Poldark

[justawench]

Is anyone out there watching Poldark? I keep being mystified by the costuming choices and I don't know if it's because my ideas about late 18th c. fashion are too rigid or what. I definitely don't know much about the state of fashion in Cornwall so I keep telling myself that it must be some regional thing every time I question something.

Comments

[sadievale]

Yeah, I've been watching it, and I had to pretend it wasn't late 18th century to not get too distracted by all the wrong choices, because it was distracting. I kept snorting and exclaiming about what on earth are they wearing!. Even his 'lost love' kept wearing a riding habit/traveling garment that was lacking in petticoat support and cut really weird, basically wrong fit. It was a bit jarring, lol. I don't know a lot about Cornwall fashion of the time, but servants, middling wear and the local upper middling class, well, none look very right to me after years of looking at portraits, paintings and extant garments.

[justawench]

You'll like this. The designer went on to discuss the blue/green dress Demelza found in the trunk like so:

"The dress is a sack-back gown or robe à la française. The fastening was altered so it laced up at back rather than at the front, to simplify the action in front of the camera.

The frills, ribbons and flounces - the quintessence of rococo - were removed to simplify the look and the box pleats at the back were sewn up to enhance the waistline. The result was a simple shape without too many distracting frills."

Yes, I would have been way too distracted if she had been wearing an actual 18th c. dress. Also, francaise? The gown was the opposite of a francaise. WTF?

[sadievale]

Lol, that's awesome! Um, yeah, it's not a sack-back/ robe a la francaise if it's NOT a robe a la francaise, lol...lacing up the back, I really haven't seen that during this time, um, ever, really. Maybe possible, but not currently supported with any research I've heard about. 'and the box pleats at the back sewn up to enhance the waistline' - wow, funny! so basically not based on anything they actually had back then.

There WERE some good costumes, great hair, beautiful hats, and some very period appropriate attire in Poldark, but what was jarring to me were the ones that weren't done right, because it really distracted me from the story! Like the dark plum colored traveling/redingote that Elizabeth wore a few times early in the series: her skirts were soooooo flat (lack of appropriate petticoat support/bum roll/etc.) that I was like '...what?!!' :)

[ashamanja_babu]

Have you read the frock flicks post on this?

http://www.frockflicks.com/just-how-fashionable-are-poldarks-ladies-part-1/

[sadievale]

Not yet, but this is great, Kendra really sums it up WELL!

[justawench]

I hadn't read that. She's more generous toward the designer than I feel. I'm watching The Lady and the Duke right now, set in the French Revolution and the quality difference in costuming is night and day. To me, almost every female outfit in Poldark struck out in either the fabric choice, construction, silhouette, or accessory department.

[sadievale]

Yeah, I'm with you on that: she makes some great points on outfits, but I still found myself trying to tune out the costuming while I was watching so that I could enjoy the story, but some of it completely jarred me anyways. I also found myself rolling my eyes at wrong accessories, not great fabric, bad fit or just lack of undergarment support so the silhouettes were often off. I saw plenty that was good, but usually one person had at least one thing that was off (if not off, than not fitted well enough) so it just felt off. Know what I mean?!

[virginiadear]

I haven't been, precisely, following Poldark, but I caught part of an episode recently and that discomfort or unease with the costuming isn't just you.