Zee Costumes

Ahh, the costumes in Downton Abbey - everyone raves about them, everyone swoons over the lace, the sleeves, the swoosh, the embroidery, the hats... because really, they are absurdly, insanely beautiful in this show. It makes the level of costuming so high for all the other Period Dramas. Everyone in DA always looks impeccable, the necklaces and hats are in perfect balance, the clothes have all the wrinkles in the right places. Let's also not forget the hairstyles! I mean seriously IT IS AMAZING. These characters could all be in magazines in every single snap shot. Not fair.

Basically what I'm going to do in this post is just talk about the clothes & wardrobes I love best. It might be random, and it will be filled with loads of pictures. Excuse me and pardon me if it bores you to death, but really, I couldn't have a DA week without at least some appreciation post for the costumes! (Imeanreally.)

(By the way, I apologise to the lovely characters downstairs in Downton, who probably won't be mentioned at all in this post. But I love them still. They just don't have many dresses of many colours. :-P) (Money does do SOME things. :-P)

Mary's wardrobe in season one and season two was serious life goallls. She looks so good in Edwardian fashion - the corset makes her posture so regal and the hairstyle and statement hats make her look so stunning and Mary-like. It's funny how some characters look way better in Edwardian and some look way better in Twenties-clothing! Lady Cora is another example - she looked so good in Edwardian clothes - with the high collars and impressive sleeves she looks like royalty. Sometimes she looks rather weird in 20's outfits. :-P

I also LOVE Sybil's clothes in Season one - the purple dress is my favourite:

(Here's a beautiful collage of the purple dress, if you're interested.)

Sybil is still in her teens in the first season, which means her outfits are slightly girlish and her hair is still half-down, in a thick braid, or with a half-updo. I love her light blue and light pink blouse-outfits, and the triangular collars. I love her white dress in the garden party too. And of course, one MUST mention her adorable light blue bloomers. :-)

I will forever love that scene. :-) Especially Tom's adorable smirk in the window... cuz he approves wholeheartedly. :-P

In Season two, there's the great War, so everyone wears slightly more simple clothes, and of course they pull it off like gold. Lady Mary's wardrobe is still my favourite, of course - but we should take a sec to talk about the men IN KHAKI. I mean they look fantastic; especially Matthew. :-P Tom Branson looks swoon-worthy as always, in his dark green chauffeur garb with his cap and leather boots, but the khaki clad men almost steal the show. :-)

My favourite dress of Mary's in Season Two (my favourite dress in season two, PERIOD) is the one she wears in the following picture. It's a blouse and a skirt actually, but the blouse is soooo pretty. *insert heart-eyed emojis, like loads of them*

ALSO THE SCENE WHERE SHE SINGS AND MATTHEW COMES IN. It is seriously my favourite scene in the whole entire show, I think. :-) :'-)

I LOVE Mary's wedding dress!!! The wedding dress itself isn't that spectacular actually, but that was the fashion of the time and she does look brilliant. Her veil is stunning and I LOVE the head peice, with the leafy silver thing. And I know I say it often, but Lady Mary looks so much better with long-hair-updos than that Willy Wonka bob-cut.

(But she looks good whatever, don't worry.)

Both of Edith's weddings were a sight for sore eyes. She looked best in wedding number two and HAPPIER TOO haha, but WOW LOOK AT SYBIL AND MARY AT Edith's first wedding!!!!!! Mary's blue dress is immaculate and diviiiine (the flutter on the sleeves at every little breeze!!!! Ahh!) and Sybil's purple and lace dress is gorgeous too. I love Sybil's bob; she looks so good in one.

Sybil and Mary seriously outshone Edith on her first wedding day, ha.

(This picture was suppose to be a gif, but it's not. moving. Whatever.) (I love her outfit and the hat is JUST COOL. She looks great in it.)

Edwardian style wasn't very nice on Edith - and her hairstyle in Season One was UGH so unflattering! She became wayy prettier when the bob was invented and she had those finger waves in. Cloche hats and a sporty silhouette and long necklaces suited Lady Edith to a T. She looks brilliant now. Her second wedding dress was shockingly pretty. :-)

And you know what else she wears so well? Those hats with one side flat up. She slays in those kinds.

This pink outfit is probably my favourite of Rose's. Look at all the little white beads embroidered all over! And then the creamy pearl necklace and her hair peeping under the white hat?!! Gorgeous.

