Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Heather Moll to Diary of an Eccentric to celebrate the release of her new Pride and Prejudice variation, His Choice of an Wife. I hope you find her research on Regency-era sleeve buttons as interesting as I did. Please give Heather a warm welcome!
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“My aunt and uncle Gardiner undertook a commission in town on my behalf since I could find nothing in Meryton that would suit. I had not planned to give these to you so soon, but I want you to have them before you must leave me again.”
He gave her a bemused look before opening the box to see the four bright-green oval sleeve buttons set in silver. He picked up one linked pair and held the delicate stones between his finger and thumb.
Thank you for hosting me today, Anna! I’m pleased and proud to be able to share His Choice of a Wife with your readers and talk about something I incorporate into every JAFF I write: jewelry. If anyone follows me on social media, you’ll see me post about #GeorgianJewelry. As much as I love all historical detail, I know I have too much fun searching for unique and gorgeous pieces.
Who doesn’t love jewelry … and a sharp-dressed man? We tend to think of Regency-era women decked out in garnets, topazes, and emeralds, but let’s not forget the gentlemen.
Since the 17th century, sleeve buttons were used to keep closed the large cuffs on gentlemen’s coats. Often they were bespoke and made from either silver or gold, or alloys that had the look of precious metals. They were meant to be swapped out to wear with different coats. They were a pair of matching buttons joined at the shank to be put through the sleeves of the coat.
Men’s shirts were an undergarment and only the collar and long lace cuffs were meant to be seen. The lacy trim disappeared by the 19th century—good style choice, gentlemen. With the long frilly lace cuffs gone, coat sleeves narrowed and the plain shirt cuff now extended beyond the coat sleeve and needed to be held closed.
What is a sharp-dressed young man to do? A ribbon or plain button won’t do when everyone can see it. He moved his decorative sleeve buttons from his coat to his shirt. Large cuffs on coat sleeves fell out of fashion, but 2 or 3 fabric or gilt buttons remained on the sleeve, and that’s still seen in men’s suits today.
Not that any man rolls up his suit sleeve any more…
By the time of the Regency, these sleeve buttons were made of metals, enamel, or paste as well as precious stones and gems. They were a way to convey personal style and could be either plain or more ornate for formal dress. Around this time these linked sleeve buttons—now only used to secure shirt cuffs— began to be called cufflinks.
Darcy’s gift in His Choice of a Wife is a nice transition from lacy sleeves with coat sleeve buttons and the men’s cufflinks we’re more familiar with.
What kind of sleeve buttons did Darcy get? What was the reason for the gift? And why does he have to leave Elizabeth again?
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About His Choice of Wife
When a man’s honor is at stake, what is he willing to risk for the woman he loves?
After a disastrous marriage proposal and the delivery of an illuminating letter, Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet hope never to lay eyes on one another again. When a chance meeting in Hunsford immediately throws them in each other’s way, Darcy realizes his behavior needs correcting, and Elizabeth starts to appreciate his redeeming qualities. But is it enough to forgive the past and overcome their prejudices?
Jane and Bingley’s possible reconciliation and Lydia’s ill-conceived trip to Brighton pose their own challenges for two people struggling to find their way to love. When scandalous news threatens their chance at happiness, will Darcy and Elizabeth’s new bond be shattered, or will their growing affection hold steadfast?
Buy on Amazon
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About the Author
Heather Moll is an avid reader with a B.A. in European history and a M.A. in library science, so it is astonishing that she did not discover Jane Austen until her late-twenties. Making up for lost time, she devoured all of Austen’s novels, her letters, and unpublished works, joined JASNA, and spent far too much time researching the Regency era. She is thrilled to have found fellow Janeites and the JAFF community, if only to prove that her interests aren’t so strange after all. Heather is a former librarian turned stay-at-home mother who struggles to find time for all of the important things, like reading and writing.
Connect with Heather: Facebook | Twitter | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads
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Giveaway
Meryton Press is giving away 8 eBooks of Heather Moll’s His Choice of a Wife. You must enter through the Rafflecopter link. Good luck!
Thank you so much for hosting me today Anna!
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Enjoying the blog tour!
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I’m so glad you’re along for the ride, Becky 🙂
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Seems to me that most fashion is just too fussy or ornate
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That was probably the draw for most people. Glad those lacey cuffs and collars are gone! Thanks a Vesper!
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Interesting post on sleeve buttons or cufflinks, Heather. I learned some things and that is always good. I had never realized that the gentlemen wore sleeve buttons on their coats. I “assumed” they were like the buttons of today’s jacket sleeves. The smoky quartz and moss agate with rubies cufflinks would be quite a nice addition to a man’s cuffs. Handsome, indeed! Thank you for sharing your jewelry fascination with us, and Anna, thank you for hosting!
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Aren’t those cuff links gorgeous? They make me want to buy a French cuff shirt for myself. Thanks for reading!
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This was an interesting post. I never gave much thought to what the gentleman of the Regency era wore.
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I’m so glad you found it interesting. The women usually get all the attention, but the men had some bling, too. Thanks for reading!
