If you’re like me and have spent most of the winter break in bed, bingeing Netflix, you may have come across Bridgerton: a period drama based on Julia Quinn’s novels. Set in Regency London, the show follows Daphne Bridgerton as she, and the other debutantes, are presented to society in hopes of finding their future husbands. Now if the idea of spending your limited break from zoom lectures watching a historical drama seems even more outlandish than ever entering a restaurant again, you’re not alone. Yet somehow, Shonda Rhimes’new series has managed to do the impossible:get our generation out of sweatpants and into empire gowns? While 2020 was undoubtedly the year of matching sweatsuits and oversized … well everything … it seems that in 2021 we’re ditching comfy for corsets. According to RewardStyle, searches for silk dresses have increased by 3900%, while searches for the nap dress - first popularized by New York lifestyle brand Hill House Home - have surged by 25 000% sinceBridgerton’s Netflix premiere (Vogue, 2021). The costumes from the show have proved so popular that they’ve sparked an entirely new aesthetic, which fashion search platform Lyst has dubbed “Regency-core”. If your New Year's Resolution is to ditch the hoodie you’ve been sporting since the days of Tiger King, take a look below for some of my favourite items based on the aesthetics of the show.
Puffed sleeves
In the series, Daphne wears a romantic floral gown with puffed sleeves pictured below. To the right, are my favourite modern day variations of the trend: a button-up blouse from For Love and Lemons and a dress from Reformation. I chose these pieces to highlight two of my favourite sustainable brands. The Elisa Blouse is from For Love and Lemon's 'Sustainability is Beautiful' line, which features pieces designed with up to 100% recyclable materials, while the specs for the Vic Dress' sustainable impact has been taken directly from the Reformation website. I love how transparent this brand is with their manufacturing practices and feel that listing this type of information should be common practice for all online shops. The necklines on these pieces are so delicate and I think that pairing them with combat boots and an oversized structured blazer would make for an elegant juxtaposition of feminine and masculine silhouettes. Tights and loafers are another great option, keeping with the delicate features of these garments.
Empire Gowns
The empire silhouette - where the dress is fitted until just below the bust - first gained popularity in the early 1800s. This type of dress got its name from Josephine Bonaparte's love for the dress. Pictured below is one of my favourite looks from Bridgerton - Daphne’s glamorous gold dress - and to the right is a more modern dupe found on Etsy. Although this vintage piece from the 1960s is marketed as a nightgown, with the resurgence of the slip dress I think that this dress would be a perfect light-weight find for summer. For the more DIY-savy I can also picture it cropped and would love to see it styled with chunky boots or layered over a turtleneck. Over quarantine I have become obsessed with scrolling Etsy while in-person shopping has not been available and have found some amazing vintage options for reasonable prices. Vintage shopping is a great way to shop sustainably as it gives garments that would otherwise end up in landfills a new home. Between 1960 and 2015 textile waste has increased by 811%. As fast fashion enterprises like Zara and Forever 21 have surged in popularity it is easier than ever to buy the latest trends for cheap. However, with so many past trends coming back in style I urge you to look for a vintage version first. Not only is it fun, but the pieces that you find will always be original. If you're looking for a quarantine hobby I can't recommend re-purposing clothes enough. There are thousands of YouTube videos where you can learn few simple stitches online, giving you the tools you need to upcycle all your finds. Plus with the grim stats on conservation efforts by major fast fashion brands you can find stylish pieces that you feel good about.
Global fashion agenda, 2019.
Although many major bands claim to be attempting to reduce their ecological impacts, a 2019 report from the Global Fashion Agenda actually showed the opposite. The report, which scored brands based on their abilities to implement sustainable practices showed an overall decrease from efforts made in 2017 to those made in 2019. For me, this report was a staggering reminder of the importance of making sustainable clothing choices. Read the full analysis here: wordpress.globalfashionagenda.com/report/pulse-2019-update/
CORSETS & ACCESSORIES
Corsets are another garment that have surged in popularity since the shows release. With searches on List up over 123%, this rose corset-style top from For Love and Lemons had to be included (Vogue 2021). While Bridgerton features the cliche scene of a women getting her corset cinched to the point of discomfort I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this not entirely historically accurate. In the early 1800s -where the show is set - instead of pulling the garment tightly around a women's waist it was actually more common to use hoops and wide skirts to create the illusion of a more fitted bodice.
Hair Accessories: Feather hair accessories (pictured below) and extravagant up-dos are the norm in throughout the show. l think the jeweled velvet headband from Amazon (pictured below) makes this look accessible for everyday. Don't want to spend the money? DIY a Bridgerton-inspired hairpiece by gluing gems (found at your local dollar or craft cycle) to an old headband.
Micro-bags: Satin and jeweled clutches are all the rage with the debutantes so these Dolce and Gabana micro-bags had to be included. Pictured below is the Jeweled micro-bag with chain and theSatin micro-bag with jeweled bow both from the 2020 Spring Collection.
Sophia C.
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