It is a truth universally acknowledged, that an incapacitated woman in possession of a broken ankle, must be in want of a period drama.
At the back end of last year I fell into a pot hole. In spite of doing everything in my power to convince everyone it was a mere strain, the fact that my lower leg was the size of a redwood tree and the colour of a month-old banana, encouraged my VBS (very bossy sister) to escort me down to the walk-in centre – the irony of that was not wasted on me either. As VBS correctly predicted; I’d broken my ankle.
Six months later; I fell again. This time I knocked out my two front teeth and bashed up my other leg. I tell you this not to garner any sympathy (if you must send me flowers, I’ll accept) but just to explain why – on finding myself instructed to remain immobile for weeks – I developed an obsession with period dramas (PDs). This fixation became so intense I learned to dread the words ‘Can we change this over’.
I may have lost hundreds of hours of my life to PDs but find myself curiosity unashamed. There’s something oddly soothing about old fashioned, mindless telly when you are off your feet. You are looking for the TV equivalent of invalid food – not bland exactly, but nothing too stimulating either. Someone may lose the family fortune in one episode but, never fear, a timely inheritance will restore the coffers in the next.
While recuperating I couldn’t help but notice that, when the main character in PDs accrues a minor injury, the event attracts frenzied levels of fuss and/or baskets of baked goods brought to the door.
Take Catherine Earnshaw (Wuthering Heights – see above). When Cathy injures her ankle while snooping on the Lintons of Thrushcross Grange – entirely her fault – she does not have to suffer the indignity of being sent home after eight hours in A&E with naught but a dog-eared advice leaflet and a moon-boot.
Goodness no. After sustaining an ankle injury infinitely more minor than my broken bone, Cathy is rescued by a servant who carries her to a sofa and bathes her foot. Mrs Linton fetches hot chocolate and daughter Isabella places cake on her lap and comfy slippers on her feet. Cathy convalesces in the care of the Lintons for five weeks. On Cathy’s return to Wuthering Heights, she has a fashionable silk dress, groomed hair and lady-like manners.
As nice as they are, none of my neighbours were prepared to let me come and lie on their button-back and I went six whole weeks without anyone popping in with a restorative jelly or a tureen of beef broth.
Small wonder I had to binge-watch Bridgerton…
It took just a little over three days for me to devour Bridgerton; series one. That’s a staggering 462 minutes to resolve what was basically a ‘will they/wont they’ bit of whimsy involving Daphne Bridgerton and Simon, the Duke of Hastings. I don’t regret a single a minute. It was such fun finding out what alternative use the newly-wedded ducal couple found for their library ladder.
But I wasn’t watching for steamy shenanigans. When the Bridgerton family were in their drawing room waffling about the ups and downs of the elder sibling’s love life (they don’t know the half of it – just ask that opera singer from season one) I can’t have been the only one mesmerised by the wallpaper, the candelabras and the cake (the only troubling thing in Bridgerton is the sheer amount of cake on every surface that is never eaten).
Snooping on young people falling in love in a sumptuous settings where curtains are not only swagged but tasseled was such a tonic. As the Guardian’s Rebecca Nicholson observes about The Gilded Age (another favourite PD during my convalescence) the story lines might be ‘oddly slight’ but it is somehow joyful to witness ‘Women dressed in fine, frilly clothing who dip in and out of dramas…
…to watch it is to sink into a comfortable fugue, and think mostly about the hats.’
“It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get up.”
-Vince Lombardi
Many moons ago I worked as a newspaper journalist and interviewed cancer survivors who said their illness had changed their lives for the better…prompting them to re-evaluate their priorities.
My own mishaps were just minor scrapes in comparison; even so, they left me feeling horribly vulnerable and appreciative of why people insist that – God willing when they get better/fit again – they’re not going to waste another minute watching TV in a marmalade-splattered fleece.
Bridgerton made me want to sprinkle glamour into my life. It turned out I was not alone. The ‘Bridgerton effect’ after series one – consumers hungry for Regency-style clothes, jewellery, even hairstyles etc – gave the UK economy a much needed £275m shot in the arm.
For me, the ‘Bridgerton effect’ was more than a desire to appear at Adli’s door with an ostrich feather in my hair. It was a realisation that I was nostalgic for a life I’ve never experienced – not simply the balls, costumes, jewels and feasts (apart from that crustacean tower with tentacles) but also all the hours devoted to dancing, silly games, running through mazes, promenading, gossipy conversation, personal grooming etc.
