If you’re anything like me, you sometimes get a little
distracted while watching Downton Abbey.
It’ll
be the middle of an important scene, full of subtle dramatic tension and all of
a sudden, you realize that you’ve completely tuned out the dialogue because
you’re studying one of the character’s outfit so closely.
You get lost in a sea of dropped waist dresses,
intricate beading and gorgeous hats. And
you’re also probably thinking, “Is there some way I can get away with dressing
like I just stepped off of a sprawling Edwardian estate?”
The answer, thankfully, is yes. Well, sort of.
You may not want to go whole hog period fashion, or you
might risk looking costumey, but there are certainly ways you can incorporate
the style into what you wear every day.
Color Me Softly
When it comes to a color palette, if you want to fit in
at Downton, you should stick to soft shades.
Think colors like dusty rose, pale mint, creams, grays, lavender, and
light blues. The overall effect you’re going
for is delicately feminine, so stick to muted tones as opposed to vibrant
ones. You do sometimes see the Crawley
ladies in more saturated colors, but that’s only for formal occasions, and only
once in a while.
Art Deco Details
The Art Deco design movement can clearly be seen in the
fashion of Downton Abbey. Everything
from the jewelry to the details on dresses is inspired by the symmetrical, geometric
elements seen in things like the stained glass, furniture and architecture of
the time period.
Art Deco in fashion and design can be summed up by the
phrase “modern glamour.” Gone were the
floral brocades and frills of their mother’s and grandmother’s day. There was definitely sparkle and glitz, but
it was well balanced by the angular and abstract shapes seen in embroidery and
beading in dresses. As for jewelry, look
for long, multi-stranded necklaces, filigree, cameos, pearls, and geometric
shapes.
Straight & Narrow
In the Victorian era of fashion, which just preceded
theirs, the silhouette was a highly exaggerated curvy, feminine one – it was
all about the corset, the bustle, big sleeves, and emphasizing the bosom and
the behind. You can still see vestiges
of this aesthetic in the clothes of the one and only Dowager Countess, whose
wardrobe hails from her heyday.
This
starkly contrasts the straight, tubular silhouette that became popular during
this time. No longer were women being
forced into unnatural shapes…and they could even start wearing pants! To capture the simple elegance of Lady Mary
and the rest, opt for low-waist or empire-waist dresses with long hemlines and
modest necklines. This era of fashion
was gorgeous, to be sure, but not overtly sexy.
It’s All In Your Head
A big part of capturing the Crawley look is the hair and
headpieces. Fun and kind of gross fact:
It was common for ladies to add extra volume to updos by inserting a ball of
their own hair collected from hairbrushes. Here are a few hairstyles that were de
rigueur:
·
The low side chignon
·
Finger waves
·
Updos with soft curls
·
Bobs
Hats and hair accessories were also a serious part of
fashion then. At the time, women would
hardly be seen out of doors without a hat.
On Downton we see several styles, but the most popular shape is
undoubtedly the lovely cloche, a minimal shape that closely hugs the head, is
worn a little jauntily and ends just above the brow.
But when it’s time for something a little fancier, go
for dressier pieces that feature beading, feathers, birdcage veils, lace, and
flower embellishments. You should also
try sparkly headbands, vintage-style combs and barrettes and very subtle little
tiaras or beaded bands that go across the forehead.
The Overlay
One of the most beautiful aspects of this time in
fashion was the sheer overlay dresses.
We often see the ladies wearing frocks that have a solid layer in one of
the muted colors mentioned above and then a sheer one on top, creating a
lovely, ethereal effect.
The sheer layer was commonly black or gray and was where
we see some of the most jaw-dropping and intricate beading and embroidery. It was also common to have the under layer
cover less than the overlay, allowing the modest ladies to show a little leg,
arm or cleavage without scandalizing their poor granny.
It’s no surprise that the fashion of the Downton Abbey days is making a
comeback. It’s not just how much we’ve
come to love the characters either. The
style embodies a beautiful and restrained elegance we don’t see much these
days, but by incorporating a few of these tips into your personal style, you
can channel this bygone beauty every day.
About the Author
Nicole Betti is a style writer who is passionately committed to
vintage-inspired fashion. Her special
passion, though, is hats and fascinators.
This love led her to open Gold Coast Couture, an online accessory boutique that
specializes in designer hats. Nicole
also frequently writes for several online style publications. To see more, visit www.GoldcoastCouture.com
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