victorian

A life in Victorian era

Daniel Deronda mini TV series was produced under BBC. The story is based on the novel written by Mary Ann Evans, under the pen name of George Eliot. I have to mention that this series won Banff Rockie Award in 2003 “Best Mini-Series” with lovely casting Hugh Dancy as Daniel Deronda, Romola Garai as Gwendolen Harleth and Hugh Bonneville as Henleigh Grandcourt.

The novel was published in 1876 so I will have a look on fashion of 1870s. A typical feature of this time is bustle silhouette or a tournure . A skirt looked like a waterfall, the bustle drapery fell in loops. Let`s have a look how a costume designer Mike O Neill managed making Victorian dress.

How big the bustle can be?… 🙂

A day dress…

Stripes…

An evening gown…

An archery? Yes, of course. It was very popular exercise also for women, not just for men. How difficult it was to do archery in a very fitted bodice? … 🙂

I have to admit I like the story. I have not read the book yet (it is on my TBR :-)) but I have already watched the TV series. What should I say at the end? I recommend to watch the series.

Which other Victorian movies do you know?

Have you ever bought any book in second hand bookshops? …

I do. Really. And I found few book treasures.

My newest purchase is the book trilogy of fashion between 1790 and 1842 published in 1905 in Munich. It is in German however it is not big deal for me. The books have a lot of pictures of dresses. If you have knowledge of historical dressing, you are able to read a lot of information from the illustrations.

The pictures include portrait paintings, painting by Philibert-Louis Debucourt, caricatures, drawings, illustrations of Pierre de La Mésangère, fashion plates of Journal des Dames; Gallery of fashion London property; Hamburger Journal der Moden und Eleganz; Journal des Gens du Monde, Paris and others…

How refreshing it is to know that at the beginning of 20th century, the books of 18th and 19th century fashion were published.

1st book 1790 – 1819