A Period Drama Tag

Hello, all! What-ho.

Morg tagged me with her own random list of Period Drama questions several days ago, and - well, being the nuttiest of all Period Drama nuts I am - I found it entirely irresistable and here I am, doing it. Thank you, Morg!

Michelle Dockery looking entirely scrumptious in 'Anna Karenina'

What is your favourite Austen book?

I have to go with my beloved Pride and Prejudice, everyone. I just love it. I love the little Meryton society, the Bennet lodge, the snobberish people, the glittering, calm, sprinkly feel.

One Austen movie you dislike the most?

I have watched at least one movie of all the Jane Austen books (not counting Lady Susan, which isn't out yet), except Mansfield Park. I don't want to start watching Mansfield Park because it looks so bad. I'm one of those people who likes the book - (I find it a charming, darling story and, well, yes, I just adore Edward and Fanny. They're just filled to the brim with aww-y sweetness.) It's just-- Both movie adaptations seem so wrong to me, so I haven't seen any Mansfield Park adaptations. So yeah, Mansfield Park, although I haven't seen them. Tell me strictly if this answer isn't valid.

Now, THIS is what Fanny and Ed should look like.

Favourite dresses?

Please excuse me when I rub my hands in glee, because I love this question. Also the fact that it's dressES and not just 'dress' (because if it were just 'dress' I wouldn't have been able to answer it, period.) Let me pick several millions, okay?

Gone with the Wind has some pretty amazing dresses. It's hard to pick one to represent my love for the big lush hoopdresses in the movie, but I've picked the ruffled, friffled, beautifully fun white dress Scarlett wears in the first scene. It makes Scarlett seem almost... loveable. It's possible.

As I mentioned, no doubt extremely clearly, in my review of State Fair, I am the biggest fan on earth of Marge Frake's wardrobe, and, out of all of them, this dress is my favourite. The red bow, the pin puffy sleeves, the flowery embroidery, the waist. EVERYTHING. I looooove this dress.

I'm not always a big fan of Victorian styles, but this amazingly swothy and frothy yellow lacy ball gown Victoria wears to the ball (where she dances with her beautiful prince - le sigh) has captured my heart completely. LOVE it.

While some of Cynthia's dresses are a bit over-the-top, this dress - OH MY WORD. Please, allow to catch my breath.

Basically every and ANY dress in Downton Abby has a place in my heart. Two piece costume is just one of my millions of Downton Abbey favourites. Especially Mary's wardrobe I love, and also Rose's wardrobe. MAN. Everything is amazing. Some, like the one above, are just swathed with beauty and elegance. Others are beady and glittery. SUCH eye-candy!

Least favourite hair style?

This award has to go to Lady Harriet in Wives and Daughters, nearing the end. Her shaggy pixie cut is just too awful for letters. I - oh please. It's awful. I also find Anne's greasy curlies in the 2007 adaptation of 'Persuasion' very unappealing. I priorly posted about my ten least favourite hairstyles here, just in case you're interested.

I mean. Wut.

What is your favourite film adaptation to Austen's books?

I bet you all know this. Pride and Prejudice 1995, of course! Yes, I am one of those (sorry, Hamlette!) - I'm a huge lover of this long BBC version of P&P. It's all so delightfully perfect, in my little brain of opinions. I would eat this movie if I could. And it would taste like pinky hues of elegant sugar puffs. Wow, I'm really poetical today.

I also adore - and by adore I mean ADORE - Emma 2009. Johnny Lee Miller's Mr Knightley is my favourite person ever. I'm married in my brain.

This gif may kill you. :-D

Favourite Downton Abbey character?

Dear Downton! (Oh why, blogger, why do you put a red squiggly line under 'Downton' as well as 'Bennet' and 'Austen'?!! You drive me crazy. These words are words that one must respect, not mark with an embarrassing red squiggle.) My favourite Downton Abbey character is so easy to decide, funny enough, despite there being so many I adore in there. Surprise - no, it's not Matthew (although I love him till death us do part *starts crying*), and no, it's not my dear little Daisy. It's the Dowager Countess. In other words, my third Grandma. She is THE BEST Downton character. I LOVE HER.

