Bridgerton Season 3 Wraps: Exactly How Historically Accurate Is Netflix’s Hit Regency-Era Romantic Drama?
British historian Margot Rashba (GRS’27) on show’s choice of fashion, hairstyles, and more
Characters Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington in season 3 of Bridgerton. Photo courtesy of Netflix
Bridgerton Season 3 Wraps: Exactly How Historically Accurate Is Netflix’s Hit Regency-Era Romantic Drama?
British historian Margot Rashba (GRS’27) on show’s choice of fashion, hairstyles, and more
The final few episodes of season three of Netflix’s Bridgerton come out Thursday. The steamy romance series, based on the novels by Julia Quinn, gives viewers a look into the drama and intrigue of London’s elite during Britain’s visually iconic Regency era (1795–1837). Each season follows one of the eight Bridgerton siblings as they navigate high society in search of love.
The first part of season three was released last month. Over the span of four episodes, fans finally got to see the slow-burn romance between Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan), the token wallflower, and the third-eldest Bridgerton, Colin (Luke Newton), before it burst into flames.
When the show premiered in 2020, it shattered records and quickly became one of Netflix’s most popular shows. Viewers and critics applauded its elaborate costume and set design.
But this season, many fans noticed that the show felt more unrealistic. They complained about its gravity-defying hairstyles, gaudy fashion choices, and over-the-top sets. While the Regency era was definitely opulent, many felt these choices went too far.
For some insight into the show’s historical accuracy, BU Today spoke with BU PhD candidate Margot Rashba (GRS’27), an expert in British dress and fashion history.
Q&A
With Margot Rashba
BU Today: What were your first thoughts when you watched the show? Did you enjoy it?
Rashba: Bridgerton is a fantastical version of history with just the right amount of drama and romance for great historical entertainment. It’s great.
While it is not always accurate, the goal of Bridgerton is to create a meaningful setting for its stories as entertainment. The allusions to the history create the scene for the viewer and put the show into its moment.
BU Today: What would it have been like to “date” as a member of high society during the time?
Rashba: Dating in high society during the Regency period has a lot of similarities to the show. Women had to be chaperoned at all times and had to adhere to societal norms and etiquette. The promenade [a leisurely walk taken to socialize] was very important as well, which the show emphasizes.
BU Today: Much of the show focuses on the Regency era’s so-called marriage market. Was it really as scandalous as in the show?
Rashba: The marriage market during the Regency period also had some similarities to the show. Bridgerton is a fanciful depiction of history, and so is often at times a blend of fact and fiction. Marriage among the elite was competitive and often treated as a business relationship. Love was rarely ever considered the top priority despite Violet Bridgerton’s [the mother of the family] concern for finding her children love matches.
BU Today: Did women of the Regency era wear dresses as elaborate and colorful as depicted in the show?
Rashba: While the shape and silhouette of the dresses on Bridgerton are historically accurate—especially the high empire waist—the colors and materials of the clothing are embellished. The designer of the show [said in an interview] that she aimed to have the clothes of the characters tell a story, about their moods or character growth, rather than staying true to the historical period at all times. This is clear when Penelope Featherington changed her wardrobe from the citrus and garish colors of her family to more elegant colors for the marriage market in this season. The garish colors of the Featheringtons are meant to show that they are out of place in society, even if their colors are not accurate. Bridgerton playfully creates costumes that blend historical silhouettes with fanciful colors.
BU Today: What kind of hairstyles were popular among women during the Regency era?
Rashba: Just as with the clothing, the hairstyles in the show are a blend of historical and fanciful silhouettes. They are meant to show characters’ personality traits while making references to the period. In reality, the hairstyles of the era were generally framing the face with soft curls. There were variations but the show embellishes on traditional shapes.
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