Downton Abbey Revisited, Season III

Lady Edith

Season III begins in 1920. Downton Abbey has weathered the war, Lady Mary and Matthew Crawley are finally planning their wedding, and Cora's mother, Martha Levinson (badly played by Shirley McClaine) invades the Grand House. The darker themes of this series continue after the death of Lady Cybil: Bates is in prison unjustly accused of murdering his wife, Lady Grantham blames Lord Grantham partly for Cybil's death, and there are concerns for the financial survival of this great Manor.


On a brighter side, Mary and Matthew have a gorgeous wedding, and we see Lady Edith evolve into a smart, beautiful, forward-thinking woman. It's clear in this season, that she, along with her counterpart downstairs, Daisy Mason, is one of the most interesting characters.

As always, costuming is key to this period drama. Although the wonderful Dowager Countess of Grantham clings to her Edwardian wardrobe, the other members of the upstairs family embrace the fresh new looks of 1920.

Dowager Countess Violet (Granny) of Grantham

Young Cousin Rose jumps into the Jazz Age with a zest that is influenced by music, Hollywood celebrities like Lillian Gish, Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and all the other stars of the period.

Although skirts hadn't shortened to the knee as they would later in the decade, 1920 truly released the underpinnings of dress and women moved freely, as suffragettes in Europe and the States pushed for the vote, better work environments, and birth control.

 

 

Art Deco was definitely making its appearance in architecture, interiors, and graphic design. Cubism added its own streamlined aesthetic to design as well.

Wedding dresses reflected the new age, and both Ladies Edith and Mary carried the simplicity beautifully.

Although, once again, Season III ends on an incredibly sad note, we see resolutions of Downstairs stories, and we see Lady Edith fall in love, a portent of the strong, independent future for her.