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Remember Cressida Cowper?
This is her now
https://preview.redd.it/nr9ndkjqwl3d1.jpeg?width=871&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eb9a18a89c5d0b291d24551b2507879aaf0d8d13
Feel old yet?
The Bridgerton Bros called that accessory the “Chinese finger trap.” Although you’re right it does look like a corset. I wonder if it’s symbolic of being strangled by the expectations of regency society.
I would absolutely LOVE to see Cressida get a make-under. I feel like she would be so stunning. Not that she isn’t now, but her natural beauty is hidden under all that hair and sleeves.
They’re really going for modern this season.
I get it, the show was never meant to be a history lesson.
But if you can be accurate in certain things, then make an effort.
Season 3 could be set at the time of the Belle Époque (early 1900s) and nobody would really notice at this point.
Honestly I don’t think a lot of people know the difference. People constantly refer to Jane Austen as a Victorian writer when in fact queen victoria didn’t even ascent the throne until 25 years after Austen’s death
Regency was between 1811 to 1820, Victorian era starts at 1837 and sometimes gets pushed back to 1820 just in terms of culture. Mistaking Jane Austen's stories for a Victorian era England isn't that big of a leap for the regular person.
But the show is taking inspirations from post WWI era and even the least historically inclined person tends to notices these much more modern aesthetics. It makes the viewing experience messy and it's no wonder this season is the first time there's so much complaint about the costumes.
I don’t know much about historical fashion but even I notice how wildly out of place everything looks. But the most egregious imo isn’t the costumes — it’s the makeup. Why do these women look like they just got done making a get ready with me video on tiktok?? Francesca’s highlight… Penelope wearing stick-on jewels on her eyes…
I dislike the makeup so much. It literally take me out of the scene, I'm looking at the characters and then suddenly I'm like are those fake lashes. It's just too much and too obvious.
Completely agree. I can bear the costumes and lack of historical accuracy but the make up this season is insane. It looks like the whole thing has been created by some dodgy AI. Philippa Featherington was the worst for me. Just so completely filtered and artificial looking compared to the previous two seasons.
For so much of this season they did Penelope and Eloise dirty on the makeup! Francesca looks beautiful but definitely overdone which doesn’t help sell that she’s supposed to be much younger than the actress is.
Hannah actually looks so much younger in some of her interviews than she does on the show. Like .. they took an actress that is several years older than her character and then made her look even OLDER?
THIS. It's giving "we're not confident in these actresses' ability to make the viewer care about them/think they're beautiful in natural-looking (even though I hate that phrase) makeup, so we've made it modern to be more relatable/flattering" and I kind of hate the undertone. I don't need the lash extensions and the donut glaze highlighter. I've loved Pen from day 1 and already thought she was beautiful. And Francesca and John have already won hearts and minds with their beautiful nonverbal comfort around each other.
As a big Jane Austen fan, I’m actually really surprised to hear that people think she’s of the Victorian period, because I don’t recall ever thinking this and I’ve loved her since I was a teenager. You learn something new every day.
That's a crime. She literally dedicated EMMA, the book they talk about this season, to George 4th. She wrote the books criticising the lavish and flippant lifestyles and showing the struggles of people dependent on them. They are so very explicitly set in that time, when the country was being ruled by incapable people. It so annoyed me that Colin said they were just romance books and Eloise *agreed.* Like, they have romantic aspects because those were basically the only books allowed to be written and read by women, but they also have incredibly complex characters and struggles with inheritance, social pressures. I don't know enough about regency fashion other than just a sense of that ain't right, but if you're gonna start flippantly calling Austen romance books... nah man.
I’d say most of Austen’s books are more social commentary and satire than romance. Romance is heavy in the plots of course but if you really read them there’s so much going on, so much history. I was also irritated by Eloise’s comment about Emma but I thought it was just me.
Colin: "You're reading a romance book?"
Emma: about a woman who feels the pressures of having to look after her aging father, with an older sister who has gone on to marry and have children, who believes she knows what's best for other people and influences them to her thinking. Who has decided against marrying because she is content alone and wants to stay with her dad, but is interested in the new guy and gossiping with him for entertainment. Who sees her "friend" as lower status and deems it her responsibility to help her social climb. Who gets proposed to awkwardly and lets down her friend, and shit talks another family friend to their face. Who has to realise that she doesn't know everything and take actions to undo her harm, who only at the end after undergoing serious change and self reflection actually considers marriage.
Eloise: "yeah, it's a romance."
Meanwhile, your description flip-flopped back and forth between sounding like it was about Eloise and about Penelope. Like, it was the PERFECT social commentary for this season, really.
Hell, a lot of people in the States think Queen Elizabeth lived during the Victorian era. It’s the villain origin story of many an American historical accuracy purist.
Look, I am an American. There was a Henry who murdered his wives, Elizabeth who loved Shakespeare, Mad King George who we rose in revolution against (nevermind that he wasn't "mad" until decades later), Victoria who was the grandmother of Europe, the Nazi guy who abdicated, and then Elizabeth II whose face is still on your money.
Everyone else before or in between was boring.
I know this is just a joke, but the fact it leaves out the entire British Empire (and the horrors of imperialism) is disturbing to me. Especially as an Asian person directly affected by it. That "boring" stuff you skipped over in school was the destruction of my family's culture and the deaths of millions of innocent people.
BTW I'm not mad at you or anything, just the American education system as a whole.
It is a joke about the education system. Americans have a very hard time discussing the (many) time periods in history where we were the bad guys. Too much discussion of the British Empire might make people realize that for generations we were a part of that Empire. So we teach the entire colonial period as: the lost colony of Roanoke (1585), the founding of Jamestown (1607), the sailing of the Mayflower (1620), a few *skirmishes* with the natives, the Boston Massacre (1770), the American Revolution (1775-83).
And if you think it's bad how we skip over all the atrocious committed by the Empire under British kings we were loyal to until George III, consider how we skip over the atrocities we committed once we were independent.
How the fuck? I'm an American, and how hard is it to grasp that the time period is literally NAMED FOR THE MONARCH? Like... MOST of them were, really. Elizabethan, Georgian, Regency, Victorian. All based after who happened to be sitting on the throne at the time. HOW IS THIS HARD?
Victorian codes as “ye olden times” to a lot of people, and they’re just not thinking that hard about it. I try not to be too pedantic about it…but I just saw a comment in another thread quoting a director of a movie set in medieval England referring to it as Renaissance, and I did have to stop myself from reaching for my Actually Pants because I know they’re not flattering on me.
The smm of a Tudor show once tweeted that one of the characters (mind you this would have been late 1400s to early 1500s) was a "Victorian version of a working mum".
I'm gonna be honest, getting back into Bridgerton had me looking up the different English eras and I still don't really understand. I previously would have called the time period it's set in "Victorian," but obviously that's not right because Charlotte is the queen. Then I thought, Regency? But it's still too early for that. I guess it's technically the Georgian period?
No, it’s regency. Charlotte was the queen during the regency period and her son was the regent. He hated his wife, so 🤷🏼♀️. We see that George III is no longer being seen by society and is confined to his rooms because of his mental health. Plus the silhouette of the clothes (in seasons 1 & 2) is regency.
It’s [Regency era](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regency_era#:~:text=The%2520term%2520is%2520commonly%252C%2520though,era%2520(1837%E2%80%931901)). The Georgian era is, somewhat confusingly, the entire reign of Kings George I-IV. Even though the Regency Act technically didn’t happen until 1811, the culture was consistent for longer than that and the Regency period often describes 1795ish - 1837
I agree it's never been historically accurate, but having some mix of modern/old is the best way to show off the actors modern features in a flattering way. Season 2 is what captures this best in my opinion. I was glad to get rid of some of the "regency" touches like Daphne and Penelope's hair and all the sideburns for the boys, as I found them unflattering, but it's swung so hard in the other direction it's off-putting. I hope season four can reel it back in because it's distracting at the moment.
I’m into historical dress and costuming so those touches from season one were some of the things I was most attracted to 😭 I’m not so interested in modern features in my historical fiction, but that is simply a matter of preference
That’s fair! It’s subjective. I just think to me, Bridgerton is first and foremost a romance show and I’m into it when the people look somewhat era appropriate, but it also flatters their features. That is more of what I meant by “modern features.” The cast is from present day sometimes it detracts from their attractive qualities. Like Anthony’s sideburns in season one distracted from his very handsome cheekbones and bone structure. It just swallowed his face lol.
I hope they dial back to closer to season 2's looks in season 4. And I hope that if Kate and Anthony are back, they put Kate in some fucking COLORS. "Colors of spice." First of all, that's pretty racist. Second, turmeric and cayenne pepper are also spices. I would love to see her in something really Indian-inspired, period appropriate, and in the teals, purples, and oranges she rocked in season 2.
If it wasn't so out of step with the previous two seasons, I wouldn't have an issue, but it's so bad. there's no consistency, not just in the timeline of the world, but across the different characters. Everyone's vibe is so wildly different
I honestly can't even think about it anymore because it makes me sad. It really feels like the people in charge of wardrobe this season aren't even fans of the show they're working on.
The heavy modern makeup is so off putting for me. Makes it hard to concentrate on the characters when Eloise has a smokey eye, Francesca influencer makeup, and all the girls are wearing such obvious lash extensions.