I cannot finish this post without mentioning Lady Rose's wardrobe!!! At first it's very girly and tomboyish; a lot of sailor-ish looks (which I think is perfectly adorable), and her hair is out of control and frizzy. Her hats are plain with a simple ribbon. Then, as she matures and grows into a lady rather than a teenager, her clothes become more elegant and classy - but still very cheerful and bouncy and fun and colourful - just like her.

Her hair is always gorgeous too, and HER WEDDING DRESS. <3

My sister and I like to joke about how lazy these characters are that they can't even DRESS themselves, but actually if you look at the way they are dressed it's almost not surprising! It's like putting on a wedding dress every day, almost, and people often need help putting on wedding dresses. Plus, they had corsets and fancy hairstyles etc. 

Haha. This is when Anna was going away for a week. :-P

What are some of your favourite Downton Abbey costumes?

Do you know the Period Drama?

Little Dorrit.

Firstly, this is not a game. Just clarifying. Well, you could call it a game, I suppose, only I don't know the answers myself.

So I often find pictures of Period Dramas online - Pinterest, etc. - and mostly, of course, I know what Period Drama it is that I'm pinning from. Because I like to call myself a bit of an expert when it comes to Period Dramas - it's my one weakness, it's a big passion of mine, I know plenty. But there are always some I've never heard of, and there are many random Period Drama pictures I have found online that I don't recognise.

Could you help me satisfy my curiosity?

1. This is the actress - Um, Holiday Grainger, or something like that? - who played one of the Ugly Sisters in 'Cinderella.' I have no idea what movie this picture is from. Probably some Period Drama filled with unappropiate scenes; it looks like it. I know there's a movie in which she acts with Richard Madden (not Cinderella), but the fashion in this picture looks different.

2. I THINK I know this one, but clarification would be satisfying, haha. I think it's from the-Period-Drama-I-absolutely-DO-NOT-want to see, 'A Royal Affair.' I know, I know, Alicia Vikander looks gorgeous, but if this picture is from 'A Royal Affair', I can tell you, I still don't want to see it. It looks like the icky-est movie ever: I cringe at the trailer alone.

3. This looks SO GORGEOUS. What is this from. Tell me. (I'm guessing maybe Howards End? No idea. It looks very pretty, but looks might be deceiving.)

4. NO REALLY WHAT IS THIS PICTURE FROM. A young girl? In Edwardian clothes? This looks like a really cool movie. Does any of you know, by any chance? Yes? (Maybe this is one of the girls in Mr Selfridge, but I'm not sure. That's my guess, anyway.)

5. This looks pretty... muddy. I thought it was Return to Cranford first, because of the building-tent-thing, but it isn't. I don't recognise the actress either. I love the dress, though, with the lace collar and the PUFFS and the blue and the gatherings. Oh yes. :-P

6. The only Period Film I know Jenna Coleman in is Death Comes to Pemberly (oh and the new Victoria movie, but that's not out yet.) So I'm wondering what this is...

7. ISN'T THAT DRESS GORGEOUS. I mean just look a the way the skirt drapes so sheenily and evenly. And the frothy swishhhh. I love it. But, as you know, I have no CLUE what the movie is. Maybe it's the same one as the one up there (the picture which had a lady walking on dunes with a parasol.) It might be the same movie.

8. We all know why I am curious. THE PARASOL. And the hat. This looks beautiful. I'm guessing maybe 'A Royal Affair' (again). I HOPE it's not 'A Royal Affair', though.

9. Keira Knightley absolutely rocks the 40's style! No, I don't think she's a good Elizabeth Bennet - you know it all - but she looks absolutely gorgeous and adorable in here! I love her hairstyle. Is this Atonement? Or The Imitation Game? 'Cos both those movies have her in it, and are set during the 40's. (Emma, do you know?)

10. Lily James in Regency Garb and blonde hair. Hmmm. This isn't 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' (a weird movie coming up) because Lily James has brown hair in there. I have NO idea where this is from. I'm guessing maybe, um, 'War and Peace'? I don't know why I'm guessing that. But I guessed it, so there. :-)

11. For some reason or the other I think this is from the same movie as the Lily James picture. I'm guessing 'War and Peace.' It looks Tolstoy-ish.

12. Okay, I'm REALLY curious about this one, because it looks frightfully ridiculously GORGEOUS. Does anyone know? It looks like it could be Downton Abbey - maybe it's a character from season 6 that I'm not aware of yet? I have NO idea. I'd be really happy if one of you knew this. I'd thank you and maybe give you cake.