My VBS (very bossy sister) argues it’s not age that has withered me; it’s the dog. Unlike me, my terrier Eddie is oblivious to mud, sleet, rain and wind and – after 12 years as a dog mum – my life has evolved to suit his needs, not mine. These days my wardrobe bulges with mom jeans, sweatshirts, waterproof jackets, ultra warm knits, beanie hats, hooded anoraks, welly socks and walking boots. My VBS calls this version of me ‘the pig farmer’. Nothing is ever quite clean.
I’m back on my feet now and still have all my own teeth; held in by wires – but hey ho. I am utterly determined to bridge the gap between PD life and real-life which saw Jolly Volley recuperating on a lumpy sofa replete with dog hair watching Bridgerton’s Kate Sharma nursing her own wounds (of the heart) in a hand-beaten copper bathtub, festooned with fresh rose petals and fragranced by lily soap.
But first, I had to overcome a problem no older women ever mentioned when I was younger. Forget rage, hot sweats and dodgy pelvic floors; for me, the most crushing thing about ageing is that it can render you completely invisible. Several times a week I will exchange a bit of pleasant waffle with someone – fellow dog walker, shop assistant, waiter – only to be greeted a few minutes later as a stranger. This never happens to a women in a PD – if anything they become harder to ignore with age.
So, what lessons can those doyennes in a PD teach us about staying visible …
Six lessons I’ve learned from watching too many period dramas…part one*
Lesson one; it’s never too late to steal the show
Period dramas appear to revolve around the gadding-about of glamorous youngsters. Don’t be fooled. The more you watch, the more you realise those caustic, sharp-witted older women not only rule the roost but have all the best lines.
Wealthy widows, gimlet-eyed dowagers, spinster aunts, stern matriarchs; these scary old birds tend to be the powerhouses of the PD. Their role is to dish out scathing bon mots and withering pearls of wisdom to foolish youngsters but, if you listen carefully, they have much to teach us.
‘Beyond the corsets and candlelight lie a treasure trove of timeless advice and life lessons,’ says feature writer Natalie Denton who goes on to cite Downton Abbey’s ‘viper-tongued Violet Crawley’ (played by the late Dame Maggie Smith) as the ultimate font of ‘period drama wisdom’.
‘The Dowager Countess of Grantham is no stranger to dispensing advice, whether one has asked for it or not,’ she observes.
Violet’s quote ‘Nothing succeeds like excess,’ is one to repeat every day. Take it literally; it’s one way to ensure the long-suffering staff at your local Weatherspoons remember you next time you pop in for a Dirty Margarita and a fry-up.
What these grand dames of the screen embody is the belief – and it also oozes from the actresses chosen to play them (see below) – that the so-called ‘third act’ is not a dismal descent into a sad old age but a time to dazzle or, at the very least, commit to brushing your hair before you leave the house.
In a woman’s life, the “third act” stands out as a period of deep transformation and liberation. This phase, typically occurring in midlife, is when many women finally have the opportunity to pursue their dreams and goals. For the first time they are free from the responsibilities of raising children and maintaining household commitments. This freedom, coupled with a wealth of life experience, makes the third act potentially the most productive and fulfilling time in a woman’s life. – Kali English, Liminal Coaching & Positive Psychology.
‘Now that the future doesn’t stretch in front of me in that terrifying and ceaseless way I am so much happier,’ says Canadian comedian Mary Walsh who gave a TED talk about embracing her own third act.
‘Old age does matter. It is the crown of our life; the last act of our own personal play. With the tomb lurking around the corner – what have we got to lose?’
I must get that tomb quote on a T-shirt.
Lesson two…visit your costume department; eliminate the ‘ugly’
The society belles on Bridgerton applied a strict criteria to their costume choices. As society atelier Madame Delacroix explains;-
‘The one thing a lady would never do is to wear something that makes her look ugly’.
So here is a little exercise. Visit your own closet and rank your clothes from the Bridgerton (place these on the right) to ugly (place on the left). Don’t worry about the legion of clothes in-between; they are your staples or utilitarian items. Mainly functional – gym, work, dog walks etc – they might not be show-stoppers but; needs must.
Don’t be surprised if, like me, there’s little on the ‘Bridgerton’ side – it’s tough to emulate characters who stick on a hand-embroidered silk gown to eat a boiled egg. As Phoebe Dynevor (Daphne Bridgerton) explained, the costume designers made her ‘A hundred-and-eight, 110?’ frocks to wear over just eight episodes.