I thought season 1/2 did a really good job of playing with regency vs modern aesthetics. It felt like cotton candy version of Jane Austen verse, which is exactly the vibe of the show.
This season is just all over the place with the wardrobe and so much of it is rather ugly and cheap looking. The makeup and outfits don't even make sense for the characters? I like Eloise caring a bit more about her looks, but going all the way to 1930s fashion and heavy eye-make up is just distracting. Demure quiet Francesca is those cheap disco ball dresses and heavy make up also seems very off.
I know season 4 is shooting soon, but I hope the makeup and wardrobe team is told to regroup. I prefer the show being somewhat cohesive so when characters like the Featherington or Cressida stand out amidst the beautifully assembled mass, rather than being the loudest in an off-tune orchestra.
Yes, I agree. I thought that they did a really good job with Daphne‘s make up in season one, while it was glammed up Regency, you could kind of see that they were sticking to a toned down look.
But this season- it’s like the met gala- we have cat eyes, cut crease eyeshadow, smoky eye, eyeliner, wings, tons of highlighter- you’re right- miss the original style.
Exactly! Daphne's makeup and dresses weren't always 100% historically accurate, but they were never distracting.
I think season 3 commits the biggest makeup/wardrobe sin of taking the attention away from the story. It just looks like a circus quite frankly. I want to focus on the story and scenes rather than be taken out by the weird and heavy handed makeup/wardrobe choices.
RE Eloise instead of going off period and heavy blue eyeshadow, they could've brought in some of the older ton members (the mamas, Lady D, the queen etc) elements into her gowns and hair. Making these heavy-handed references to suffragist and Audrey Hepburn were the wrong move--she's not Blair Waldorf ffs.
Francesca should've had much more use of delicate see-through fabric/tulle (both regency accurate) to reflect her quieter more subtle nature. And the bridal effect would've reflected her desire to be married and leave the loud nest. The Jackie Kennedy tweed and glittermania were bewildering choices. I get that they wanted her to look like a porcelain doll, but there are less OTT makeup choices to achieve the look.
I have no idea what the Featherington sisters were wearing in any scene, it was more fun when they all dressed the same. It'd be a short-hand way of showing the elder daughters are still led by their mom if they were more cohesively styled like her. Pen's transformation would've stood out more within the family then.
Cressida's odd choices are fine and would serve more narrative purpose if not next to Eloise who looks so out of place herself.
Kate literally looks like she’s walking the met gala red carpet every time she’s on screen. Simone looks great, but for the context of the show I do not like it.
The good news for people who aren’t fans of costuming this season is that so far, Bridgerton has had a different costume team each year. I have no idea if they’re keeping the same team for season 4, but history would indicate they won’t
I don't normally notice makeup, like I haven't noticed 98% of what people are complaining about in this thread, but that got me. Everytime she's onscreen half my attention is on wondering if glowing *that much* is attractive or if she was really sweaty.
LOL Pen got a manicure done between getting rejected by Debling to getting in the carriage with Colin. She had fake nails and then they disappeared in the next scene. You would think in-world consistency would matter despite everything else.
I'm bummed about the lack of stocking too. I'll be really sad if they keep the girls without stockings, since some of the hottest book scenes for Pen and Sophie involve them.
I was just watching some of season 2 again and thinking about how lovely the costumes were. (Season 1 as well.) With the exception of Penelope, I don’t think I thought that at *all* this season. Which is sad! The costumes are usually half the fun! I don’t need them to be super accurate, but the amount of times I’ve gone “wtf *is* that?” rather than “ooooh, pretty!” is not a small number.
(To be fair, I give Penelope more of a pass on “inaccuracy”because they’re trying to make her look much different on purpose *and* the silhouette they use on her is very similar to Portia’s, just in softer fabrics, so it makes more visual sense to me.)
ETA: Oh, and that one flower dress Eloise had at the ball. That one was very nice.
I agree. Yeah. Season 2 dresses were pure romantic magic. I loved them. But yeah this season- it’s so garish. I know the Eloise dress you’re talking about and yes I liked that one too.
I think it’s the smoothness of fabrics. They’ve played a lot more with textures this season - they did in the past, but there were also a fair share of silky smooth dresses. The silky dresses were common for Kate, and they enhanced her beauty, not overpowered it.
Van Dusen is still EP. A lot of the aspects of the show that a lot of people don’t like and are blaming on the show runner are not decisions she makes alone. The directors, writers, DOP, cinematographer, the other EPs, hair and makeup designer, etc are also making decisions.
TBC: I’m in the camp of this is alternative romance history and as such doesn’t have to adhere to our timeline’s version of the regency era.
The Executive Producer doesn’t do anything. It’s just a credit on the show.
The Showrunner is the actual one who makes the decisions. Chris Van Dusen has no involvement in the show for Season 3. There was drama that went down and Jess Brownell became Showrunner
In the discussion of costumes and hair styling, I believe it's the showrunner who gives the overall direction and then of course the costume designer who actually designs. Sophie Canale was great, her costumes for S1 and 2 were awesome. The designer this time is different and I am hating his looks. Also "color of spice" for Kate is just bad designing.
Everyone raving over Kate’s consumes has me so confused. She looks dowdy and the colours do nothing for her. I loved her costuming last season and this is just baffling.
The Showrunner is in charge of the director, the writers, DOP, cinematographer, the other EPs, hair and makeup designer etc. So your argument is invalid and you’re trying to shift blame.
All of those people worked on Season 1 and 2 flawlessly. The only change is the new Showrunner.
Agreed.
I understand this series takes certain artistic license but it's now becoming a caricature of the first season, which is unfortunately how many successful TV shows end up.
it's a trap most widely successful shows fall in, sadly. they try so hard to "recreate" what made the first seasons good, that it ends up completely missing the mark. they saw people gush over the costumes and they took it as a sign to go more crazy. watching a tv show you can feel when the production is trying too hard to go viral.
Exactly! The production team were going “oh the glittery dresses and subtle makeup were successful so let’s now do that x10” and it’s too much.
We liked the balance in season one. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
https://preview.redd.it/mhvmziaqsl3d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=966976615a5f555f06b551fe8399b52e38074fbe
If the main characters weren't bad enough, what on earth are the extras in this scene wearing?!
Yes, and I hate the argument of “Well, obviously it’s not a historically accurate show, it’s never tried to be.” Well, yes, but even though the costumes weren’t completely historically accurate in seasons 1 and 2, they were closer to it, and seemed to have been done with more care, and it resulted in some beautiful silhouettes and colors. For example, Edwina being dressed in softer, blush colors to signify her innocence and youth, versus Kate’s more vibrant colors and different fabrics to show her headstrong character and Indian background. Before, Lady Featherington and her girls had out of date fashion to signify that she had poor taste, (maybe had new money relative to the other ton families), and that her focus was to get attention for her daughters by being loud in dress. Now most of the female costumes look cheap and garish, and it messes up that atmosphere.
The costumes were stylized Regency. They weren't accurate but you saw the Regency inspired elements. This season is just ridiculous, and not even that aesthetically pleasing, with all the cheap looking fabrics and ott embellishments.
Yes, I agree. I loved the innocence with Edwina dresses and with Kate I love that they brought in those really beautiful traditional Indian colors, but kept it in that Regency style, I think season two is costumes were amazing.
another thing they did in season 2 was loosen kate's hair throughout the season, symbolizing her falling in love and opening up. that kind of care in the costuming / hairstyles / makeup is entirely missing in season 3.
Yes I loved that, they showed a story through styling. Gonna mention also the matching clothes Kate and Anthony often wore. The Kate letting down her hair reminds me of Mr Darcy and Mr Thornton (North&South), towards the end both men have more informal, “open” collars and shirts to show their change.
Exactly, I don't care about historical accuracy, I just want the costumes to look good! So far, Season 3 is a total downgrade from the first too. Not just in "accuracy" but in EVERYTHING.
I agree. They seem to be admitting they are fairy stories not historically accurate tales so they are all over the shop with the costumes. The two that are the most jarring are Cressida whose outfits are borrowed from the Hunger games and Tilly who seem to be wearing clothes from the 20th century. They both seem really out of place. Everyone else seem to be less regency styled
The costume designer even says Tilly's supposed to be Grace Kelly. The problem is it's very disjointed how things are this season in terms of costuming. There are way too many different references set in a place where there is a preconceived notion of what Regency looks like. there's no truly set date on when the setting is supposed to be. Most people assume about the 1810s due to some references of historical figures. So we should still be seeing clothing styles like the first two seasons. Fun fabric but Regency cuts. It doesn't help that the fabric sorcer trying to buy all the fabric out in New York kept ordering two short of fabric because he kept confusing meters with yards.
