While we missed recapping last week’s Downton Jewelry because we were watching the Golden Globes, this week we’re back in full force. This week at Downton, things are truly heating up – Branson’s fiery Irish temper has him linked to arson and on the lam (with Lady Sybil left behind). Mrs. Hughes is burning toast with her newfangled electric toaster, much to Carson’s chagrin. A handsome new footman has the maids’ hearts ablaze. And Enid, who still enjoys breakfast at the table, has begun to write to the newspaper Lord Grantham enjoys over his morning porridge. But the drama aside, truly we’re focused on all things Downton Accessories in this week’s Downton Abbey Jewelry Recap.
Jet
This week, jet beaded jewelry was all the rage. Downton’s costumery is always immaculately chosen to reflect current events for the Grantham Crawley clan, and this season’s temporal setting is clearly reflected by the fashion. The roaring 20′s are getting under way, and we see the daughters experimenting with sleevelessness, bobs, decidedly more Deco jewelry, and even a little cutting edge Parisian fashion by a new designer called Chanel. However, tradition is still prized in the family, along with heirlooms, and the Victorian staple jet was very present this episode.
Mary wore her long jet necklace with a new dinner gown in a stylish mix of old and new. The Dowager Countess wore hers in the utmost traditional sense while she tells Lady Edith to stop whining. Cousin Isobel however wore her jet in our favorite way, with a lovely long necklace featuring architectural beads and three stone drop earrings. We actually liked Isobel this episode, as the DC would say “Someone write that down.”
Tiaras!
Both Cora and Mary rock some stunning diamond tiaras for the special dinner with the archbishop. Cora paired her tiara with a classically Georgian necklace in multicolored gems with a garland motif.Mary’s is more of a headband with a gorgeous chevron pattern, a nice geometric nod to the emerging Art Deco trends created by European jewelers of the time. She pairs it with a red wine gown and a necklace with a pear shaped diamond pendant in front and a chain that cascades down her open back.
At the same dinner, the DC wears her usual diamond collar, diamond tiara and diamond earrings with a fabulous diamond opera length necklace. The necklace looks like it features rose cut, oval shaped diamonds and is undoubtedly one of the Dowager Countess’s prized pieces.
The Countess Grantham’s Pearl Necklace
Cora’s large pearl drop pendant worn during the family strategy session in the library kept catching our eye. While Tom and Sybil were being thrown a Welcome to Downton (Permanently) Party, Cora’s fabulous pearls symbolically linked her to the newly returned Sybil (who also wore pearls, albeit in a more modern fashion). If Sybil and Tom being banned from Ireland means more of Sybil’s modern jewelry sensibility, sign us up!