‘Bridgerton’ clothes are simply items which make you feel gorgeous, confident, joyful, empowered, polished, sassy.
‘Ugly’ clothes are items which make you feel unkempt, old, unfashionable, drab, invisible, ordinary. ‘Ugly’ also includes anything you once-loved but is now tatty, ill-fitting, faded, baggy or bobbly and everything unworn and unloved.
At a time when women should be hailed as superheroes, we become translucent, wondering if anyone can see us at all, or if we simply just died and didn’t realise. –
Eliminate the ugly. (For an more nuanced approach to streamlining your wardrobe; read ‘The Clothes You Should Get Rid Of Right Now’.)
Over time, you’re going to curate lots of outfits which make you feel better for wearing them. Initially, you’re on the hunt for those Bridgerton clothes which deliver ‘proper glamour’ – an expression coined by Katherine Ormerod (see above), writer and influencer. As to what to buy… you could do worse than follow Katherine’s lead.
‘Something has to be truly beautiful and wearable for lots of different occasions to stop me in my tracks. I don’t do tracksuits,’ she explains.
Lesson three; sensible be damned – dress for happiness
Bridgerton might be a period drama but the costumes have a juicy, fresh and contemporary feel. The very clever costume designers behind the series hit you between the eyes with their scorching colour palettes for a reason. While each and every outfit and accessory is clearly there to dazzle, the colours chosen give a visual clue as to the personality, rank and even power dynamics between characters.
But the team’s over-riding aim was to create a vibrant, colour-saturated world which sparks joy; ‘It is a show about beauty and glamour,’ confirms John Glaser, Bridgerton costume designer.
Drink it all in. Be inspired to go bold with colour, pattern, embellishments, florals and mix clashing colours and different textures.
Be fearless. John Glaser calls this approach to fashion a ‘licence to play’.
‘With age comes the freedom to be who the heck you want to be and that is so exciting.’ enthuses Hertfordshire-based personal stylist Abbey Booth.
I contacted Abbey after seeing her funny Instagram post in which she recalls how her teenage self imaged middle age (consigned to shapeless boiler suits) to how she actually looks at 49 (she’s fabulous – see above college, top left).
Abbey believes embracing colour is one way to kick-start some joy and confidence into a busy day.
‘My clients lives are enhanced by using colour mindfully and in a way that feels very much like them. Style is self-expression and an honouring of yourself: it’s not vanity – it’s self-care,’ she says.
‘We see colour the same way we see light and it will give you the boost of energy you need, or the calm and clarity you crave, to get where you want to go. I love seeing clients embracing colour, standing taller, taking up space and importantly feeling a little bit invincible.’
Lesson four – This is not a rehearsal – become the main character in your life
Looking at the clothes you wear on repeat; what do they say about who you are right now? More to the point, if a costume designer were to dress a character in your clothes – what TV part would the actress be playing? Mine would be ‘dowdy rambler’ who gets pushed off a cliff early doors in Broadchurch.
If this ‘part’ no longer works for you – have a re-write. Fashion journalist George Elliot, (I love how his name fits the feature) says are clothes should reflect not only who we are but ‘Who we want to be‘.
Be inspired by those PD actresses – they are adept at playing different characters with the change of a hat. Polly Walker (above) – a gentle, bread-making, gardening-loving mum-of-two in real life – transitions with ease into those ruthless, selfish matriarchs from ‘Rome’ and ‘Bridgerton’. According to Polly, costume was key to inhabiting the social-climbing warrior woman that is Lady Portia Featherington; especially the wig with its ‘ten million pins’.
‘There’s nothing remarkable about my hair colour,’ Polly revealed to The Arts Desk.
‘Then I pop that wig on and it was so bright, and it was styled so brilliantly, it really helped me get into character.’
So, who do you want to be?
Fashion journalist George Elliot has written a handy guide on how to change a style which is no longer working for you. Using George’s tips, I created a mood board (above) on a design platform called Canva. I’d urge you to do the same. It wiles away an enjoyable hour or two and I’m certain the insights will transform my shopping habits for life.
Here’s how;-
1. Compile a mood board on Pinterest or similar; take screenshot from Instagram, fashion editorials and Pinterest itself (if you do, the site’s algorithm will show you more of the same on your landing page).
