Downton Bride - a winner?

There's a chill in the air, the nights are drawing in and it's time to get all nostalgic for the past.  Time to get lost in silk and lace and beautiful houses full of beautiful people...  Yes it's back and boy did it hit the ground running!  The question is how are we all going to get through the next six days until the next installment of our beloved Downton Abbey?!

I do love a good costume drama on a Sunday evening.  There's something ever so warm and cosy about it as we all settle down with a cuppa, and a fluffy blanket or a glass of wine and a box of choccies.  Chuck a gripping love story into the mix and you've pretty much got the perfect mix. The icing on the cake is the potential for a wedding.  And weddings mean frocks!

Last night Mathew and Lady Mary Crawley finally got spliced after two seasons of 'will they won't they' - not to mention a spot of on-off drama in this episode itself!  I found myself through most of the episode trying to pre-empt her frock and rather optimistically hoping that despite the fact we were now in 1920 that we may avoid some of the more monstrous fashions of the twenties (much of it was lovely but Bridal Fashion definitely had its moments!)  I was not disappointed.

Michelle Dockery's wonderful willowy frame was draped in silk chiffon with a delicate 'tabard' panel down the front and back of beautiful embroidered and beaded silk and a wonderful pearl embroidered chiffon detail at the neck line.  It was all the best things of the 'teens' - think of those 'Titanic' dresses we know and love - but was cleverly brought into the twenties with slightly dropped waist highlighted by a satin sash.  Simple, timeless elegant and perfect.

I especially loved the Chiffon sleeves (something that is already featuring in an upcoming design in the new Annalise Harvey collection) and really hope that sleeves continue on their upward trend in contemporary Bridal Design - it's all about balance and sleeves and a higher neck doesn't need to mean you look and feel like a nun!

However for me the absolute star of the show, and crowning glory was Lady Mary's tiara.  In fact as it was the first evidence of bridal attire we saw I breathed a huge sigh of relief.  There was no way she could be wearing a twenties monster ( I still remember Evangeline Elliot's Dress from  the BBC's House of Elliot... definitely a low point in an otherwise fabulous costume extravaganza- I felt anyway!)

Evie Elliot

I always felt that Evangeline Elliot was going for bust on the trends on the time, and not really being true to who she was...  Whereas Lady Mary was spot on.  Her outfit expressed everything about her, her straight-forwardness and pragmatism, her grace, elegance and of course wealth, and her exquisite taste in clothes.   That wonderful tiara was quite simply (excuse the pun) the crowning glory and totally made the outfit.  It just goes to show how when you as the Bride are true to who you are, and you are working with a Designer who holds that as the centre of their inspiration - you can't go very far wrong!

 

What do you think?  Have you a particular favourite costume drama Bride?

www.annaliseharvey.com 
https://pinterest.com/annaliseharvey/
@annaliseharvey
Follow me on Facebook