Three Essentials Every Writer Needs in Her Office

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I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I absolutely adore my job. Sure, there are days when the research can become overwhelming and the words just won’t flow onto the page. But most of the time, I feel so unbelievably lucky that I get to wake up, sit down in my sunny office with a big ol’ cup of coffee and spend the day going back in time.

I’ll tell you something I don’t like about being a writer, though: the deadlines. They’re totally a necessary evil—if it weren’t for them I never would have researched, written and edited a book a year for the last eleven years--but sometimes, deadlines drive me a bit crazy!

Somewhere around my fourth or fifth book, though, I finally figured out a few routines and habits that make my deadline-driven work more bearable. If you ask me, it all starts with what you keep in your office.

So what’s on my desk? Here are three of the most important items. Take one of these away, and there’s a good chance I might miss my daily deadline. You don’t want to run into me on a day when that happens!

Keyboard Wrist Rest (boy, that’s a mouthful!)

Sometimes I’ll be typing away for hours on end and not realize how long I’ve been holding my wrists in the same position. OUCH! These wrist rests (try saying that three times fast!) are great for, well, resting my tired wrists as I pound out one scene after another. If you’ve never used a wrist rest before, trust me, it could change your life!

A Beverage With Sugar or Caffeine

Photo Credit

I’ll take any combination of sugar and caffeine I can get my hands on. Lattes, hot cocoa and sweet tea are constant companions at my desk. I love my beverages for the extra burst of energy they provide, but sometimes, its more about the routine than the caffeine itself. Some days, I’ll pour myself a cup of coffee and then let it sit untouched on my desk while I write. Something about having that steam and aroma in the air just gets my creative juices flowing!

Do Not Disturb Sign

Okay, so this one isn’t technically on my desk, but it’s too important not to include. My cute little cross-stitched “GO AWAY” sign actually lives right outside my office, on my door handle. It’s probably more crucial to my ability to hit deadline than anything else. I sure do love my family, but distractions while I’m “in the zone” can really mess up my groove! A closed office door and a nice little Do Not Disturb sign are great tools for those who stop by know that I mean business today. Too bad Cowboy can’t read… 

What items do you keep in your office to help you stay on top of your work? And are you as addicted to caffeine as I am? Let’s chat! You can find me on Twitter @DeeanneGist or on my Facebook page! 

Want a Sneak Peek at Tiffany Girl?

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Ohmygosh, can you believe we’re under a month away from the release of Tiffany Girl? I’m so excited that sometimes I feel tempted to count down not just the days, but also the hours and minutes until the book hits shelves. Let’s see...we’re 27 days away from May 5th...so that’s something like 648 hours or 38,880 minutes, right? Oh, golly. That took me forever to figure out and I have no idea if it’s even right. I guess there’s a reason I chose to go into writing, not math!

In any event, I realized I simply couldn’t wait another second to share the first few chapters of Tiffany Girl with you. So I asked the publisher if I could, and they said yes! Therefore, beginning this week, I’m sending out one new chapter of the book each week until May 5th, all the way up through the fourth chapter.

Want to get in on the preview?

All you have to do to get your four chapters via email is pre-order Tiffany Girl, which you can do from almost any online bookseller (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, etc.), and then come back to my website to sign up. You’ll get the first chapter in your email this week, and the new chapters will come out each week on Tuesdays between now and May 5th.

Because we’ll all be reading the same chapters at the same time, I’d love to hear your feedback as you read through them! What are your thoughts on our characters? What questions do you have about what happens next? What are you predicting for our hero Reeve and our heroine Flossie? After you read your chapters, hop over to my Facebook page so we can chat! It’ll be like we’re one big book club!

Do you have any ideas that will help me pass the time until May 5th? If not, I’ll go back to my countdown. Must be something like 38,874 minutes now, right?!

A Trip Down Memory Lane: Women's Fashion (Part Two- 1930's to Today)

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Tell the truth: Do you have a stockpile of old clothes saved somewhere that you just can’t bare to get rid of despite the fact that you know they’re totally out of fashion? I know I do! And I’m not talking about the vintage gowns I love to collect. Those are worth hanging onto! I’m talking about my washed out old bell bottoms from the 70s and my sweaters with shoulder pads from the 80s (remember my story about those from last week?). I know I’d probably be too embarrassed to step out of the house in any of those outfits (and yes, my kids think my old clothes are just hilarious), but they hold too many memories for me to even consider parting with them. Please tell me I’m not alone here!

