Victorian Fashion: Unmentionables, Cat’s Pajamas and Nightwear
I love the euphemism unmentionables. I love the irony of the word. After all, once said, they are mentionable. Imaginations must have been stirred by the mere mention of unmentionables. But beyond the intimate world of private conversation, unmentionables were described and depicted in the public sphere – in catalogs, journals and magazines. The boom in popular magazines for homemakers, you…
A few years ago while driving to Cleveland, I spotted an old cabinet on the curb. It was dark but traffic was relatively light, so I shouted stop. The driver stopped- and so did our friend’s who were following. In short order, the cabinet made it into the back of the pick-up truck. In the day light, it became obvious exactly why the cabinet was on the curb. But still, with a little work and some paint . . . Soon after moving into Eclipse Company Town, we moved the cabinet to the front porch.
Two weeks ago, I knew it was time that the street find cabinet became more respectable . . . more front parlor rather than front porch. After a lot of scrubbing, some sanding and a little gluing, it was time for paint. I had a bit of Copen Blue ( Sherwin Williams) and some antique white, and then the magic happened.
The cabinet looks a little different. Next, I will apply a few coats of wax. Hopefully, this cabinet will live another one hundred years!
