Okay so I’ve been totally obsessed with Bridgerton lately, right? The drama, the romance, and obviously, the freaking amazing clothes. Seriously, those costumes! So I decided, why not try to get that look? Not some cheap Halloween costume vibe, but something actually kinda stylish and wearable for a fancy event or just feeling extra. Here’s exactly what I tried:
Step 1: The Research Phase (a.k.a. Watching Season 3 Again!)
First thing, I fired up Netflix and started taking screenshots like crazy. Focused mostly on the gentlemen this time – Anthony, Colin, those fancy jackets and boots. Paid attention to:
- Fabrics: Velvet? Silk? Lots of texture, rich colors like deep blues, greens, creams.
- Shirts: Frilly collars! Poofy sleeves! Lace and linen look crucial.
- Waistcoats: Tight fitting, embroidered details, peeked out under jackets.
- Jackets: Cut shorter in the front, longer tails in the back? Sharp shoulders. Buttons!
- Accessories: Pocket watches on chains?! Cravats or neck ties?
Basically soaked up every visual detail I could grab.
Step 2: Thrift Store Treasure Hunt
Armed with my mental image board, I hit a bunch of thrift stores downtown. Wasn’t gonna drop huge money on this experiment! Main goal:
- Find that key piece: Maybe a jacket with a slightly unusual cut?
- Texture is Queen: Ignored plain cotton/polyester. Felt everything looking for velvet, brocade, silky satin, anything remotely fancy and textured.
- Color Check: Kept eyes peeled for jewel tones or rich neutrals.
- Poofy Shirts: Slightly oversized white/cream button-up shirts? Found one with wide sleeves!
Honestly took a couple weekends of digging through racks. Found a dark green velvet blazer that was pretty much perfect shape-wise and had cool buttons. Score! Also grabbed a cream linen shirt from the women’s section (super soft and poofy!), and later snagged a simple black waistcoat off a cheaper fast fashion site.
Step 3: Operation “Make It Work” at Home
Back home, time for the fashion show in front of the full-length mirror.
- Started with the Shirt: Popped on that cream linen shirt first. Rolled sleeves up a bit to show off the poofiness. Way more character than my usual boring shirts.
- Added the Waistcoat: Pulled on the simple black waistcoat over the shirt. Buttoned it tight. Already felt more… structured? Regency? Like it was pulling everything together underneath.
- Jacket Time: Put on the dark green velvet thrifted jacket. Immediately saw the effect – the shorter front, the texture, the sheen. This was the magic piece. Left it unbuttoned to show the waistcoat underneath.
- Trouble Below: Okay, pants were a problem. My modern slim fit jeans looked stupid. Quickly switched to dark, high-waisted, wide-leg trousers I had. Much better flow. Needed a belt.
- Accessory Fail & Win: Tried tying a thin scarf for a ‘cravat’ look. Looked ridiculous and messy on me, scraped that! Instead, found a simple silver-toned pocket watch style chain. Clipped one end to a belt loop, tucked the fake watch part into the trouser pocket on the right side. Subtle touch that worked way better.
Stood back. Definitely not a flawless copy, but it had the essence. Rich color and texture on top? Check. Poofy sleeves? Check. Waistcoat giving that layered look? Check. Chain adding a touch of old-school bling? Check.
Step 4: The Results & What I Figured Out
Honestly? I felt surprisingly put-together and kinda extra, which was the goal! What worked:
- That one key piece (the thrifted velvet jacket) carried the look.
- Focusing on texture and rich color beats trying to exactly copy weird shapes from 200 years ago.
- The poofy/linen shirt underneath is crucial for that vibe.
- A simple waistcoat adds instant structure and period feel.
- Small vintage-inspired touches (like a pocket chain) read better than cartoonish costumes.
Would I wear this to the pub? Maybe a bit much. But for a fancier party, a themed wedding, or just feeling like a duke while grabbing coffee? Absolutely! Way more satisfying than buying a premade costume. It’s about mixing textures, layering smartly, and finding one standout piece that whispers ‘Bridgerton’ instead of screaming it.
