Dress Like a Lady

I have no sense of style.

Which is pretty freeing—I just wear whatever I want. I've never been particularly concerned with what's "in," so I don't miss old fashion trends. It's always nice to see things from the '90s come back around, of course, but I'm not eagerly awaiting some nostalgic return to the fads of my childhood. If I want to pull my hair back in a scrunchie or wear denim Rugrats overalls, I will do so without shame.

But there's one style I love that I just wouldn't feel comfortable wearing out and about in the twenty-first century.

I want to dress like Keira Knightley in a period piece.

Now, full disclosure: I've never actually dressed like Keira Knightley in a period piece. So this isn't so much nostalgia as wishful thinking. But if there's a style I'd like to see come back around, it's literally anything this gorgeous woman has worn in some romantic, old-timey film.

I want to wear dresses that push my boobs up like this. I want to be able to walk around with my breasts literally spilling over the top of my corset without feeling judged as promiscuous or attention-seeking. It's like society has done a total reversal; either women are sexually repressed and allowed to flaunt our racks, or we're liberated and shamed for doing so.

(I also want to dress like the Pirate King of the Brethren Court.)

And don't even get me started on *that* dress in Atonement. It's been thirteen years, and people are still talking about this iconic look. Because it's just that good.

I think this green stunner could still be an acceptable choice in 2021. There is an elegance and beauty to it that is timeless. If I had fancy events to go to, I'd wear it.

The simple styles of Pride and Prejudice are perfect for everyday wear. Elizabeth Bennet's wardrobe is plain and cute. These dresses look light and comfortable, making them the perfect clothes for reading and taking walks in the English countryside.

I especially like that they're flowy and accentuate the waist without suffocating the wearer. This style seems to allow for more mobility than the larger, more tight-fitting gowns we often see in historical films.

Sometimes I just want to feel like royalty. I want to attend a ball in some stunning, off-the-shoulder, over-the-top gown with my hair done up elegantly and strings of pearls draped around my neck. Like, if I could go back in time and be a Russian grand duchess with twenty-first century civil rights, the outfits I would wear...

I'd also like to wear these little hair ornaments.

Unless I receive an unexpected invitation to a royal wedding, odds are I'll never get the opportunity to wear a fancy hat with a veil, but I sure would like to. They add a sense of intrigue and sophistication to already-classy outfits. I really love this look; it's a shame that accessories like this aren't in style anymore.

Admittedly, not actually looking like Keira Knightley might take some of the glamour out of these stunning styles. The woman could wear a burlap sack and still look like a million bucks. But I think I'd enjoy strolling around on the arm of some wealthy suitor, daintily lifting my skirt, curtsying politely, and engaging in high society. Or at least, that's what I think wearing these clothes would feel like.

I could never wear these outfits full time. I enjoy jeans and sweats far too much, and looking this fancy takes work. And I'd never want to be Handmaid's Tale-ed and forced into wearing these historically oppressive styles.

But I would like the option to dress like a real lady without getting weird looks from people on the street. These clothes are proper and refined, and wearing them would make me feel strong, confident, and classy.

Let me feel like a character in a Jane Austen novel. Let me channel my inner eighteenth-century aristocrat. Normalize old fashions. Bring back the beautiful, romantic styles of history.