I will be writing a post next week about one of my favorite issues of Victoria magazine (I am holding off because I need to scan in some photos to go with the post), but I thought I would share with you a post I wrote for my first blog (no longer maintaining it) back in 2005. Thankfully, Victoria magazine is back!
As I was dusting my favorite bookcase this week, I paused to remove my magazine cases overflowing with my beloved back issues of Victoria magazine. Rather than continuing with my dreaded chore of dusting, I took the cases to kitchen table and began leafing through the back issues, which spanned most of my adult life, 1994—2003.Until its sudden demise when Hearst Magazines abruptly ceased its publication in June 2003, Victoria was my gateway to good and gracious living. Each issue featured a theme for the month, and then sometime in the late 1990s, the magazine switched to a yearly theme, such as “Bliss”, that was woven into each issue.
I first stumbled upon an issue while at the grocery store—the cover featured the most charming picture of an English garden with roses, foxgloves, and other gorgeous flowers. I completely judged the magazine by its cover, but when I got home and actually began reading it, I discovered that what was inside was truly more beautiful than the attractive cover. When you fell into the pages of Victoria magazine, you fell into a world that embraced the good and simple life, traditional values, and all things beautiful. Just looking at the beautiful photographs of homes, gardens, vintage clothing, fine linens and china, gorgeous and unique furniture, books, and historic sites calmed the most jangled nerves after a grueling day in the real world. My favorite articles usually revolved around gardening (especially articles on roses—I became hooked on English roses thanks to this magazine!), vintage lace, hats, and essays from readers and the magazines featured “writer in residence.”
Regular features included “Dear Friends,” a column from the editor in chief; “Reader to Reader,” an essay or article from an ordinary reader of the magazine; “Favorite Things,” which featured the latest linens, cosmetics, and home furnishings; “Friends of Victoria Calendar,” a listing of events around the country that brought together readers at events related to a particular topic or theme; “Our Private Collection,” which featured special goods for purchase to readers; “Beauty and Bath”, a spotlight on the latest beauty products, especially those related to a luxurious and relaxing bath time; “Children’s Corner,” a section related to topics of interest to mothers or doting aunts; “The Charms of Tea,” a regular column that encouraged women to celebrate rituals of tea and friendship; “Recipe Index,” a mouth watering collection of delectable recipes; and “Artist in Residence,” an excerpt of writing from the year’s featured writer.
When I read the magazine, I tended to either curl up in my own luxuriously furnished bed that was inspired by the magazine or in my favorite chair, a very 1980s velvet club chair that was more comfortable than stylish. I would first flip through the gorgeous array of photographs that were more than eye candy: they were pictures of what I envisioned my future home and clothing to be, and on a larger scale, my lifestyle: one that was serene, full of loving family and kindhearted friends as well as finely furnished home that was well-feathered with beautiful linens, furniture, and gardens. After savoring each and every lovely photo, I would then take hours to savor each article. After reading each article, my faith in the good of the world was always restored, and my hope to live the kind of life I wanted was renewed.
Eventually, I purchased nearly every book published by the magazine, including The Romantic Heart, The Ways of Flowers, Intimate Home, The Pleasures of Staying in Touch, and The Quiet Center: Women’s Reflections on Life’s Passages from the Pages of Victoria Magazine. The magazine even offered support groups and articles on starting one’s own business based on a particular passion, such as selling vintage linens or children’s clothing. My friends also enjoyed the magazines and books—we often traded subscriptions and the latest books published by the magazine as birthday or Christmas presents. We would scrape our well-earned teacher salary dollars together to offer each other a respite from the daily grind of life as high school teachers and a glimpse of what our lives might be one day if we ever decided to leave the world of teaching and become entrepreneurs ourselves.
As I flipped through the pages this week and stopped to re-read favorite articles and photographs, I wondered why the magazine had ceased to live. Born in 1987, it was still fairly young when it died in 2003. I wrote the publisher to find out why they had ripped it out of my life, but I never did get a response. All of us who loved the magazine felt as though we had lost a great friend. Even now, back issues sell like hotcakes on Ebay, and many of the books are now in a second printing. I still have all of my back issues carefully stored in the special magazine holders I purchased from the magazine and still have the mailbox I especially bought when my husband and I bought our first house: it is a mailbox designed to accommodate magazines so that they do not get curled up or crumpled.
I can’t help but think about the void in the lives of the magazine’s faithful subscribers. In this age of disgusting “reality TV,” violence, terrorism, and strife, I miss that “quiet center” where the solidarity of sisterhood was reaffirmed and the importance of being “nice” was embraced, not ridiculed. I like to think, though, that the spirit and values embodied in the magazine continue to inspire my dreams and hopes for the present and future. When I look around at the little “feathers” of my “nest” of our humble home, I see the handprints of the magazine: lace curtains, an English style rose-covered sofa, a distressed bookcase of gold, cream, and blue; a garden of luscious of English roses. I can also be comforted by the fact I have my many issues and books I can return to time and time again to be renewed and reaffirmed.
), and gas heat (like we had in our old house) has never agreed with my allergies or sinuses. My parents have one of these units in their sunroom, and it is fabulous, so I am confident it will do a great job of warming and cooling the majority of our home. Hopefully, we will get that installed in the next week or two—my dad and husband will be doing that job.
