i felt like these deserved a re-post! you see, i have been going through my archives and i rediscovered these Period Drama vs Street Style colour comparisons that I did way back in 2011 for Hila (you can see the original posts here and here). i never actually posted them all here so i thought i’d share. and, damn, i did pretty well if i do say so myself! Hila and I share a great appreciation for period dramas, she even wrote a book about screen adaptations of classic literature. she also wrote this marvellous post for me in 2012 about the locations of some of her favourite period films.
i haven’t watched a really awesome period drama in a long time. i sort of dabbled in Mr. Selfridge which i found average at best, and completely gave up on Downton Abbey (they really should have stopped while they were ahead). i have also heard of The Paradise, but i haven’t watched it yet. any period movies / series you can recommend?
The Piano // Street Peeper
Marie Antoinette // Peter Stigter
Atonement // Citizen Couture
Cranford // Mr. Newton
Downton Abbey // Vanessa Jackman
Sense & Sensibility // Style Sightings
Emma // Facehunter
Pride & Prejudice // Citizen Couture
Brideshead Revisited // Citizen Couture
King’s Speech // Refinery 29
The Duchess // Café Mode
Shakespeare in Love // Café Mode
Upstairs Downstairs // The Locals
Out of Africa // Sartorialist
Lark Rise to Candleford // Jou Jou Villeroy
Little Women // NY mag
Cold Mountain // Vanessa Jackman
Boardwalk Empire // All the Pretty Birds
i was faced with a conundrum when Outlander, the famous series of books Diana Gabaldon began writing 20 years ago, was turned Read more
man oh man, when Hila sent me this guest post i actually squealed like a little girl. one of my favourite things Read more
Hila picked Cracks for our next comparisons project - a film I have been meaning to watch for ages but just never Read more
42 Comments
Amazing post!!
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I remember when you did this post, and I love it just as much the second time around! I know what you mean about Downton Abbey, I’m still watching it but much less avidly than before. I finished the most recent season, and will have a look at the next, but I’m definitely not avidly waiting for it.
I started watching Call the Midwife recently, and I’m already a big fan. It actually took me a long time to start watching it because I was a bit afraid it’d be another ‘housewife drama’, what with plenty of cute babies and family stories and whatnot but now I’m sorry I ever thought that, or ever thought out the term ‘housewife drama’ for that matter. It’s set in 1950s London, and I found the storyline to be very well-written and well-timed. I also enjoy how it delves into 1950s medical advancements amongst other things, and, well, the clothing’s pretty cool too. The most recent season started last Sunday, and I’m really looking forward to the next episode! Oh, also – funny nuns.
Another series I really enjoyed is The Hour, which takes place in the late 50s as well, but treats of journalism. I’m really upset it was cancelled after 2 seasons, though, but it’s still really worth a watch – Ben Wishaw and Romola Garai are excellent.
I gave up on Downton too, and I second the recommendation for Call the Midwife. This is such a neat post, my favorite is the Out of Africa outfit – I haven’t seen the movie but now I want to!
I am still carrying the Downton torch because I’m hopeful a fifth season will come back with more oomph. In the meantime, I highly recommend the mini series North & South. It’s available on Netflix and I dare you to avoid watching the whole dang thing in one sitting!
This is really just too brilliant for words!
I just rewatched the BBC Pride &Prejudice (doesn’t seem so long now that I’m used to watching all those one hour episode TV series) and it is just so, so good. I followed it up with Death Comes to Pemberley, a murder mystery that takes place in the Pride & Prejudice world six years after Darcy and Elizabeth are married. It was pretty good, though a lot of the costumes left much to be desired.
Bleakhouse! There was a mini-series made in the early 2000s that has Gillian Anderson and it is wonderful!
You have such an eye! love your blog xo
Gosh I love this. So much! :)
And as far as period dramas go, I have a few! (some less drama, some more funny, some with a bit of fantasy, a good variety)
–Stardust (based on the story by Neil Gaimon, fictional)
–Reign (1550s – but ONLY for the costumes, both somewhat accurate and fascinatingly anachronistic)
–A Royal Affair (late 1700s – story of the King of Denmark and his wife as the monarchy changes and transitions)
–Farewell, My Queen (1780 – the handmaiden of Marie Antoinette’s story -fictional)
–Wives and Daughters (1830s – story of a young girl living in rural Britain
–Gangs of New York (1850s gang war in…you guessed it…New York City)
–The Importance of Being Earnest (1890s – the Colin Firth one, so classy and funny)
–The Prestige (1890s – quite a fun mystery/illusionist romp)
–Hysteria (1890s – for the costumes and the adorableness that is Hugh Dancy against Maggie Gyllenhal)
–Ripper Street (1890s – London detectives working to solve crimes in the time of Jack the Ripper)
–The Paradise (1890s – country girl starts to work at one of the first department-style stores)
–Like Water for Chocolate (spans time; true love’s journey in Mexico)
–Finding Neverland (1900 – story of the writing of Peter Pan)
–Blancanieves (1920s – black and white silent film, a retelling of Snow White set in Andalusia)
–Singin’ in the Rain (1950s does 1920s, about the transition from silent films into talkies)
–Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries (20s – feminist lady detective solves crimes and takes lovers in Melbourne, Australia)
–Land Girls (40s girls working on a farm during the war)
–Bomb Girls (40s – women working in a bomb-making factory in Canada)
–Populaire (50s – French film about a female typist)
–Call the Midwife (late 50s – midwives, both nun and non-nun (?) deliver babies in London’s East End)
–Bletchley Circle (late 40s – former codebreaking women work to catch a serial killer!)
