#historical drama.

[hesbuckcompton-baby]

people who don't study history will simply never understand the joy of reading historian beef. there's nothing like it

[marzipanandminutiae]

I don't know who needs to hear this today but:

most adult women wore their hair up, on a normal day when going out in public, for most of western history from at least the late Middle Ages until the 1920s. even after that, wearing truly long, unstyled hair entirely loose was not common until the 1960s

not half-up. not in a ponytail. not braided with the braid hanging loose. at times trailing elements were involved, but the majority of the hair would still be pinned up. at times it was also a social norm that the hair would always be mostly or entirely covered when out of the house

and until around the early 19th century, little girls usually wore their hair up too, if it was long

when "putting one's hair up" became a specifically adult thing, around the 1830s or 40s, it was not related to marriage. it was something teen girls did around age 16 as a marker of social adulthood. even if she was unmarried, she'd wear her hair up. this attitude remained until the bob took over hair fashion in the 1920s, and even then, long hair was usually still worn up

obviously people can do what they want with their art but like. just. just please be aware of this

I have not reblogged so much Dracula fanart because the artist inadvertently made Mina and/or Lucy look uncomfortably young, hair-wise

[escapeoclock]

When Jinshi is such a mood.

Sauce: The Apothecary Diaries

[cinematic-phosphenes]

But now is not the time for good men. It is time for a Shōgun.

Hiroyuki Sanada as Lord Toranaga — Shōgun (2024) | E01 & E02

[cottagecore-raccoon]

Disclaimer: I know that some folks continue to wear some or all of these items in the 21st century. This is more asking what you wish would become fashionable again so you could wear it without receiving any second glances from strangers

[starslake]

Elizabeth is darkness, I am light.

ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE (2007)

[chaberkowepole]

Hey Tumblr, there's a new historical/period comedy series on Netflix which you will love! It's called 1670! It's about Polish nobility and their peasant-thralls. However, Netflix is not promoting it to international audiences, bc it's Polish, even though there are subtitles available in so many languages!

It has:

Great Humour

Amazing Polish Folk Music

Historical Costumes that are not Western!

CANON LESBIANS

One of the said lesbians is a repressed lesbian w religious trauma & the subplot lasts longer than one episode

Priest Jakub

A really good combination of making historical and ahistorical jokes

And much more!

Seriously, give it a watch bc I'd hate to see only my Polish mutuals watch it, it's new, it's fresh, it's witty, not another remake, and it shows another culture & history! (aren't you tired of watching yet another show on the English monarchy, then 1670 is there for ya)

[peonies-and-dreams]

[matchtheminrenown]

historical costumes + aqua/teal

[lesbianyaomo]

it's actually very nice that apothecary diaries chose maomao as the protagonist, a girl who was raised in the pleasure district and severely under-ranks(?) many of the other characters in the story. through her, we get proximity to the status of those who were expendable to the royal court, a fact that she herself is highly aware of, and because of this she routinely positions herself between those who are of high rank and low rank. i really like that the series draws attention to notions of hierarchy and expendability, again without being preachy about it, because to be sure, it's not gritty at all, it tends to maintain a lighthearted tone with a focus on interpersonal relationships.

but this direction contrasts strongly with the dozens of western historical/historical fantasy dramas that focus mostly on the upper class and invisibilises the labor that sustains their lifestyles. meanwhile apothecary diaries leans into maomao's skills, the certain amount of ingenuity and knowledge that comes from her being poor and growing up in the pleasure district, and the way her rapport and proximity to the servants of the court enable her to reach places the high-ranked characters can't.

[ohshinytrinketsmine]

I'm The Most Beautiful Count (Trailer) Go see it in Change2561's yt asap!!!

[ariadnethedragon]

SHŌGUN (2024)

Chapter 9: Crimson Sky

[haticesultan]

𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔯𝔢𝔷𝔦𝔞'𝔰 𝔠𝔬𝔰𝔱𝔲𝔪𝔢 𝔡𝔢𝔱𝔞𝔦𝔩𝔰

[starslake]

CATE BLANCHETT as ELIZABETH I

ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE (2007)

[marzipanandminutiae]

"you can't criticize the costuming on XYZ period drama because it's low-budget!!!"

[note: the following does not apply to like...community theatre. I'm talking about low-budget shows on network television or low-budget movies that get wide release]

okay so why is the adult women's hair still down

that's my barometer for Why The Costumes Suck

bobby pins are not expensive. the action of putting the hair up is essentially already built into the production budget- hairdressers have to be paid, but they have to be paid to do those electric-iron curls, too. even a quick generic bun would show willing, and a genuine interest in at least TRYING to make this pre-1920s (tbh pre-1960s for long hair worn entirely loose and vaguely natural-looking, but I'll let it slide) piece look semi-correct

if the hair is down, it's not about the budget. they just genuinely don't care. and therefore I don't have to Think Of The Poor Penny-Pinching Designers when I critique their asses

[cinematic-phosphenes]

Shōgun (2024) | Chapter 10: A Dream of a Dream + Aesthetic 19/∞