Synonymous with the Regency period and its associated romance genre is the reticule. This vital accessory was a small, often drawstring, bag. Women carried essential items in this precursor handbag. In previous eras they kept these items in a pocket hung about their waists and hidden amongst the layers of their clothes. However, the lightweight and slim-line dresses of the Regency period, designed to fall gracefully and emulate the classical clothing of the ancient Greeks and Romans, did not accommodate such a device. Instead, essential items were carried in a reticule looped around the wearer’s wrist or held in her hand. Popularly, they were made of linen, silk, velvet or soft leather, perhaps decorated with embroidery or with a knotted fringe. A variety of shapes were used. Inside a reticule, one could expect to find a small coin purse, letters, a handkerchief, a pocket book and smelling salts or scented water in a bottle. Jane Brody, the heroine of The Persuasion of Miss Jane Brody, carries important papers in her reticule: “By the time Jane had completed her essay an hour later she had talked to herself sternly and returned to reality as she dusted the document with sand, rolled it up and slid it into her reticule for delivery.” “Jane retrieved the list from her reticule and passed it to her friend who read it carefully before walking to her secretaire to add some more names.” Neither Jane nor Elizabeth Everslie, sister of the Marquis of Dalton would go anywhere without a reticule, even to a ball: “Turning to his sister, he asked, “Are you ready to depart, Elizabeth?” She agreed and gathered her reticule and shawl.” “At eight o’clock a loud rap on the knocker of Reverend Brody’s front door sounded and the housekeeper, Mrs Creevy, hastened to answer it. Jane was still upstairs assisting her sister with her hair combs. She heard a masculine voice and assumed the coachman’s offsider had come to the door to inform them of the carriage’s arrival. She immediately collected her reticule.… She hurried down the staircase only to halt halfway down the last flight of stairs, pinned by the arrested look on Lord Dalton’s face as he stood in the hallway below looking up at her.” I don’t suppose the Marquis of Dalton noticed Jane’s reticule, but she would have been lost without it. Do you have a favourite scene in a Regency book that features the heroine’s reticule? Sources: ‘1800 Accessories – Regency Fashion History’, <http://www.fashion-era.com/1800_accesories.htm#Reticule Handbags> accessed 26 Mar 2015. Jane Austen's Sewing Box: Craft Projects and Stories from Jane Austen's World. Murdoch Press, London, 2009, pp.181-6. Link: http://jenniferforest.typepad.com/jennifer-forest/books.html Isabella Hargreaves, The Persuasion of Miss Jane Brody, Steam eReads, ebook, 2013.
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The pièce-de-résistance of any Regency gentleman's attire, as we all know, was his cravat. Although it has almost disappeared from men’s wardrobes, it lives on in fiction. Georgette Heyer instilled in her readers the importance of this starched and tied neck-kerchief. The variety of ways for trying a cravat was a source of competition and envy between the dandies of the period. So, what is a cravat? The answer is - a simple piece of fine linen cut into a triangle and hemmed. Linen is made from the flax plant and in the Regency period was imported into Britain from Germany. It was also produced in Ireland where its production was a cottage industry. Families spun, wove and dyed the cloth as well as made shirts, underclothes and household linen for sale. It was sold by the yard by linen-drapers, haberdashers and travelling salesmen. Womenfolk then manufactured their family's nightwear, shirts and cravats, by hand, as sewing machines weren't widely available until after 1829. I didn't realise how much importance the cravat had assumed in my own writing until I began this article. Then I discovered that the humble cravat was a part of the tension of many of the scenes between the hero and heroine of The Persuasion of Miss Jane Brody as their relationship grew. The heroine, Jane Brody, sees it, feels it, smells it. With the first bars of the waltz, Lord Dalton offered his left hand to her as he slid his right arm onto her waist. Her skin warmed at his touch and she glanced up into his dark eyes to find them gazing at her intently. Flustered, she looked down and found herself staring at his sapphire-studded cravat pin. She felt the crisp starched linen of his cravat under one hand while the fingers of her other hand were entwined in his soft wavy hair. Inside the carriage she was again aware of Lord Dalton’s close proximity seated opposite her. His long legs crowded hers. His attentive eyes watched her closely. The mingled scents of his freshly shaven face and crisply starched cravat besieged her senses. She squirmed on her seat attempting to subdue her tremors of attraction. The cravat becomes an integral part of their Regency romance and a barometer of it. A few minutes into the talk she made the error of including Jonathan in her survey of the room when making a point and faltered again. Had he taken to tying his cravat in a different way since they had parted? It appeared so. What else had he changed, in his efforts to forget her by obliterating everything in his life that reminded him of her? He looked immaculate in his evening clothes. The hero, Jonathan, Marquis of Dalton, has his cravat put on … He needed a wife who could fulfil a multitude of household tasks and social duties. He wanted a wife who supported his political activities and views, as well as one willing to provide him with the necessary heir and preferably other sons. He would like a wife who loved him. He suspected Miss Brody would not willingly do any of these things. Finally, as his valet finished his task, Jonathan impatiently tugged the towel from his shoulders and surged to his feet. He must do something to distract himself. Ordering Jenkins to be quick, Jonathan stood impatiently as his cravat was tied, then struggled into his well-cut coat. … and taken off in dramatic moments of cravat abuse. as he gently lifted her and sat her on the canopied bed before kneeling to remove her shoes and garters. As he worked, she began undoing his cravat, destroying his valet’s skilled creation. With glee she watched the linen flutter to the floor, then gave him her full attention as he slipped off her stockings one at a time, kissing each foot as it was revealed before gently lowering it to the carpeted floor. In his own chamber Jonathan ripped the cravat from around his neck and tossed it to the floor. Damn you, Jane – you care nothing for me, only about my influence for your cause. So, I now see that the humble cravat has functions beyond its role as an item of dress and a neck-warmer. To the Regency author, this triangular piece of fine linen is an important prop, almost a character, able to convey not only status and personality, but also mood and sensuality. Long live the cravat! Do you have some favourite Regency scenes in which the gentleman's cravat is vital to their telling? Sources: Jennifer Forest, Jane Austen's Sewing Box: Craft Projects and Stories from Jane Austen's World. Murdoch Press, London, 2009, pp. 48-9, 58, 60-1. Link: http://jenniferforest.typepad.com/jennifer-forest/books.html Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sewing_machine, accessed 24 Mar 2015. Isabella Hargreaves, The Persuasion of Miss Jane Brody, Steam eReads, ebook, 2013. The Australian Romance Readers Convention is rapidly approaching. Apart from a host of panels comprising your favourite authors, there's also an author signing event. I'm looking forward to meeting lots of other romance fans.
