Friday, March 16, 2012

~VICTORIA MAGAZINE TWENTY YEARS LATER~

~VICTORIA 20 YEARS AGO~

Like many of you who love romantic and cottage decor I can trace my love of all things white back to Victoria Magazine.  Nothing compares to those fabulous early issues and I still find time to peruse my way through many of them several times a year.  Something about them just makes my heart sing!  Even after two decades the articles and photographs still take my breath away.
~GORGEOUS WHITES ARE EVERYWHERE~

Today I'm giving you a sneak-peak back in time.  The issue above is what Victoria looked like in March 1992 and I thought it would be fun to see what's changed and what's stayed the same.  Or better yet~what exactly would you still welcome into your home or wear upon your body after all these years?
~FABULOUS STAIRCASE POST~

I don't know about you...but this staircase post was gorgeous then and gorgeous now.
I'd so have this in my home today!
~WHITE FURNITURE?~

I actually love this pretty white ensemble and most definitely love the chest!  But the lamp...not so much!  It would have to go!  With a few updated pillows the furniture would be welcomed to stay!
~VINTAGE WHITE LINENS~

Do I need to scream it out?
YES!  YES!  YES!
~CAMBRIDGE DRESS~

Think this dress is still worth $398.00?  How about the hat for $175.00?  Wonder what they'd bring today?  If someone wanted to GIVE me this dress I would sooo wear it! 
(That is...if I could squeeze my body into it!)
~EYELET LACE HANGERS~

Still love these sweet clothing/dress hangers.
I definitely would have these in my home!
~BUTTON COOKIES~

For all you kitchen officianos out there....would you take the time to bake these charming little button cookies?
Yes...I would!
(I'd be willing to eat them, too!)
~BILLOWY WHITE BEDDING~

Would you have this Martha Stewart bedding in your home?  Love the white...but that thick quilt and lace?  Hmmm...not for me!  I favor vintage laces, cotton throws and linen these days.
(Pretty tho...)
~EISENHART BEDDING~

Absolutely NOT!
 ~GARDEN SMOCK~

Do you like this?
  ~HOW ABOUT THE PRICE?~

Twenty years ago the asking price for this pretty Gardening Smock was $99.95 which included the $5.00 to ship it!  Would you wear it today or go for something a bit softer?  How about the price?
Would you drop a single Benjamin for this?
~LANZ DRESS~

I wear solid colors almost exclusively so I wouldn't have worn this dress made in this fabric.  I did make myself a similar dress back in 1993 out of a black rayon/cotton!  I wore it with a detachable Battenburg collar and I loved it!
One of my favorite dresses ever...even now!
~CAN YOU GUESS?~

What's missing in these ads????  Color pictures?  Yes!  What else?
Hmmmm....how about website addresses!
Not a single www.com!
WOW!

As much as things change so much stays the same!
 ~C'EST LA VIE~

Such is life!
I'm back working in my studio today painting and painting and painting some more!
I seriously need to clean house tho...
But~ I think I'll do it tomorrow!
(Yes...tomorrow!!!!!)

Love to you... 

18 comments:

NanaDiana said...

I think I still have this magazine downstairs, too. That was one of my favorite magazines EVER. I would do most of those things, too, but NOT the florals. I wear solids about 99% of the time, too...and a lot of black. You can dress it up or down.

Those rooms are as lovely today as they were then. I guess it wasn't such a fad, after all. Great trip down memory lane today, Rebecca. Can it really be 20 years gone?;>O xo Diana

Sandra said...

Good Morning! I have this issue of Victoria beside my chair right now and have been looking through it as well. I think there are a lot of us who find enjoy this classic magazine.

I often think the same thing when I look through my older issues...it is a timeless publication. I still find lots of ideas, recipes and inspiration that I use today even after 20+ years. Isn't that amazing?! O.k., I wouldn't wear those Lanz dresses! :o) Yet, like you, I had dresses in a similar design and loved wearing them.

Thanks for sharing your love of Victoria.

Sandra

Theresa said...

My goodness, still beautiful:) I couldn't do the floral either! Have a blessed day dear Rebecca, hope you get lots done! HUGS!

Lynne Moncrieff said...

I live in Scotland in a town whereby it is difficult to purchase American publications, in fact practically impossible but many years ago I stumbled across Victoria and I was enthralled by the beauty of this very slim magazine. Unfortunately I was only able to buy 4 or so issues as the newsagent decided not to stock it any longer but I remember it vividly, the beauty in each page.
Now I subscribe to Somerset Life and I have to say, U.K. magazines come nowhere near the level of beauty that is in American publications, you do it so well.
Wishes
Lynne

Sherri B. said...

Oh dear...I feel so old...has it really been that long? I remember that smock and those cookies even look familiar. Even though I may have changed, it is so good that Victoria still stays the same, beauty and romance in every issue! xo

KatyDidStitches said...

