Godey's Lady's Book: an Important Historical Record

Fashion plate from Godey’s Lady’s Book (1840)

Welcome to my new obsession! This is Janalyn Voigt, author of the Montana Gold western historical romance series. While researching The Forever Sky, the fourth Montana Gold novel, I stumbled across a valuable original resource. How I missed this record while researching before this, I’ll never know. It was extremely popular in its day.

Godey's Lady's Book: an Important Historical Record

Godey’s Lady’s Book (also known as Godey's Magazine and Lady's Book), was established in 1836 when Louis Godey merged the Boston Ladies’ Magazine with the Philadelphia periodical, Lady’s Book. Godey employed Sarah Josepha Buell Hale as editor of the newly-minted magazine. Under her guidance, the number of subscriber ranks swelled to 150,000 by 1860, just prior to the Civil War.

Fashion Plate from Godey's Lady's Book (1861)

Godey felt that the magazine should strike a neutral pose during the War Between the States (as the conflict was known back then). However, Hale was a devoted nationalist and used the magazine to subtly sue for unity. She used editorials, letters to the editor, fiction, and poetry to support her views. Her efforts did alienate some readers, and the periodical lost about a third of its subscribers. The publication recovered and continued as an influential voice in America until 1878. By then both Godey and Hale had passed away, and Godey’s Lady’s Book was absorbed into Puritan magazine.

Nightcap, Godey’s Lady’s Book (1840) 

Content

Godey’s Lady’s Book is an important historical and cultural record it is possible to view today. That makes it exciting for a historical fiction author like myself. I also enjoy reading archived issues on a personal level. I enjoy learning about history and love cooking historical recipes, for the way they connect me to the past.

Godey’s Lady’s Book provided entertainment, information, and education to American women. One of its biggest draws was the use of hand-colored fashion plates that brought American women news of the latest apparel. Detailed descriptions and patterns accompanied the plates. The magazine also contained historical biographies and articles on a wide range of subjects of interest to women of the day. Topics included dance, riding, hygiene, hair tutorials, remedies, household tips, recipes, house plans and many others. Every issue contained two pages of sheet music arranged for the pianoforte. At a time when people socialized by gathering to enjoy musical evenings, this was important. Besides fashion plates, the periodical boasted other beautiful illustrations.

Illustration; Godey's Lady's Book (1861)

The periodical became an important literary magazine with celebrated contributors like Harriet Beecher Stowe, Edgar Allan Poe, Herman Melville, Nathanial Hawthorne. I noticed during my perusal that poetry, often shunned today, took a primary place in the pages of Godey’s Lady’s Book. It warmed my heart as a novelist to see fiction given pride of place, second only to the demands of fashion.

How the times have changed! Gone are the days when ladies spent time together in the parlor sipping tea while reading poems and stories to one another. But we, dear reader, can recapture the gentle art of living through the pages of Godey’s Lady’s Book.

About Janalyn Voigt

Janalyn Voigt fell in love with literature at an early age when her father read chapters from classics as bedtime stories. When Janalyn grew older, she put herself to sleep with tales "written" in her head. Today Janalyn is a storyteller who writes in several genres. Romance, mystery, adventure, history, and whimsy appear in all her novels in proportions dictated by their genre. Janalyn Voigt is represented by Wordserve Literary. 

Learn more about Janalyn, read the first chapters of her books, subscribe to her e-letter, and join her reader clubs at http://janalynvoigt.com.

About Montana Gold

Based on actual historical events during a time of unrest in America, the Montana gold series explores faith, love, and courage in the wild west.

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Her Pretty Bonnet

Linore Rose Burkard

I love bonnets in historical fashion, don't you? That endlessly useful, attractive, transformative, amazing piece of costume for women! My fascination and appreciation for the bonnet has been longstanding--in fact, I have a free PDF on my website, "Hats, Caps, Bonnets, Bandeaux," which if you enjoy this article, you should download for further enjoyment. 

The single most familiar bonnet to people today is probably the poke; and I appreciate it because it illustrates perfectly one truth about bonnets: They were forever changing, morphing from utilitarian to extravagant, simple to exquisite.(If I had endless space, I would certainly touch upon 18th century French headdress which, with or without a bonnet, was at times extravagant to the point of absurdity.)

Using the poke, however, take a look at how it lent itself to being transformed for different social occasions, and could reveal much about the status and wealth of its wearer.

 Below, left: Simple Straw Poke. A utilitarian piece of simplicity one could grab whenever having to leave the house in a hurry.

Two more Regency manifestations of the basic Poke bonnet?
(On the right, it seems the poke is a joke. Women did not show even their ankles during the regency. A revealed ankle was considered risque.) 

Right: Embellished Regency Poke Bonnet. Perfect for "Walking Dress", in Regency lingo. Obviously a hat worn to be seen.

American Prairie or Pioneer Style Poke (Soft--no straw or other boning material)

A late or post-Regency Wide Poke (Not Victorian)
Ornamental and certainly worn to be noticed. 

 

Bonnets were not worn as part of evening or full dress, but one could still dress up or down by the judicious choice of headwear. During the regency, a lavish turban could make its way to a ball, as could feathered headdresses, embellished tiaras, combs and pins. The poke bonnet, however, no matter how fancy, was only fit for day dress.

Below:  A mourning poke. 

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Since my post has to be short, we'll have to leave bonnets for now, but do you have a favorite style of hat? Or other type of headdress?  Tell us about it in the comments. And remember to get my free PDF, "Hats, Caps, Bonnets, Bandeaux" before you go!  


Linore Rose Burkard is best known for historical regency novels with Harvest House Publishers, including Before the Season Ends, the award-winning The House in Grosvenor Square, and, The Country House Courtship. As a writer noted for meticulous research as well as bringing people to life on the page, Linore’s books delight fans of historical romance with “Heyeresque” humor and Austen-like manners.  Linore teaches workshops for writers with Greater Harvest Workshops in Ohio, is a homeschooling mother of five, and is currently working on a YA novel. Keep up with Linore by subscribing to her free newsletter atLinore@LinoreBurkard.com