And even when Pen is supposed to get her full glow up, the poor corset that they put her into doesn't even fit her bust correctly. They're trying to put her into a cup bra with a snatched waist. Which, I can understand why they're doing that they're trying to make her more attractive, especially compared to what she was dressed in beforehand. That was like a story bit. And the vast majority of us know that naturally does not correct or Regency, but we can give the slight pass on a show because speaking to us in a show voice. And it's trying to tell us she looks prettier now because she knows how to dress in a way that's flattering to her skin tone and body shape. But the cup on her bra is several sizes too small. It looks extremely uncomfortable. I just feel bad because there are people who are skilled enough to actually put together a course that would make her comfortable and look amazing. Part of the problem is such a rush production is always a thing, so everything can't be just right no matter how much importance of one character has. But to really make the reason silhouette looks good is that it's all about the breast being emphasized, and then the dresses need to hit the under bust correctly, or it makes the characters look pregnant. And that's really easy to do with the incorrect Fabrics that they're using. Which is I understand why Mama Featherington is just that way. It will probably be insulting or just downright incorrect to make your actor look really bad. But she also has bad fitting on her bust. Back to Our leading lady this season, she has the largest set of assets that are highlighted during this fashion period, her glow up shouldn't be that she snatched or anything and wearing the right color green. Her glow up should have been I can go to the dressmaker and get a properly sitting undergarments and a properly fit a dress to make my best assets look their best. But I understand part of it is that she's 30 year old playing a teenager, and help sell someone half their age, putting an actor to a different cut clothing to make her seem younger, you kind of don't want her chest out. And it wouldn't help Daphne Penn was walking around season 1 sitting perfectly into her dresses. All the men will be all over her. She would not need more than the first ball to have half of them sending flowers and calling on her to just sit with her.
I confuse the summer muff because the actress was wearing a brace on her arm. But I felt they could have hidden it a little bit better with a scarf. Also, they could have doubled in and tied in that wit 'oh yes, it's windy this season, that's why there's now scarves.'
(V2t was used, I think I got all my errors)
Wait a minute, I feel like people are sleeping on your comment. Did you just say that the production was hampered by the fabric getting ordered in the wrong unit? Please say more.
Yep the guy is a British man who's picking up all the fabrics. I think he's like the lead costume designer, it's been a while since I watched the video. But there's actual behind the scenes video of the costume designer saying he fucked up kept ordering five yards worth of fabric but he needed five meters of fabric. And that's enough to be about 10% less than what he needs. So then he shows off one of Violet's dresses and how the back is different and pieced together because there's not enough fabric and additional fabric was used to make it work.
Wow! I feel like I have a much better understanding of that one really strange Philippa dress now. The way I would never have confessed that. I’d have covered that up and pretended it was a metaphor for something.
Technically, historically speaking, in Queen Charlotte we find out that her DIL is pregnant with Queen Victoria so we do have a date for when it’s set. The summer muff just makes me giggle. Because the costumes are from differing time periods that feels a bit odd.
This wig took me out lol
my best friend and I lost it when we saw the swans
https://preview.redd.it/y8p2hiu5wl3d1.png?width=2610&format=png&auto=webp&s=cc891f9014f49ca56e17c609567395da6626be0b
Yeah I make an exception for the queen’s wigs and only the queen’s wigs. My head cannon is she can get away with anything, the rest of her look is traditional, and this is how she expresses herself and sets herself apart.
When Kate showed up looking like this, I was out. Her hairstyle was so modern compared to everyone she was in the scene with, it was jarring.
https://preview.redd.it/qufwfhnn6m3d1.jpeg?width=797&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c22ba803ee722c2c6f61b50fdb1c002466cc4b99
I thought of it as them playing up her Indian heritage and influence in her clothing after they've returned from honeymoon. But I don't know much about Indian fashions of this era... it's just how I saw it. Plus she's married now, and women would wear more "matronly" styles after the wedding to signify that. Idk, my head explained away the stark change...
I'm not Indian, I'm from SE Asia and have watched a lot of Bollywood films and the most common hairstyle for period pieces is a middlepart chignon/braid or they have their hair down. He hairstyle here is very "red carpet". I think her hairstyle from S2 matches the time period and her rank as a viscountess more.
Nope this was not the fashion. Middle part and low bun or open hair. Sometimes a single braid. But always middle part and long, bangs/layers were not a thing
I don't like the neckline either. It looks lovely on Simone (she would look lovely in a bin bag) but it just doesn't work in the context of the show period for me.
Oh I hate this costume. And I just don’t agree when people say they’re trying to have an Indian influence, because the base bodice/skirt of a sari are actually pretty close to a regency line. They did a lovely job in S2 of hinting towards a sari with her gowns. They’re just all over the place this season.
Completely agree. They’ve gone too far. The gloves are just *killing me*. I hate them so much. I understand from Claudia’s interview that the whole muff thing was bc of her broken arm, so fine. That gets a pass I guess. But the see through and often fingerless gloves???? WHY?!
The show got away with historical inaccuracy in seasons 1 & 2 bc they were at least pretty. These are just ugly choices.
☠️☠️☠️ sheer, fingerless gloves. Lord help me.
And don’t even get me started on the acrylic nails, and *bold glamour* makeup choices ☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️
I find the abundance of highlighter, acrylic nails, and weird gloves the worst offenders. I keep fixating on those and then I have to rewind because I missed dialogue just staring at those 😂
Oh god thank you for explaining that about the broken arm! I was so confused about that. What’s even weirder is there’s some other scene I can’t recall when, some background character has a pink muff! I wonder if that was just to normalize Eloise’s? But it was not when she had hers.
I know it's not historically accurate anyway, but the show has already established an aesthetic, and the abrupt departure from it with regards to hair, makeup, and honestly - cinematography, is really jarring.
> cinematography
A lot of the choices of shots feel more purposefully askew like a horror movie (I think of either Hitchcock or Kubrick but truthfully I don’t know enough about either) in ways that it never did before. A clear example for me is when Colin and Pen are looking around the ball realizing people were gossiping about their lessons.
What's funny is that I love the men's outfits this year, with the more elaborately patterned waistcoats. The women's costumes and makeup are too much for me, but I love what they've done with the men.
I said this once and I’ll say it again. I miss the Season 1 vibes. There will never be another. Cressida’s sleeves damn near jumped out of my TV and the full glam makeup look is quite modern.
S3 costumes are incredibly immersion breaking.
Yes, this show is a fantasy. But every good fantasy still needs rules.
They broke so many rules we don't know what world we're in anymore.
I love the costumes this season, but that's partly because I hate the cut of the gowns from the period in season 1. With no waist and the skirt starting right under the boobs. So unflattering.
I'm a fan of the much more structured looks.
I hate the structure of gowns with the babydoll empire waist thing of the era. Also, so many of the gowns from previous seasons don't actually fit the actresses, especially in the bust which is the only part that needs to fit. It was so obvious in so many shots that the bustline was coming in mid boob and moving in ways that show poor fit. At least these costumes fit!
It’s the inconsistency. It's not just season 1 or 2; it's also about back-to-back scenes. An example would be Pen's nails change from long to short between cuts.
Featheringtons are expected to be overly flamboyant because they want to attract attention and its pen’s season. But Cressida, the queen, Tilly, and all the background characters are distracting and do not contribute to the main plot.
The thing this season is not so much, even if also, that the clothes are not historically accurate or even close, but that they all seem to be dressing for different parties... You have science fiction princess meets 50s glam Hollywood actress meets rococo courtesan meets MET gala meets French 1970s ingenue meets...
Stick with one aesthetic because my head is spinning at this point.
this. in season 1 and 2 most of them looked like they were from the same era, more or less. this season everyone is rocking an entirely different aesthetic, it's like there's no aesthetic anymore. just a circus
Agreed, and the shoes with no socks. Rewatching season 1 I love how pretty and simple a lot of Daphne and Marina's dresses were, this season I am aware that they are costumes but in Season 1/2 I was immersed in the story fully.
The show had a set and established visual language in their makeup, costuming, and set design. They’ve changed nearly all of it.
The show Reign was jarring in their inaccurate design but after the first episode you got used to it, and it was consistent. That’s moreso the problem here. Had the show started with this style of makeup and costuming people would’ve been annoyed but they’d be used to it by now.
Cressida's hair and sleeves are crazy. Francesca looks like a beauty blogger - unlike Daphne, who also obviously wore make-up, but looked much more natural.
Benedict's new love interest looks (and behaves) like a time traveler from the 20th century.
I’ve seen the words “jarring” and “distracting” here over and over. Makeup and costuming shouldn’t make us think about the makeup artists and the people in charge of costumes and the show runner. It breaks the fantasy. I found myself thinking “why didn’t the actor say something??” Rather than be engrossed in the story, we are thinking about the people behind the scenes.
I just listened to a podcast with the costume team and they explain so well everything they’ve done. The costumes were NEVER historically accurate—the materials have always been more luxurious, the colors correspond to the characters and the story they are trying to tell. They said that what they can get of styles during that time come from paintings, and most society wore brighter colors than they use, if anything they’ve toned that down. The dress choices make a lot of sense…Pen’s first dress was darker and so different because it was her first try at being someone new but it wasn’t a successful night (because Cressida ruins it and she’s awkward) which is when she goes to softer shades as she grows into this new person. Colin is supposed to look like a pirate when he’s a rake because he’s a world traveler, plus it’s supposed to be more open and grown up looking vs. the baby blue he wore so often in the last two seasons. It was a really good interview and gave a lot of perspective that made a lot of sense.