I just gotta say it...the garden smock is hilarious! People who wear stuff like this HIRE gardeners to do their gardening. Wearing an expensive smock and a big sunhat and snipping a rose here and there is not gardening. Gardening is hard, DIRTY work. You should see what I wear...a pair of my hubbin's old twill shorts...a big paint-splattered sweatshirt...and Crocs!

Gee... do I sound a little cranky this morning? Probably because I have a flowerbed full of dead leaves and ornamental grasses that must be dealt with TODAY so that the emerging tulips have somewhere to grow. Is it just me...or is Spring especially early this year?

LOVE the new look, Rebecca! Been meaning to tell you that.

Kathy

Julie Marie said...

Hi Rebecca... I LOVE the old Victoria magazines, still my most favorite magazine of all time... thanks to two sweet ladies who helped me out, I received the couple of issues I was missing that I loaned out years ago, and now have the COMPLETE set of the old ones with Nancy Lindemeyer from 1987 through 2000 when she left... those are the truly beautiful ones... each month, I bring out all of my old issues for that month and browse through them all over again, remembering each and every one from back then... yes, I would wear all of those clothes and yes, I love all of the bedding, linens, etc... (just not the price tags on some!)...I also loved the article in the issue you posted about that was called "Prairie Memories"... I am such a nostalgia lady... every time I see vintage millinery in them, I think of you and your love for it! Wishing you a beautiful day my friend... I can just picture you gracing the pages of one of those Victorias... dressed to the nines and looking beautiful as always... xoxo Julie Marie

Unknown said...

I love...and miss, the soft, sweet fashions of the, 1990's.
Thanks for sharing this, blast from the past!

Anonymous said...

The wainscotting & the tea cups jumped off the page at me. I love the white bedding but would certainly prefer an older crochet trim rather than lace. The dress, not so much. I still look through so many of my old magazines when time permits. I still draw ideas from them, I only need pick them up & open the pages. Love how your blog is looking and the lead to your website. Someone is working very hard!! Hugs.. and... looking forward to seeing your prints framed. I have one frame but need to paint it. Hugs. T

Julie Marie said...

Had to come back and read all the comments... I WOULD wear the floral dresses... but hey, that's just me!... what can I say... I always was (am) a free spirit... xoxo Julie Marie PS I would even wear the garden frock... (as I stroll through my gardens and admire the hard work I do in them everyday in blue jeans and a teeshirt) and I would be sipping champagne, naturally... love you most Rebecca!... xoxo Julie Marie

Judith @ Lavender Cottage said...

Hello Rebecca
Victoria is a real inspiring magazine. I'll have to look and see if I have that copy.
I wear floral print skirts but that's about it.
Judith

Marilyn said...

Clean house? Yep, today is my tomorrow. But where am I? Puttering outside in the garden digging out an old bush and raking up fall debris. Hey-Is that a French word-debris? Sounds like one to me!♥♫

Unknown said...

They were the best. I couldn't agree more. I finally let go of most of my old Victoria's this past year. I sold them at The Rink. I'll probably regret it later. :)

Anne said...

Isn't it interesting to look back at those magazines.I used to love that magazine.Now there are many more even better ones out there.Have fun painting.

Deanna said...

i luvd the magazine then and i luv it now!
When i first saw the magazine, i was almost spell bound.
So nice to see an early one again.
d

Debbie-Dabble Blog and A Debbie-Dabble Christmas said...

Thanks so much for sharing this great issue with us, Rebecca!!
There is nothing like the older magazines! Even though I did get the new issue of Romantic Country and I am very pleased with it because there are so many pretty things featured. It is the best issues out of the last few.

Hugs,
Deb

Lauren said...

I was just reading this and am completely amazed and excited that they sell for so much! This morning as I was cleaning out under our stairs I uncovered my mother's old collection of Victoria magazines, sitting gathering dust. I persuaded her we should sell them om Kijiji (she hasn't looked through them in YEARS) for two reasons: so that we can have some much needed storage room, and to put the money away for our vacation fund. I figured it would be MUCH better than throwing them away, and that we could probably get at least $20. Apparently I was right! I was just wondering if you could help me out: how much could each issue could be sold for? Thank you so much!

Lauren said...

I was completely amazed and exited when I read your article! I was cleaning out under our stairs this morning and I uncovered my mother's old Victoria magazines, with little more wear than dust on the covers. I persuaded her we should sell them(she hasn't looked at them in YEARS) to add to our family vacation fund and to give us some much needed storage space. I figured we could probably get at least $20 on Kijiji for the set (she probably has around 40 or more, from winter '87-'88, '88, '89, '90,'91,'92, '93, '94, and '96). Apparently sellling them was the right idea! Can you imagine if we'd just thrown them out?! I was wondering if you could possibly help me out by giving me an idea of how much each issue could be sold for. Your advice would be a HUGE help!
Thanks so much,
Lauren

Blog Archive