Last week, we took a look at how trends evolved from the 1890s to the 1920s, which gave me a chance to use some of the crazy amounts of research I’ve done while writing my books. But this week, we’re looking at trends from the 1930s to today, and let me tell you, writing this post felt way more personal for me. I remember trying out so many of these trends myself and thinking I was the coolest cat in town.

Keep reading to revisit fashions from the 1930s to today and then hop over to my Facebook page and tell me about your best (or most embarrassing) fashion experiments from years past. Bonus points for sharing a picture or two!

1930-1940

Photo Credit

Believe it or not, the Great Depression didn’t put a damper on fashion. We can thank the 1930s for giving us synthetic fabrics, costume jewelry like Chanel’s signature faux pearls, and most importantly, zippers, which made their debut at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair! I can’t imagine having to deal every day with those impossible hook-and-eye closures that were popular before the 1930s, can you? Thank goodness we were born in the age of the zipper!

1940-1950

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World War II was much harder on fashion than the Great Depression, and even resulted in regulations on how much fabric could be used for civilian clothing. People became very thrifty during this era. Remember Rosie the Riveter? That red headscarf she was wearing was probably a hand-me-down from her mom or her grandmother. So what was the major trend from this decade? One word: pants. As more women joined the workforce (some of them motivated by the image of Rosie!), it became more acceptable for ladies to wear pants instead of skirts and dresses. But Rome wasn’t conquered in a day. When I was a kid in the seventies, I was sent home for wearing pants to school instead of a skirt!

1950-1960

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Remember those figure-shaping garments we talked about so much in last week’s post? Well, they came back in a big way in the ‘50s. Girdles, crinolines, waist-cinchers and bullet bras (!) were staples for many women. Once again, I’m saying a little prayer of thanks that I get to be an adult in a day and age where comfort is key!

1960-1970

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I was just a little one in the ’60s, so my focus was mostly on the fashions of ladies like Cinderella and good ol’ Barbie. She was quite the clotheshorse back in the day, and I absolutely adored collecting all her outfits. I do remember that Jackie Kennedy was totally the “it girl” of the ’60s, with her pillbox hats and short-jacketed suits. So many women attempted to copy her style, and she’s still an icon today, if you ask me.

1970-1980

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There’s no time in our lives where we’re more prone to fashion mistakes than our high school years, and I just so happened to be a high schooler in the later part of the 70s. Talk about a recipe for funny memories! My mom refused to buy me blue jeans. Instead, she helped me sew double-knit, elastic waist pants. Oh, the horror! My first pair of blue jeans was a hand-me-down from one of my best friends in 8th grade. I wasn’t able to dress the way I wanted until I turned 16 and got my own job at, guess where...a clothing store!

1980-1990

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Most people see the ‘80s as a total fashion disaster, but I remember loving the stretchy pants and slouchy styles that became staples when I was a young newlywed. They say everything’s bigger in Texas, but I think the saying should really be “everything was bigger in the 80s.” Big hair, big shoulder pads and big, oversized sweaters were the trend, and I embraced them full on! There was just one problem. I was 5’2” and 93 pounds, so I always looked like I was drowning in a mountain of clothes!

1990-2000

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Oh, the good ’ole 90s. Since I was busy parenting four kids during this decade, I didn’t have much time to think about my wardrobe, but I do remember really disliking the “grunge” styles that were so in at the time. If you ask me, baggy flannel shirts and Doc Martens belong on lumberjacks and bikers, not teenage girls! There was one 90s trend that I did buy into though, and that was the “Rachel Haircut” made famous by Rachel Green on the TV show Friends. Raise your hand if you took her picture to the salon! I know I did!

2000 - Today 

I think we’re still too close to this latest decade-and-a-half to really reflect on its fashion trends, don’t you? It’s easier to see the trends for what they really were after a little time has passed. I know that I spend a lot of my time these days in the comfiest outfits possible since I spend hours and hours behind my desk writing (just watch the video on my homepage to see what I mean), but I’m not sure that qualifies as a fashion trend.

So there we have it: a brief history of fashion, Deeanne style! I’m just dying to hear about your favorite styles and fashion faux pas from the past. Head over to my Facebook page to join in on the fun!

Which Woman From History Would Have Been Your Best Friend?

