Princesses Who Shaped the Roles of Modern Day Royals

Modern day female royals are extremely influential, but this path had to first be paved by the princesses who came before them. From Princess Caroline to Princess Charlotte, these are a few of the princesses that had a huge impact on society in the 18th century, providing a blueprint for future generations of female royalty to follow.

Princess Caroline
Also known as Caroline of Amsbach, Princess Caroline was a highly sought after bride, and ended up marrying the future King George II. Caroline was extremely intelligent and had a curious mind, outshining her husband in so many different aspects of life. While Caroline contributed to society in numerous ways, she is most remembered for being an incredible pioneer of medicine. Caroline carried out experiments with the smallpox vaccine, first on prisoners and then on her own children, all to favorable results. She was also an avid jewellery collector, and spent a large amount of time curating portraits and other pieces of art, emphasizing the importance of art to society.

Princess Augusta
Princess Augusta was married to Princess Caroline’s eldest son, Frederick Prince of Wales, but, unfortunately for her, never became queen as her husband died quite young. However, her son, George III, was next in line to be king, and Augusta was absolutely crucial in shaping his reign. George III rightfully trusted his mother and her advice, and bestowed huge amounts of political influence upon him, guiding him to a position from which he could take control of the country on his own.

Princess Charlotte
After Princess Augusta’s husband died, her son, King George III, took the throne and needed to find a wife. A Colonel was sent to Germany to seek out a suitable match, and Princess Charlotte was discovered. Rather than being picked for beauty, she was chosen for her high level of intelligence, as well as her sense of humor. As she settled in to life in England, Charlotte became a huge advocate of the arts, including those by masters such as Bach and Mozart, the latter of whom dedicated six sonatas to the Queen. In addition to also significantly expanding the collection at the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, Charlotte was also known for being the very first person in the country to have a Christmas tree, thus introducing this tradition to the United Kingdom.

The Enlightened Princesses Exhibition
Each of these three German princesses married into the British royal family in the 18th century, and had a huge effect when it came to shaping the role of the princess in the modern world. In order to bring attention to this, the Yale Center for British Art is hosting an exhibition titled The Enlightened Princesses, which features over 300 pieces that celebrate the influence that these women had. From extravagant court costumes to botanical illustrations and garden designs, to artwork created by royal children, this exhibition highlights how each princess was a huge advocate for the arts, sciences and trade industries, while showcasing the importance that they placed on the health of women and the welfare of children.

Princess Caroline, Augusta and Charlotte were each known for being passionate and innovative, contributing to just about every aspect of society and influencing an international audience. Today’s princesses are known for doing the same thing, but this would most likely not be the case if these earlier princesses had not paved the way for them.

Western Styles That Are Loved Everywhere

Clothing styles around the world have changed dramatically over the years for a variety of different reasons, and while most countries will still have their own traditional way of dressing, there is no denying the huge influence that Western fashion has had. Whether referred to as Westernization or globalization, each of these styles are now worn by people from all over the world.

Jeans
Worn by everyone from cowboys to presidents, jeans can be found in just about every country around the world. While they were first designed as workwear for those working on Western America’s farms and mines, their popularity quickly spread, and the Levi’s brand was soon formed. Thanks to Hollywood, people began to view jeans as a representation of a subversive counter-culture, and, during the war, this style was soon embraced by many other countries. Today, jeans are considered to be one of the most mainstream garments out there, but there is still plenty of experimentation happening in relation to style, cut, color and finish, making it extremely likely that this versatile item of clothing will stick around for many more years to come.

Baseball Caps
Considering that baseball is a sport that the majority of the world do not play, or even watch, many find it surprising that the baseball cap is a style that is now globally loved. Originally designed to keep the sun out of baseball players’ eyes, as well as to help easily identify teams, the versatility of the baseball cap, as well as the huge marketing campaigns created by various sports brands, has helped to push this style into the forefront when it comes to the headgear worn around the world.

The Western Business Suit
Many do not realize that the Western business suit actually descended from the uniform worn by European army officers, and this is a style that is now worn by businessmen, and women, all over the planet, from Japan to Africa to Peru. In fact, Japan takes it one step further when it comes to special business or political occasions, and don morning coats and striped pants, which come from the styles worn by Edwardian diplomats hundreds of years ago in England. The suit has now become standard business attire for the majority of companies out there, but, just like with jeans, styles are always changing, refreshing and revitalizing the suit.

Sneakers
While sneakers originally date all the way back to the rubber soled shoes worn in the late 18th century, they only became mass produced in 1917, and earned their name due to the way in which they were so quiet when people wore them. It was in 1924 that sneakers went global, thanks to the birth of the brand Adidas, which quickly became the most popular athletic shoe in the world. They became quite the fashion statement in the 1950’s, and in addition to being seen on the hottest sporting stars, they were also featured in hit movies.

Many blame globalization for the way in which the popularity of local traditional clothing around the world has declined, and this is true to some extent. However, although more and more people from different cultural backgrounds are now dressing in similar ways, embracing a number of Western styles, local and regional fashion trends are still set to continue, enabling individuals to add their own twist to each of these garment types.