Apparently quite a lot of people have Violet Crawley as their favourite character - I recently discovered the pastor at our Church watched Downton Abbey and his favourite character is Violet as well. :-)

Favourite BBC show?

Is Pride and Prejudice a show? No, I don't suppose it is. Well, I've got to go with Downton Abbey. I'm just intoxicated with Downton Abbey everything.

Favourite Austen Heroine?

Elizabeth Bennet, I suppose. She just brilliant and has a sparkling brain and eyes to match. Or Emma Woodhouse. So strong and hilarious and prone to mistakes. She reminds me painfully much of myself. (Yes, I do matchmake - but then in a dignified way in the corner of my brain.)

I also love Fanny. She's SO underrated, though. One day I'm going to make a post about defending Mansfield Park and it might be miles long. :-D

One BBC you watched which you disliked very much?

*Thinks really really really hard* Because I can't think of one, you guys. I just LOVE BBC Period Dramas, okay?

Oh wait, I suddenly thought of one. The Mill on the Floss. Although it starred the very talented Emily Watson, it was just PLAIN AWFUL. It wasn't just the weird, death-scene ending - it was everything. The love story wasn't even romantic, the characters weren't relatable, everyone annoyed me to death. Never watch it.

Colin Firth or Matthew Macfadyen?

Colin Firth all the way. Just to put the record straight, I'm not a huge Colin Firth fan. I only like him because he is Mr Darcy - I don't like Mr Darcy because he's Colin Firth. Also, I think Matthew MacFayden is a great actor - absoblumelutely loved him in 'Little Dorrit' - I just thought he wasn't Mr Darcy. He didn't look posh or proud enough. He was too humble and shaggy for Mr Darcy, in my opinion.

Plus, no-one can do a 'what' like Colin Firth. :-)

Jane Austen, Margaret Mitchell or Lucy Maud Montgomery?

NOW THIS (and the next question - oh dear, it's coming nigh -) IS SUCH A HARD QUESTION. Jane Austen, well, she's just Jane Austen. Amazing. A Thing. Margaret Mitchell has the BEST writing ability ever and I adore Gone with the Wind with volumnious amounts of my heart. But... Lucy Maud Montgomery - well, she's just My Favourite. I can't (ever) have enough of her. She's SUPERBOS.

Speaking of Lucy Maud Montgomery (such a flowery name, right?) - the poll has reached a fairly easy conclusion... 21 people voted - 14 wished to keep all my posts (Montgomery-related ones included) here - 6 didn't mind (awww, you peaches) and 1 wished to keep Montgomery posts at the Montgomery blog. So I deleted the Montgomery blog and all posts will be here. To that one person who voted for the Montgomery blog: Sorry, dear. I hope you understand. (As a character of mine would say: 'Dash it, I do not understand at all.')

Mr. Knightley, Mr. Darcy or Matthew Crawley?

MORG, HOW CAN YOU DO THIS TO MEEEE!?!!!!! How on EARTH am I supposed to choose between these three darling men! *Wails bitterly like a woebegone damsel in distress* These gentlemen are my three very top favourites. How did you KNOW?!! I can't choose! I caaaaan't.

*Thinks for three hours* (Sliiight exaggeration? Nooo.) I've decided. It's Mr Knightley. I love them all, but Mr Knightley is the one I would pick to marry. :-D

I LOVE HIM.

Which Charlotte- Claudie Blakley or Lucy Scott?

You know, I liked them both. I personally think Lucy Scott looks and acts more like a twenty-seven-year-old who really is not romantic - she, I think, is more like the book-Charlotte, but I liked the Charlotte in the 05 version as well. Still though, I'm going with Lucy Scott. Told ya I was a 95 fan.

By the way, does anyone know from which movie this picture comes from? I have no idea. :-)

I hope you have a lovely day!

Toodles! :-D

"Have you done something - AHEM - jolly with your hair?"