Help me!!! :-)

10 Favourite JA dresses

{Images from cap-that.com}

The Jane Austen movie have the PRETTIEST gowns. They're generally not too fussy, as the Regency style/pattern was a more simple one. (I mean, you know, no endless hoops or furbelows like the ladies wore in other time periods. I love those too, by the way.) Here, dear people, are my ten favourite. And ohhhh, choosing where which one will go in the list is going to be HARD. But I'll try. :-)

(Most of these are going to be from Emma Woodhouse in the 2009 wardrobe, just warning. I'm very much in love with her entire wardrobe. :-/)

#10 - Elizabeth Bennet's gold sprigged dress

Elizabeth's whole wardrobe is entirely simplistically gorgeous and naturally elegant. I'm the most in love with her blue spencer (I mean, it's seriously the most beautiful spencer in the entire world - go click here) but as that's not a dress, it cannot appear on this list. One of my favourite of Elizabeth's dresses is this one. I love the goldish-brownish design, and the fresh white-ness. It's just scrumptioussss.

#9. Catherine Moorland's light blue/white dress

I actually am not crazy about Catherine's wardrobe in general, but this one is just adorable. And the neckline is not atrociously low, which is nice, you know. I love it - it captures Cathy's youthful-ness and innocence very well. :-) (There, wasn't that a clever thing to say?)

#8. Maria Lucas' yellow dress

I know Maria Lucas isn't one of the main characters in Pride and Prejudice, but I've always noticed and completely LOOOOVED her yellow dress. The bell-like sleeves, the buttons in the shape of flowers... it's just so adorable and angelic. She wears it at the Netherfield Ball (where she gets to hold Mr Darcy's hand during a dance - lucky girl) and several times at Rosings.

#7. Emma Woodhouse's Christmas dress

Okay, maybe it's just me being in a disastrous Christmas mood already, but this dress of Emma's is absoblumelutely adorable. We don't see her wearing it enough, but from what I've seen, I think it's made from a kind of velvet-y material - maybe not, but it looks kind of velvet. And I LOVE Velvet. I personally think the sash is a bit too large, but for the rest this dress is VERY Naomi-Approved.

#6. Kitty Bennet's blue patterned dress

I don't know why I love this dress of Kitty's so much - it's very simple. Maybe it's the little tiny puffs at the top of the sleeve, or the tiny blue dots. I just love it so much.

#5. Emma's pink afternoon dress

AHH. EMMA'S WARDROBE. It was agony choosing 'at least four', I tell you. But this pink inside-the-house dress definitely deserved a place on the list. I mean, look. It's gorgeous and yet it looks super comfortable too. I actually (shockingly) love Mrs Elton's outfit in this scene too. Yes, it's over-trimmed, but it's really surprisingly gorgeous (or it would be, if someone else wore it) - look at her bonnet. 

#4. Isabella's yellow dress

Okay, most of Isabella's gowns aren't my favourite ones. They generally tend to scream: "FLIRT" - you know what I mean. But this yellow one; I mean, it's SO pretty. And it suits her so well and OH I WANT IT THANKS. (Ahhhh, look how it flows... and the perfect puffy sleeves. Looook.)

#3. Marianne's peach cross-over dress

Marianne wears peach SO. DARN. WELL. (My favourite outfit of hers is the one with the peach pelisse and the peach hat with the ostrich feathers. As this isn't a 'dress', I cannot add it into my list, but I have to give you a LINK to it. Because it's gorgeous.) Anyway, this dress - I LOVE IT. I love the cross-over pattern and the gold-y peachy-ness. It's so elegant and simple and golden... Ahhh, I really like it a LOT. :-)

#2. Emma's orange flowered dress

This dresssssss. Wow, guys, it's AMAZING. It's really Autumn-y, with the rusty tones and the burnt-orange, and the peachy flowers.... GAHH. Someone sew this for meeee.

#1. Emma's pink ball gown

AND NOWWW. MY FAVOURITE DRESS. I have mentioned this dress many times before, I know I have - but that won't make me stop right now. (Sorry if you just got your hopes up, haha.) In the 'behind the scenes' of Emma 2009, the costume designer (forgot her name. Or maybe his name. I can't even remember if it was a man or a woman. Probably a woman, because that's more typical.) said that this dress has loads of thin layers to create a shimmery, elegant effect. Well, that's just why I love this dress - it's the shimmery party-ness - and ohhh, it's pink and sparklyyyyy.

