Downton Abbey Fashion and Beauty Secrets

Secrets of Downton Abbey Style

January 6, 2013

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Are you ready for a third season of Downton Abbey's diaphanous tea dresses and elaborate hairstyles? Join the club. The show has single-handedly brought back a fervent interest in Edwardian-era fashion and beauty, which could require hours of preparation for one ensemble. Dive into a time before nail polish and nylons, and you'll see how much work it would have taken to make Lady Mary beautiful. (Hint: dirty hair is involved.) It's all enough to make a Turkish diplomat lose his breath.

All photos courtesy of ITV

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by Annie Tomlin 8

All photos courtesy of ITV

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Downton Abbey

8 Comments

kelsiehoagland 19 weeks 5 days

I've never seen the show, but really enjoyed this article as well! :) I would have been considered SUCH a babe back then with my fair, veiny skin and chestnut hair haha

Jaime Richards 1 year 15 weeks

@Annie Tomlin @Nancy Einhart You will love it, Nancy! It's so much fun.

Annie Tomlin 1 year 15 weeks

@bibliophile Apparently it was considered the height of chic to have visible veins or a blue-tinged complexion. All of that changed in the 20s, when Coco Chanel sported a tan. Meanwhile in Downton-time... cosmetics were a little more popular (just a little) in the States. On the other side of the pond, Madam CJ Walker was becoming the first female (self-made) millionaire with her line of hair care for women of color.

Annie Tomlin 1 year 15 weeks

@Nancy Einhart I think you'd like it. S1 is fantastic. S2 is a little more soap-y than I'd like, but it's still great fun.

Annie Tomlin 1 year 15 weeks

@Ellenora True, but at least everyone else would be in a similar boat, right?

Ellenora 1 year 15 weeks

These are all so interesting! My hair would have suffered a lot though; my hair is a stringy, oily mess if I don't wash it everyday! That's one part of my genetics that I really hate!