Jane’s Closet Episode 2

So to go with last weeks gowns a lady must have her accessories! These are not authentic reproductions (sadly) more like inspired by the Regency period, but lovely nonetheless!

Glamasaurus

ReduxJewelry

ParisienneGirl

TimelessTrinkets

and my favorite, also from TimelessTrinkets

Don’t forget your hair!

Happy Reading!

The Ultimate Jane Austen Trip

If only we could all jump on a plane and head to England. Of course, there is much more to see than just the following list. But I’ve promised myself that the next time I make it across the pond I will definitely be visiting these sites.

Chatsworth (aka Pemberley)

                    

When I went to England a few years ago, I desperately wanted to see Chatsworth, but unfortunately they aren’t open in January. They are open Mid-March through December every year however. For more information, check out the Official Chatsworth Website.


Jane Austen House

                             

There are 4 Great Women Writer’s Houses that I want to see, and Jane’s house is at the top of my list. Jane did much of her writing in this house, which she lived in from 1808 until her death in 1817. Info on tours can be found here.


Bath

                       

Two of Jane’s novels have events occurring in Bath, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. It is said that the differences in the way Bath is depicted in the two novels, demonstrates Jane’s changing feelings toward Bath. ( In Northanger Abbey Catherine Morland loves bath, Anne Elliot, Persuasion, does not) I actually have been to Bath and I loved every minute of it. You can tour an actual Roman Bath, go inside the beautiful Abbey Church of St. Peter, visit shops, see the Royal Crescent, the Fashion Museum, and The Jane Austen Museum. Everything I saw in this town was absolutely amazing!

Lyme

                   

One thing I love about British beaches, they don’t have sand, they have rocks! (I hate sand.) Lyme is the setting for some very important events in Persuasion. You can walk around The Cobb (the name of their harbor, seen in both versions of Persuasion, it’s the stone wall they walk around on), see the Jurassic Coast, and take boat tours. Lyme’s Official Website.


Brighton

                 

Brighton is the place Lydia Bennett runs off to (and then away from) in Pride and Prejudice. You can walk on the pier and visit the museums, and I would definitely visit the Royal Pavillion, which was built by the Prince Regent (Edward IV, hence the Regency time period). Jane actually hated the Prince, as did a lot of others, but still dedicated Emma to him, per his “request”.

London

                             

Certainly London today is nothing like the London Jane knew, but the city is beautiful and exciting, which is exactly what girls during her time were looking for. Be sure to tour the Tower of London, visit the Royal Palace and Hyde Park, and for my sake (because I love public transportation and London is where I first experienced it, seriously) ride the Underground. Mind the gap!


Happy Reading!

A Regency Soundtrack

When I study or write, I like to have music going in the background because it helps me focus. Aside from my nerdy tendency towards soundtracks in general, I think the soundtracks from Jane Austen movies are always a good choice. It takes you back to a time when gentlemen and ladies really danced, when letters were written by hand, and when Here are a few of my favorite songs.

                    

    
                   

                    

                     

                      

                      

What about you? Are there any songs you particularly like that I missed?

Happy Reading!

Jane Austen Quotes

Here is a list of 10 quotes from Jane Austen’s novels. If you know them, post which novel you think it’s from in the comments. Later, I will leave a comment with the answers. Just for fun. If you haven’t read that many of her novels (or you just aren’t a nerd like some of us) just enjoy the wisdom and wit that is Jane.

1. “The more I know of the world, the more I am convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can really love. I require so much!”

2. “I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.”

3. “I may have lost my heart, but not my self-control. ”

4. “My idea of good company...is the company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company.' 'You are mistaken,' said he gently, 'that is not good company, that is the best.”

5. “All the privilege I claim for my own sex (it is not a very enviable one: you need not covet it), is that of loving longest, when existence or when hope is gone!”

6. “Oh! Do not attack me with your watch. A watch is always too fast or too slow. I cannot be dictated to by a watch.”

7. “Do not consider me now as an elegant female intending to plague you, but as a rational creature speaking the truth from her heart.”

8. But when a young lady is to be a heroine, the perverseness of forty surrounding families cannot prevent her.  Something must and will happen to throw a hero in her way.

9. “And have you never known the pleasure and triumph of a lucky guess? I pity you. I thought you cleverer; for depend upon it, a lucky guess is never merely luck. There is always some talent in it.”

