There’s no question that Autumn de Wilde’s new adaptation of the classic Jane Austen novel, Emma, is a feast for the eyes. (After all, it’s not every movie that merits a special star-studded screening hosted by Vogue’s Anna Wintour.) The magnificently opulent Georgian settings and charming cinematography alone have inspired wonder even for the most seasoned Austenites. But for the fashion-philes among us, it is, of course, the exquisite costumery by Alexandra Byrne which truly transports us to the 19th-century English countryside—and leaves our mouths watering for more frothy white muslins and delicate baubles to incorporate into our wardrobes today.
But how to make a chemise gown in pale cotton voile (famously difficult to keep pristine, even with a battalion of maids at your beck and call) work for this modern age? How to pull off a feather-flecked headpiece or a white opera glove without assuming a Regency-era perm? No need to fret. We’ve created a shopping guide to help you achieve the Emma look—but, with a contemporary sensibility that will keep strangers from mistaking you for the understudy of an Off-Broadway period piece.
From bejeweled headbands to pearl-encrusted barrettes, hair ornamentation is of the utmost importance and will add enough texture to make up for the crown of tight ringlets you may lack. Elegant drop earrings and sweet golden lockets will compliment a low, wide neckline. A dainty, ostrich-trimmed reticule pouch—big enough to fit your iPhone, but little else—will slip easily around the wrist or over the shoulder for all your comings and goings about town. And if you’re heading out in public during the daylight, my dear, you mustn’t forget your hat. (One in the shape of a wedding cake is preferable, of course.)
Here, a delicious batch of handsome, clever, and shoppable looks—all inspired by De Wilde’s heavenly new film adaptation of the Jane Austen classic, Emma.
