So, Servant Scene, and then Lady Mary, who's still in her breakfast outfit, whining about mourning clothes. What follows is what I'll probably be calling a Servant Scene, since we've already gone over their costumes. Their money saved the English aristocracy from sliding into genteel oblivion, but it was pretty hard for those brides for the first couple years: the estates were crumbling, freezing and totally outdated the servants sometimes actively plotted against them they had a whole cast of horrible in-laws: bitchy sisters-in-law, crazy great-uncles, and we all know how their mothers-in-law could behave.I can't wait to see the prequel Fellowes claims to be working on. Cora was a Buccaneer-a member of American high society who married an English lord in the 1880s and '90s, when many of the titles and estates were in serious jeopardy.

As we'll see in future scenes, this high level of craftsmanship, ornamentation, and detail is typical of her wardrobe. She's in a fussy nightgown and bed jacket, pink, with gold trim. We meet Cora, Countess of Grantham, when Robert goes to break the news that several of her friends spent a cold and uncomfortable night in a rowboat but are now safe and sound-oh, and that both heirs to Downton 'and the rest of the swag', as she'll put it later, are sleeping with the fishes, thus setting the whole plot in motion. She's a very conservative girl, and she's part of the working class, which is rarely on the cutting edge of fashion, but I think she keeps using them for the back support they provide her. If you look closely, you can see that she's wearing stays under her dress, which is unremarkable for the time, except that I think she keeps wearing them even into the '20s. It's a half apron, which is actually an indication of rank, since she's not a maid or the cook. The sleeves are short, so she doesn't get them dirty with her endless chores, which is good, since her chores include both kitchen work AND fireplace cleaning.

The pink is a nice color, reminding us that she's still a child, and a very innocent one. The maids, Gwen and Anna, are wearing totally typical and barely visible nightgowns, about which I have nothing to say, so back to Daisy's dress.

Daisy knocks up the maids every morning! Tee hee hee). You can see the weave in the close-up of her hand knocking at the door (incidentally, the Brits call this 'knocking up'. It's plain, no collar, and made of very sturdy material. Her pink dress (or another one much like it) is pretty much the only thing she wears for most of the show, so we'll get it out of the way here and now. These people are so rich they have human alarm clocks for their staff! It's Daisy, waking up all the maids at 6AM.

White collar season one episode5 cast