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Have you ever seen a celebrity interview that makes you think “Wow, she seems wonderful, I would totally be her friend!” (Sandra Brown-- If you’re ever in Houston and want to grab coffee, I’m all yours!) I’ve had this feeling not so much with celebrities of today, aside from Sandra, of course, but with extraordinary women from history. There are a few ladies who I SO wish were still around so we could grab lunch and gab about life. If our paths somehow crossed today, I could totally be best friends with ladies like...

Eleanor Roosevelt 

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Public Domain 

What a First Lady! Mrs. Roosevelt was outspoken, strong-willed and one of the first Presidential spouses to have her own newspaper column. If we met for lunch, I think we’d order cheeseburgers and chat about journalism. Her work with the United Nations in her later years earned her the title “First Lady of the World” from President Harry Truman. You go, girl!

Clara Barton 

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Public Domain 

Clara Barton was such a sweetheart! She was a hospital nurse and humanitarian, but she was most famous for her role as the first President of the American Red Cross. She totally reminds me of Billy Jack Tate from Fair Play. If we met for lunch, I think she could keep me occupied for hours with stories of all the things she saw and experienced.

Amelia Earhart

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Public Domain

She was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, so I know Amelia Earhart was  brave and daring! She was known for being incredibly driven, yet cool under pressure. I think we could all use a friend like that! As you’ve probably noticed from my books, I love the story of a woman making her way in a man’s world, and there’s no better example of that than Amelia!

So, now I have to ask: if you could pick one of these famous women from history to be your BFF, who would you choose? Outspoken Eleanor, Compassionate Clara, Adventurous Amelia, or someone completely different? Let me know in the comments or over on Facebook.

A Trip Down Memory Lane: Women's Fashion (Part One - 1893 to 1930)

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Many of you already know that I love vintage fashion and collect historical gowns. One of the most fun parts of writing about my historical heroines is getting to dream up what they would have worn in a given situation. I’ve done my fair share of research into women’s clothing in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and even taught a room full of writers about the best way to undress a victorian lady.

If there’s one thing all this research has taught me, it’s that women’s fashion evolves constantly, and what’s in today will almost definitely be out tomorrow. Never has this been more apparent to me than the day one of my daughters, who was in high school at the time, asked me if she could borrow some of my old clothes for an 80s themed birthday party. The big shoulder pads and stirrup pants that had been a mainstay in my wardrobe not so many years ago were suddenly a comedic costume for her and her friends!

Since it’s women’s history month, I thought it would be fun to take a look back at how women’s fashions and silhouettes have evolved over the years. Scroll on to learn a bit about the trends from the 1890s to the 1920s and then let me know: which era would you have liked to live in from a fashion perspective? You can leave your thoughts here or let me know on my Facebook page.

I’ll be back next week to share more on trends from the 1930s to today!

1890-1900

The turn of the century was also a turning point for women’s clothing. The bustle, which had been a popular trend in the 80s, began to fade from fashion. “Balloon” sleeves became a focal point of many dresses. Tiffany Girl’s Flossie Jayne and her seamstress mother would have been experts in creating that kind of style.

1900-1910

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Public Domain

During this decade, the swan-bill corset became quite popular, as did styles with high necks. This swan-bill corset had a stiff front that forced the hips back and pushed the chest out, giving women of this era a trendy “S” shape. It sounds uncomfortable, and it was!

1910-1920

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Public Domain 

The constricting corsets from years past went out of vogue during this era, and dressmakers began using boning not to change a woman’s shape, but to support it. Hemlines also rose above the ankle during this decade, making it easier for women to walk.

1920s - 1930s

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Public Domain 

Ah, the roaring 20s. Fashion changed drastically during this era as flappers and speakeasies came onto the scene. The fitted styles of the previous decade fell out of fashion, with women favoring a dropped waist and shorter hemlines. By the mid-20s, hemlines had crept up to--gasp!--the knee!

So what do you think? Which era would have been the most fun for you fashion-wise? Let me know over on my Facebook page and check back next week for a Part Two of this post!

What Would They Wear in 2015? The Flossie Jayne Edition

A couple of months ago, I started wondering what the leading ladies from my books would wear today. What would she find familiar and comfortable? What would she find daring and appealing? Then I thought to myself: Maybe you’d like to get in on the fun!

Since I just finished Tiffany Girl, the heroine—Flossie Jayne—was, of course, the first leading lady who came to mind. How about I tell you a little bit about her, then give an example of what I think her 21st century style would look like? Then you can show us all how YOU think she would dress over on my Group Pinterest board or on Facebook.