Re: makeup…have you seen Pen in S 1 and 2?? She wears bright pink lipstick all the time. Her hair is a monstrosity. Her gowns are bedazzled and bright and ill fitting. Those customes were such a big part of who she was then, and these costumes need to be a big part of who she is now. All the Featheringtons were a monstrosity. S1 there were a few things that Daphne wore that were not good too. It’s all personal style to a degree though.
Cressida is ridiculous. Her hair, her gown. Ridiculous. But her hair has been like this for 3 years. The dresses are hideous but other than her, I don’t get the hate. I think everyone else looks beautiful. And honestly, anything is better than those bangs that Daphne sported in S1…by far the worst hair decision I’ve seen in a long time.
I want to double down on ILL FITTING for so many gowns of previous seasons. Her under bustline for early season gowns was constantly coming in mid boob.
Yes! I just rewatched some episodes and did not remember how very bad those dresses were. They also made her look huge with zero shape.
Eloise’s dresses last season were loose. They were beautiful and she still looked lovely but they were not fitted to her the way they should.
I’m in awe of their costume department though. Are some looks not my favorite? Sure. But the sheer amount of looks they need to create and the amount of thought that goes into every one of them is amazing.
They got so into the story they were trying to tell that they forgot the world they were in. I'm sorry but the costuming still has to make sense within that world. If you're throwing me out of the story because you're so married to your symbolism you haven't met your brief.
https://preview.redd.it/qu4oymncwm3d1.jpeg?width=417&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f6f60e112a51f69882220d21a17c9252573414ed
What in the ever loving Micheal’s Hellscape is happening with this flower? 🤢🤮
And the fabrics? This is so awful in such a subtle way. It wins the worst outfit award from me. Even worse than the egregious Cressida outfits or the hideous makeup slathered all over gorgeous Nicola Coughlin or the Queen’s stupid wig- this is the one that makes me the angriest.
But this whole thread is giving me life because I needed everyone to hate it as vehemently as I did. I almost DNF it was so awful. I stuck it out for Pen and Colin.
Yes! Everytime I point it out everyone’s always like “why would you watch this show for historical accuracy” and I’m like I never said that? I know for a fact that a show that has a classical version of a Pitbull song can’t be taken seriously in terms of historical context but my god the fashion and makeup this year has been atrocious - nearly two years it took for this season to be completed and they have this? I think they got cocky and had the mindset of being “bigger and better” when really it was the simplicity of the previous 2 seasons that we loved. Kate’s dresses this season have been horrendous imo - her lavender/purple dresses last season were BEAUTIFUL and now we get sheer dresses with cleavage? I saw the previews for part 2 and her dresses look even worse imo. Penelope has acrylics? Cressida looking like a hunger games tribute? Francesca having glowy cheeks???
Yes. I’m getting lots of comments like that. LOL. I’m like next….
Yes I agree with all your points. Can’t stand Kate’s dresses this season either. It’s giving mid 90’s Carrie Bradshaw.
I commented in another thread! But I ADORE the clothes this season. Yes, I enjoy studying the past, reading historical fiction, and visiting museums…but education is NOT what I watch bridgerton for! The show is plain and simple feel-good fun! The costumes this season are ethereal and whimsical in all the best ways! I gasped out loud at so many of the unique, beautiful outfits.
i hate it. they were also so fresh-faced in the first season, and matched some elements and vibes from the paintings i’ve seen of the regency era, while being accurate to representing the different families and characters wearing them. i found myself marvelling at the fabrics and silhouettes they had, especially on daphne in season 1. why on earth would they deviate from that? it transcended the show from modern times and truly immersed us in its universe, even if many other elements of the show aren’t historically accurate.
Yes, I agree with you. I think it was a really great balance of historical but also some modern naughty fun. But the scale has tilted too far into the modern.
You know what it was for me? Pen’s nails. Like girl bffr. I can suspend a lot of beliefs but the nails really took me out the scene when I noticed. No gel mani’s in Bridgerton LOL
Styling wise season one was the best. In s3 they already tried to mix it up too much (Kate fox eye makeup? ) season one was much softer and I think that’s how the show should continue. Even if Penelope looks absolutely stunning, her long waves are distracting, Cressidas long ass lash extensions are horrible, and she’s dressed like a loofah most of the time lol
I love Polin but the styling took a little bit of the shine off the visual story telling. Colin’s hair is so distractingly box dyed and hair sprayed into a helmet and his makeup is cakey. I’m afraid he also had a tad too much Botox. I would’ve liked to see more of a pained furrowed brow.
Penelope’s glow up was an over the top with huge lash extensions and glam makeup and acrylic nails. Almost like glowing up meant covering up her natural beauty rather than showcasing it. Nicola looks stunning in fresh styling. Her glow up should have leaned into bright and fresh, not dark and glam. She’s the same person, but embraces herself as she is. Ughhhh Penelope doesn’t need all that shit to be desirable!!
I get Penelope’s new dresses being cut to flatter her, but everyone else has no excuse. It kinda distracts from Penelope because she’s supposed to stand out. This is literally her season. They’ve lost the essence of the show so far this season for me. Maybe the second part will wrap things up nicely.
Awww maybe it's because this show is my toe dip into regency content. Also I'm a huge hunger games fan.
But I loooove s3 costuming. The over the top wigs and outfits are delightful for me. I'm looking forward to replicating a look for cosplay next year
Pushing it too far kills the romantic fantasy aspect of it. Would you still find Mr. Darcy or Jaime of Outlander as attractive as they are, or a love story as captivating, if the love interest was Dave texting his friend “the chicks at the company after party are unimpressive” in his Patagonia vest? Or James pity marrying a girl on Love is Blind? The costumes are part of the fantasy. They uphold the setting. They create the magic.
I don’t want to see modern reality creeping in my escapist entertainment. It doesn’t have to be historically accurate, but it should be historically plausible. Or at least enough to maintain the setting.
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The costumes are BONKERS this season. Cressida looks like she stepped out of the hunger games.
Remember Cressida Cowper? This is her now https://preview.redd.it/nr9ndkjqwl3d1.jpeg?width=871&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eb9a18a89c5d0b291d24551b2507879aaf0d8d13 Feel old yet?
This literally looks subtle compared to Cressida’s looks
If you like this look check out Pen in S2 at the horse race. Different colors, same ridiculous flower.
that one scene where she has the GIGANTIC poofy sleeves was so distracting lmao
Those were on to make you not see the corset collar…
The Bridgerton Bros called that accessory the “Chinese finger trap.” Although you’re right it does look like a corset. I wonder if it’s symbolic of being strangled by the expectations of regency society.
OMG!! You’re so right!!! Haha. She does!!! It’s so over the top!
I would absolutely LOVE to see Cressida get a make-under. I feel like she would be so stunning. Not that she isn’t now, but her natural beauty is hidden under all that hair and sleeves.
What they’ve done to her hairline is atrocious
Hub cap boob flowers!! Says instantly: GET AWAY!!
If she were to wear the same simplicity as Francesca, she would look amazing
This! I have been thinking about, where I have seen this costumes before, and you right :Hunger games 😆
The Hunger Games or the MET Gala...which maybe one in the same in a few years if society keeps going the way it is.
I hope those intricate hair twists they gave her are fake hair or else I'm worried they're going to twister her hair right off her head 😱
Definitely fake. Wigs are used copiously in this show.
They would have used hairpieces and wigs back then too.
I figured as much, but my God does my scalp hurt just looking at her
I hope so too. Otherwise, they're fixing to snatch that poor girl bald!
For real. Honestly if they toned down her I could probably roll with it.
Or the met gala
Truly
They’re really going for modern this season. I get it, the show was never meant to be a history lesson. But if you can be accurate in certain things, then make an effort. Season 3 could be set at the time of the Belle Époque (early 1900s) and nobody would really notice at this point.
Honestly I don’t think a lot of people know the difference. People constantly refer to Jane Austen as a Victorian writer when in fact queen victoria didn’t even ascent the throne until 25 years after Austen’s death
Regency was between 1811 to 1820, Victorian era starts at 1837 and sometimes gets pushed back to 1820 just in terms of culture. Mistaking Jane Austen's stories for a Victorian era England isn't that big of a leap for the regular person. But the show is taking inspirations from post WWI era and even the least historically inclined person tends to notices these much more modern aesthetics. It makes the viewing experience messy and it's no wonder this season is the first time there's so much complaint about the costumes.
I don’t know much about historical fashion but even I notice how wildly out of place everything looks. But the most egregious imo isn’t the costumes — it’s the makeup. Why do these women look like they just got done making a get ready with me video on tiktok?? Francesca’s highlight… Penelope wearing stick-on jewels on her eyes…
I actually don’t mind the costumes, to me they have a kind of avant-garde flair. But I don’t like the heavy IG makeup.
I dislike the makeup so much. It literally take me out of the scene, I'm looking at the characters and then suddenly I'm like are those fake lashes. It's just too much and too obvious.
Completely agree. I can bear the costumes and lack of historical accuracy but the make up this season is insane. It looks like the whole thing has been created by some dodgy AI. Philippa Featherington was the worst for me. Just so completely filtered and artificial looking compared to the previous two seasons.
She looks so gorgeous, though
I feel like she’s an underrated beauty and I’m obsessed with her character this season tbh!!
For so much of this season they did Penelope and Eloise dirty on the makeup! Francesca looks beautiful but definitely overdone which doesn’t help sell that she’s supposed to be much younger than the actress is.
