The House of Eliott

       My husband has introduced me to a BBC series from the 1990s entitled "The House of Eliott." I am hooked. A bit too sentimental at times, this series does capture very nicely an era -- the 1920s -- during which women entered the workplace and played a larger role in the general economy. I especially appreciate the scenes showing women's work relationships, from their extreme cattiness to a more sisterly approach.

       Of course, the owners of the business are literally sisters. And in its slightly feminocentric way, we see the whole patriarchal establishment cut to pieces. The portrayal of the banker as figure of manipulation and corruption, the force behind the entire enterprise, is right on.

       One also gains an appreciation for all the work that goes into making an item of clothing, from the design, to the cutting of the fabric, the sewing, the decorating (beading was very big in those days), the fitting, the refitting. Clearly, those were the days when a woman spent as much time preparing the garment and preparing for the garment than actually wearing it. For those of us who love clothes, this show is for us: the clothes, the accessories, the jewelry, the fabrics, the hairstyles.

      I noticed that recent collar styles, like this sweater that I bought at the Gap (the dress is from a consignment shop in Paris) must be borrowing from that era. I am borrowing the baby from a Dutch relative.

But what I have also loved in this series is the language. I love the way the characters address touchy subjects very carefully. The use of the pause, or silence, when it is best not to say anything. The beginnings of sentences that cushion the blow of the latter part of the sentence. Here are some examples:

"Forgive me but..."
"I'm afraid that..."
"I hope that"
 "I hope that..." can "cushion" more when you add "you won't mind that..." as in "I hope you won't mind that..."
"I'm sorry that..."
"I suppose that ..."
 It also makes an impression when you use multiple syllable words that allow you to accentuate a syllable and slow down your delivery. Words like "disgraceful," "unpleasantness," "intransigent," "unsuitable," and my favorite, "subterfuge."
 And if all else fails, give that cognac glass a double bing with your fingers.