Randomly suitable gify

 

In my last post, I went through my ten favourite Period Drama hairstyles. Today, I thought it would be nice to do my ten least favourite Period Drama hairstyles. Come on, we'll have a nice time bashing them along. It'll be fun. :-)

 

 

Anne Elliot 

Sorry, people who like her hairstyle, but I don't like it. At all. It's all greasy and pulled back tightly and it has wet, clinging, wispy curls looking very fake indeed. There's this line between the curls in the front and the hair being pulled back. It's like the curls have been stuck on the forehead. Eck, no. This really is not becoming.

Jane Eyre

I haven't seen many Jane Eyre adaptions, but it only takes a search on Pintrest to find out that practically all the Jane Eyre's have rather unflattering hairstyles! Why does she never show her ears? And if she does, why with this gross flap just next to it? What is it?

Victoria

 

 Although Victoria (in the Young Victoria)'s wardrobe is to die for, her hairstyles are not exactly my favourites! I especially loathe the one with the braid looping down, under her ears... ugh. Her hairstyles are rather similar to Jane Eyre's - it's Victorian, I suppose, but not my favourite. :-P

Elizabeth Bennet (not)

I don't care that it looks romantic and fluttery in the wind. I don't care that it's *supposed* to look *tomboyish*. I don't care. Lizzy Bennet hairstyle in P&P05 drives me c.r.a.z.y. Argh! All the hairstyles in P&P05 drive me crazy, actually. Mr Darcy looks like a beggar in his haddle-daddle cut (haddle-daddle ain't a word. I invented it.) Mr Bingley looks like a modern-day teenager with that red hair flopping up. Mr Bennet looks like a pirate with his long hair. The Bennet sisters look like they have never done their hair properly. And so does Lizzy. AND SHE SOMETIMES WEARS IT DOWN. IN PUBLIC. *Naomi bits lips in order not to burst into tears*
(Oh, and you can often see Keira Knightley's short hair under that wig. Look at the first picture - can you spot the back of her pixie cut peeping down from underneath? You never have that problem with Jennifer Ehle's wig.)

Fanny Dashwood

It's funny to see that both Fanny Dashwoods have the same sort of hairstyles, isn't it? Naturally, it's suits their personalities perfectly. Very ugly indeed! All those O's on their fore-heads... yik!

Lady Harriet Cumnor

Help me!!! What did Lady Harriet THINK when she came to the ball in that stupid short hairstyle?! It was pretty bad before she cut it, but... WHAT DID SHE THINK. I must stop. Next subject.

Mrs Gibson

A fan!?! A bunch of grapes!?! I mean, seriously? In your hair?!?  Sorry Mrs Gibson, but enough is enough. You really took it too far. Fans and grapes do not belong on your head. They belong in your hand or in your mouth. Soon you'll be putting an elephant in your hair!

 Sarah O'Brian

Dreadful. Dreadful. Ugh. O'Brian's hair suits her evil character perfectly-  what a gross, unflattering hairstyle this is! Those silly curls hanging on her forehead in a bunch... this just about makes me shudder. (This, by the way, was a wig.)

Fanny Dorrit

This is the third Fanny in this post with a grotesque hairstyle including those ridiculous o's on her forehead! How atrocious is Fanny Dorrit's hairstyle? Need I say more than: UGH?!?!

 

Edith Crawley (Series one)

It is pretty understandable that hairstylist-people give the annoying people the weird, atrocious hairstyles. Although Edith in Series One is pretty whiny, I think she's rather likeable... all but her hairstyle! The hairstyle she had now, the pretty wavy bob, is much better- the short, baby-ish one in Series one is not my favourite... yup, I don't like hairstyles covering the ears. :-)

What are some of your least favourite hairstyles?

Is it on this list?

 

"Have you done something jolly with your hair?"

A Randomly Nice gify

Good morning/afternoon/evening/night everyone! Isn't it weird to know that, as I am typing this, some of you may be dreaming in their beds, or eating breakfast, or quarrelling talking with their siblings, or sighing in the classroom, or - like me - typing a blog post, or... yeah - it's weird. It's weird to imagine.