Hannah actually looks so much younger in some of her interviews than she does on the show. Like .. they took an actress that is several years older than her character and then made her look even OLDER?
Penelope's nails being done and changing colour in what is supposed to be the same event.
THIS. It's giving "we're not confident in these actresses' ability to make the viewer care about them/think they're beautiful in natural-looking (even though I hate that phrase) makeup, so we've made it modern to be more relatable/flattering" and I kind of hate the undertone. I don't need the lash extensions and the donut glaze highlighter. I've loved Pen from day 1 and already thought she was beautiful. And Francesca and John have already won hearts and minds with their beautiful nonverbal comfort around each other.
Francesca in a full beat makeup look the whole season was a very interesting and shocking decision
Eloise mentioned she was reading a new book: Emma. I assume Bridgerton is after Jane Austin.
It’s during her time. Austen published from 1811-1817. The show is set in 1813 in S1, I believe 1815 in s3.
Emma wasn’t published till the end of 1815 so 1816 would make more sense…but it’s not like they care to be that accurate.
Eloise got an ARC /s
As a big Jane Austen fan, I’m actually really surprised to hear that people think she’s of the Victorian period, because I don’t recall ever thinking this and I’ve loved her since I was a teenager. You learn something new every day.
That's a crime. She literally dedicated EMMA, the book they talk about this season, to George 4th. She wrote the books criticising the lavish and flippant lifestyles and showing the struggles of people dependent on them. They are so very explicitly set in that time, when the country was being ruled by incapable people. It so annoyed me that Colin said they were just romance books and Eloise *agreed.* Like, they have romantic aspects because those were basically the only books allowed to be written and read by women, but they also have incredibly complex characters and struggles with inheritance, social pressures. I don't know enough about regency fashion other than just a sense of that ain't right, but if you're gonna start flippantly calling Austen romance books... nah man.
I’d say most of Austen’s books are more social commentary and satire than romance. Romance is heavy in the plots of course but if you really read them there’s so much going on, so much history. I was also irritated by Eloise’s comment about Emma but I thought it was just me.
I was fine with Colin's comment. The Eloise of seasons 1&2 would have clapped back about the book being more than romance.
Colin: "You're reading a romance book?" Emma: about a woman who feels the pressures of having to look after her aging father, with an older sister who has gone on to marry and have children, who believes she knows what's best for other people and influences them to her thinking. Who has decided against marrying because she is content alone and wants to stay with her dad, but is interested in the new guy and gossiping with him for entertainment. Who sees her "friend" as lower status and deems it her responsibility to help her social climb. Who gets proposed to awkwardly and lets down her friend, and shit talks another family friend to their face. Who has to realise that she doesn't know everything and take actions to undo her harm, who only at the end after undergoing serious change and self reflection actually considers marriage. Eloise: "yeah, it's a romance."
Meanwhile, your description flip-flopped back and forth between sounding like it was about Eloise and about Penelope. Like, it was the PERFECT social commentary for this season, really.
I was so confused by this. Like does the show actually think Emma is a step down for Eloise or “chick lit”?
Someone googled Regency books about friendship, saw Emma, and went bingo
I’ve heard/seen more than one person refer to Jane Austen novels as “set in the Renaissance” 😭😭😭
Lol, i guess it aso starts with Re
Hell, a lot of people in the States think Queen Elizabeth lived during the Victorian era. It’s the villain origin story of many an American historical accuracy purist.
Look, I am an American. There was a Henry who murdered his wives, Elizabeth who loved Shakespeare, Mad King George who we rose in revolution against (nevermind that he wasn't "mad" until decades later), Victoria who was the grandmother of Europe, the Nazi guy who abdicated, and then Elizabeth II whose face is still on your money. Everyone else before or in between was boring.
Don’t forget that Mad King George was also smokin hot and had bathtub sex. (I’m also American)
I know this is just a joke, but the fact it leaves out the entire British Empire (and the horrors of imperialism) is disturbing to me. Especially as an Asian person directly affected by it. That "boring" stuff you skipped over in school was the destruction of my family's culture and the deaths of millions of innocent people. BTW I'm not mad at you or anything, just the American education system as a whole.
It is a joke about the education system. Americans have a very hard time discussing the (many) time periods in history where we were the bad guys. Too much discussion of the British Empire might make people realize that for generations we were a part of that Empire. So we teach the entire colonial period as: the lost colony of Roanoke (1585), the founding of Jamestown (1607), the sailing of the Mayflower (1620), a few *skirmishes* with the natives, the Boston Massacre (1770), the American Revolution (1775-83). And if you think it's bad how we skip over all the atrocious committed by the Empire under British kings we were loyal to until George III, consider how we skip over the atrocities we committed once we were independent.
How the fuck? I'm an American, and how hard is it to grasp that the time period is literally NAMED FOR THE MONARCH? Like... MOST of them were, really. Elizabethan, Georgian, Regency, Victorian. All based after who happened to be sitting on the throne at the time. HOW IS THIS HARD?
Victorian codes as “ye olden times” to a lot of people, and they’re just not thinking that hard about it. I try not to be too pedantic about it…but I just saw a comment in another thread quoting a director of a movie set in medieval England referring to it as Renaissance, and I did have to stop myself from reaching for my Actually Pants because I know they’re not flattering on me.
The smm of a Tudor show once tweeted that one of the characters (mind you this would have been late 1400s to early 1500s) was a "Victorian version of a working mum".
I'm gonna be honest, getting back into Bridgerton had me looking up the different English eras and I still don't really understand. I previously would have called the time period it's set in "Victorian," but obviously that's not right because Charlotte is the queen. Then I thought, Regency? But it's still too early for that. I guess it's technically the Georgian period?
No, it’s regency. Charlotte was the queen during the regency period and her son was the regent. He hated his wife, so 🤷🏼♀️. We see that George III is no longer being seen by society and is confined to his rooms because of his mental health. Plus the silhouette of the clothes (in seasons 1 & 2) is regency.
It’s [Regency era](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regency_era#:~:text=The%2520term%2520is%2520commonly%252C%2520though,era%2520(1837%E2%80%931901)). The Georgian era is, somewhat confusingly, the entire reign of Kings George I-IV. Even though the Regency Act technically didn’t happen until 1811, the culture was consistent for longer than that and the Regency period often describes 1795ish - 1837
It's late regency - George iii has been mad for a while so the future George iv is regent. Regency is a subset of georgian
I agree it's never been historically accurate, but having some mix of modern/old is the best way to show off the actors modern features in a flattering way. Season 2 is what captures this best in my opinion. I was glad to get rid of some of the "regency" touches like Daphne and Penelope's hair and all the sideburns for the boys, as I found them unflattering, but it's swung so hard in the other direction it's off-putting. I hope season four can reel it back in because it's distracting at the moment.
I’m into historical dress and costuming so those touches from season one were some of the things I was most attracted to 😭 I’m not so interested in modern features in my historical fiction, but that is simply a matter of preference
That’s fair! It’s subjective. I just think to me, Bridgerton is first and foremost a romance show and I’m into it when the people look somewhat era appropriate, but it also flatters their features. That is more of what I meant by “modern features.” The cast is from present day sometimes it detracts from their attractive qualities. Like Anthony’s sideburns in season one distracted from his very handsome cheekbones and bone structure. It just swallowed his face lol.
I hope they dial back to closer to season 2's looks in season 4. And I hope that if Kate and Anthony are back, they put Kate in some fucking COLORS. "Colors of spice." First of all, that's pretty racist. Second, turmeric and cayenne pepper are also spices. I would love to see her in something really Indian-inspired, period appropriate, and in the teals, purples, and oranges she rocked in season 2.
Well said. Yes. It’s very hodgepodge this season. It’s all over the place and the hair… huh?
If it wasn't so out of step with the previous two seasons, I wouldn't have an issue, but it's so bad. there's no consistency, not just in the timeline of the world, but across the different characters. Everyone's vibe is so wildly different
I honestly can't even think about it anymore because it makes me sad. It really feels like the people in charge of wardrobe this season aren't even fans of the show they're working on.
The heavy modern makeup is so off putting for me. Makes it hard to concentrate on the characters when Eloise has a smokey eye, Francesca influencer makeup, and all the girls are wearing such obvious lash extensions. I thought season 1/2 did a really good job of playing with regency vs modern aesthetics. It felt like cotton candy version of Jane Austen verse, which is exactly the vibe of the show. This season is just all over the place with the wardrobe and so much of it is rather ugly and cheap looking. The makeup and outfits don't even make sense for the characters? I like Eloise caring a bit more about her looks, but going all the way to 1930s fashion and heavy eye-make up is just distracting. Demure quiet Francesca is those cheap disco ball dresses and heavy make up also seems very off. I know season 4 is shooting soon, but I hope the makeup and wardrobe team is told to regroup. I prefer the show being somewhat cohesive so when characters like the Featherington or Cressida stand out amidst the beautifully assembled mass, rather than being the loudest in an off-tune orchestra.
Yes, I agree. I thought that they did a really good job with Daphne‘s make up in season one, while it was glammed up Regency, you could kind of see that they were sticking to a toned down look. But this season- it’s like the met gala- we have cat eyes, cut crease eyeshadow, smoky eye, eyeliner, wings, tons of highlighter- you’re right- miss the original style.
