Highclere Castle a.k.a Downton Abbey

I have something a little different today.

During holiday periods my parents like to go on excursions to see the sights of the UK and last week my Mum was telling me about their latest trip to Highclere Castle in Hampshire. She told me about how amazing the architecture was, and how photographs inside the house were completely forbidden and... how other people on the trip were frolicking around pretending to be moody Lady Mary or Matthew Crawley...

It wasn't until this point that I realised where she was talking about! My parents had been to visit DOWNTON ABBEY!!!

This actually really confused me as Downton is set in Yorkshire (in the North) but filmed in Hampshire and Oxfordshire (in the South) but I can't really argue with filming locations of a TV show, especially one so grand as this.

I have spoken about my appreciation of Downton before on this blog, and I was so excited at this point and demanded to see pictures. I am lucky because my Mum is a really great photographer so I knew I could trust that her pictures would be fantastic, and indeed they were!

She agreed to let me share a few of them, it might show you Downton in a light you've not seen before:

I love the vapour trail in the background of this one, that wouldn't be allowed on the show (unlike plastic bottles)!

They also went to Bampton a small village not too far away (although in a different county) and had a look at the now famous St. Mary's church where some of the characters in the show tied the knot *spoilers*!

Some of the streets around the church are used as scenery and sets for the show too and I think it looks pretty weird to see all the cars parked there.

If you like her photos, you can check out my Mum's instagram feed @JanetteWPhotos.

Hopefully one day I will get to go and see the inside of Highclere Castle too!

Have you ever been to the set of a TV show or film?

Casual Cospaly: The Day I Tried to Dress Like a Crawley

...or more like a servant on their day off.

Before Downton Abbey came on Netflix I was unsure what all the fuss was about (although I was aware of the very pretty clothes). I have always liked those type of period dramas, things like Upstairs Downstairs, and I know I am pretty easily sold on anything set from 1850 to 1960 simply for the clothes alone. Yet somehow I had managed to miss Downton.

I have now seen the light! For me Downton is a sort of Eastenders in the 1910s-1920s with its social drama, scandal and cliffhangers and I have rapidly become one of the Downton obsessed fans we all know and 'love' to listen to...

My favourite character from her portrayal but also her dress sense is the wonderful Lady Cora Crawley. She always seems to have a mix of prim and proper with the ability to bend society rules to do what she feels is morally right.

That, and she has a fantastic collection of hats:

Not that the other ladies don't wear fantastic hats too, or the men:

I'm not sure why, but more than anything the hats are what drive me wild with envy (as you can probably tell)... I think this may be because I cannot wear drop waist styles so the dresses do little for my figure.

Anywho, after the Christmas special this year I was inspired to take a turn about town and attempted to dress in a way inspired by a bit of the post-Edwardian style featured particularly in Season 1 and 2.




My dress is a vintage Laura Ashley from that period in the 1980s where they made amazing sailor dresses however so many of them are drop waisted, I felt lucky to find one that had a defined waist and an amazingly detailed lace collar. Its a new favourite of mine. My hat is vintage but I'm not sure when from but it has a little label in the back that says 'Miss Caroline of California' which I like for some reason.

Then for the journey outside I wore some lace up boots that remind me very much of that turn of the century era. Eventually I'd love to find the perfect vintage coat to wear with an outfit like this but as of yet I haven't spotted one - let me know if you have any recommendations of places to look for one :)

Dress - Vintage Laura Ashley

Hat - Vintage Miss Caroline

Coat - Vintage Monsoon

Boots - M&S

Anywho, what a show! If you've not seen it yet I highly recommend checking it out.