This is what ARRA has to say about their event: "The fourth Australian Romance Readers Convention will be held at the QT Canberra on 6-8 March 2015. ARRC2015 will bring together romance readers, authors and publishers and provide an opportunity to talk about all things related to romance fiction. The convention is an international event and will feature award-winning authors Sylvia Day, Victoria Dahl, Kelley Armstrong and Helene Young as keynote speakers. Panel members will include numerous bestselling Australian romance authors. The convention will open with welcome drinks on Friday evening, 6 March, followed by two days of convention sessions. There will be an awards dinner on Saturday night, 7 March." Want to know about Isabella Hargreaves and her books? Sign up for her seasonal newsletter here. This holiday, I’ve continued my love affair with the Bunya Mountains, in south-east Queensland, which began in 1990. Way back then, there were no houses in the current ‘town centre’. Today, there are about 110 houses on the mountain. During the first few days we had some rain. So, perched above the trees in a house on Mt Mowbullan, overlooking Taroom and Kingaroy, we watched clouds roll in, obliterating the view and leaving us on an island of trees surrounded by a sea of white. Perfect reading and writing weather you say – and you’re right. I made beta reader-suggested changes to a WIP and completed the last chapter of another historical rural romance. Then came fine days bushwalking while whip birds, rosellas and king parrots sang and swooped in the trees. Wallabies abounded, keeping the grass at lawn length. Every vista includes the ubiquitous bunya trees silhouetted against the sky. If there is a heaven on Earth, I think the Bunya Mountains are it. Probably we all know a place like this - that we love, which makes us feel at peace and where we would love to live forever. What's your special getaway place? Want to know about Isabella Hargreaves and her books? Sign up for her seasonal newsletter here.
I have been thinking about Christmases past recently and have put together a little blog about Christmas in 1914 for Australia's troops. To read it, just hit the blog tab at the top of this page or here. I hope you'll find it interesting. Our tree and lights are up. The presents are ready. I love this time of year - of wrapping up the year at work and home, downing tools for a few days and starting to think of the coming year and the changes that will bring. My Christmas this year will be spent at home in Brisbane with family. It's summer here, so I'm hoping for a cooler day for cooking the ham and turkey. Whatever the weather, I'm sure it will be a lovely occasion. I hope it will be for you also. What are your plans for the day? Wishing you a Christmas full of happiness and hope. Merry Christmas! With love from Isabella.
Fab author, Nikki Dee Houston, has another exciting story out... Blurb: After being dumped by her boyfriend, Chelsea is lonely, loveless—and horny as hell. Her friend suggests she get out more—meet some new people, maybe take an art class...who knows, maybe she’ll meet someone who has what she needs. And if not, then there are worse things than having to stare at the gorgeous hunk of man candy that’s modeling for them. But when a new student shows up in class, the tight, white T-shirt stretched over his muscled shoulders, six-pack abs, and bulging biceps makes Chelsea’s head spin. Peter is friendly, quiet, and when the model can’t make it to class—you guessed it—Peter fills in. Chelsea nearly slips off her artist stool, her panties are so wet. But will lust be enough? Bio Nikki Dee Houston is a businesswoman by day, an erotic romance writer by night, and a lover all the time. She lives in an idyllic location in a modest beach shack near the sea. Nikki loves to write Erotic Fiction - the ‘behind closed doors’ stuff, where the readers can really get involved with the characters in an intimate way. She believes that a good Erotic Romance story must have a strong romantic element, engaging characters, an interesting storyline, and some sizzling hot, steamy sex scenes. Nikki never underestimates the expectations of erotic romance readers and ensures she delivers on all counts. Contact Nikki www.nikkideehouston.com https://www.facebook.com/NikkiDeeHouston84 @NikkiDeeHouston Buy Links Etopia Press Amazon Amazon.uk Amazon.au Amazon.ca Amazon.de Barnes and Noble Kobo
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