Downton Abbey

Dame Maggie Smith returns as our dearest Dowager Countess Lady Violet on today's US premiere of Downton Abbey's season 3! The strong female characters of the PBS show are multifaceted and flawed, and we see a little of ourselves in each of them. But the strongest and most outspoken of the bunch is clearly Lady Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham, played to perfection by Maggie Smith. And while she's a bit rough around the edges (and her advice is far from politically correct, by today's standards), she says it how it is and doesn't let her age or gender prevent her from getting things done. So as we get our viewing party ready, check out the best quotes from Lady Violet to learn a lesson in brazenness from the matriarch of Downton Abbey.

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

This Sunday, Downton Abbey returns to PBS for a third season. And while the Brits have flooded the Internet with spoilers, the only thing we're willing to reveal is this: '20s beauty has taken over the estate. From flapper hairstyles to rouge pots, the women are leaving the Edwardian era behind for a more modern look. It all started with the arrival of Mary's curling contraption last season, but now you can expect to see everyone with cropped cuts and formfitting fashion (except the Dowager Countess, of course). And perhaps you'll get to see what a '20s wedding looks like when you tune in . . .

Our patience has finally paid off; season three of Downton Abbey premieres Jan. 6 at 9 p.m. EST, and we could not be more thrilled. We have missed the Crawley family and the staff! This season, the incomparable Shirley MacLaine joins the cast as Martha Levinson, the mother of Lady Grantham. We can't imagine a better match for the Dowager — showdown at Downton Abbey! If those aren't the type of fireworks you are interested in, then get excited by the weddings of both Lady Edith and Lady Mary.

In case you have just returned from space, Downton Abbey meticulously traces the lifestyle of an aristocratic English family just before and during World War I, as well as the family's staff of servants, all of whom are harnessed to Downton Abbey, the regal home they inhabit.

It may sound like a dull period piece, but that could not be further from the truth. Drama! Intrigue! Dinner parties!

Downton Abbey itself is actually Highclere Castle, a 1,000-acre estate in Hampshire, England, that was designed in 1842 by Sir Charles Barry. Highclere is massive, with 11 bedrooms on the first floor and 40-50 on the upper floors. Several of the bedrooms are used in the filming of Downton Abbey, and the majority of the series is actually filmed on site at the castle.

While the Edwardian era officially ended in 1910, the style is broadly noted to extend through 1919. The show, which is set in 1912, reflects much of the era's look in terms of decor and colors. The onset of World War I delayed the influence of the art-deco style, which was the next era in fashion, art, and decor to follow the Edwardian era — though you can definitely see some hints of art deco in the Downton Abbey sets, as well. Keep reading to see photos from the upcoming season and to find out more about the unique decor from the series.

Photos courtesy of ITV

Daisy, is that you? The cast of Downton Abbey was almost unrecognizable last night when they stepped out in New York City for a screening of the series, which hits America's TV Jan. 6. If she could see them now, Lady Violet, the dowager countess, might be rolling her eyes at Joanne Froggatt (who plays housemaid Anna Bates) and Sophie McShera (who plays Daisy, the assistant cook), as the women traded their conservative costumes for a retro minidress, leather pants, and makeup — something we never see them wear on the show. The men were looking dapper as ever, and I'd nominate the handsome Rob James-Collier, aka Thomas Barrow the cunning valet, to be a breakout international heartthrob of 2013. The 36-year-old actor and model looks bloody hot with a little bit of scruff.

It almost feels like Carson the butler, the Earl of Grantham, and all the others were time traveling last night, since Downton fans are used to seeing them in early 20th-century garb. To hold you over until the season three premiere, check out more photos of them out and about in NYC last night.

If you're as big a fan of the British series Downton Abbey as we are, then you're dying to find out what the third season has in store for the Dowager Countess Lady Violet, imprisoned Mr. Bates, Matthew and Mary, and the rest of the Downton residents. Alas, since we can't all be as lucky as First Lady Michelle Obama — who reportedly requested an advance DVD copy of the third season and was sent one — we have to wait until it airs in the US in January.

For those of you with a Downton itch you can't scratch, we've got the gift guide for you! These unexpected gifts inspired by the show will give fans a holiday to remember, and will help them prep for the return of the series come the new year. Check out our favorite Downton Abbey-inspired holiday gifts now!

We just got the first glimpse of Downton Abbey's third season — complete with a zinger from Lady Violet, of course — and we're eagerly anticipating the show's return in January! If you've caught the fever or are hoping to get into it, now's the time to learn about some of the show's history. The entire plot of the first season of this hot PBS show revolves around the cultural customs and laws of heirs, women's rights, and marriage during the last hoorah of Britain's Edwardian era at the cusp of World War I. Then the second season covers WWI and beyond, from 1916 to 1920. This transition was a time of social and political turmoil, and it marked a pivotal change for women's rights in Britain. To better understand where women stood and how far we've come, let's look at the rules of love, sex, and marriage in Britain's Edwardian era, and how things changed after World War I.