I LOVE IT. :-)

What are some of your favourite Jane Austen Movie dresses?

Oh, and I WOULD have added this dress, but I didn't because it's not really in a JA movie, and us Janeites aren't completely happy with this movie (because Jane Austen never eloped and she does in the movie, and that makes us angry.) But anyway: I LOVE THIS DRESS TOO. Like, I love it like crazy and I'm completely in love with it.

Oh, and I mentioned the word 'love' seventeen times in this post. We are all surprised.

Swooning over Costumes.

Hello, dearest people. If you've stuck around me for a time, you'll have noticed that I like (um, perhaps I should change that word to 'love', because the word 'like' is a bit of an understatement) to swoon over costumes in Period Dramas. I pin endless pins of Period Dramas and I see endless pictures of Period Dramas in my life, so I always have several costumes to swoon over at the same time. So now and then I devote a post to my favourites. People think those posts are a bit boring, because it's always the same. You know, 'LOOK AT THAT' and 'JUST LOOK' and 'WOW ISN'T IT GORGEOUS' and 'I WANT IT' and very often, 'I NEED IT.' That's boring. So apologies in advance, folks.

Today I'm going to swoon over some costumes. (I just happen to be very good in pointing out stuff everyone is already aware of. It's not hard, you know.)

Our family watched 'Summer Magic' recently, and I thought the dresses the girls wore to the party were absolutely gorgeous. They remind me a bit of something Liesl von Trapp would wear, strangely enough.

(Actually, that's not so strange, because Liesl's outfits are gorgeous too. So it's pretty obvious these gorgeous dresses remind me of Liesl's gorgeous dresses.) (I'll stop rambling.)

As long as I live, I will NEVER get tired of the Downton Abbey costumes. Never, and I repeat it again, Never. Lady Mary's wardrobe used to be my favourite, but now, in the later series, I've started eyeing Lady Rose's wardrobe somewhat more. Her wardrobe is just to DIE for. (Not really, though. Because of what benefit is a lucious sparkly, girly, perfect wardrobe when one is dead? None.)

This outfit of Rose's is also gorgeous. Just sayin'.

I need to see 'Somewhere in Time' so badly. Reason number one: Because Emma, my dear friend, has been wishing me to do so ever since we bumped into each other. Reason number two: Because Eliza's wardrobe is seriously the STUNNIEST thing ever. The outfit pictured above is my favourite one of hers. (Sink me, she's on the header.)

The lace, people. Matched with the pearls and the light pink. *fails*

My siblings, my father and I are watching 'Singing in the Rain' at the moment. I LOVE IT. It's just such a fun, squeeful, jolly, toe-tappy, one-gets-tumbled-inside-the-story musical. I have always adored Kathy's wardrobe, but this time watching it I only realise how much. It's just so adorable. Of course, it helps that Kathy is acted by the most adorable actress of all time, but seriously - her dresses, HER DRESSES!!!! 

My favourite so far is this sheeny, cloudy dress. It looks like it's as light as a fluffy feather (especially in this picture). Isn't it a coincidence that it matches with the backing scenery? I don't think so. :-P

Anna in 'The King and I' has the most PERFECT hoop-skirts ever made. Just LOOK. (Ha, I told you was going to tell you to look sooner or later.) Is that not the most PERFECT shape? I'm obsessed with Anna's dresses.

One day I shall wear such a perfect hoop. I need to so badly.

You know, I'm not a very big fan of Victorian Styles. Admit it, some of them can be pretty weird. 

But (you were waiting for that 'but', weren't you?) the dresses Victoria wears in 'The Young Victoria' are AMAZING. Really. Her yellow ball gown is my favourite, because it's draped in endless lace (lace is always a good idea) but, because I'm sure I've swooned over that one already, I'll show you my second-favourite Young-Victoria-gown. This lavender one.

THE FLOWERS. I knowww. It's not fair.

Cosette's wedding gown is beautiful, by the way. Give me those puffs. 

(I have a question for the Les Mis experts. Does this gif actually come from the movie? It's HAPPY! Because that's pretty darn adorable, that he twirls her around. I might have to watch Les Mis. (Or at least the wedding scene. It's surprisingly HAPPY, for Les Mis.))

What are some costumes you've been adoring lately?

Be honest - do these post bore you?