10. “But there certainly are not so many men of large fortune in the world as there are pretty women to deserve them.”


Happy Reading!

The Austen Awards Poll 4

Which character is the biggest rogue?


A) Wickam, who lies and then runs away in Pride and Prejudice       
                 
                    

B) Willoughby, who hides his past and marries for money in Sense and Sensibility


                    

C) Henry Crawford, who flirts with all the ladies, tries to win Fanny, then causes a scandal in Mansfield Park


                    

D) William Elliot (Anne’s cousin, not her father), who tries to keep it all in the family in Persuasion


                    

E) Captain Tilney, who flirts with, seduces, and ruins others in Northanger Abbey


                    

F) Frank Churchill, who pays attention to others in order to hide his secrets in Emma


               


Happy Voting!

Fun Jane Austen Media

Maybe you’ve seen these already. If you haven’t, you should absolutely watch them. If you have…how about another go?
             

                    

WHAT’S WITH THE SQUARE JAWS? Oi ve.

                      

The next one has some language and it’s a little crude in it but still pretty funny and surprisingly accurate.
                     

Happy Reading!

Austen Quizzes

No month of Jane would be complete without imagining how glorious life would be if we could live as one of Jane’s characters. (Lucky for us Jane wrote comedies.) Here are a few quizzes to find out who you would be in Jane’s world.



Which Austen Heroine Are You?
 http://quizfarm.com/quizzes/new/LadyDracona879/which-jane-austen-heroine-are-you/

http://quizfarm.com/quizzes/jane-austen/Shellsabells/which-jane-austen-character-are-you-for-females-long-quiz/#

I got Elinor Dashwood both times, so either Lady Dracona879 and Shellsabells are in cahoots with one another or they really know their stuff.

If a guy wants to take a quiz here’s the one for men:
http://quizfarm.com/quizzes/new/Shellsabells/which-jane-austen-hero-are-you--for-guys/#

It’s interesting that I answered this one like I thought my husband would and he ended up “being” Edward Ferrars. That’s just spooky. (Though Edward is not the first one who would come to mind, I think I tipped the scale when it asked me if he was awkward. Edward is quite awkward.)

Which Jane Austen Hero is the One For You?
http://quizilla.teennick.com/quizzes/5680809/which-jane-austen-hero-is-the-one-for-you

Mine was Mr. Knightley. Though I think the answer choices are a little too obvious if you’re a thorough Austen fan. (You can pretty much pick your favorite and answer accordingly, which I tried not to do. Mr. Knightley is great just not my favorite, but that’s okay.)

Unfortunately there is no “Who is your leading lady?” quiz available for guys. So whoever you are just assume that you get the type of girl he would get, I suppose.

Who are you? Who is your leading man?

Happy Reading!

Etiquette in Regency Times part 2

                
                         

(Do not try this at home, everyone will talk.)

Rules One Must Follow:
The eldest daughter is called “Miss” followed by her surname, such as “Miss Bennet.” The other daughters are called “Miss” followed by their first name then surname, such as “Miss Elizabeth Bennet.” Once the eldest is married, the next in line may be called “Miss” followed by surname.

Husbands and wives of the older generation call each other Mr. and Mrs. but the younger generation is beginning to dispense with this custom and use first names. (In P&P, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet do not call each other by their first name.)

A gentleman may not greet a lady in public unless she acknowledges him first.

Once introduced, you must acknowledge the presence of the other person in public. If you do not do so, you are “cutting” the other person – excluding them from your social network and revealing that you no longer view them as worthy of respect.

Married women have higher status than single women and are treated accordingly.

Young ladies “came out” at around age 17 (Lady Catherine finds the fact that Lydia Bennett is only 15 and “out” scandalous for good reason). Then they would attend balls and parties trying to find a suitable husband. If you were still unmarried by age 30 you were considered an old maid.

Here is a link for an interesting article on The Art of the Fan
http://www.freewebs.com/regencylady/theartofthefan.htm

Though I must say I’ve never seen any ladies in any Austen films (or noticed any in her books for that matter) who fluttered their fans in such a way at their admirers.

Do you think it was better back then or worse? Should society still have rules of expectations and propriety as they used to or are we better off today?

Happy Reading!

