The Ultimate Gift Guide for Downton Abbey Fans
SPOILER ALERT - If you are still working your way through the series, please be advised that some plot details may be revealed in this blog post.
Downton Abbey is one of the most loved drama shows to come out in the last decade. Audiences fell in love with all the residences of the Downton Abbey house, including both the aristocracy family The Crawleys and the close-knit community of servants. Ten years after the show debuted in the UK, the feature film was just recently released in 2019, to the delight of fans.
This blog post includes a fun review of some of the best moments on Downton Abbey + a shopping guide that any true fan couldn’t resist.
10 Reasons Why Fans Are So in Love with Downton Abbey
I have the Dowager Countess of Grantham (she goes by many names) as number one on my list because she’s my favorite part of the show. Granny is a tower of strength, and filled with witty and hilarious quotes. While always composed as the perfect lady, she is known for dropping some serious truth bombs with sassy quips.
2. The edwardian & Roaring 20’s fashion
By far one of the most loved aspects of the show is the oh-so-fancy wardrobe the characters wear on a daily basis. In modern day we dress so casual, so it’s hard to image dressing in an elegant gown everyday just for dinner. While watching the show you can definitely feel some serious dress envy!
On Etsy you can shop for fashion styles inspired by the lovely ladies and gentlemen from Downton Abbey. In my Etsy collection I have my favorite jewelry, dresses, men’s suits, and accessories that look exactly like the ones used in the series.
3. The Beginning of Feminism
Downton Abbey begins in the end of the victorian era where women were either daughters of aristocracy whose sole purpose was to entertain and marry into another wealthy family, or servants whose sole purposes was to wait on the aristocracy.
By the end of the show we see the beginning of modern society in the 1920's where women pursue careers with the intent of building more rewarding and interesting lives for themselves. The show does an excellent job of showing us the growing pains of this major transition into the 20th century through dozens of story lines. It also discusses other important themes such as living as a gay person in the 1900’s, sexual assault, living as a single mom, women's sexuality, and so on.
My favorite feminist moments:
When Sybil shocks everyone by wearing pants. {season 1 episode 4}
Lady Edith becomes a columnist for a newspaper writing about women's issues, and eventually becomes the lead editor of the magazine. {season 3}
Lady Mary decides to have pre-marital sex and uses birth control. {season 5}
4. The Butler Carson V.S. the Telephone
During the first season, the family is adjusting to new technology - specifically having electricity and telephones installed in the house. One of the most memorable (and hilarious) storylines is Carson’s hesitation and clumsy first attempts at using the telephone.
5. All the Scandal & Drama
It doesn’t take much for a scandal to start brewing in the early 1900’s, pretty much anything involving sex, love or even women’s rights sparks rumors among the aristocracy. A woman’s reputation was most important back then, so the family will go to extremes to hide their secrets.
Also, I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news but many of our most loved characters meet untimely deaths. It’s always a shock when a main character departs the show, hence the mentioned drama.
6. The Romance
The main romantic storyline of Mary and Mathew reminds me a bit of Pride and Prejudice in that you’re always hoping that they will get together, but they both have so many personal obstacles to overcome before they can be together.
There’s also parallel romance stories happening with many other characters, each one has a unique twist.
My favorite quote is from Lord Merton: “I want to spend what remains of my life in your company. I believe I could make you happy. I should very much like the chance to try.”
7. The House of Downton Abbey
Did you know you can actually take a tour of the Downton Abbey house and the village? The real name of the estate is Highclere Castle, located about 45 miles outside of London. If you’re planning a trip to England, this tour makes for an eventful day trip.
8. TEA Time
With all the drama and scandal constantly happening at Downton Abbey, it would appear that there’s nothing a little tea time can’t fix. One of the first blog posts I ever wrote was a guide on how to host a proper English tea party. Tea parties have become popular for events such as baby showers, bridal showers, birthdays and even bachelorette gatherings.
9. The Loyalties & Relationships
Although there is a dramatic sister rivalry, most of the cast members share a tremendous love for each other. It was surprising to see how much respect a family of nobility has for their servant staff, and vise versa. Although the servants are employees of the house, they often end up being close friends with the family.
10. The Music & Theme Song
One of the first things that made me fall in love with Downton Abbey was the classical-style music. I find the original scores to be so relaxing, especially the opening theme song. You can actually buy the soundtrack CD and listen to it while you’re doing chores around the house or driving in your car.