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I can do without some of the excessive styles myself. So glad you liked it. Thank you for reading!
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I second Vesper. Sometimes fashion should be simpler, I’d prefer it. This was a very interesting post 😉
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Thank you for reading!
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Very interesting!
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Awesome! Thanks for reading!
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Very interesting, Heather. Thank you for sharing this informative post. I, too, learned something I did not know. Since men were more limited than women on the jewelry they could wear, I suppose some opted to wear ornate pocket watches too.
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Pocket watches, rings, fobs, seals, walking sticks, oh, I could go on 😉 Such fun for the history loving nerd and the easily distracted. Thanks for reading Kelly!
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Thank you for sharing this fascinating tidbit of sleeve buttons. I didn’t know that they evolve to now what we called as cufflinks.
I think Elizabeth would like to repay Darcy with a token of her love since he always gave her presents. I hate him leaving Elizabeth but I guess it’s important for him to be away. Could it be that he wanted to procure a special marriage license or to save Lydia from Wickham’s clutches?
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Isn’t that interesting about the cuff links? The things you learn while writing! Darcy has a good reason to be away from his lady love, but not for any of your excellent guesses. Thanks for stopping by!
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It is hard to find a gift for a man nowadays… thank godness for cufflinks during those times. i be EB also had ahard time finding somthing for FD (him being wealthy and mostly have in his posession everything he needs and not need).
Thank you for the info and achance to win the book.
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I buy my husband more cuff links than he has shirts to wear them with. Darcy would be hard to buy for, but I bet he’d melt for whatever Elizabeth thought to buy him. Best of luck in the giveaway!
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I love the smoky quartz ones the best of those pictured.
Why is Darcy leaving Elizabeth? He really should take her with him 😍. Maybe they’re not married yet?
I will find out when I read this. 😉
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Those quartz ones sold for just under £3000! My husband will have to be content with something made a little more recently. I can’t tell you why he’s leaving, but I hope you like how it plays out when you read it 🙂
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You had me at sharp dressed man!
Loved the post and like Janet, I learned something new. Congrats of the book, Heather.
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I knew Iiked you, Debbie 😉 you have good taste. Thanks for reading today.
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Enjoying the excerpt
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Thank you!
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Very interesting post! I have a box of my dad’s cufflinks, from the 1940s through the 80s. and cannot find a man in my family who wants to bother with them. Not every man wants to dress like Darcy, I guess.
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Maybe the gentlemen in your family need French cuff shirts as gifts, then they’ll be lining up for your father’s cuff links. Thank you for stopping by Jan!
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Lovely post! I’ve added this giveaway to my blog’s sidebar.
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Awesome! Thanks for participating 🙂
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Interesting post about men’s fashion during the Regency. It’s astounding how much there is to be learned out there! Thanks for sharing, Heather. 😉
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So much to learn, so much to self-edit to not cram into every book 🙂 Thanks for your support during the blog tour Daniela!
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I am intrigued by your book, Heather. It sounds like a great read – I love the way Darcy and Elizabeth come across in the excerpts you’ve shared. I’ll enter the Rafflecopter again and see how I get on! Hope you get lots of interest in your new release. 🙂
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I’m so glad you’re liking Darcy and Elizabeth in these snippets. Thanks for all of your encouragement and support during the blog tour. Best of luck in the giveaway!
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Thank you for sharing the historical information on buttons on men’s sleeves. I love cufflinks. Wish they could be used more. I like the excerpt. It is so sweet. Thank you for the generous give away.
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I’m so glad that you found it interesting. Aren’t cufflinks so neat? Best of luck in the giveaway!
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Love to look at how fashion has changed through time.
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It really is fascinating isn’t it? I appreciate you participating in the blog tour
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I remember the heyday of cufflinks and French cuff dress shirts. Because the cuffs were folded over… they taught us in Home Economics [old school sewing and cooking classes] how to turn the cuffs when they became frayed. We were also taught how to darn socks. My husband told me right out of the gait… there would be NO darned socks in our marriage. I hadn’t thought about cuffs and cufflinks in forever. I’m sure if I looked in my bureau, I might even find a pair. LOL!! Thanks for this walk down memory lane.
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Those are useful life skills that I wish I had. When I took Home and Careers all I learned was how to cut out a pattern of a bunny and sew it together by hand. How many times in my life have I needed a lopsided plush rabbit? Zero! Thanks for reading and all the interest you’ve shown during this tour 🙂
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I enjoyed the fashion tour and pictures, thanks for sharing.
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I’m glad you enjoyed the pictures Kate. Thank you for reading!
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Interesting. My one son-in-law insists on wearing cuff links. He is “into” Star War related ones. Thanks for sharing. I would like to read this book so thanks for a chance to win.
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My husband is a cuff link guy, too! I think he’d get a kick out of Star Wars ones. Best of luck in the giveaway Sheila!
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Very interesting information on shirt and coat buttons! Thank you. I do like learning new things. 🙂
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I’m always happy to share the results of my tumble down the research rabbit hole. Thanks for reading Lucy!
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