As viewers of Bridgerton know, finding the right suitor is an art, requiring charm and beauty. It helped to be a diamond (the most eligible woman of the season, as chosen by the Queen), but all young ladies benefited from careful attention to their dress and manners. In the most recent series we see Penelope Featherington, once a wall flower, undergo a glow up in order to been seen and considered as serious mate during her third London season.
A recent article in The Spectator claimed that the storyline following Featherington this season is implausible because a woman needs to be svelte to win a handsome man. But the Regency period (1811-1820) offered more generous definitions of beauty, beyond thinness.
As we see in the show, it is not enough to sport a new hair style or beauty regimen. Peneleope also becomes more confident in herself, which in turn makes her more charming. As at least one popular advice book from 1811, which was written by “A Lady of Distinction”, made clear: there needs to be harmony of body and mind to ensure beauty, with each part enhancing the other.
