The Great Depression hit both Canada and the United States with devastating force, but the experience was not identical. The two countries entered the crisis differently, suffered differently, and responded differently. When you place these two countries side by side, the contrast reveals how geography, politics, and economic dependency shaped the fate of millions. 1.Continue reading “Canada vs. the United States: The Great Depression”
Author Archives: Stacey Hobbs
What Women Kept on Their Nightstands + Vanity Tables in the 1930s
The 1930s vanity was a small universe of feminine ritual, a curated collection of objects that reflected both the austerity of the Depression and the glamour women still craved. A glass dish of cold cream was almost always present, its thick, velvety texture used nightly to remove makeup and impurities, and to restore softness toContinue reading “What Women Kept on Their Nightstands + Vanity Tables in the 1930s”
How the Great Depression Re-shaped Fashion + Beauty in Canada and the United States
The Great Depression did not simply change economies; it changed aesthetics. It re-shaped how women dressed, groomed, and expressed identity. In both Canada and the United States, fashion and beauty became mirrors of survival, industries forced to adapt to scarcity, shifting values, and a new emotional landscape. Yet the two countries experienced this transformation differently,Continue reading “How the Great Depression Re-shaped Fashion + Beauty in Canada and the United States”
Napoleonic Era, Part I: Re-building Beauty After the Revolution (1799–1804)
Welcome to the Napoleonic Era in French Beauty History! Have you got your snack, a drink perhaps? Get oh-so comfortable, as we begin the next journey into French Beauty History, by delving into the Napoleon era! When the French Revolution ended, France entered a strange, suspended moment — a nation exhausted by terror, stripped ofContinue reading “Napoleonic Era, Part I: Re-building Beauty After the Revolution (1799–1804)”
How World War I Transformed Beauty and Fashion Culture
World War I didn’t just alter borders and politics, it transformed daily life, gender roles, industry, and consumer culture. And beauty is always the first place where social change becomes visible. The war created a new kind of woman, a new kind of economy, and a new kind of beauty standard. 1. Women Entered theContinue reading “How World War I Transformed Beauty and Fashion Culture”
Chanel Designed Her Creations Directly on the Body Not on Paper
Coco Chanel designed her clothes the way she lived her life: instinctively, physically, and without pretense. While other couturiers sketched elaborate designs on paper, Chanel rejected the idea that fashion could be conceived in two dimensions. She didn’t draw. She didn’t storyboard. She didn’t begin with a silhouette imagined from afar. Chanel designed with herContinue reading “Chanel Designed Her Creations Directly on the Body Not on Paper”