"January’s wind caught the corners of Flossie’s mid-length coat and flung it back to reveal a bluish-purple skirt with subtle stripes of mignon. She’d never had a first-day-of-work before and wanted to make a good impression. Picking a gown should have been a simple task. Heaven knew she had a gown for every occasion, or so she thought. Yet there was nothing in Harper’s Bazaar or The Ladies’ Home Journal that discussed the appropriate attire for a Tiffany Girl...She’d tried on four different outfits before settling on her grosgrain. She hoped to heaven she wasn’t overdressed.” - Tiffany Girl

So … Flossie Jayne … where to start? Let’s see, her lifelong ambition is to be one of the first women in history to have her art work hanging in a museum right beside the currently all-male artists. But that’s not going to fly too well with good ol’ traditional mom and dad. He’s a barber and she’s a seamstress for New York City’s rich and famous, and they fully expect their daughter to do what every other female on the planet does: live at home until she meets a suitable man to marry. Problem is, women aren’t allowed to be in the workplace to begin with—and the few who do manage to bust their way in can stay ONLY if they aren’t married.

 Kinda puts Flossie between a rock and a hard place. If she wants to work, she can’t get married. But if she stays home while she works, her dad (being the male) will be given all of her pay. So when the famous Louis Comfort Tiffany visits her art class and offers her and several other female students the opportunity to help create his Tiffany Chapel for the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, Flossie not only jumps at the chance, she moves out of her home and takes up residence at a local boarding house as a “New Woman” who supports herself and lives by her own rules.

Photo credit: djtomdog via Flickr Creative Commons

I always try to pick a celebrity to use as inspiration for my characters—it helps me remain somewhat consistent. In Flossie’s case, I chose Sandra Bullock. I love that she’s beautiful, fashionable and sophisticated, but also a little quirky. Sandra doesn’t mind doing things her own way, and neither did Flossie.

Since Mom sewed all of Flossie’s clothes, Flossie was totally the most stylish woman at her boarding house. Her closet was filled with many of the same fashions as the rich and famous at a fraction of the cost. 

Somehow, making your own clothing has fallen out of vogue today, so I like to think that if Flossie were around in 2015, she would shop for trendy, high-end fashions at stores like Saks off Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus Last Call and Nordstrom Rack. That’s how she’d get the same look as the rich and famous without spending her whole salary from Tiffany Studios! Here are some ideas on how she might dress today to stay on top of the latest trends while working to fit into her role as a New Woman. Are those peach shoes on the girl in the middle to die for, or what? (Experiencing serious shoe-envy right now.)

Now it's your turn! Find an outfit you think Flossie would wear today, and add it to my Group Pinterest Board. Simply comment here or send me a note with your email address and I’ll add you to the group board so you can pin away!  Or, you can simply leave your images here or on my Facebook and I’ll make sure they get pinned!

A Day in the Life of a New Woman

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The late 1800s were quite the crazy time to be a woman. Or a man, for that matter! For the first time in history, women were no longer satisfied being housewives. They found themselves wanting to get an education, a job and a life outside of the one their mothers had and the one they were raised to want. These changes were impacting men, too, as the family structures they had grown comfortable with were turned on their heads.

A New Woman having a quarrel with her husband.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Public Domain 

Flossie, the protagonist of my latest book, Tiffany Girl, experiences this first hand. After being recruited to create stained glass for the Chicago World’s Fair, she tells her family that she will be moving out of the house and into the city to become a working woman, or a “New Woman" as they called them back then.

Women workers in New York City 

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Public Domain

A typical day in the life of a New Woman would include activities that were in the past only deemed appropriate for men, and for many, these new roles were hard to understand. Women were breaking down barriers and transforming the status quo.

Check out this chart that compares the roles of traditional women and New Women at the turn of the century: 

Do you think you would have gone the more traditional route, or would you have been a more controversial New Woman?

Four Closet Essentials for A Turn of the Century New Woman

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As you know from last week’s post, I collect historical gowns. If you’ve ever seen one up close, you’ll know why I can’t resist these beautiful works of art; fashion was just so complex and elegant during the turn of the century! I can’t help comparing current women’s fashion to the styles my heroines wore back in the day.