Etiquette in Regency Times Part 1

Most people are aware that there have been some bizarre expectations of women in the past. How was a woman expected to behave? How did she keep her person clean? Here are a few excerpts of some of those principles.

                   

In the Regency period - from 1790 to 1820 - women's fashion was dominated by short, puffed sleeves worn with long gloves, and moderately placed necklines which displayed no décolletage. In this era, the exposure of women's necks and often bare elbows were considered acceptable and very alluring. It was graceful slender necks and soft, supple elbows which were the traits that fueled men's desires.

That’s right ladies, elbows were considered sexy. Though, with the recent version of sexy I'm not sure I consider this a bad thing, just very, very odd.

Earlier in the nineteenth century the hands, feet and face were regularly washed as in previous centuries, and the rest of your body every few weeks or longer.

Teeth Cleaning in the Regency:
* Rubbing teeth with the ashes of burnt rosemary.
* Powdered sage rub used to whiten teeth.
* Vinegar, wine and alum mouthwash
* After dinner comfits were eaten to freshen breath
* A letter from Lord Chesterfield to his son urges the use of a sponge and warm water to scrub the teeth each morning.
* The recommendation of using one’s own urine in France was widely flouted by Fouchard, the French dentist.
* Gunpowder and alum were also recommended.

The one interesting thing I learned from watching Lost in Austen is when Jane gives the girl a bunch of sticks to brush her teeth with.

Using the Bathroom:
Even during Regency times sewage and waste could bring about illness. Some London homes had toilets, not like the standard toilets that we have today, but they did include piping, however these pipes frequently backed up causing fumes to carry throughout the house. Some people had “earth closets” that would periodically drop dirt into the pipes to flush out the waste. The poor had privies in the backyard that were emptied into a cesspool. “Night soil men” would come by and empty the muck. All the pipes from homes and the wagons full of muck were dumped into the Thames River. This led to plenty of epidemics until emptying waste at certain times and away from the water supply was developed.

Would you have been able to cope with those conditions? I must say it makes it a little strange to think of a man being attracted to my elbows and then being expected to kiss him (after marriage of course) when neither of us has very attractive teeth.

Stay tuned! More to come.

Happy Reading!

The Austen Awards Poll 3

Which is the most uncomfortable proposal?


A) Mr. Collin’s to Elizabeth

                            

B) Mr. Elton to Emma

                       

C) Henry Crawford and Fanny the morning after (Okay, so this one isn’t the actual proposal per se but it’s still a pretty uncomfortable situation.)

                  

(I couldn’t find one of them together, but I think they both look sufficiently upset.)

The other novels, while having other implied proposals, do not quite fit this category.


Happy Voting!

Jane’s Closet Episode 1

Today we have the Friday roundup of Jane related merchandise that I wish I had an excuse to purchase. So if anyone does get to own one of these lovely gowns (or one like it) please share so we can all be extremely jealous of you!

From SewManyTreasures
                                            


GoldSwanWeddingGowns

                                     

Threadhead

                            

and BonnyBlueArts

                            

Don’t forget your undergarments:

                         

Here’s a great video that shows what it would actually look like to get ready in Regency times. I must say, it looks much more complicated. Love the look though!

                          

           


Happy Reading!

Oh For An English Garden

Jane preferred the countryside instead of the city. Her novels are full of detail regarding the landscape and gardens of her characters. Can you blame her?

                   

        

If you ever have the chance to landscape your own garden and you like the English Garden look, here’s a good few tips:

• Pay attention to pathways (gravel is a good choice) and seating areas.
  
• Avoid straight lines and angles.
  
• Be sure to plant roses, lavender and other herbs.

It would be nice to have a garden to sit and read in, or go for a long lovely stroll. Ah, someday…

Happy Reading!

What Women Called “Work”

One of the main employments of a lady of genteel family was to spend hours doing fancy needlework. During morning calls especially, work baskets would be brought out and intricate designs embroidered. Girls would work on covers for pillows, dresses, slippers, screens, and many other home decorations.

                                   

(This sample is from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.)

Embroidery can be a lot of fun and it’s really not too hard to learn. It doesn’t have to be all flowers and birds either, there are tons of embroidery patterns. Just check out etsy and type embroidery to the search box. You’ll find tons of pieces for sale and patterns to make your own. Needlepoint is a great creative outlet and can be done while watching television or visiting with family. All you need are the following:

• Material to embroider (you could practice with an old shirt or buy handkerchief’s at a craft store)
  
• An embroidery hoop
  
• A sewing needle
  
• Thread in the color of your choice (they sell awesome packs of embroidery thread at Hobby Lobby and they aren’t very expensive)
  
• Scissors

                         

This sample is from Amy’s website.