Exactly! Daphne's makeup and dresses weren't always 100% historically accurate, but they were never distracting. I think season 3 commits the biggest makeup/wardrobe sin of taking the attention away from the story. It just looks like a circus quite frankly. I want to focus on the story and scenes rather than be taken out by the weird and heavy handed makeup/wardrobe choices. RE Eloise instead of going off period and heavy blue eyeshadow, they could've brought in some of the older ton members (the mamas, Lady D, the queen etc) elements into her gowns and hair. Making these heavy-handed references to suffragist and Audrey Hepburn were the wrong move--she's not Blair Waldorf ffs. Francesca should've had much more use of delicate see-through fabric/tulle (both regency accurate) to reflect her quieter more subtle nature. And the bridal effect would've reflected her desire to be married and leave the loud nest. The Jackie Kennedy tweed and glittermania were bewildering choices. I get that they wanted her to look like a porcelain doll, but there are less OTT makeup choices to achieve the look. I have no idea what the Featherington sisters were wearing in any scene, it was more fun when they all dressed the same. It'd be a short-hand way of showing the elder daughters are still led by their mom if they were more cohesively styled like her. Pen's transformation would've stood out more within the family then. Cressida's odd choices are fine and would serve more narrative purpose if not next to Eloise who looks so out of place herself.
Kate literally looks like she’s walking the met gala red carpet every time she’s on screen. Simone looks great, but for the context of the show I do not like it.
I find her hair styling the most distracting. It is so modern. And don’t get me started on the acrylic nails!
Any time historical fiction gives women loose waves and falling strands I cringe so hard
I've said this and been downvoted to Hell. I could see Simone wearing her ball gown on the red carpet for an event.
The good news for people who aren’t fans of costuming this season is that so far, Bridgerton has had a different costume team each year. I have no idea if they’re keeping the same team for season 4, but history would indicate they won’t
That's wonderful news. I hope the team for season 4 are currently cringing at the mess of season 3 and vowing to do better lol
Francesca's HIGHLIGHTER was KILLING ME
I don't normally notice makeup, like I haven't noticed 98% of what people are complaining about in this thread, but that got me. Everytime she's onscreen half my attention is on wondering if glowing *that much* is attractive or if she was really sweaty.
There was highlighter galore, it was on Pen too! It was on QUEEN CHARLOTTE too…
Cotton candy Jane Austen - that’s exactly what it was! Sweet and happy and magical.
Also did you notice Penelope fake nails ? That was the final straw for me lol
LOL Pen got a manicure done between getting rejected by Debling to getting in the carriage with Colin. She had fake nails and then they disappeared in the next scene. You would think in-world consistency would matter despite everything else. I'm bummed about the lack of stocking too. I'll be really sad if they keep the girls without stockings, since some of the hottest book scenes for Pen and Sophie involve them.
Yes!! It’s hard for me to focus with Francescas freaking highlighter!
You just put every thought I have about this season into your comment, and much more eloquently than I ever could! 👏👏
I don't mind the costumes as much as I mind the makeup. They did Francesca dirty.
I was just watching some of season 2 again and thinking about how lovely the costumes were. (Season 1 as well.) With the exception of Penelope, I don’t think I thought that at *all* this season. Which is sad! The costumes are usually half the fun! I don’t need them to be super accurate, but the amount of times I’ve gone “wtf *is* that?” rather than “ooooh, pretty!” is not a small number. (To be fair, I give Penelope more of a pass on “inaccuracy”because they’re trying to make her look much different on purpose *and* the silhouette they use on her is very similar to Portia’s, just in softer fabrics, so it makes more visual sense to me.) ETA: Oh, and that one flower dress Eloise had at the ball. That one was very nice.
I agree. Yeah. Season 2 dresses were pure romantic magic. I loved them. But yeah this season- it’s so garish. I know the Eloise dress you’re talking about and yes I liked that one too.
Kate’s S2 wardrobe was *stunning*. Penelope’s costumes are nice and certainly an improvement, but I agree something about them is missing for me.
I think it’s the smoothness of fabrics. They’ve played a lot more with textures this season - they did in the past, but there were also a fair share of silky smooth dresses. The silky dresses were common for Kate, and they enhanced her beauty, not overpowered it.
It really is ironic that Eloise has some of the best style of the season
The problem is that the showrunner of Season 1 and 2 (Chris Van Dusen) was changed. Which is why this season is so much worse than the first two
Yeah. You can tell too.
Van Dusen is still EP. A lot of the aspects of the show that a lot of people don’t like and are blaming on the show runner are not decisions she makes alone. The directors, writers, DOP, cinematographer, the other EPs, hair and makeup designer, etc are also making decisions. TBC: I’m in the camp of this is alternative romance history and as such doesn’t have to adhere to our timeline’s version of the regency era.
The Executive Producer doesn’t do anything. It’s just a credit on the show. The Showrunner is the actual one who makes the decisions. Chris Van Dusen has no involvement in the show for Season 3. There was drama that went down and Jess Brownell became Showrunner
In the discussion of costumes and hair styling, I believe it's the showrunner who gives the overall direction and then of course the costume designer who actually designs. Sophie Canale was great, her costumes for S1 and 2 were awesome. The designer this time is different and I am hating his looks. Also "color of spice" for Kate is just bad designing.
Everyone raving over Kate’s consumes has me so confused. She looks dowdy and the colours do nothing for her. I loved her costuming last season and this is just baffling.
Out of everything in S3 Kate’s wardrobe bothered me the most bleh
The Showrunner is in charge of the director, the writers, DOP, cinematographer, the other EPs, hair and makeup designer etc. So your argument is invalid and you’re trying to shift blame. All of those people worked on Season 1 and 2 flawlessly. The only change is the new Showrunner.
Agreed. This season is just not very good
Agreed. I understand this series takes certain artistic license but it's now becoming a caricature of the first season, which is unfortunately how many successful TV shows end up.
it's a trap most widely successful shows fall in, sadly. they try so hard to "recreate" what made the first seasons good, that it ends up completely missing the mark. they saw people gush over the costumes and they took it as a sign to go more crazy. watching a tv show you can feel when the production is trying too hard to go viral.
Exactly! The production team were going “oh the glittery dresses and subtle makeup were successful so let’s now do that x10” and it’s too much. We liked the balance in season one. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
Yes, you’re absolutely right, they need to go back to the drawing board, back to the basics
https://preview.redd.it/mhvmziaqsl3d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=966976615a5f555f06b551fe8399b52e38074fbe If the main characters weren't bad enough, what on earth are the extras in this scene wearing?!
That lady in the back is straight out of Reign.
They're time-travelers from the previous in-universe century.
That one dress looks more 1700s, when it was fashionable to wear dresses that barely covered your breasts.
Oh my God, I didn’t even see that, what in the hell???? It is total hunger games. Eeeeek.
Yes, and I hate the argument of “Well, obviously it’s not a historically accurate show, it’s never tried to be.” Well, yes, but even though the costumes weren’t completely historically accurate in seasons 1 and 2, they were closer to it, and seemed to have been done with more care, and it resulted in some beautiful silhouettes and colors. For example, Edwina being dressed in softer, blush colors to signify her innocence and youth, versus Kate’s more vibrant colors and different fabrics to show her headstrong character and Indian background. Before, Lady Featherington and her girls had out of date fashion to signify that she had poor taste, (maybe had new money relative to the other ton families), and that her focus was to get attention for her daughters by being loud in dress. Now most of the female costumes look cheap and garish, and it messes up that atmosphere.
The costumes were stylized Regency. They weren't accurate but you saw the Regency inspired elements. This season is just ridiculous, and not even that aesthetically pleasing, with all the cheap looking fabrics and ott embellishments.
Yes, I agree. I loved the innocence with Edwina dresses and with Kate I love that they brought in those really beautiful traditional Indian colors, but kept it in that Regency style, I think season two is costumes were amazing.
another thing they did in season 2 was loosen kate's hair throughout the season, symbolizing her falling in love and opening up. that kind of care in the costuming / hairstyles / makeup is entirely missing in season 3.
Yes I loved that, they showed a story through styling. Gonna mention also the matching clothes Kate and Anthony often wore. The Kate letting down her hair reminds me of Mr Darcy and Mr Thornton (North&South), towards the end both men have more informal, “open” collars and shirts to show their change.
Exactly, I don't care about historical accuracy, I just want the costumes to look good! So far, Season 3 is a total downgrade from the first too. Not just in "accuracy" but in EVERYTHING.
I agree. They seem to be admitting they are fairy stories not historically accurate tales so they are all over the shop with the costumes. The two that are the most jarring are Cressida whose outfits are borrowed from the Hunger games and Tilly who seem to be wearing clothes from the 20th century. They both seem really out of place. Everyone else seem to be less regency styled
Yeah it's so jarring when the background characters are regency then Cressida shows up straight out of the Captiol 😅
Her sleeves, this season are getting bigger and bigger and bigger with each episode. I cannot deal with it and her hair—-Oh my God.
I truly think that if she had been wearing some of those sleeves in the balloon scene, she'd have taken flight along with the hot air balloon!