The Evolution of Elastic in Fashion

While the elastic that we know of today may only date back to the mid 19th century, elasticity has actually been used by man for thousands of years, with the very first elastic strings fashioned from animal guts, intended to hold items together. From here, humans realized that elastic could also be used as a weapon, which gave birth to the bow and arrow, and, after this, a number of other uses for elastic were conceived. However, it was not until around the 1840’s that elastic began to be used in mainstream fashion, but, once its versatility in the fashion industry was finally discovered, it soon began appearing on a wide range of garments.

Elastic Braces
Elastic braces were invented in the 1840’s, and had a huge impact on men’s fashion at the time. Designed to hold up the high-waisted trousers and undergarments that were worn at that time, elastic braces changed the direction of men’s fashion, allowing for a wider range of waistbands and trouser styles to be worn. However, the elastic suspenders at this time were designed to be purely functional, and were completely hidden from sight by the waistcoats that were also worn with this look, meaning that little attention was paid to the actual aesthetics of these braces.

Synthetic Elastic
Over the years, elastic began to become more widely used in fashion, and this elastic was created by transforming latex into a usable rubber. However, during and after the second World War, there were huge shortages of natural rubber experienced, which led to research and studies into ways in which to make synthetic forms of elastic. The first few outcomes of this were great for use within the automobile industries, although not so good for textiles, as elastic made from natural fibers was still highly preferred. However, this all changed in 1959, when, after years of research, spandex was invented.

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Spandex
The invention of spandex brought about huge changes in the textiles industry, as there was now finally an elastic that not only readily accepted dyes and did not absorb too much moisture, but also held up when washed in a machine time and time again. Spandex fibers are also able to stretch to hundreds of times of their original length, giving textile manufacturers a level of elasticity that they had not yet experimented with. This meant that, at the beginning, it was only really used in items such as bras and workout clothes, but, as the years went on, it became a significant structural material in the majority of clothes out there. Today, spandex is used in 80% of clothing purchased by Americans, as it can be usefully incorporated into just about everything, from comfortable night clothes to classic denim jeans.

While elastic is mostly used in fashion for fitting purposes, it also gives clothes the ability to stretch, without losing their original shape. From socks to fitted shirts, elastic likely features in the majority of clothes in your wardrobe, and it is always fascinating to know more about exactly how this material ended up making its way into our daily lives.

Style Inspiration from Ulyana Sergeenko

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An exceptionally talented Russian designer and fashion blogger, Ulyana Sergeenko’s high-end designs have hugely contributed to the exciting fashion revolution that Russia has been experiencing in recent years. Inspired by the rich and diverse history of her native land, Ulyana Sergeenko’s pieces are innovative and avant-garde, but still extremely wearable.

The Birth of the Brand
Ulyana Sergeenko was always passionate about fashion, even at a time when there were only two fashion magazines available in the Soviet Union. Having grown up sewing all of her own clothes, Sergeenko was always breaking fashion rules, and, after marrying a Russian billionaire, became a regular couture client of Valentino, Jean Paul Gaultier, Chanel and Galliano, with each brand teaching her about the fashion industry. After many of her own customized creations, which came about after she collaborated with her favorite designers, experienced tremendous success when sold by these other brands, Sergeenko decided that it was time to launch her own label, and did exactly that in 2011 at the haute couture shows in Paris, receiving some extremely positive feedback.

Traditional Russian Craftsmanship
All of Ulyana Sergeenko’s designs are produced in Russia, by a team of 100 seamstresses employed by the brand. Using traditional Russian sewing techniques, the way in which each of the garments fits the body is, without a doubt, truly beautiful, and each piece is always impeccably crafted. Native handiwork is something that the brand always emphasizes, and, in their most recent collection, details such as the handmade lace and mosaic fur coats, which would have taken countless hours to piece together, are all a nod to the modest needlepoint techniques that used to be utilized in Soviet homes all over the country.

Fall/Winter 2016
Ulyana Sergeenko’s Fall/Winter 2016 collection was recently showcased at the Natural History Museum in Paris, with the collection being primarily inspired by the Soviet Union in the 60’s, particularly when it came to technology and science. Focusing on the importance of idealism and never giving up on your dreams, the collection was extremely opulent, and even the more basic of looks featured incredibly luxurious details upon closer inspection. While the brand’s collections usually end up taking on quite a theatrical feel, this one took a step away from that, not only with its more subdued tone, but also with the daywear pieces that were featured on the runway. In addition to the brand’s signature fairytale-like dresses, the Fall/Winter 2016 collection also saw a number of wearable day items, from the professional tweed pants suit to the ribbed knit tights to the co-ed leather motorcycle jacket.

