Fifty shades of...Downton Abbey? The success of the British period drama is leading to some interesting effects—of course there are bound to be Downton-style shows, including the most recent news that ITV has commissioned The Making of a Lady, based on a book by Frances Hodgson Burnett (The Secret Garden, A Little Princess) and set in the same time period.
But there’s also Downton fashion, which one online small marketplace site says has seen a dramatic increase in searches for vintage dresses, men’s cravats, cigarette holders, fascinators, elbow-length gloves and sequin headbands.
And for wealthier Downton fans, there’s a growing increase in the demand for butlers, especially in Asia—although the butlers there are primarily women.
What aspect of Downton Abbey would you like in your life? The acerbic dowager countess? A hot footman? Perhaps a cook?
