I was born in the wrong century I'm oft known to say<br /> I look back wistfully at the lovely styles and traditions of back in the day<br /> <br /> Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights are among my top favorite books of all<br /> I love how back in the day a boy or a man would come to call<br /> <br /> The manners and the customs were so classically reserved<br /> But that made it all the more enticing and so much more deserved<br /> <br /> I'm not a fan of the way women were lower class and of the injustice<br /> But I admire the tenacity of Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice<br /> <br /> For a woman who feels most comfortable wearing slacks<br /> I'm not sure if I would be able to wear the petticoat hoop skirts and all that<br /> <br /> The programs that I most enjoy and the genre of books that I read<br /> Clearly show the romantic I am indeed~<br /> <br /> Do you ever feel you weren't meant to be living in this time and would have probably felt more comfortable in another era? I often do, especially when I read about back in the old days and see programs referring to it. One thing I love most about it is candlelight' &quot;candlelight is very flattering.&quot; The lighting today is too bright and intrusive-doesn't leave anything to the imagination. I find candlelight calming and mysterious and I will say it again, "very flattering!"<br /> <br /> I love the mannerism, the culture and the proper language that was used back then. People spoke with class, those of the people that were in the higher classes anyway and probably those who were educated. I am reminded of Heathcliff from 'Wuthering Heights.' When he was forced to live as 'the help', instead of remaining one of the family after the father who rescued him passed away. After his love Catherine starts courting another, Heathcliff leaves and doesn't come back until years later as a so called gentleman. This book is definitely a 'romantic tragedy'.<br /> <br /> People (some/most) didn't have much but they made the most of what they did have. They appreciated what they had and I think that is all the difference. Today we seem to want more and more, and if we want it, we can put it on credit if we don't have the money to buy it at the time. Way too easy, and therefore not as much appreciated. As I stated in my 'Tales From Away-We Need To Get Back To Basics' post "Back in the day, people grew their own home grown vegetables and raised their own beef. They ate fresh and wholesome foods resulting in less ailments it seemed like." Even the food was better back then, probably more pleasing to the palate and gentler on the system.<br /> <br /> The attire would probably be a hindrance to me however as I don't think I would be comfortable in all the petticoats and skirts they wore. I do love the look of them and they were very flattering to the eye, but the one scene from 'Gone with the wind' with Scarlett O'Hara having her corset tightened to 20 inches scares the bejeebers out of me! I'm more comfortable in slacks and definitely out of my comfort zone in a dress.<br /> <br /> Love wasn't taken for granted, that's for sure re "If something was broke, they fixed it." But I don't know if women had as much say in the matter as they do now-most were promised to either the son's of family friends or widowed gentlemen. Some women were spirited though and were able to make their own decisions such as Elizabeth Bennet in another of my favorite books 'Pride and Prejudice.' I'm too much of an independent woman to have put up with any of that.<br /> <br /> With all the positives and negatives of the former eras, I still do believe I may have been better fitted for another time and place~ <br /> <br /> Take care (&amp; read the classics) and all the best~Celeste<br /> <br /> www.talesfromaway.com   Submitted By: Alicia "Celeste" Loughrey