One of the few similarities I can find is that throughout history women’s fashion has NEVER been practical, right? The thing from today that comes to mind is a thong. I mean, who cares if panty lines show? Seriously. Is it really worth wearing one of those things?? I’m absolutely convinced a man invented them. All I ask is that you leave me and my boxing gloves alone in a room with him for, oh, about five minutes and … well, ’nough said.

Still, the beautiful clothing and undergarments worn by yesterday’s women fascinates me. What do you say we take a peek at a few of the must-have pieces from back then?

Corsets

Newspaper ad for women's corsets 

You really can tell how uncomfortable these things are! 

To get the tiny waistline that was oh-so-popular during the end of the 19th century, women used corsets to pull the waist in and to shove the “extra” up top and down below. Having worn a corset on several occasions, I can tell you, that if you lace yourself too tight in order to fit into that dress from last year, well, it can be really, really uncomfortable. (It’s even worse than laying on your bed in order to pull on a pair of really tight jeans.) And though corsets have, thankfully, evolved into more practical options like Spanx, I still would rather forgo all that stuff. I hate anything restricting. 

Petticoats

Satin and lace petticoat 

Dotted silk petticoat. Look at all that embroidery! 

There were a lot of layers involved in this outfit! 

The shape of women’s skirts changed dramatically between the American Civil War era and the end of the 19th century. First, the girls would wear up to five petticoats to poof out their dresses. Then, the crinoline came along and they’d only have to wear one petticoat over that (which kept the ridges from showing through to their skirts). From their, came the bustle—which in some cases was simply a pillow attached to the gal’s back end. Finally, at the turn of the century, they were back to a trumpet shaped skirt with only one or two petticoats.

 Now you might think the petticoats were just plain white fabric with no extra bells or whistles—and some were. But more often than not, many added ruffles and some embroidery to pretty them up. Not much different than we do when we shop at Victoria’s Secret for pretty underwear that, depending on our circumstance, no one may ever see.

Shirtwaist

Look at all that bling! 

Now this is a huge closet essential for our New Women! While they were breaking down barriers in the workplace, they were also doing the same in the fashion world with garments as unsuspecting as the shirtwaist. A shirtwaist was a simple cotton blouse worn by many working women. They needed something less restrictive, so this garment was constructed much like a man’s shirt-- with fitted sleeves, front buttons and a high collar.

I love this photograph. It’s not only a great example of a shirtwaist, but she’s got the Gibson Girl hairstyle, the corseted waist, the A-line skirt, and the Victorian bling. Wish we could see the rest of her purse (or reticule, as they called it back then)!

Skirt

Practical a-line skirts to pair with the practical shirtwaist blouse

To go with their practical shirtwaist blouse, a New Woman would need to have a skirt. As I mentioned before, skirts were a lot less bulky during this time period than they had been in the previous decades. A simple trumpet shaped skirt that was tight around the middle and flared out slightly at the bottom was fashionable enough to show off a lady’s hourglass figure, while still allowing enough mobility for her to work.

What do you think about women’s fashion during the turn of the century? Could you imagine wearing all those layers, especially in the hot summer weather?

Jobs Women Could Have at the Turn of the Century

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You had to be made of some pretty stern stuff to be a New Woman at the turn of the century. The odds were definitely not in your favor. Nobody (other than your fellow New Women) would support you in your decision to get a job or break away from your traditional role in the household. The refrains of “Girl Power!” were nowhere to be heard in the 1890s, that’s for sure. No, traditional gender roles insisted us women had to be meek, passive, timid, nurturing and emotional, while men should be powerful, brave, rational and independent. LOL. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love a powerful, brave, rational and independent man. But I also love making my heroines bust free of their oppressive stereotypes!

And when I researched Tiffany Girl, I quickly discovered that getting a job in a male-dominated world was no easy feat. It wasn’t until years later, when men went off to war, leaving a gaping hole in the workforce, that women finally saw significant opportunities to leave their traditional roles in the home to go to work.

Since only about a dozen of the women in NYC were Tiffany Girls, I wondered what would happen to Flossie (the heroine) if she lost her job. What kind of jobs would be be available to her? And this is what I found out:

Textile Mills 

Photo Credit: Elliot Brown via Creative Commons Flickr 2.0

Those of you who have read It Happened at the Fair will remember Cullen’s mother visited a textile mill. What I didn’t have time to highlight in that book was that the women working there turned cotton into fabric or yarn. They faced 10-12 hour shifts in unsafe, unsanitary conditions with dangerous machinery chugging along all around them. Their roles in the factory ranged from Spoolers, those responsible for running the machines that combined threads together, to Weavers, those who actually turned the threads into fabric. The pay was terrible--so bad that many brought their children to work alongside them for extra income. What a far-cry from the on-site childcare that many forward-thinking companies offer women today, right? It broke my heart to read about the conditions these women and children worked in.