–Masters of Sex (late 50s – scientists research sex and all the things that come with it)
beautiful!!!!
I love this!
There’s an Australian series called ‘Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries’ – It’s set in the 1920s and the costuming is lovely!
Jo March is my heroine, but I never thought of her has a fashion plate until now. Thank you for that & such a fun post!
Ah, memories Diana :) I totally recommend Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, you will swoon over the clothes alone (I also love a feminist detective).
Oooohh……do The Great Gatsby!!!
What an amazing post. The Piano was the reason why Jane Eyre looks so familiar when I watched it last year, at leat in the costumes department!
This post is G-R-E-A-T
Amazing eye for color, texture, and detail. Bravo!
The 2008 BBC adaptation of Tess of the d’Urbervilles with Gemma Arterton & Eddie Redmayne. So sad but beautiful!
I came to leave a comment about Call the Midwife, and was thrilled to see it recommended by a few others already! Get your hankies out because every episode makes me cry.
Another great comparisons post! Love the image of Winona Ryder, that version of Little Women is one of my all-time favorite movies.
I highly recommend Foyle’s War. The series takes place during WW2 (mostly), so the costumes aren’t opulent, but there is a certain handsome detective who rocks a blue Trilby.
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I had forgotten about North and South but that was truly awesome. I think it was a three or four part miniseries.
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brilliant!
Try watching ‘Call the Midwife’. Its 1957 so not exactly period but based on real life stories and just beautiful! :-)
Ha! I just read the comment above mine and found it already recommended :-)
Oh, DEFINITELY North & South. It’s based on an Elizabeth Gaskell novel (she also wrote Cranford) & directed by Brian Percival, who directed the first season of Downtown Abbey. And Richard Armitage is awfully good-looking.
Damn, you’re good. Good good good.
This is truly stunning! I adore it!! How wonderful to see fiction mirroring reality!
Very nice post!
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You are endlessly inspiring as usual Diana! Love these!
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Have you seen the 2011 adaptation of Jane Eyre with Mia Wasikowska? I thoroughly recommend it. I nearly didn’t watch it since I had seen two different films, 1 play & read the book I thought there was nothing more to offer from it. I was spellbound though, the music is so gorgeous too. I was in a reverie after it.
Here are some of my favorites.
Forsyte Saga-highly underated brit family drama
Upstairs Downstairs (later version)- the more english version of downton abbey
Cold Comfort Farm-with Kate Beckinsale about a city relative who goes to live with her country relatives
South Riding-cute brit post war drama about female school teacher in small village
Bletchley Circle-female period crime drama
Enchanted April-female brits escape dreary england for a vacation in Italy
Island at War-brit miniseries about village in WWII in england
He Knew He Was Right-great story about how quickly relationships go wrong by both sides wanting to be right more
The Way We Live Now-period brit drama about how money corrupts
Bleak House-brilliant dickens adaptation
A New World-period drama about Sacajawea
Persuasion (2007)-really subtle and interesting jane austen adaptation
Mayor of Casterbridge-interesting Thomas Hardy Adaptation
Charlotte Gray-is a Cate Blanchett film about a women who thinks war is romantic and enlists as a spy who soon becomes disenchanted by reality
lost in austen (BBC version) cheeky version of a modern day pride and prejudice where average modern woman switches places with Elizabeth Bennett
sisters of war-an aussie film about two nurses who are taken as POWs by japenese soldiers and become life long friends
warm springs-an american period drama where kenneth branugh plays FDR in a really fascinating role about his struggle with Polio
I love this, it’s perfect. It makes me think of clothing pieces differently!
Erika
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Genius.
A really interesting television show is Deadwood. It’s based in Deadwood, South Dakota during the gold rush of the 1800s. It’s raw, gritty but beautifully done.
Just one more suggestion… An old time favorite of mine ROOM WITH A VIEW!!.. Helena Bonham Carter, Daniel Day Lewis, Maggie Smith…
Fantastic post!!
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All my favorites…loved this!
You’re right, this is -so- good!
It must have been long to put together BUT so much fun!
Thanks for “throwing it back on twitter! :)