“I like good books and clever conversation and being left alone much of the time.”
Courtney Milan, The Countess Conspiracy
Cravats, Crinoline, and Craft is a blog dedicated to questions, debates, and research inspired by Historical Romance Novels. Were condoms available in the 19th century? Do the main characters have to bang by Chapter 8? Is love a spiritual force or an act of labor? Taking the form of letters, these blog posts explore all of this and more.
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What’s in a Name?
Mr. Edgar Downes. Edgar. She had not wanted to know. She thought of Viking warriors and medieval knights. Edgar. Mary Balogh, A Christmas Bride “Anyone called Bertha’s got no place in a romance!” Catherynne M. Valente, The Glass Town Game Dear Amanda, In December, I was minding my own business, reading A Christmas Bride, when…
Keep readingTier Ranking Popular Historical Romance Tropes
Dear Amanda, Well, it’s April. And according to Chaucer, that’s when we’re supposed to think about two things: love and hierarchies. Since my last few posts have been heavy on the history, I thought I’d do something more fun. Namely, I thought I’d find a list of popular (historical) romance tropes and tier rank them…
Keep readingLighting in Regency-Era England
Dear Amanda, You know when you’re watching Bridgerton and there are these dazzling ballroom shots? Sometimes, they’re shot during the day, in which case it’s quite plausible that you can see every sequin and sparkle on a debutante’s dress. Other times, however, there’s not a window for 50 yards, or maybe it’s nighttime and I…
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About the Authors
Amanda (she/her) is a fiction writer and teacher. She has a lot of opinions on feminism and syntax.
Kelly (she/her) specializes in medieval literature and tends to let historical questions get the better or her.
Kelly and Amanda met in the attic of the English Building at a university in Illinois. Although Kelly is a Medieval scholar and Amanda a fiction writer, they found shared interests in storytelling, history, and feminist criticism.
Cravats, Crinoline, and Craft 