The Devil is in the Details: The Rumored Satanic Curse that Killed Jayne Mansfield

October 25, 2023, Leave a Comment on The Devil is in the Details: The Rumored Satanic Curse that Killed Jayne Mansfield

On June 29, 1967 the fading light of Hollywood starlet Jayne Mansfield was extinguished for good when her car slammed into the back of a truck. Was her death just a random auto accident or the product of a curse brought on by Anton LeVay, the founder of the Church of Satan? Jayne Mansfield had…

Close-up of the brooch, a hatchet with "Carrie Nation" embossed on the blade.

Remembering the Hatchet Brandishing Carry A. Nation the Unsung Heroine of Prohibition

August 23, 2023, Leave a Comment on Remembering the Hatchet Brandishing Carry A. Nation the Unsung Heroine of Prohibition

When the majority of Americans think about the era of Prohibition, we think of the roaring 20s, with flappers, speakeasies, and flowing illegal hooch. However, the push for outlawing alcohol started before the arrival of the 20th century, and part of it was spearheaded by a formidable woman, towering at six feet tall, dressed in…

Myself, wearing a light taupe colored dress, with long sleeves. At the hem is a series of diamond shapes in peachy-pink, grey, and gold, all in various sizes. Near my shoulder I wear a small wooden brooch of a raccoon holding a pink flower. Atop my head a peachy-pink scarf, and short gold boots on my feet.

The Tale of Nell Donnelly: Fashion Icon Rescued by the Mob

March 29, 2023, 5 Comments

When we think about fashion labels with notorious pasts, we think about Gucci or Versace. But there is one forgotten about fashion label that an estimated one in seven women owned and its founder and designer, Nell Donnelly, was once caught up in a kidnapping that was solved by the mob, and I recently acquired…

The Coven Album "Witchcraft" leans up against the open lid of a record player. The black vinyl record sits on the spindle. The cover features a woman with long blonde hair, and two men, one with dark hair, another with blonde hair and a mustache, in the middle is a human skull. Text across the top reads "Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls Coven"

The Forgotten Mother of Metal Music and Birth of the “Devil’s Horns”

August 18, 2021, 1 Comment

It’s summer still, but many, including myself, already have Halloween on the mind. Disneyland has released tickets for the after-hours party, Universal Halloween Horror Nights has announced their new mazes and some stores already have Halloween decorations in stock, and me? Well, I’m working on what songs from my spooktacular playlist I’m going to share…

Naughty & Nice: Ode to Haddon Sundblom, the Man Behind Pin-Ups & Coca-Cola’s Santa

December 17, 2020, 3 Comments

Santa Claus. How do we describe Santa’s appearance? White beard. Red Suit. A bit on the portly side perhaps? An icon of Christmas, Santa has seen many different interpretations over the years, but today we all pretty much agree on his appearance here in America, and there is an urban legend that the modern appearance…

Sheep graze on the lawn of the White House

Gifted Donkeys, Raccoons, and Other Bizarre Pets of the White House

November 11, 2020, 2 Comments

With the election of Joe Biden as President of the United States, the White House will once again have pets scampering about its grounds. The Bidens have two German shepherds, Major and Champ, and Biden even made their dogs part of his campaign, including this Instagram video. Headlines recently boasted that Major would be the…

A boy and girl bite into the same apple inside a pumpkin. Text at the top reads "Halloween."

The Long Lost Matchmaking Rituals of Halloween

October 21, 2020, 6 Comments

When it comes to holidays about true love, one typically thinks about Valentine’s Day, and not Halloween. But yes, the time of year we typically associate with more macabre imagery used to have a rather romantic element, the rituals of Halloween matchmaking. Some of the earliest noted methods of Halloween matchmaking are from 18th century…

Myself, holding a bottle of Coke, while wearing a t-shirt of a girl in a cowgirl hat with a bottle of Coke being handed to her, red script reading "Coca-Cola" across the top. Script across the photo reads "History of the Coca-Cola Bottle"

Curvaceous Design: The History of the Coca-Cola Bottle

May 20, 2020, 6 Comments

Few things are as iconic as a bottle of Coca-Cola. In fact, as early as 1949, a study showed that fewer than one percent of Americans could not identify a bottle of Coke by its shape alone. That is a pretty big flex if you ask me. Today it’s impossible to think of not being…

A teal background features a Play-Doh ad, vibrant in the center is a colorful pack of Play-Doh. Red text reads "The Origins of Play-Doh"

The Squeaky Clean Origins of Play-Doh

March 17, 2020, 4 Comments

Before we dive into today’s post, I want to take a moment to address the current COVID-19 pandemic. I know, you come here for the fashion, unique destinations, and weird history, but without health, we have nothing. Daily new precautions and preventative measures are being suggested and implemented. Due to our severe lack of proper…

The Moulin Rouge on a postcard from the period. A low roof building features towering script that reads "Moulin Rouge." A tall tower on the left also reads "Moulin Rouge" in neon, and also features a massive neon version fo the Eiffel Tower. Script across reads "Greetings from the Moulin Rouge"

The Fleeting Life of America’s First Integrated Casino, the Moulin Rouge

February 4, 2020, 4 Comments

“In Vegas for 20 minutes, our skin had no color. Then the second we stepped off stage, we were colored again. The other acts could gamble or sit in the lounge and have a drink, but we had to leave through the kitchen with the garbage.” That is how Sammy Davis Jr. described performing in…

Atomic Redhead

Strange Tales

The Devil is in the Details: The Rumored Satanic Curse that Killed Jayne Mansfield

Remembering the Hatchet Brandishing Carry A. Nation the Unsung Heroine of Prohibition

The Tale of Nell Donnelly: Fashion Icon Rescued by the Mob

The Forgotten Mother of Metal Music and Birth of the “Devil’s Horns”

Naughty & Nice: Ode to Haddon Sundblom, the Man Behind Pin-Ups & Coca-Cola’s Santa

Gifted Donkeys, Raccoons, and Other Bizarre Pets of the White House

The Long Lost Matchmaking Rituals of Halloween

Curvaceous Design: The History of the Coca-Cola Bottle

The Squeaky Clean Origins of Play-Doh

The Fleeting Life of America’s First Integrated Casino, the Moulin Rouge