Mrs. (Eliza Davis) Aria

Born in London in 1866, she became known under the pen name Mrs Aria as an English fashion writer and gossip columnist. She grew up in an artistic, well-connected world and went on to build a public career around fashion, society, and style.

She founded and edited The World of Dress from 1898 to 1908, and also wrote books including Woman and the Motor Car, Costume: Fanciful, Historical, and Theatrical, and My Sentimental Self. Her work ranged from practical writing about modern life to richly detailed discussions of dress and appearance, which helps explain why her books remain interesting to readers of fashion history.

Beyond journalism, she was known as a society hostess, and her London salon drew literary and artistic figures. She died in 1931, but her writing still captures the energy of late Victorian and Edwardian social life with charm and confidence.