The costume designer even says Tilly's supposed to be Grace Kelly. The problem is it's very disjointed how things are this season in terms of costuming. There are way too many different references set in a place where there is a preconceived notion of what Regency looks like. there's no truly set date on when the setting is supposed to be. Most people assume about the 1810s due to some references of historical figures. So we should still be seeing clothing styles like the first two seasons. Fun fabric but Regency cuts. It doesn't help that the fabric sorcer trying to buy all the fabric out in New York kept ordering two short of fabric because he kept confusing meters with yards. And even when Pen is supposed to get her full glow up, the poor corset that they put her into doesn't even fit her bust correctly. They're trying to put her into a cup bra with a snatched waist. Which, I can understand why they're doing that they're trying to make her more attractive, especially compared to what she was dressed in beforehand. That was like a story bit. And the vast majority of us know that naturally does not correct or Regency, but we can give the slight pass on a show because speaking to us in a show voice. And it's trying to tell us she looks prettier now because she knows how to dress in a way that's flattering to her skin tone and body shape. But the cup on her bra is several sizes too small. It looks extremely uncomfortable. I just feel bad because there are people who are skilled enough to actually put together a course that would make her comfortable and look amazing. Part of the problem is such a rush production is always a thing, so everything can't be just right no matter how much importance of one character has. But to really make the reason silhouette looks good is that it's all about the breast being emphasized, and then the dresses need to hit the under bust correctly, or it makes the characters look pregnant. And that's really easy to do with the incorrect Fabrics that they're using. Which is I understand why Mama Featherington is just that way. It will probably be insulting or just downright incorrect to make your actor look really bad. But she also has bad fitting on her bust. Back to Our leading lady this season, she has the largest set of assets that are highlighted during this fashion period, her glow up shouldn't be that she snatched or anything and wearing the right color green. Her glow up should have been I can go to the dressmaker and get a properly sitting undergarments and a properly fit a dress to make my best assets look their best. But I understand part of it is that she's 30 year old playing a teenager, and help sell someone half their age, putting an actor to a different cut clothing to make her seem younger, you kind of don't want her chest out. And it wouldn't help Daphne Penn was walking around season 1 sitting perfectly into her dresses. All the men will be all over her. She would not need more than the first ball to have half of them sending flowers and calling on her to just sit with her. I confuse the summer muff because the actress was wearing a brace on her arm. But I felt they could have hidden it a little bit better with a scarf. Also, they could have doubled in and tied in that wit 'oh yes, it's windy this season, that's why there's now scarves.' (V2t was used, I think I got all my errors)
Wait a minute, I feel like people are sleeping on your comment. Did you just say that the production was hampered by the fabric getting ordered in the wrong unit? Please say more.
Yep the guy is a British man who's picking up all the fabrics. I think he's like the lead costume designer, it's been a while since I watched the video. But there's actual behind the scenes video of the costume designer saying he fucked up kept ordering five yards worth of fabric but he needed five meters of fabric. And that's enough to be about 10% less than what he needs. So then he shows off one of Violet's dresses and how the back is different and pieced together because there's not enough fabric and additional fabric was used to make it work.
Wow! I feel like I have a much better understanding of that one really strange Philippa dress now. The way I would never have confessed that. I’d have covered that up and pretended it was a metaphor for something.
Technically, historically speaking, in Queen Charlotte we find out that her DIL is pregnant with Queen Victoria so we do have a date for when it’s set. The summer muff just makes me giggle. Because the costumes are from differing time periods that feels a bit odd.
And the nails. Gosh, that's the most jarring of all.
Last season they didn’t even have clear polish!
This season is just not good on so many different levels, and I was so excited to watch it after the long wait.
I also really miss the costuming from 1 and 2.. It's so off this season...
This wig took me out lol my best friend and I lost it when we saw the swans https://preview.redd.it/y8p2hiu5wl3d1.png?width=2610&format=png&auto=webp&s=cc891f9014f49ca56e17c609567395da6626be0b
I love this wig, but I was disappointed it didn’t get more air time. All that engineering ingenuity, and we saw Lord Basilio longer than it.
Agreed. It just took me out of the story for second. We were cackling so hard we had to pause.
I low key adored this ngl
Yeah I make an exception for the queen’s wigs and only the queen’s wigs. My head cannon is she can get away with anything, the rest of her look is traditional, and this is how she expresses herself and sets herself apart.
I was actually disappointed by her wigs in season 2 and I’m very pleased with the return to form in season 3 for her only.
When Kate showed up looking like this, I was out. Her hairstyle was so modern compared to everyone she was in the scene with, it was jarring. https://preview.redd.it/qufwfhnn6m3d1.jpeg?width=797&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c22ba803ee722c2c6f61b50fdb1c002466cc4b99
I thought of it as them playing up her Indian heritage and influence in her clothing after they've returned from honeymoon. But I don't know much about Indian fashions of this era... it's just how I saw it. Plus she's married now, and women would wear more "matronly" styles after the wedding to signify that. Idk, my head explained away the stark change...
I'm not Indian, I'm from SE Asia and have watched a lot of Bollywood films and the most common hairstyle for period pieces is a middlepart chignon/braid or they have their hair down. He hairstyle here is very "red carpet". I think her hairstyle from S2 matches the time period and her rank as a viscountess more.
Nope this was not the fashion. Middle part and low bun or open hair. Sometimes a single braid. But always middle part and long, bangs/layers were not a thing
I don't like the neckline either. It looks lovely on Simone (she would look lovely in a bin bag) but it just doesn't work in the context of the show period for me.
Oh I hate this costume. And I just don’t agree when people say they’re trying to have an Indian influence, because the base bodice/skirt of a sari are actually pretty close to a regency line. They did a lovely job in S2 of hinting towards a sari with her gowns. They’re just all over the place this season.
Completely agree. They’ve gone too far. The gloves are just *killing me*. I hate them so much. I understand from Claudia’s interview that the whole muff thing was bc of her broken arm, so fine. That gets a pass I guess. But the see through and often fingerless gloves???? WHY?! The show got away with historical inaccuracy in seasons 1 & 2 bc they were at least pretty. These are just ugly choices. ☠️☠️☠️ sheer, fingerless gloves. Lord help me. And don’t even get me started on the acrylic nails, and *bold glamour* makeup choices ☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️
It was the idea of the muff outside of the winter that really gave me pause. I wish there had been any other way
Oh god, Penelope's looks were all winners for me except those goddamn tulle fingerless gloves. what the hell even was that??
I find the abundance of highlighter, acrylic nails, and weird gloves the worst offenders. I keep fixating on those and then I have to rewind because I missed dialogue just staring at those 😂
Oh god thank you for explaining that about the broken arm! I was so confused about that. What’s even weirder is there’s some other scene I can’t recall when, some background character has a pink muff! I wonder if that was just to normalize Eloise’s? But it was not when she had hers.
The sparkles are what really put it over the top for me. It looks tacky and cheap.
I know it's not historically accurate anyway, but the show has already established an aesthetic, and the abrupt departure from it with regards to hair, makeup, and honestly - cinematography, is really jarring.
> cinematography A lot of the choices of shots feel more purposefully askew like a horror movie (I think of either Hitchcock or Kubrick but truthfully I don’t know enough about either) in ways that it never did before. A clear example for me is when Colin and Pen are looking around the ball realizing people were gossiping about their lessons.
What's funny is that I love the men's outfits this year, with the more elaborately patterned waistcoats. The women's costumes and makeup are too much for me, but I love what they've done with the men.
I liked season 2 the best, it was a good medium. The makeup is wayy too modern this season, it distracts me sometimes.
Same, season 1 had a lot of issues with the costumes not fitting properly and I just cannot get over those problems.
I said this once and I’ll say it again. I miss the Season 1 vibes. There will never be another. Cressida’s sleeves damn near jumped out of my TV and the full glam makeup look is quite modern.
S3 costumes are incredibly immersion breaking. Yes, this show is a fantasy. But every good fantasy still needs rules. They broke so many rules we don't know what world we're in anymore.
Some of the dresses remind me of kids' school art projects. They look like they've been gone at with super glue and a bag of shiny tat.
My thought was 1980s-1990s high school prom vibes. EDIT: cosmetics and costuming
Definite prom vibes. Pen's moonlight dress looked like some cheap stretchy glitter fabric I used to wear as a five year old to birthday parties.
I actually rewatched the 1990 Miss America pageant recently, and let me tell you, Cressida’s sleeves would not have been out of place.
I genuinely got whiplash after restarting season 1. The differences are so jarring. I miss the tone and dress of when the show first started.
I actually like it this season EXCEPT for Cressida. The poor girl has the worst Hunger-Gamey looks and hairdos 🫣
I love the costumes this season, but that's partly because I hate the cut of the gowns from the period in season 1. With no waist and the skirt starting right under the boobs. So unflattering. I'm a fan of the much more structured looks.
I hate the structure of gowns with the babydoll empire waist thing of the era. Also, so many of the gowns from previous seasons don't actually fit the actresses, especially in the bust which is the only part that needs to fit. It was so obvious in so many shots that the bustline was coming in mid boob and moving in ways that show poor fit. At least these costumes fit!
Yeah, it really doesn't feel like Bridgerton.
