How different was Jane Austen's world to the world of today?

In one way it is amazing how popular Jane Austen’s novels are considering that the world she lived in is vastly different from the world we live in today. This fact became extremely obvious to me a few months ago when I went to a Regency ball. I was so excited and found myself a beautiful dress to wear and tried as hard as possible to make everything from my hair to my jewellery to my shoes look authentic. The evening was great fun and could have been in Regency times except there were a few electronic lights on. So the ball itself was very much like it would have been in Regency times except for some swapping of mobile numbers and the money used to buy drinks but if one was to just look at my preparation for the ball one would see how the world has changed.

Firstly, I had a shower and just merrily walked into the bathroom, turned on the taps and enjoyed a nice warm shower. I dressed myself and then began on my hair. I wanted to have ringlets so put some curlers in my hair, out came the hairdryer and not that much later my hair was done. I know I was trying to look authentic but did put on a little make-up and soon we were ready to go. We jumped into the car and off we went and arrived at the ball.

If Jane Austen or one of her contemporaries were going to a ball the preparation would have been quite different. If they chose to wash at all it would have been quite a lengthy process with housemaids bringing in buckets of water to fill a tub and that was once the water was actually heated. Once washed many ladies would have had servants helping them dress and helping them with garments such as corsets. Hair would have been another problem. Assuming it was wet one would have to sit in front of the fire allowing it to dry. A servant would more than likely have helped with styling the hair and hot curling irons would have been used to create ringlets. Some ladies did use powder on their faces but certainly no such thing as lipstick or mascara. Finally to get to the ball ladies would have had to get into a carriage and possibly have a very bumpy ride to the ball.

So just in something as simple as getting ready for an evening out, the world of Jane Austen and that of the 21st Century are hugely different.

The lifestyle was so different in Regency England and things we take for granted were not even thought of but yet Jane Austen’s novels are still as popular as ever possibly proving that even if the world changes, people never do.