 

Anyway, today I'm going to show you my ten favourite Period Drama Hairstyles. Stay prepared for a lot of '!'s and 'I love this one's and the normal Naomi gush-ness. I'm sorry if you're tired of my gushing, but it's what I like doing - talking about things I really like. :-)

 

Oh, and one more thing. This list is in no particular order. I'm bad at putting things into a particular order, especially when I love them all. I'm sure you can relate. :-P

 

 

Elizabeth Bennet

 

*Sigh* If only I knew how to make this charming Regency up-do in my own hair! It's absolutely charming and sooo elegant. It's beautiful! I love those two gentle curly wings at the sides, and the up do at the back - so pretty! Elizabeth Bennet always looks amazing in this hairstyle - definitely one of my favourites! There's a very good tutorial for experienced people (not me, I'm afraid) on this hairstyle here. One day I'm going to find the courage to try it.

 

Emma Woodhouse

  

 

 Ah this is a darling one! A curly, almost-messy bun with a braid around it - adorable, no? Sadie made a very good tutorial of this hairstyle some time ago (here), which is dashed useful. I've made this bun on myself three times - once all the pins fell out, once it stayed up for several hours and once - *proud face* - it managed to stay tolerable the whole day. It's a very sweet hairstyle, and I wish I was good enough to do it on me every day!

 

Sophie Hutton

The one (but not only) word to describe Sophie Hutton (from Cranford)'s hairstyle is SWEET. This is just one of the sweetest hairstyles! I wish I could have found some better pictures, but unfortunately I only found hatted ones. (Is 'hatted' a word, actually? Oh well, Emma can tell me. She knows those sort of things.) Basically this hairstyle has a little bun at the back, and some girlish locks of curls down - such a sweet, innocent, girlish look!

Lady Sybil Crawley

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Seriously, there's so much beauty here. Lady Sybil's hairstyle is just awesome - so pretty, no! I think it's a pity she had it the bob-style in Series Three - it looks nicer like this! A low, tumbling, yet mature-looking style. (Sadie, please post a tutorial. Just kidding, dear. ;P)

 

Barbara Spooner

... because no list is complete without this one. No list just is. This is known as one of 'the most well-loved' hairstyles, here in the blogging world. Or I have this feeling. I must admit I wouldn't go out walking in this 'wig', but I can tell you I do admire this hairstyle. A great deal. It's amazing, no?
And isn't it a pity how she changed it for the other, later scenes in the movie? Her wedding hairstyle and the other one in the last scene are no way as good.

Jenny Lee

Although I haven't see 'Call the Midwife', I've fallen in love with Jenny Lee's simple but pretty hairstyle! Shorter, curly hair makes one look so darling, no? ;-P

 

Marge Frake

 Why is everything about Marge Frake (in State Fair) so absolutely, absurdly beautiful? Her wardrobe is my favourite wardrobe ever, and her hair is adorable! It's so crunchy and full and glorious and... oh, she's a lovely lady with perfect hair!

 

Elize McKenna

I adore the Edwardian era, so I knew I'd have to put a nice pompadour style into this list. I thought of all the pompadours in movies, and I decided Elize McKenna's one in Somewhere in Time is the most perfect one. It's a perfect, neat, even, delicious pompadour. Absolutely lovely!

Margaret Hale

Wow. Margaret hale does not have servants to do her hair (unless Dixon does it, but I can't see that, to be honest) and yet she always walks around with the most charming up do ever - isn't it amazing? All those curls and... just. Perfection.

Jane Austen (not)

I do not like this movie and Jane Austen was not at all really how they portrayed her here. Shidder-shudder. But having said that, I can safely tell you that I adore many (not all) of her clothes (especially the goldy-greeny ball gown up there) and I really like the hairstyle she wore at the ball, too! Those beads make it look so elegant and Grecian and Regency! Stunning!

What are some of your favourite hairstyles?

Is your favourite on this list?