This month's question is: If the time machine were invented today, when would you want to visit and why? I had to think about this quite a bit because, although I write Regency romance, I would love to spend some time in the Edwardian era if I could spend that time as an upper-class lady. Take a look at How to Dress an Edwardian Lady here. If I had nothing else to do, I can just imagine taking the greatest pleasure in dressing up. But, just to give you a bit of a background, here is how the two eras came to be.
Like the Regency, the Edwardian era was technically a relatively short period, the former spanning the years from 1811 to 1820, the latter the years 1901 to 1910, each being allied to the monarch of the time.
In 1811 King George III was considered unfit to rule and his son the Prince of Wales, became the Prince Regent. When his father died in 1820, he ascended the throne and ruled as George IV, followed by William IV and then Queen Victoria. On her death in 1901, her son Edward came to the throne as Edward VII until his death in 1910. The eras, however, tended to evolve and end a few years before and after the actual reigns of the monarchs who lent them their names so, for many, the Edwardian era was not considered at an end until the start of World War 1.
Television shows like Upstairs Downstairs and Downton Abbey solidified my interest in the clothes of the Edwardian era. Series like The Edwardian Country House and movies like Somewhere in Time starring the late Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour, showed off the ladies’ costumes beautifully, especially their hats. The era of La Belle Epoque highlighted the balance, poise, and elegance of the super-rich who could afford to live the luxurious high life. The fabrics and styles leant themselves to the use of silks and satin for soft, feminine fashions with flowing skirts, ruffles and lots of lace. Fake fruit, fur, and feathers often decorated the wide-brimmed picture, or Merry Widow, hats held in place by a long hat-pin and it’s those hats that I envy the most. Take a look at the image on the cover of Envy the Wind and you will see what I mean. How pretty and feminine is this.
![Envy The Wind: Prince Edward Island (Canadian Historical Brides Book 11) by [Davison, Anita, Chatham, Victoria]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51-kyfQ%2BFFL.jpg)
For more about Anita Davison go here.
For more about Victoria Chatham go here.
I'm always fascinated by period clothing as well. Such beautiful styles although I wonder how comfortable the ladies of the day really were. I'm thinking corsets here.... ;)
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