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Downton Abbey Wears Cufflinks

Saturday, February 25th, 2012

 

In season one of the underground hit show, Downton Abbey, you may have come across the acute obsession to detail in clothing and appearance. To our delight, cufflinks played a large part in this Victorian obsession. When Matthew Crawley comes to Downton, he finds himself put-off by the amount of attention he receives from the household servants. He can’t fathom the need for a footman, someone to dress him “like a dog” everyday, and innocently appeals to dismiss their superfluous services.

Watch Downton Abbey, Season 2: Ep. 5 on PBS. See more from Masterpiece.

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But after a seemingly cordial run-in with the head of the household, he grows to understand that everyone “needs to play his or her part” and it’s quite wrong to dismiss servants when they want to do their job. He questions Crawley, asking if when he takes over the Downton domain, will he dismiss the numerous staff members simply because of Crawley’s taste, or will he realize that they’re place in at Downton, they are an integral part of the household, and their living must not be taken lightly.

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It’s then, and only then, does Crawley open up to the idea of being waited on by servants. One of these tasks include PICKING OUT CUFFLINKS and PUTTING THEM ON. “I think these are too formal for the occasion. Can you pick another pair?” “Would you like the crescent ones, sir? I think they are much more suitable.” Such a wonderful moment captured in film…

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“The Downton Abbey estate stands a splendid example of confidence and mettle, its family enduring for generations and its staff a well-oiled machine of propriety. But change is afoot at Downton — change far surpassing the new electric lights and telephone. A crisis of inheritance threatens to displace the resident Crawley family, in spite of the best efforts of the noble and compassionate Earl, Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville, Miss Austen Regrets); his American heiress wife, Cora (Elizabeth McGovern); his comically implacable, opinionated mother, Violet (Maggie Smith, David Copperfield); and his beautiful, eldest daughter, Mary, intent on charting her own course. Reluctantly, the family is forced to welcome its heir apparent, the self-made and proudly modern Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens), himself none too happy about the new arrangements. As Matthew’s bristly relationship with Mary begins to crackle with electricity, hope for the future of Downton’s dynasty takes shape. But when petty jealousies and ambitions grow among the family and the staff, scheming and secrets — both delicious and dangerous — threaten to derail the scramble to preserve Downton Abbey. Created and written by Oscar-winner Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park), Downton Abbey offers a spot-on portrait of a vanishing way of life.”

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Watch Downton Abbey, Season 2: Ep. 5 on PBS. See more from Masterpiece.