2. Include brands, film stars, influencers whose style speaks to you. Perhaps you love the ‘style’ of the era depicted in Bridgerton, or the vibe of a show like ‘Riot Women’ – it’s on my board as the series celebrates empowerment of older women. Include that one person whose personal style you’d most like to emulate. I hit upon Jennifer Aniston (below, bottom right). as Jen makes those low-key ‘scruffy’ outfits which are my staples – military combats and GI Jane vest tops etc – appear red-carpet.
3. ‘List out any staple items of clothing that appear again and again – these will be the foundation pieces that underpin your wardrobe.’ says George.
4. Try stuff on – the posh ladies in a PD employed a dressmaker and would go for multiple fittings before buying the perfect gown. We buy most of our clothes online and often make do with the resulting mistakes; maybe that’s why we only wear 20 per cent of our wardrobe 80 per cent of the time (figures Pareto).
Brace yourself – you need to go to a physical store. Try on items inspired by your mood board until you arrive at specific styles/colour combinations that not only suit you but delight you. Your wish list will go from the vague ‘baggy brown jacket’ to a specific ‘suede, tan, bomber jacket which falls just below the waist with a zip front and top pockets’. Donate the 80 per cent of deadwood to the charity shop or sell online.
5. Fill the gaps. Think about what you’d like to do more of – posh picnics, flamenco dancing, fancy meals or fine art classes – and buy clothes which will take you there.
6. Finally, boil that that mood board down even further into ‘characters’ or an aesthetic. Shop with these in mind. I’ve given mine alter ego nicknames – see above – so they are easy to remember if I start getting sidetracked while shopping. It goes without saying; my ‘Amy Lamarr’ needs a lot of work.
Lesson five – lose the invisibility cloak; be more Bertha
Bertha Russell (The Gilded Age; HBO) is the ultimate PD leading lady; a self-regarding show-off who dresses to flaunt her wealth and showboat her fancy French couture (and we are here for it).
When Bertha visits her dressmaker she is not asking for something ‘comfy’ or ‘warm’. Bertha’s choice of clothing is guided by the staggeringly vain presumption that all eyes will be on her; some judgmental, all envious. Golden slippers, billowing sleeves, flowing trains, opera gloves and fabulous jewels are not ‘kept for best’ but likely to appear in one outfit topped by a gigantic feathered, flowered hat.
“There’s something about the looks….that makes me think of a woman who’s found her voice, who is in her power and strength. – actress Carrie Coon on becoming Bertha Russell.
‘Be more Bertha’ is an invocation to have done with playing it small; the fusty, dusty days are over…it’s time to indulge in a bit of showy excess and to master the forgotten art of gilding the lily.
Okay, I appreciate you’re not going to be able to buy a lorry load of satin ballgowns. Only a TV production team with a huge budget can rustle up a bespoke ‘Bertha’ wardrobe. According to the show’s costume designer Kasia Walicka-Maimone, her team of 65 ‘exquisite makers’ created 1,200 dresses for Bertha and the other female leads in season one alone.
You’re on the look out for details which elevate garments from the everyday – an extravagant sleeve, cuff or collar and frivolous embellishments like pearl buttons, drapes, folds, bows, ribbons, ruffles, trims. Look for quality in the cut, stitching and finishing of a garment. Don’t be shy of pattern, try bold florals or wide stripes etc. More importantly, the ‘be more Bertha’ attitude is about valuing yourself enough to add some fabulous finishing touches. Like jewellery…
Lesson six – get your sparkle back; don’t leave home without the earrings
I’ll start this section with a sad little story…
While researching this feature, I overheard a women in a charity shop talking to her friend about her quest to find a red dress similar to the one she’d worn years ago at Christmas. It was a frock which inspired her husband to say ‘It’s the most beautiful you’ve ever looked’.
That dress was long gone, but she was looking for another – not to please hubby but ‘for me’. Her friend heartily approved saying that ‘when she can be bothered to dress up’ it improves her mood for the whole day. She summed up with;-
‘My mum told me to never leave the house without a squirt of perfume, a bit of lippy and a nice pair of earrings.’
But here’s the rub; I sneaked a look at the two women. They were both in ‘the uniform’ of jeans and black jackets. I can’t comment on their perfume but neither woman was wearing lippy, never mind a nice pair of earrings.
Talking to friends, it seems popping on some jewellery has become ‘too much like hard work’. Freelance writer Drew Elovitz has written an insightful essay into why she stopped wearing jewellery (working from home WFH) and how she got her sparkle back (find your jewellery, clean it, wear it).
‘I tended to express my personal style by changing up my jewellery every morning,’ she said in an article for Who What Wear.
