The role of fashion inside "Bridgerton"
Forget Jane Austen looks, the Regency era has never been so cool
G-Club
January 5th, 2021
January 5th, 2021
It took a successful TV show, the romantic and sometimes scandalous Bridgerton, to make us feeling nostalgic of night of dancing. Well, in fact the new work for the small screen by Shonda Rhimes, the first for Netflix, brilliantly tells the debut in the marriage market of the eldest daughter of the Bridgerton family, in the age of the English Regency made of dances, rivers of champagne and great suitors (see the Duke of Hastings). All told through the chronicles of the mysterious Lady Whistledown, fascinated by the battle of cunning and feelings between Daphne and Simon. But besides the gossip, there is more.
The jewels and the return of the choker
Bridgerton talks about style and officially brings back the velvet collar, better known as choker - yes, the must have accessory we all used to wear in the 90s and 2000s - that Daphne wears between a diamond necklace and a rubies parure. But the choker - for those who were surprised to see it right around the neck of a girl belonging to nineteenth-century high society - was not only the generational symbol of the Millennials. Many years earlier, in the Georgian era, in the court of women desiring independence well narrated by the pen of Jane Austen, the tightly tied ribbon around the neck became a real status quo. Better, however, if set with diamonds or with aquamarine pendants for evening dances, with elite suitors and rivers of champagne.
Courtesy of Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
Thinking about it may leave a little perplexing the choice of the choker because its birth, in the Victorian era, is to be associated with women who could not afford to exhibit chokers encrusted with sparkles but who, on the contrary, had to be satisfied with a simple ribbon embellished with a pendant with some sparkle. It was Anna Bolena who elevated its potential with her iconic necklace, entirely of pearls with a striking golden B. The reason why the pioneer of high society chose this "ribbon" is simple: the choker has the immediate ability to lengthen and grace the lower part of the neck, thus making it a point with a high rate of seduction. That's why it's no wonder Daphne Bridgerton loves wearing it on her walks with the Duke of Hastings. You take it as an example because the real diamond of the season - the nickname given to Daphne by Whistledown - is the chocker. How to wear it? Perhaps inspired by stage costumes, with a contemporary touch?
Courtesy of Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
Costumes and style in the show
The jewels are easily combined with a long dress with an empire line, with a high waist and décolleté in sight, which Bridgerton wears very simply in blue during the day, or studded with crystals in the dancing nights.
In contrast to the dusty colors, the pastel and delicate shades usually worn by the protagonist, the floral embroidery and the vibrant colors preferred by the Featherington family and its style icons: these are the exuberant Regina Charlotte and Lady Portia, whose looks are inspired by Elizabeth Taylor and Joan Collins.
The costume designer Ellen Mirojnick, however, wanted to give the clothes a very different touch than those narrated by Jane Austen, not trying to recreate the clothes of the time with historical accuracy. About 7,500 pieces were made for the show in just 5 months, and the protagonist Daphne changes her look 104 times, with the costumes that follow her personal evolution. The result is a contemporary mix of pop colors, 1950s prints, the bustiers of the famous costume designer Mrs Pearl, and above all the breathtaking jewels, such as the Swarovski tiaras, which recreate the unmistakable sparkle of the Regency-era in the UK.
To recreate the sparkle of the Bridgerton family, nss G-Club selected the 10 best chokers of the moment. Enjoy!
