This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at CWU chapter.
With the COVID-19 vaccines rolling out and the possibility for regular life coming back into view, people are beginning to prepare for bigger events and parties that they lacked in 2020. One of the major party themes that have been on many people’s minds is a regency themed party. The obsession with this is due to Bridgerton, the 2020 Netflix period drama.
I have seen many critiques about parties that people have had themed as a Bridgerton party. Other than critiques of gatherings during COVID-19, there have been many critiques about the accuracy of the parties. I am writing this so when we can all safely have a party, this is how to have an accurate Regency era themed party.
Clothing
Alanna Martine Kilkeary / Her Campus
One of the main things that I see people critiquing is the clothes. Bridgerton’s clothing pieces were inaccurate to the regency era, but this was an intentional step made by the costume department. One of the things they did not have in the Regency era was bright colors. I recommend wearing whatever makes you feel beautiful!
For undergarments, they wore stays and chemises. Stays were less brutal corsets. Chemises were the first kind of slips that we see later on. Petticoats were moving to be less visible and skinnier. There were also chemisettes to cover the front neckline of dresses. But in my opinion, what you wear underneath your dress is no one’s business.
Now we are onto the dresses. Full ball dresses would be worn for evening dance occasions. In this period, these would be more slender and have a high waistline. The skirts had no fullness by this time. There is a higher emphasis on the Gothic style. They would be heavily ornamented. The fabrics that made up most of the dresses were satin, crepe, and sarsnet. The dresses were also layered most of the time. Necklines would also be very low. The girls were on display back then. They also wore gloves, mostly white. The shorter the sleeves the longer the gloves were. Most of these dresses were paired with a shawl and slippers. To view more information on Regency dresses, here’s a website I recommend!
As an added bonus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I would think about including decorative masks to squeeze into the dress code. I think that a mask that fits your dress color would look really nice and pretty.
The next topic is food. For an accurate Regency party, there are a couple of things to look at. Generally, dinner would be served and then the dancing would begin. A supper would then be served later after festivities.
The dinner would be around 60 courses which is a lot of food. They would be served to numerous people. I am not going to list every single thing that you can make, but here are a few options:
Fish
Neck of Venison
Omelets
Cheesecakes
Lobster
Ham
Custards
Mince Pies
Stewed Vegetables
Snowballs
During supper, white soup (made of veal or chicken broth and almonds, egg yolks, and cream) served alongside negus (sugar in hot water and wine) was served.
Dancing
The dances would be more group style dances such as country dance and cotillion. The quadrille and waltz were also newer dances but not widely accepted during the Bridgerton time. They would be done in formation. Not a whole lot of couples dancing alone. There are many videos on YouTube that you can send to your friends and learn the dances of the period for recreation at your parties.
Music is important. While being 100% accurate would involve a live band or small orchestra, playing songs from that time works. Spotify has numerous playlists with some great Regency era songs. These would be Haydn, Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, and many more. Some of them are actually good. I looked up Jane Austen playlists and found hundreds of songs I really enjoy. I would also say the entire Bridgerton soundtrack should be added to your party so that your guests have some more modern songs to listen to.
Customs
The dances would usually begin around 8 pm and then go into the morning times, sometimes end after dawn. The is why supper was served in the middle of dancing. Invitations are usually sent out. Private parties you would need to bring your invitation or ticket to get in. Someone would announce the party-goers as they come in.
The women also had dance cards tied around their wrists. They listed the type of dance and a spot for men to fill out for their dance. This could be a fun addition to your party as an added accessory.
Decoration
HomeAway
The balls were mostly lit by candlelight. The parties had to have a whole lot of candles. We are lucky because we have electricity. Flowers were a common form of decoration and they made the room vibrant and pretty. A collection of candles and flowers would make great additions to a party. Other things like fancy serving trays and plates for food will make your tables pop.
These are the best tips for throwing a historically accurate Bridgerton themed party. Hopefully soon it will be okay to host or attend a Bridgerton themed party with friends. We keep getting closer and closer!
Hi!
My name is Katlyn White. I am a sophomore at CWU. I am double majoring in Professional and Creative Writing and Digital Journalism. I am a Cancer and a Ravenclaw.
