my mom says she’s not a hugger. but when i put my arms around her on a gloomy day or after bad news she’s the last to let go. my dad says he doesn’t want gifts on his birthday, but i see the way his face light up when i get him a card with a nice message and a box full of chocolate anyway. he’s just a kid inside, still. it makes him giddy. my brother never says i love you. but when i tell him “i just need to finish the dishes before i vacuum!” he wordlessly goes to vacuum the entire house before i can, and if he sees me struggle with a wrapper or a jar or a bottle he mutters ‘c’mere’ and opens it for me without even sparing me a glance. the thing is, people love you quietly, and you love them quietly, and the air is buzzing with tiny but grand gestures & once you look for them, you find them everywhere. i think that’s really beautiful.
i just read a washington post article on romcoms aging poorly due to the pushiness (and oft-stalkery conduct) of the male characters therein, and it got me thinking about pride and prejudice, and specifically darcy saying, “one word from you will silence me on this subject forever.”
because, like, that’s the seldom-portrayed romantic dream in the patriarchal hellscape that is our world, isn’t it?
a dude being willing to say, “i understand if you don’t feel the same way about me, and i’ll leave you alone forever about this if my attention is unwanted.”
so simple, yet so wonderful in its basic human decency
and dudes to this day wonder why women still swoon over darcy
Note also: Elizabeth turns down Darcy’s first proposal, and in the process, accuses him of doing some stuff he did not do (and also some stuff he totally did).
The next day, he surprises her on her walk. He hands her a letter, asks that she read it, and then takes off.
When this happened to me after I had turned someone down IN REAL LIFE, the letter contained a passionate argument to the tune of “actually you’re wrong and you do like me and you should go out with me” and it was creepy af.
Darcy’s letter to Elizabeth starts with: “Be not alarmed, Madam, on receiving this letter, by the apprehension of its containing any repetition of those sentiments, or renewal of those offers, which were last night so disgusting to you”. He goes on to set the record straight about the stuff he didn’t do (as well as the stuff he did) which is *actually relevant* to Elizabeth. And he, as promised, doesn’t romance her further.
It’s totally bizarre that even now, this can be considered unusually great dude behaviour.
Darcy’s first proposal: “You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”
Darcy’s second proposal: “One word from you will silence me on this subject forever.”
His whole arc in the book is about learning to consider other people’s feelings and not just his own, but the fact that it’s expressed via who gets to talk and who is told to shut up is so, so telling. The first time around, he imposes his voice on her whether she wants it or not. The second time, he asks how she feels, and in exchange, offers her the gift of his silence.
And yeah, the fact that dudes still! have! not! learned! this! lesson! is exhausting.
How surprising is it that Pride and Prejudice was written by a woman, when many romantic comedies are produced and directed by men?
Answer: not at all
200 years later and the world is still full of guys who think they’re a Mr Darcy when they’re actually a Mr Collins.
hm i might have to watch a pride and prejudice movie some time
Fashion is one of my favourite worldbuilding components and choosing which way I want characters to look, is one part of research that is more fun than work. The use of different styles give each culture a defined feel and could act as a symbol of all kinds of lands in your WIP. Since it is your WIP, you can play with different elements of the gowns and pay fast and loose with the styles.
(If you want a more in-depth look at the structure of gowns and the composition of gowns have a look here)
Kirtle
The kirtle was technically an under dress to be worn under a grander gown though some women wore it as a gown itself over their chemise. The kirtle could be made of any material and worn by any woman of any rank. It could be laced at the back, front and even, though rarely, the side.
Sarafan
The sarafan is a traditional Russian dress worn mainly by the peasants (since Peter the Great banned traditional Russian costumes from the nobility in order to drag them toward Westernization). It rather resembles a pinafore and often worm under a lighter gown like a slip. During the reign of Nicholas I, the sarafan was allowed to be worn by the women of the Royal court. They fancied up the sarafan, adding a popular boat-line neckline and long dragging sleeves. It is one of my favourite looks of all time.
Gamurra
This was the most popular gown in Renaissance Italy. The waist was high, usually pleated beneath the bust and had a square neckline. The gown would be worn over the lady’s chemise and corset and perhaps another under dress. It was worn by both nobles and commoners.
Burgundian Gowns/Houppelande
These gowns were high-waisted, belted underneath the bust. The neckline was classically shaped in a V, often showing off another fabric underneath. These gowns were worn by highborn women.
The Farthingale
This gown is named after the structure that held it in place. The skirts would be stretched into a dome-like, bell-jar shape, often fitted about the waist over a bum-roll (stop sniggering) a piece of padded fabric hung about the waist to widen the skirt’s distance from the bodice. You know what they say, the bigger the Farthingale the bigger the rank. Worn through the 15th & 16th centuries.
Robe à l'Anglaise
This gown is the classic silhouette of the 18th century. The sleeves usually stopped at the elbow. The neckline was usually cut square. The bodice could be done up in front by laces or buttons. The skirts usually were supported by panniers and often reached staggering girth.
Robe à la Française
This French gown was similar to the Robe à l'Anglaise only that the back featured a train made from pleated fabric that draped from the shoulders to the floor. The gown often opened at the front to show another material beneath.
Robe à la Polonaise
The Robe à la Polonaise was similar to the last two gowns excepting a skirt that featured an overskirt which was picked up and pleated to show the under skirt.
Chiton
This dress is often seen in Roman or Greek art. The Doric version was made by draping material over the body and fastened at the shoulder by clasps The Ionic chiton version was draped about the body and pinned at the waist.
quarantine mood: walking aimlessly around the house bc you’re tired of sitting down and can’t go outside to exercise and don’t know what else to do and suddenly realizing you have become a jane austen heroine “taking a turn about the room”
A physicist, an engineer, and a statistician go on a hunting trip, they are walking through the woods when they spot a deer in a clearing. The physicist calculates the distance of the target, the velocity and drop of the bullet, adjusts his rifle and fires, missing the deer 5 feet to the left. The engineer rolls his eyes. ‘You forgot to account for wind. Give it here’, he snatches the rifle, licks his finger and estimates the speed and direction of the wind and fires, missing the deer 5 feet to the right. Suddenly, the statistician claps his hands and yells “We got him!”
