I’m sure if you’re a vintage gal or guy worth their well-shaken cocktail, you already tune into Downton Abbey. The new season launched last week and I’ve enjoyed being reunited with all the characters I love and hate. Yes, there have been some ups-and-downs in the pacing and plotting of the last season or two but no one can deny the intense attention to detail that each season brings and the quick pacing through the decades is also a feast for costumes, sets and history.
But what I really want to recommend is the special The Manners of Downton Abbey which is a behind-the-scenes look at the excruciating detail paid to getting the manners, dress and culture exact for the Edwardian period. Alastair Bruce is a historian who works on-set to help the actors get all the mannerisms and manners just right for Downton.
If you’ve ever been interested in the details of the customs and etiquette of both the upper class aristocracy and the downstairs servants in Downton Abbey, its a wonderful peek. Its also so strange to see the actors in non-period dress for the interviews. I think Anna is so much prettier without the heavy sparkly eyeshadow.
PBS is currently hosting the full episode on their web site so if you missed it, grab your knitting and a nice cup of tea and watch it!
Yarn Forward, Knit Past 