There is an awesome website called www.amyistheparty.com which has a great series of tutorials on embroidery. (If you click on the link it will take you directly to the series page.) She takes you through step by step with the things you need, selecting a pattern, she has videos for the different types of stiches, and where to get more info.

If you’d like more information about this and other mad Regency skills check out the following site to learn about tatting (lacemaking), paper mache, crocheting, and many things that even I haven’t heard of.

Happy Reading!

The Austen Awards Poll 2

Which minor character would you most like to be friends with in real life?


A) Jane Bennet, she’ll like you, I promise

                            

B) Charlotte Lucas, poor taste in men but definitely nice

                    

C) Georgiana Darcy, young and naïve, plays the piano very well

                         

D) Harriet Smith, sweet and willing to go along with whatever you feel like doing

                       

E) Elinor Tilney, somebody get this girl out of the house, er…abbey

                              


Happy Voting!

I Could’ve Danced All Night

Have you ever watched a Jane Austen movie and wished we still danced like they did? I do all the time. A young lady had to know all the dance steps for the current dances if she wanted to attend a ball. These gatherings were the best way for young people to see friends, meet new acquaintances, and hopefully catch someone’s eye. According to The Jane Austen Handbook, there are 5 different kinds of dances:  the minuet, cotillion, quadrille, contredanse (country dance), and the reel.

Most of the dances I’m finding appear to be contredanses: gentlemen on one side, ladies on the other, facing each other. The lead couple works their way down the row.

   Same music                       
                       

        
             

Not all dances were so somber. They could also be noisy, crowded, sweaty, and awesome.     
                            

The music in the next one is more of a soundtrack and not a historically correct dancing tune but I still like it :)         

                                  

There are still groups that hold dances like these, usually Jane Austen societies or other historical reenactment groups. If you find one let me know!

Happy Reading!

Accomplished Women

“You all paint tables and embroider cushions. I never heard of a young lady but that people tell me she’s accomplished.” – Mr. Bingley, Pride and Prejudice, 2005

                 

• A thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages.
• She must improve her mind by extensive reading.
• She has to have something in her air and manner of walking.
• (Don’t forget the tables and cushions!)

These really are a faithful list of the qualities well-bred young women were expected to possess during Jane Austen’s time. Girls were either educated at home by their parents or a governess or sent away to school (think Jane Eyre, yikes!) They were taught to read, a little history and geography, an instrument such as the piano or harp, drawing, needlework, dancing, elegant handwriting, and languages (predominantly French, maybe Italian).

Some families, like Jane’s, encouraged their children to write stories and spend time enjoying the outdoors. But while to us these accomplishments seem of very little value, during the Regency, indeed even up until WWI (Downton anyone?), very little else was required of a young lady of good family. Her only options in life were as follows:

A) Marry as well as you can
B) Become a governess or schoolteacher(paid about 10 pounds per year)
C) Become a companion or lady’s maid
D) Become a writer, very scandalous!

Men didn’t have it much better either. If you were born a gentleman you could go into law, medicine, or the military. Of course there were farmers, tradesmen, shopkeepers, etc. But those professions were considered beneath the gentry.

A married woman was responsible for running her house, raising her children, and taking part in society. A gentlemen was responsible for managing his estate, manly activities (hunting, fishing, etc.) and being a benevolent landlord.

How do you stack up against a Regency lady? Unfortunately you have to register with the site to see your results but you can see what the criteria are and figure it out yourself. Be sure to tell us below. 
Once again, if you could go back, would you?

Happy Reading!

Nerd confession: I’m 7/10 because once I read Pride and Prejudice around age 10 I wanted to be the kind of girl who did all those things. I would be full 10 out of 10 if I just had a horse, better posture, and if dancing today was more like dancing back then.

