When Calls the Heart Christmas Special 2016 - Costumes and other historical inaccuracies

So I know Christmas has been over for a while, but the last few months have been a bit hectic so I haven't gotten round to writing a review until now.

Anyone who has read my previous post on the subject of this Hallmark show, knows that I have a bit of a problem when it comes to the serious lack of historical accuracy of the show's costumes. They seem to be getting worse by the second. But for some reason, up until now, I kept watching the show. But after the Christmas special, no more!! This is saying a lot, as I love Christmas and I am a complete sucker for the traditional over cheesy Christmas films that Hallmark bring out every year. But this episode was too much. Along with the awful historical inaccuracies in the clothing/hair/makeup, the thing that got me the most was the Christmas tree lights in Rosemary and Le's house. They live in a small house in a small frontier town in the 1910s, there is no way the town's houses would have had electricity, Or even that one house would have had a generator. All the other lights in their house were gas lit, but the tree lights were definitely electric. I wonder, were they powered by fairy dust?! This, coupled with the quality of the story-line seriously dropping, means that the show is no longer watchable. It is so sad really as the show had so much potential at the beginning. Anyway, onward and upwards to brighter things - did anyone see the fabulous "Hidden Figures" - the clothing in that was amazing. :)

When Calls the Heart - TV Series Costumes

I am a big fan of  the When Calls the Heart tv series, and was so excited when the new series aired over the weekend, but what is with the costumes and hairstyles???!!! As a historical clothing enthusiast, I can't help but get slightly irritated by the clear lack of historical accuracy when it comes to the costumes the actors wear and how their hair is styled, in both this series and the last. For a show that is set in the 1910s many of the outfits look like vintage-inspired modern clothes, or just plain modern.

Here are a few examples:

(Hallmark website)

The women look alright, but Jack (gentleman on the right) looks like he has just stepped out of a Ralph Lauren (don't get me wrong he looks good, but definitely not 1910s). And this is the outfit (or a very similar one) that he wears to lunch at a smart restaurant in Hamilton. What self-respecting man during that time period would go out to lunch in a smart city restaurant without wearing some sort of cravat/tie. I highly doubt the restaurant owners would allow him in their establishment whilst not wearing one. 

(Hallmark website)

This image could be from a modern day drama, with one of the characters having a penchant for wearing cravats! Why is the ladies hair not up? They are not in an informal setting, which would allow for such a relaxed style in that era. I'm sure I have read somewhere that up until the 1920s, loose hair = loose morals, so no respectable women would consider wearing their hair down in public. (I could be wrong though).

(Hallmark website)

 This image of Elizabeth and Jack could be 21st century aswell (minus the suitcases. Though I am sure there are vintage enthusiasts who use similar suitcases today). There was also one scene (which I couldn't find an image of) where Elizabeth's sister Julie is wearing a skirt with a giant slit up the back!!!

(Hallmark website)

However, some of the costumes aren't half bad. These outfits look much more period correct.

Edit: I now realise that the above photo was taken from Season 1 when they clothes were much better. They seem to be getting worse and worse each season (as does the hair and make up)!! :(

I don't profess to being an expert on Edwardian clothing, far from it, just an enthusiast who has visited many clothing museums and read a few books. It's just from everything I have learned most of the costumes look far from period correct. 

What do you all think? Any opinions/knowledge? I would be very interested to hear what anyone thinks.

Chalke Valley History Festival

The Chalke Valley History Festival is a week long annual festival. The main part of the festival is the history lectures that are given by prominent historians and other public figure such as Dan Snow, Ian Hyslop, Boris Johnson and Amanda Vickery. However, during the weekend, as well as the lectures, there is also a living history encampment. This is where I fit in, well sort of. The Napoleonic reenactment group that I am a member of was planning on going, but a few days before they changed their mind. :( Most of the members had gone to Waterloo the weekend before and were still recovering!! It was looking like I wouldn't be able to go, which I was rather sad about as I had been really looking forward to this event. Thankfully the day before my sister sweetly offered to drive me down for the day on the Saturday. 

It was a multi-period event so medieval archers mixed with American WWII soldiers  :) Sadly as reenactors we weren't allowed to go to any of the lectures, but we had a great time wandering around.

WWII CAMP

American WWII food truck

Some fabulous cars.

40s army outdoor kitchen!

One tent in the WWII area was decked out as a  40s homefront kitchen, complete with 40s music playing. The detail was amazing! 

Children's games

My finger seems to have crept into this photo! :)

And this one!!

Ok so am official not the greatest photographer!

There was also a mock up of a war time police station. You can see part of it on the left side of this photo. For some reason I didn't take a photo of the rest, but you can see the fabulous car that was parked outside it.

My beautiful sister. It was her first re-enactment, and she even wanted to dress up! Amazing, as none of my family have ever showed the slightest interest in coming to an event, least of all dressing up. Anyway, none of my decent gowns fit her as she is about 3 sizes smaller then me. However, I did have one dress which I had made ages ago out of an old duvet cover, had only worn once and was always a bit small for me. It was too big for her but looked quite good with the help of a few safety pins and a sash. And she was able to wear my poke bonnet. It was the first bonnet I ever bought, but as my head is so big it does't fit me. It finally got its first proper outing!! :)

WW1 CAMP

A fabulous 1910s plane!

Lovely horses. :)

MEDIEVAL CAMP

This is where my knowledge of history gets a bit sketchy as I would call the camp in the next few photos Medieval, but there is a good chance that it wasn't. They looked medieval to me though! I apologise to anyone who portrays this era if it is not medieval!! 

Ok so have just found this photo, mixed up with 40s ones. Am pretty sure that the blue sign said Plantagenets, so am thinking Medieval camp is actually Plantagenet camp. :) 

NAPOLEONIC CAMP

Me beautiful sister :)

I bumped into a couple of people who I have met at the odd ball. They were sitting outside their friends tent which was amazing. Serious Napoleonic glamping - Double bed, a tent that you could stand up straight in wherever you stood inside it, chest of drawers, writing desk, white linen covered tables and blue and white porcelain tea set. :)

We took a couple of photos with them.

An amazing steam engine that was parked just inside the entrance to the festival. 

I seem to have forgotten to flip this photo. Sorry I can't be bother to re-upload it! :)

It was a boiling hot day, so after wandering around the camps, we sat down and had a cooling drink and a snack in one of the big food tents. 

Whilst eating some people started to do a display of 40s dancing.

At about 2pm there was an airshow of WWII planes

We had a lovely day, but I really wished my group had been there and that I could have stayed the whole weekend. Maybe next year. :)

The New Costume Gallery at the V&A

I am holding off on posting about the Liebster blog award as I can't decide on which blogs to award it to (there are to many amazing ones). In the meantime I am going to write up some post that are long overdue.

A few months ago I went to the V&A and spent a fabulous couple of hours drooling over the costumes in the museum's new costume gallery.

Here are a few (actually quite a few!!) photos of my favourite costumes/accessories. :)

I really want a spencer like this 

EDIT: Opps I meant pelisse not spencer!!!

Oh and gown like this

Oh and this

The gallery is wonderful and so much better than it was before. It's definitely worth a visit to London to see it.