Growing up my mother religiously read Victoria magazine. There were stacks everywhere in our house; the bed was not considered made until the latest issues had been fanned out on the duvet and tucked in the wicker breakfast tray. She says she mostly read Victoria for the tablescapes (House Beautiful was for home decor, which was also in abundance, but Victoria is the magazine that sticks out most in my memory). Wanting a soothing hit of nostalgia and to spend some time in a world concerned with ornate wicker, lilac tides and strawberry ice, I ordered a few issues from the nineties.
My Victoria Magazine haul
I thoroughly enjoyed flipping through them over coffee. My husband also enjoyed looking at them, declaring them artifacts of a “bygone era.” I love looking at the advertisements of the time - the Clinique still lifes, Laura Ashley Perfume fragrance strips (apparently No. 1 has been reissued but pales in comparison to the original), Crabtree & Evelyn, Eileen West etc. There’s even a classifieds section at the back of each issue called Victoria’s Emporium.
How nice would it be to receive a perfumed letter in the mail. A bygone era!
Romantic Finery For Gentlewomen
Coverlines like “A COTTAGE BASKING IN GOLDEN LIGHT”, “KNEE-DEEP IN A HEAVEN OF WILDFLOWERS” and “JUNE MEANS DOTTED SWISS” offer the direction I wish my summer to take. Below are some highlights from two of the issues, May 1994 and June 1996.
May 1994
Everything in soft focus
Early summer tableau inspiration
White lilacs and an idea for displaying your straw hats.
This is a photo of me pregnant last summer embracing a Laura Ashley Mother & Child look a little early. When I found out I was having a girl I started searching for LA bubble suits for the baby and also came across this LA strawberry and rose blouse for myself. Worn with a Taylor Dorry striped skirt that is reminiscent of my childhood wallpaper (see here for a perfect dress in the same fabric).
Obsessed with this little wicker lilac backpack (unlisted in the shopping pages but the dress was by Nanny J. from Ages and Stages in Beverly Hills. This is from a section of the magazine called Children’s Corner, which I look forward to adopting for this letter.
June 1996
This whole issue was dedicated to “Summer’s Best Friends: Blue and White”
June Means Dotted Swiss! I had a dotted swiss summer in 2021 where I mostly alternated between two fluttery white-dotted cotton camisoles. One had a navy ribbon woven through the neckline and I loved wearing it with a navy ruffled Issey Miyake skirt and navy suede Manolo Blahnik pumps (both bought from TRR).
One of my dotted swiss looks from June 2021. Both of my camisoles were from Courage My Love in Kensington Market. I like vintage best for these but this Petite Plume set would also work nicely.
detail of a Jessica McClintock dress and Stuart Weitzman shoes that I liked from a bridal feature - For the Occasions of Sheer Delight
Here is a sampling from the issue’s Favourite Things section, which heavily features wicker and blue gingham:
The enduring appeal of the front porch and wicker furniture. I grew up with wicker furniture - yes, on the front porch, but also in the bedroom - dresser, nightstands, little chairs and tables for tea, breakfast trays, and my favourite, the wicker chais. If you have a front porch and an extra 15K there is this wonderfully curlicued Victorian set from a wicker shop in Medford, New Jersey.
I was partial to this page featuring a ‘demure backpack’ and the monochromatic t-shirt and silk scarf look - to be ready for anything from sailing to shopping! For now I like this updated combo of the two, the Lemaire Foulard t-shirt in Chalk.
Here are some more of my own suggestions for Blue & White Best Friends that would fit easily in these pages:
I LOVE a blue + white Comme Des Garcons moment - this is a photo from last May and a piece I wore throughout pregnancy (and in fact wore it today). I love looking for CDG secondhand on ebay or TRR (which is were I bought the above piece, another pale blue gingham mini dress that I like to wear to the beach and a blue and white striped skirt) I also like this and this.
A blue + white beach pic from Victoria mag headquarters (my mother’s house) in 2018. I recommend Deborah Levy’s Swimming Home as a beach read which you’ll spot above on the left. (Also Hot Milk - I’m really looking forward to the film - and, most literally, August Blue).
I bought this Batsheva gingham dress on sale last summer, thinking it would work well to throw on for my new life as a mom. The collar can be unbuttoned down the side which makes it a nursing friendly dress.
More blue gingham recommendations are this tablecloth (I love it as a picnic blanket, too) and these trays in both sizes (we use ours every morning for in bed ‘coffee service’)
Blue gingham icon, Zoe from Francis Ford Coppola’s contribution to New York Stories - Life Without Zoe. Costumes by Sofia!
Related: a letter I sent out last summer where I discuss more of my favourite summer blues in the form of blueberry ice cream, Pierre Deux, a favourite French country coffee table book etc.
so nostalgic 🤎
I just finished August Blue a couple days ago - how apt! Blue, white and high summer are a delicious combination.