Having been around for nine seasons of Paris’ fashion calender, Ulyana Sergeenko’s collections have been inspired by everything from the Soviet-era architecture and apartments of St. Petersburg to the Orient Express, highlighting the diversity of Russian history. While a number of the brand’s couture pieces in the past would have been difficult to incorporate into the average wardrobe, Ulyana Sergeenko’s latest collection has addressed this, producing pieces that are professional and wearable, yet completely contemporary and avant-garde.

The Seductive Power of Romance Languages

Latin is a language that has had a huge impact on the world as we know it today. In medieval times, it was a language that was only spoken by farmers and shopkeepers and limited to Rome and its surroundings. However, it soon spread throughout the Roman empire, and even after the empire had fallen, the language stood strong. Legends throughout history, such as Cleopatra in Ancient Egypt, were known to pick up a number of these languages, and could speak them all fluently. Between the sixth and ninth century, as Latin continued to spread throughout Europe, it began to evolve, giving birth to the Romance languages, which are still considered to be the most seductive and romantic languages in the world today.

French
While French is considered to be the most evolved of the Romance languages, it also thought to be the most romantic language in the world. Often referred to as the Language of Love, French culture has played a huge role in this perception, with part of this coming from the international prestige that surrounded the French language. French is also a language of accuracy and clarity, with a number of different romantic words and phrases that do not exist in other languages. An example of this is the word “retrouvaille”, which usually refers to long-distance relationships, and couples that have had to spend time apart but are now reunited with each other again.

Spanish
The official language of 21 countries, Spanish is widely spoken around the world and is another one of the Romance languages. The Spanish language gives its speakers a versatility and passion that they can use in their words, making the language seem extremely sensual and powerful. Spanish phrases also flow together well, with many words sounding much softer than their translations in other languages.

Italian
Many consider Italian to sound quite similar to Spanish, and many countries believe it to be the most romantic of languages. In terms of vocabulary, it is extremely close to Latin and is widely spoken across Europe, as well as in some parts of Africa. Italian is known to be the Language of Music, and this perhaps lends to its overall romantic appeal, especially as it soon began to spread through art, culture and the luxury consumer market.

Portuguese
Portuguese is the third most spoken European language in the world, and is often referred to as a “sweet and gracious language”. A number of great literary figures produced their work in Portuguese, and this has perhaps helped it to retain its seductive qualities.

While there are many more Romance dialects that have sprung from Latin over the years, the most widely spoken Romance languages are French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Romanian, and these were stabilized with the invention of the printing press, which encouraged a greater uniformity between languages. While, technically, the Romance languages do not have anything to do with being romantic, the way in which they are spoken, and the words that are used, make them some of the most seductive and passionate languages spoken in the world today.

Best U.S. Wine Clubs

The wine business is more competitive than ever, and for those who enjoy being adventurous when it comes to the different wines that they try, joining a wine club is a great decision. Wine clubs give you the opportunity to experiment with different varieties of wine, without having to spend hours trawling through wine stores in order to pick them out. However, due to wine clubs becoming increasingly popular, there are now so many to choose from, many of which have their own unique edge, making the decision even harder. From clubs that focus on family-owned wineries, to others that utilize an extensive vetting process, these are some of the best wine clubs that the U.S has to offer.

Gold Medal Wine Club
The Gold Medal Wine Club places a strong emphasis on sourcing wines from small-batch, family-owned wineries, choosing varieties that often cannot be purchased from retail stores. The company employs a small team of experts to taste and select the wines and offers a choice of six different membership tiers, ranging from the International Wine Club to the Pinot Noir Wine Club to the Platinum Wine Club.

International Wine of the Month Club
This club considers wine to be a global product, seeking out varieties from all over the world and bringing its members new and exciting wines to taste. Each delivery is accompanied by detailed cellar notes, which includes a history and additional information on each specific varietal, as well as notes on the best foods to pair with that particular wine. This wine club also makes use of a two-tiered tasting panel, so by the time each bottle of wine reaches you, the variety will have already been tasted by around thirty experts, guaranteeing that it will be of the highest quality.

Lot 18/Tasting Room
Wine clubs can often be off-putting for those that are not serious wine connoisseurs, and this is where the Tasting Room Wine Club comes in. Rather than sending out full-sized bottles, this club sends out shipments of six sample-sized wine bottles, intending to help you to identify your preferences when it comes to different wines. Once you have tasted the mini samples, you can then arrange for larger sized bottles to be shipped out instead, enabling you to receive varieties that you already know you will truly enjoy.

Uncorked Ventures
West Coast wines are always popular, and for those that are serious fans, Uncorked Ventures is the wine club to join. The club focuses on wines that come from California, Washington and Oregon, with the founders of the club having established strong relationships with small-scale growers in these regions. While some of the wines offered can be purchased at retail stores, the selections are always high quality, and there are still a number of unique wines to be found.

Joining a wine club is a great way to learn all about new varieties of wine, whether you are a serious wine connoisseur or are just beginning to learn about the intricacies of the drink. Each wine club will usually offer a range of different membership tiers, and these can often be tailored to suit your personal preferences, ensuring that you always receive a selection of wines that you will appreciate.