Seamstresses

Photo Credit: Archives of Ontario via Wikimedia

As many of you know, I’m a collector of historical gowns. One of the things that continually amazes me about these complex gowns is that they are done completely by hand--no sewing machines. Can you imagine? I can tell you one thing, if that were the case today, I’d have a very small wardrobe and my husband would get A LOT of space back in the closet.

Back then, women with a talent for needlework were employed as dressmakers for the wealthy upper classes. When I read about one in an old journal, I decided to have Flossie Jayne’s mother be a seamstress in Tiffany Girl. But even then, she handed over all her wages to her husband. Much like the textile workers, she faced pitiful wages and LONG hours. Strict order deadlines meant sewing hunched over dim lighting until all hours of the night. Really gives a new meaning to the phrase “burning the midnight oil,” huh?

Are you thinking of taking up sewing? Lucky for us, we have that wonderous invention: a sewing machine! Here’s a great article on the best sewing machines for beginners.

Homemakers

Photo Credit: Sears Home via Flickr Creative Commons 2.0

 Of course, the most widely expected and preferred occupation for women was being the sole caretaker of their home and children. I had to include this job on the list even though choosing it wouldn’t have technically made you a New Woman. but one thing I know for certain--having been one myself--being a SAHM is hard work! At the turn of the century, though, many believed that being a homemaker was the only job a woman should take on. The tides were beginning to turn in the 1890s, and I loved exploring that in Tiffany Girl, but by and large, most women were expected to maintain the household, raise their children and make life easy as possible for their hardworking husbands. Work outside of the home simply wasn’t an option.

Would you be satisfied if these were your only options for a career?

PS: Here’s a fun fact: The 1893 World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago was the first to honor women's achievements with a separate Woman's Building. My heroine in Fair Play was based on a female doctor who worked in the infirmary of the Woman’s Building. How fun is that?

Primping and Priming Then & Now: Flossie Jayne’s Morning Routine

Who says girls don’t have toolboxes? I have a toolbox, it’s just that inside it I have curling irons, hair spray, lipstick and bobby pins! Oh, the joys of being a girl! Funny thing is, the same thing was true of women at the turn of the century, though the tools and trends have changed. Women like Flossie Jayne (the main character I spent so much time getting to know for my new book) didn’t have access to all the modern tools I have, but for her and for them, primping and priming was still a big deal.

Photo Credit: AlexVan via Pixabay Creative Commons 2.0 

What I find fascinating, though, is how the beauty standards of each era has changed. Women like Flossie were expected to have pale skin and a very natural, makeup-free look--a far cry from the fake eyelashes and hair extensions of today. At the turn of the century, only lower-class individuals worked outside in the sun all day, so having that bronze glow we covet was a major no-no for them. Pale skin was a sign of belonging to the middle or upper class, and showed that you spent your time indoors taking care of your home like a “respectable” woman should. Crazy, right?

To keep her skin looking healthy, Flossie invested in facial creams instead of makeup. And do you know what I found out? This is when Pond’s facial creams really took off. I love it when I find companies like Pond’s who have survived over all these years despite the changing trends in beauty and fashion.

For Flossie, beauty was all about subtlety, so to highlight her features in a non-dramatic way, she’d use crushed herbs as a blush or lip stain, but nothing more than that. Heavy lip colors and eyelid shadows were only worn by ladies of the night and actresses. And don’t quote me on this--but I think those were the only women who shaved, too. (Something I’m careful not to point out in my books. I mean, who wants a heroine with hairy armpits! Ha!)

Photo Credit: Charvex via Wikimedia 

One of my favorite hairdos from back then is the “Gibson Girl” style, shown here in an illustration drawn by Life Magazine illustrator Charles Dana Gibson. And Flossie was an expert at it. To achieve the Gibson Girl look, she piled her long, wavy hair in a pompadour or bouffant style on top of her head in a way that managed to look both effortless and elegant at the same time. Now, being from Texas, I’m all about big hair, but even I would find the Gibson Girl do a challenge--especially if I did it every day!

