collars and cuffs, and dainty needlework designs on collars.

The next page is full of instructions on how to hand make punched work on scrim, covered in darning, to give the effect of openwork embroidery. Pictured on this page are lingerie pillows, peacock motifs, a chair back design, and edging. Great inspiration and instructions!

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White Edwardian Lace Dress on Andrea

White Edwardian Lace Dress on Andrea

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Andrea looked radiant in this delicate 1910s Edwardian lace dress, perfectly fitted to her petite figure without the need for a corset! The dress’s intricate horizontal lace patterns, buttoned back, and elegant craftsmanship showcase the beauty of Edwardian women’s fashion. Photographed at the Carondelet Historical Society, this vintage-inspired shoot captures the grace and complexity of historical dressmaking. Andrea’s effortless charm brings new life to this piece of history, a testament to the Edwardian era’s timeless elegance. She would have been perfectly at home reading The Modern Priscilla in this breathtaking outfit!

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A woman in a WAC uniform reading a newspaper during WWII.

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