Friday Frivolity - The Downton Effect

What is it about Downton Abby, the wildly successful BBC Miniseries currently in its second season on Masterpiece Classic?  Laurel Ann of the blog Austen Prose describes the show's allure in this wonderful piece.  This modern mother knows she just can't get enough. 

At its core the series is about the house and what this generation of Cawleys will do to preserve it.  And honestly, given the beauty of the place, can one blame them?  Set in Edwardian England prior to and during WWI the story has it all.  Upstairs, downstairs, intrigue, romance, soldiers, communists, dreamers, heiresses, nurses and, possibly best of all, Maggie Smith as the determined Dowager Countess of Grantham.

Acknowledging the show's win for best Miniseries at the Golden Globes and the 4.2 million US viewers (more than Mad Men!) who tuned in live for the PBS premier of Season II in January - what's going on here?  Ben East takes a stab at explaining this phenomenon here.  He is right of course, it is a wonderful story, with a ending yet unknown.  Julian Fellowes, the creator of the show as well as the fab movie Gosford Park is at the height of his art form.  But why now?  And why in America?  It can't be just the 1% watching, now can it?

We have a theory, of course.  After years of "reality" TV, Americans are ready for a bit of decorum.  The viewing public (this probably does not include you, dear reader - being a bit more highbrow than the average viewer)  has discovered that a story can be compelling when the characters are elegantly dresses, and totally lacking in tatoos.  There is something very heartening (we believe) in watching characters struggle to contain emotion in the face of adversity rather than throwing a tantrum.

So whatever draws you to Downton Abby we hope you have as much fun with it as we're having.

Happy Weekend.

Pictures from Google Images

Tie One on Today

Tie on a necktie, that is. May 4th is national tie a tie day, as recently proclaimed by Antwone Fisher, author of the recently published book, A Boy Should Know How to Tie a Tie: And Other Lessons for Succeeding in Life.

The authoresses at Manners of Modern Mothers would like to salute Mr. Fisher and all the intrepid mothers (and fathers) out there who work hard to convince their sons that "handsome clothes" are really not that bad, endeavor to teach their sons to tie their own ties, and continue to strive towards civilizing their offspring.

More kudos to those mothers who manage to consistently have blazers, ties, dress pants, button-down shirts, and dress shoes, all of the approximate right size, and all clean, pressed, and waiting in the their sons' closets.

Mutton Dressed as Lamb

She isn’t modern. She isn’t new. But she is ridiculous. Like some 16th Century tragicomedy you will see her sauntering down the street. Leggings, bolero jacket, heels, enormous bag, long honey hair, big sunglasses. You name it, she has it going on and often so does the fourteen year old with her. She, of course, is a woman of a certain age, dressed like a teenager and the teenager by her side is not her BFF but her daughter. It is almost as if the elder and younger fashion victims have averaged their ages and decided to dress to the mean. Often the look is too sophisticated for the younger and truly ridiculous on the elder. The well mannered modern mother knows how to be attractive at her age and how to help her daughter make appropriate wardrobe choices. By no means should the modern mother look frumpy or feel relegated to shopping in Talbot’s. Nor should she rush out and buy a pair of Not Your Daughter’s Jeans (although we applaud their effort in the fight against muffin tops). She should realize that after about 40 chic is much sexier than slinky and life experience and confidence combined with a slightly longer hem line will make her elegant and alluring.