Still, I find Flossie’s beauty routines and those of turn of the century women impossibly fascinating and love to experiment with recreating their sense of style. If you’d like to try a few “Gibson Girl” inspired hair styles, check out this post and let me know how it turns out! You can share your pictures on my Facebook page right here!  

What it was Like to Work as a Woman at the Turn of the Century

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One of my favorite parts of writing Tiffany Girl was researching the changing role of women in the late 1800s. It certainly was an interesting time to be a lady! My research had me tearing through books and historical documents, visiting historical sites and traveling through New York see the city through the eyes of a “New Woman.” It was quite the adventure! Throughout the process, I couldn’t help but compare my modern life to the life of a woman at the turn of the century.

While I pride myself on being a working woman today, the hurdles I’ve had to jump to build a career while still maintaining my role as a wife and mother don’t even come close to what “New Women” experienced at the turn of the century.

Just consider some of the hurdles New Women faced when entering the workforce:

Inadequate wages.

Most New Women left their family homes to join the workforce with very little financial support. With wages as low as $3.00 per week, most women struggled to pay rent and feed themselves. Low wages were a problem for men too, but for women, who had few opportunities for upward mobility, things were even worse. 

Photo Credit: RabidSquirrel via Pixabay Creative Commons 

Long Hours.

Many women held jobs in factories and worked painstakingly long hours. If they were paid by the hour, supervisors would breathe down their necks to make sure they were working at a very rapid pace. Women could work up to 13 hours each day, or even longer during the holidays. Some of the accounts I read and pictures I saw were heart wrenching.

Photo Credit: SkitterPhotos via Pixabay Creative Commons 

No time off.  

Many women worked six or sometimes even seven days a week. I like to think that I’m a hard worker, but I can’t imagine the working conditions they endured! They might occasionally request a half holiday, but wouldn’t dare do it often. In one article I read, a woman working as a ticket agent at the Elevated railways in Chicago would regularly work a 12 hour day, 365 a year. Not ONE SINGLE day off!! That’s just messed up.

Photo Credit: PublicDomainPictures via Pixabay Creative Commons 

Terrible working conditions.

The factories many women worked in were not clean, nor were they safe. They would make my office look neat and tidy even on its most cluttered days! To make matters worse, the work that women performed within these factories was difficult physically and would leave them with swollen feet, throbbing ankles, and a host of injuries, from carpal tunnel to arthritis.

Still, despite all this, many women chose to buck the status quo and enter the workforce. I am in total awe of them and tip my hat to say THANK YOU for paving the way for women like us to do work we enjoy.

What about you? Do you think you would have chosen to work as a woman at the turn of the century?

Would You Have Been a New Woman?

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Women working in a box factory, 1910, Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-53225

In my latest novel Tiffany Girl, the main character Flossie Jayne is a New Woman in New York City at the turn of the century. Women like her, New Women, who chose to leave the comfort of their family homes before marriage to get a job and support themselves, were considered unconventional by some, and downright crazy by others. Back then, a woman’s nirvana was, supposedly, to marry and devote her life to keeping up her home and raising her family.

But some women wanted more than that. They wanted to control the wages they earned, forge their own paths and establish themselves as contributing members to society. That’s not to say SAHMs were not contributing members to society. The very fact that they were raising the next generation of government officials, inventors, scientists, etc, make them some of the biggest contributors to society there ever were--and still are! But today, we have a choice about whether or not we want to be a SAHM. And if we do--or don’t--we also get to choose if, when, and how we’d like to work or volunteer outside the home. We aren’t told/forced into specific tasks men have chosen for us.

Women working in a textile factory, 1910, Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-59520

When I was researching the New Women, I was amazed at the uphill battle those gals had. If I could talk to them today, I’d certainly give them a hearty “you go girl!”  Still, the New Woman’s path wasn’t for everyone. I often try to imagine whether I would have been a New Woman myself, and honestly, I’m not sure. I like to think I’d have had the courage to strike out on my own, but with the pressures of society, the overwhelming opposition the New Women faced, and the deplorable working conditions they endured, it would have been an awfully big challenge.

It’s such fun to imagine what our lives would have been like in the past! I guess that’s why I write and read historicals and why I enjoy tracing family genealogies. What about you? Do you think you would have been a New Woman?

If you had become one, do you think your family would have approved?

What do you think your life have looked like if you’d gone against family and society? (I just realized you’re now getting a glimpse of some of the questions I asked myself when I plotted out Tiffany Girl!)