Thursday, August 12, 2010

Regency Bling

Regency Bling

Edme-frantois-joseph_bochet-ingres 1811a
The Regency gentleman's code might be summed up as, "no perfumes, exquisitely fine linen and plenty of it, country washing . . ."
and bling. 
I went in search of Regency bling, hoping for a gold ring in the ear of at least some Regency fops. 
Alas, not so much. 

The robust and adventurous Tudors wore earrings.  The courtier Buckingham sported major rubies.  That man of action, Sir Walter Raleigh, a gold hoop.  (This picture here shows him with a remarkably fine pearl earring.)


A half century later, Charles I wore a great pearl in his ear when he mounted the block to face the axe. 
By the Eighteenth Century, however, earrings had become the province of buccaneers, exotic foreigners, and the most foppish of macaronis.

See the rest at Word Wenches  here.

2 comments:

  1. Hi Jo, Wonderful post at Word Wenches. I'd just like to see someone try to steal Adrian's watch, fob or no!

    Speaking of Adrian, I've begun to picture him as Ben Whishaw in Bright Star:

    http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/movie/bright-star/stills/22

    And here he is with a cat!

    http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/movie/bright-star/stills/15

    Can't wait for Justine!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh my. He is hot, isn't he?

    ReplyDelete