What presentations does Candice Hern offer about the time of Jane Austen?

Updated

Candice Hern offers a series of presentations called IN THE TIME OF JANE AUSTEN, covering eight topics drawn from her personal collection of late 18th- and early 19th-century antiques. You can book a single presentation, two, or the entire series, and she has delivered them to libraries, book groups, writers groups, women's clubs, college classes, museums, and Jane Austen organizations. If you are planning an in-person or virtual event for 2026 or 2027, this page explains what each talk covers so you can decide which fits your audience.

The eight presentation topics

Each talk uses items from Hern's Georgian and Regency collections—fashion prints, fans, jewelry, silhouettes, perfume bottles, and more—to bring the period to life.

Presentation Subject
Fashion in the Time of Jane Austen Period dress; described on the site as "everyone's favorite"
Brisé Fans The fan as an essential accessory of the era
Love and Death: Sentimental Jewelry Jewelry with sentimental meaning in the period
Shades, Shadows, and Profiles: Silhouettes The silhouette as portrait and art form
What a Lady Carried in Her Reticule Contents of the Regency reticule
Mourning Practices Customs of mourning in the time of Jane Austen
Ladies' Magazines Periodicals read by women of the era
Valentines Valentine traditions of the period

What the talks are built on

The presentations are not generic lectures. Hern is a long-time collector of items from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and she uses her own collections as the basis for each talk. The same collections are shared on the site's Regency World section and on her Instagram, so you can preview the kinds of objects an audience would see.

Who books these presentations

According to the site, Hern has presented to:

  • Libraries
  • Book groups
  • Writers groups
  • Women's clubs
  • College classes
  • Museums
  • Jane Austen organizations

This range suggests the talks work for both general audiences and groups with existing interest in the Regency period.

Booking options and timing

You can book one presentation, two, or the entire series, which makes the format flexible for a single meeting or a multi-session program. The site directs interested hosts to a booking page and then to contact Hern directly, and it notes that she is taking bookings for 2026 or 2027. Her next listed event is Saturday, October 24, 2026, in Mahtomedi, MN, on "Fashion in the Time of Jane Austen."

How to decide

  • For a single event: "Fashion in the Time of Jane Austen" is the most popular and the most broadly appealing starting point.
  • For a series or multi-week program: the full eight-topic list allows a themed run across fashion, accessories, jewelry, mourning, and print culture.
  • For a specialized audience: groups focused on material culture, costume, or mourning customs may prefer the more specific talks over the general fashion overview.
  • For remote audiences: the site states the presentations can be delivered virtually as well as in person.

To move forward, use the site's event booking page and then contact Hern directly with your preferred topic, format, and date.