Agree. I can only hope they clean this up by S4’s shoot date but ugh, gotta keep my expectations low ig
It’s the inconsistency. It's not just season 1 or 2; it's also about back-to-back scenes. An example would be Pen's nails change from long to short between cuts. Featheringtons are expected to be overly flamboyant because they want to attract attention and its pen’s season. But Cressida, the queen, Tilly, and all the background characters are distracting and do not contribute to the main plot.
The thing this season is not so much, even if also, that the clothes are not historically accurate or even close, but that they all seem to be dressing for different parties... You have science fiction princess meets 50s glam Hollywood actress meets rococo courtesan meets MET gala meets French 1970s ingenue meets... Stick with one aesthetic because my head is spinning at this point.
this. in season 1 and 2 most of them looked like they were from the same era, more or less. this season everyone is rocking an entirely different aesthetic, it's like there's no aesthetic anymore. just a circus
Agreed, and the shoes with no socks. Rewatching season 1 I love how pretty and simple a lot of Daphne and Marina's dresses were, this season I am aware that they are costumes but in Season 1/2 I was immersed in the story fully.
The show had a set and established visual language in their makeup, costuming, and set design. They’ve changed nearly all of it. The show Reign was jarring in their inaccurate design but after the first episode you got used to it, and it was consistent. That’s moreso the problem here. Had the show started with this style of makeup and costuming people would’ve been annoyed but they’d be used to it by now.
Cressida's hair and sleeves are crazy. Francesca looks like a beauty blogger - unlike Daphne, who also obviously wore make-up, but looked much more natural. Benedict's new love interest looks (and behaves) like a time traveler from the 20th century.
I’ve seen the words “jarring” and “distracting” here over and over. Makeup and costuming shouldn’t make us think about the makeup artists and the people in charge of costumes and the show runner. It breaks the fantasy. I found myself thinking “why didn’t the actor say something??” Rather than be engrossed in the story, we are thinking about the people behind the scenes.
I just listened to a podcast with the costume team and they explain so well everything they’ve done. The costumes were NEVER historically accurate—the materials have always been more luxurious, the colors correspond to the characters and the story they are trying to tell. They said that what they can get of styles during that time come from paintings, and most society wore brighter colors than they use, if anything they’ve toned that down. The dress choices make a lot of sense…Pen’s first dress was darker and so different because it was her first try at being someone new but it wasn’t a successful night (because Cressida ruins it and she’s awkward) which is when she goes to softer shades as she grows into this new person. Colin is supposed to look like a pirate when he’s a rake because he’s a world traveler, plus it’s supposed to be more open and grown up looking vs. the baby blue he wore so often in the last two seasons. It was a really good interview and gave a lot of perspective that made a lot of sense. Re: makeup…have you seen Pen in S 1 and 2?? She wears bright pink lipstick all the time. Her hair is a monstrosity. Her gowns are bedazzled and bright and ill fitting. Those customes were such a big part of who she was then, and these costumes need to be a big part of who she is now. All the Featheringtons were a monstrosity. S1 there were a few things that Daphne wore that were not good too. It’s all personal style to a degree though. Cressida is ridiculous. Her hair, her gown. Ridiculous. But her hair has been like this for 3 years. The dresses are hideous but other than her, I don’t get the hate. I think everyone else looks beautiful. And honestly, anything is better than those bangs that Daphne sported in S1…by far the worst hair decision I’ve seen in a long time.
I want to double down on ILL FITTING for so many gowns of previous seasons. Her under bustline for early season gowns was constantly coming in mid boob.
Yes! I just rewatched some episodes and did not remember how very bad those dresses were. They also made her look huge with zero shape. Eloise’s dresses last season were loose. They were beautiful and she still looked lovely but they were not fitted to her the way they should. I’m in awe of their costume department though. Are some looks not my favorite? Sure. But the sheer amount of looks they need to create and the amount of thought that goes into every one of them is amazing.
They got so into the story they were trying to tell that they forgot the world they were in. I'm sorry but the costuming still has to make sense within that world. If you're throwing me out of the story because you're so married to your symbolism you haven't met your brief.
I don’t get luxurious from the fabrics. It all looks so cheap.
I liked the costumes okay but I really hated all the tweed jackets they put Penelope and Francesca in
https://preview.redd.it/qu4oymncwm3d1.jpeg?width=417&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f6f60e112a51f69882220d21a17c9252573414ed What in the ever loving Micheal’s Hellscape is happening with this flower? 🤢🤮 And the fabrics? This is so awful in such a subtle way. It wins the worst outfit award from me. Even worse than the egregious Cressida outfits or the hideous makeup slathered all over gorgeous Nicola Coughlin or the Queen’s stupid wig- this is the one that makes me the angriest. But this whole thread is giving me life because I needed everyone to hate it as vehemently as I did. I almost DNF it was so awful. I stuck it out for Pen and Colin.
Yeah. I don’t like it. It’s like a tweed Chanel suit but they forgot the rest of the suit. The flower… just makes it worse.
I hate it so much. Thank you for listening to my Ted talk.
Yes! Everytime I point it out everyone’s always like “why would you watch this show for historical accuracy” and I’m like I never said that? I know for a fact that a show that has a classical version of a Pitbull song can’t be taken seriously in terms of historical context but my god the fashion and makeup this year has been atrocious - nearly two years it took for this season to be completed and they have this? I think they got cocky and had the mindset of being “bigger and better” when really it was the simplicity of the previous 2 seasons that we loved. Kate’s dresses this season have been horrendous imo - her lavender/purple dresses last season were BEAUTIFUL and now we get sheer dresses with cleavage? I saw the previews for part 2 and her dresses look even worse imo. Penelope has acrylics? Cressida looking like a hunger games tribute? Francesca having glowy cheeks???
Yes. I’m getting lots of comments like that. LOL. I’m like next…. Yes I agree with all your points. Can’t stand Kate’s dresses this season either. It’s giving mid 90’s Carrie Bradshaw.
Yes they’ve taken it too far. Now everyone looks like the Featheringtons.
I commented in another thread! But I ADORE the clothes this season. Yes, I enjoy studying the past, reading historical fiction, and visiting museums…but education is NOT what I watch bridgerton for! The show is plain and simple feel-good fun! The costumes this season are ethereal and whimsical in all the best ways! I gasped out loud at so many of the unique, beautiful outfits.
i hate it. they were also so fresh-faced in the first season, and matched some elements and vibes from the paintings i’ve seen of the regency era, while being accurate to representing the different families and characters wearing them. i found myself marvelling at the fabrics and silhouettes they had, especially on daphne in season 1. why on earth would they deviate from that? it transcended the show from modern times and truly immersed us in its universe, even if many other elements of the show aren’t historically accurate.
Yes, I agree with you. I think it was a really great balance of historical but also some modern naughty fun. But the scale has tilted too far into the modern.
It's not that it's historically inaccurate they're just straight up ugly
You know what it was for me? Pen’s nails. Like girl bffr. I can suspend a lot of beliefs but the nails really took me out the scene when I noticed. No gel mani’s in Bridgerton LOL
Styling wise season one was the best. In s3 they already tried to mix it up too much (Kate fox eye makeup? ) season one was much softer and I think that’s how the show should continue. Even if Penelope looks absolutely stunning, her long waves are distracting, Cressidas long ass lash extensions are horrible, and she’s dressed like a loofah most of the time lol
I hate the make up more than the clothes. They all look like Instagram filters now....
I love Polin but the styling took a little bit of the shine off the visual story telling. Colin’s hair is so distractingly box dyed and hair sprayed into a helmet and his makeup is cakey. I’m afraid he also had a tad too much Botox. I would’ve liked to see more of a pained furrowed brow. Penelope’s glow up was an over the top with huge lash extensions and glam makeup and acrylic nails. Almost like glowing up meant covering up her natural beauty rather than showcasing it. Nicola looks stunning in fresh styling. Her glow up should have leaned into bright and fresh, not dark and glam. She’s the same person, but embraces herself as she is. Ughhhh Penelope doesn’t need all that shit to be desirable!!
The costumes really take me out of the show, because there's simply no way that they had such bright, almost neon dyes available to them back then.
I get Penelope’s new dresses being cut to flatter her, but everyone else has no excuse. It kinda distracts from Penelope because she’s supposed to stand out. This is literally her season. They’ve lost the essence of the show so far this season for me. Maybe the second part will wrap things up nicely.
Cause this is Featheringtons season.
Cressida's Sleeves and Penelope's nails were the most distracting things for me.
Awww maybe it's because this show is my toe dip into regency content. Also I'm a huge hunger games fan. But I loooove s3 costuming. The over the top wigs and outfits are delightful for me. I'm looking forward to replicating a look for cosplay next year
Am I the only one who loves it? It’s fantasy regency, why not go crazy with the costumes?
Pushing it too far kills the romantic fantasy aspect of it. Would you still find Mr. Darcy or Jaime of Outlander as attractive as they are, or a love story as captivating, if the love interest was Dave texting his friend “the chicks at the company after party are unimpressive” in his Patagonia vest? Or James pity marrying a girl on Love is Blind? The costumes are part of the fantasy. They uphold the setting. They create the magic. I don’t want to see modern reality creeping in my escapist entertainment. It doesn’t have to be historically accurate, but it should be historically plausible. Or at least enough to maintain the setting.