A Lady’s Day

7:00 am – 7:30 Wake up, bathe, dress
7:30 – 9:00 meet with your housekeeper to discuss dinner and any concerns, make sure children are ready for the day
9:00 – 10:00 practice music
10:00 – 11:00 Breakfast
11:00 – 3:00 pm. Pay and receive calls, needlework (this time of day is "morning")
3:00-5:00 leisure time; write letters, play with children, read
5:00 – 6:00 dress for dinner
6:00 – 8:00 dinner (in the country dinner would be around 4-5)
8:00 – 11:00 spend time with family and guests (cards, dancing, reading, etc.)
11:00 retire for the evening

                  

Sources: 
The Jane Austen Handbook: A Sensible Yet Elegant Guide to Her World by Margaret C. Sullivan
Social Classes, Money, and Servants in Austen’s Society by Tracy Marks


I have to say their kind of day doesn’t sound too bad. But I suppose it might get boring after a while. Would you trade?

Happy Reading!

The Austen Awards Poll 1

 Everyone has their favorite novel, your favorite movie versions, your favorite heroine. But what about the character you hate the most? The most ridiculous proposal, the best declaration of love?

Enter the Austen Awards. There will be a poll posted in the top left hand corner of the blog where you can vote. Every few days the poll will change, so keep watching. I will do a post about the poll so you can get a good visual of who/what we’re talking about before you vote. At the end of the month we will have a formal Austen Awards Post announcing the winners. I hope you enjoy!

An Announcement: If you haven’t read all her novels or haven’t seen all the movies, but so far you have strong feelings about the person in your particular book, vote for them.

It took me a long time to figure out which of the polls should come first. Too early and I give major plot points away, but then again I can’t just give all of them the last week. So after much deliberation, I think this is a safe bet.

Which major character would you most like to be best friends with in real life?


A) Elinor Dashwood, emotionally reserved but loyal and sensible, good at keeping secrets

                                                   

B) Marianne Dashwood, passionate, melodramatic, melancholy, loves reading poetry

                                                     

C) Elizabeth Bennet, slightly prejudiced, loves to laugh, enjoys long walks in the mud

                                               

D) Fanny Price, quiet, highly moral, extremely patient, dislikes acting in plays

                                           

E) Catherine Morland, naïve, friendly, suspicious, loves a good book, will probably poke around your house uninvited

                                                    

F) Anne Elliot, faithful, regretful, likes good company and music, training for her first 5k

                                                 

G) Emma, witty, talented, friendly to the point of being nosy, can be a bit rude sometimes but she will try to find you a suitable spouse

                                                   


Happy Voting!

Nobility and Wealth in Jane Austen’s Time

Alternately titled “Nobody Cares about Lady Dalrymple Sir Walter, Go Read Your Snobby Book!”

Most of Austen’s characters are gentry, meaning they are old families with estates (some large, some small). There are a few characters with the title of “Sir” such as Sir William Lucas, a knight, and Sir Walter Elliot, who is a baronet. (He has a thing for titles and therefore falls all over himself to impress her ladyship, the Dowager Viscountess Dalrymple (viscount is two steps up from baronet). Guess who’s twitter he’d be following?)


                                             

(Sidenote: I wonder what Sir Walter would think of our Facebook “status” today? His would probably read. Sir Walter Elliot Is a real baronet. I actually have status. The rest of you shabby lowlifes have zero status and therefore should not be allowed on Facebook.)

Just in case you were wondering about the money matters found in whichever book you’re reading (or if you’re trying to figure out just how much 10,000 pounds a year actually is), a chart:

             

This comes from a very good essay about the economy of the Austen Novels, written in 1990 (which explains why “current” rates are shown for 1988). If you’re like me, a total nerd, you love finding out these kinds of things.

It sheds a lot of light on the situation of the Dashwood ladies and the kind of lifestyles some of the characters (Bertram and Ferrars) would live after the novel ends. But way to go Catherine and Emma, dang, that’s what I call a dowry. Also please note, Darcy is not actually an aristocrat, he’s just very, very well off.

Here’s another chart from the same essay, showing the cost of daily necessities:

                  

It makes sense that money and fortune would have been such a big deal to all the characters, especially the ladies who had to depend on the men (usually) to support them. It also tells a lot about Jane herself, and the lifestyle she chose by not marrying. Sometimes we fantasize about going back to a simpler time, with beautiful dresses and genteel manners, but based on the above, if you could go back, would you want to? In the immortal words of my friend Becca,

“I don't. As a woman no, I don't. As a wealthy man, certainly.”


What would you say?


Happy Reading!