‘While I have always been a big believer that you don’t need a ‘special occasion’ to wear your favourite piece, it became clear that my WFH routine had become completely devoid of any sparkle whatsoever.”
Even with a lot of expert advice on how to wear and care for her jewellery, Drew admits, ‘My biggest challenge is remembering to wear something every day.’
If you need to be reminded of how jewellery can elevate an outfit; watch a PD. I studied a hundred plus photos I’d taken while watching ‘Bridgerton’ and ‘The Gilded Age’. All the principle female leads – unless in bed – wear jewellery in every scene. Even while reading a book, Eloise – the least fashion-conscious Bridgerton sister – has a bejewelled comb in her hair.
“Jewellery added a layer of sumptuousness to our characters,” says the show’s award-winning costume designer, Ellen Mirojnick.
‘The sparkle of diamonds lit up the scenes and added an element of magic and illusion; they transported you to another time and place.’
I know what you’re thinking but you can afford it. Maybe not precious jewels. Queen Charlotte’s yellow gold pigeon blood ruby drop earring on Bridgerton – above – would cost £7 million at today’s prices (as estimated by jewellery expert Steve Stone). But here’s a thing. Much of the jewellery you see in PDs is fake. On Bridgerton, an extremely talented artist-cum-jeweller was commissioned to make clever imitations of period pieces using metres of Swarovski crystals and hundreds of faux pearls.
Don’t be shy of wearing costume jewellery. Extremely posh people have always worn it; mixing real with faux jewellery was championed by none other than Coco Chanel in the 1920s. In the Regency-era, there was a huge craze among society women for paste jewellery; colourful stones made from cut glass.
If fake isn’t your thing; buy pieces made from affordable stones. In the c19th, handmade jewellery featured a plethora of fashionable semi precious gem stones, minerals and quartz; just as beautiful on the eye but far, far easier on the pocket book. The same is true today. There are lots of talented jewellery designers ((see above) who are making fabulous pieces made using materials our Georgian and Victorian forebears would have known and loved; lapis, agate, amethyst, garnet, topaz, moonstone, tourmaline and spinel and so on.
Or how about buying antique or vintage? Vogue magazine says vintage jewellery is ‘the only trend that counts’ right now. While it’s been seen all over the catwalks and has been worn by celebrities like Nicole Kidman and Rihanna, it is still a fraction of the price of buying a new piece of the same quality.
‘Every piece is totally unique,’ enthuses Jo Hill of Hill & Hill The Jewellers, based in Altrincham. Jill was asked to appear on Radio 4’s You and Yours programme to explain why she is seeing ‘more and more demand’ for vintage jewellery.
‘I wear vintage myself…there’s a move towards it in fashion as well as a move towards it in sustainability and, as the price of gold has gone up astronomically recently, it represents value for money. It’s often heavier, better quality and old cut diamonds have a lot of magic; they sparkle in a different way,’ Jill says.
‘And people love the story behind it.’
Here’s one more little challenge before I finish. Assemble your jewellery. Find your existing pieces; clean it, buy replacement butterflies for your earrings (you can buy a big box on Amazon for £4.99) and contact a local jeweller if your pieces need any repairs/alterations. Ask for jewellery as a gift, or treat yourself – if you buy well, those pieces should last a lifetime. Don’t forget to invest in something lovely to store in it;- a vintage stand, a velvet pouch, a classic box.
But that’s not the challenge. It’s simply to remember this. You can own the most beautiful jewellery on earth but it’s all worthless unless you wear it.
As I wished I had said to those two ladies; the decision to wear ‘nice earrings’ is for life…not just for Christmas.
To be concluded…
Six rules, six weeks…check back to see if I managed to replicate any of the pictures on my PD-inspired mood board.
*Part two – due next year (2026) will see Jolly Volley showing you how to sprinkle some period drama extravagance into your interiors.
Sources for ‘mood board’ collage. 1. Scacto jumpsuit. 2. Pinterest. 3. Ava Gardner. 4. Greta Gardner (digital creator; Ivana Zotel). 5. Grace Kelly. 6. Mango. 7&8. Pinterest. 9. Joanie clothing. 10. Jennifer Aniston. 11. Denise Boomkens @and.bloom 12. Riot Women (BBC), 13. Sezane Conrad T-shirt. 14. Pinterest. 15. Chambers and Beau beads. 16. Zoe Babouche. 17. Ralph Lauren. 18. Pinterest. 19. Violeta Zuvela
