More From The Cook of Castamar

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I said I’d try to keep watching The Cook of Castamar (2021), the 1720-set Spanish miniseries on Netflix. I’m surprised to say I’ve gotten semi-sucked into the story, although I am eye-rolling at a few plot devices. I’m not surprised to say the costumes continue to not be 1720s, and many continue to suck.

Clara, the cook, gets some Actual Clothes — specifically, this jacket which would be fine if not for the asymmetrical closure:

Note pocket worn on the outside, which is something seen in period images of lower-class women.

Clara still spends most of her time in her stays, which seems ridiculous, although I do like the cut of the stays and the seam binding — it’s very 18th century:

Compare them to the back of these: Stays, 1660-80, Victoria & Albert Museum

I am, however, impressed that the servants ALWAYS have neat, tidy hairstyles AND wear caps. There was even a scene where Clara is called to go upstairs, and she’s hanging out in her room cap-less, so she puts on her cap before going up.

I particularly like this cap with its embroidery.

Mom’s dresses continue to be clunky, and I’m constantly distracted by her Steampunk fascinators:

Various characters wear what appear to be brooches in their hair in lieu of tiaras or other hair ornaments:

I feel like this wig (on the queen) was done by whoever did the wigs for Maria Theresia…

Speaking of jewelry, a brooch that supposedly has belonged to every duchess of Castamar for centuries is brought out, and it’s totally an AliExpress special:

The Brooch of Castamar(TM)

And the hair, particularly Amelia’s, is BAD:

Maybe they think it’s 1900-ish??

Because it doesn’t look the least bit 1720s | Elisabeth Farnese (1692-1766), wife of Philippe V and Queen of Spain by Giovanni Maria delle Piane, 1700-49, Palace of Caserta

It’s not even 1780s, which is what they are clearly going for | Lavinia, Countess Spencer, née Bingham (1762-1831), in mauve dress with white frilled collar, powdered upswept hair by Samuel Shelley (auctioned by Christie’s), 1780 | Gogmsite.net

All of the gowns continue to be not-1720. Let’s pick on Amelia a bit:

CORSET CHAFING.

With weird Edwardian Venice lace trim.

This was okay, in that it was more like a court gown (see Elisabeth Farnese above) than the mid- to late-18th century they’re usually in.

If they’re keeping up with the French, they’d be wearing something like this: Robe volante, 1720-30, Palais Galliera

Or a mantua | Figures de modes by Antoine Watteau, c. 1720, Bunka Gakuen Library

Or something like this jacket and petticoat ensemble I talked about last time | Dress, c. 1718, Catalonia, Museu del Disseny de Barcelona

This dress! I think it’s a crappy anglaise? At first I thought the lighter section in back was a trick of the light on changeable taffeta.

Nope, it really is white in the center. WHY.

My favorite moment is when Amelia is going to have a new dress made. The tailor brings out some fabric, which everyone is super excited about because it’s an “indienne”! Indiennes are super fashionable but scarce! Their import is banned! This is actually historically accurate, except, “indiennes” are printed cottons from India. The fabric the tailor displays, and eventually makes a dress from, is totally a woven brocade.

I squinted a lot in the low light, but…

THAT’S A WOVEN BROCADE.

Here are two examples of actual printed cottons made in India for export to Europe from this period:

Fragment, late 17th century, Coromandel Coast, Victoria & Albert Museum

Dress or Furnishing Fabric, ca. 1715-1725, Coromandel Coast, Victoria & Albert Museum

Actual robes à la française are worn, which are at least vaguely more period (being 1740s-60s) than the fitted-back dresses we also see (which are 1770s-80s):

And, this is the wider back pleats that you’d see in the 1740s when the française first came into style, so, it’s better than the narrower/later ones!

This sucker was DIRE on screen. DIRE.

There was one cute redingote, although it’s about 60 years too early for the style and it’s a rewear from Poldark:

Pretty satin! Just, it’s a 1780s style.

As worn by Caroline in season 3 of Poldark.

The bearded men continue to read as SO CHEESY to me:

Especially the Marquis de Soto, since his hair is always long, lustrous, wavy, and uncontained. Note shitty bib instead of cravat.

The Count of Armiño should be slaying me, but I just keep thinking “ROMANCE NOVEL ALERT”

Which is honestly too bad, because these two are major hotties by modern standards:

Hugo Silva! Let me tell you about my fetish for bearded Mediterranean men.

Maxi Iglesias. Not related to Julio or Enrique.

Cheezoid!

The duke of Castamar gets an actual “powdered” wig … with a totally obvious lace front:

Someone forgot to trim the lace.

The duke’s brother, Gabriel, paints a portrait of Amelia and it’s one of the shittier historical portraits I’ve seen on screen:

It’s both a Paint by Numbers AND a southern belle romance novel cover!

Plot-wise … I’m glad that they are showing non-straight characters, and also that they are showing the kind of social conflict being queer would bring in an era of forced heterosexuality:

I like that there’s a well-off character who’s Black, and again, they are showing how that’s a complicated thing to be in this period/location:

Gabriel was adopted into the Castamar family.

I can’t stand the whole “I went out in the rain, now I am at death’s door” plot device:

I’m not saying hypothermia or exposure aren’t things, just, this is such a trope from before-modern-germ-theory.

There’s still a few episodes left, I’ll report back once I’ve finished the series!

Are you watching The Cook of Castamar? How are you feeling about it?