Friday, March 13, 2020

Dressing an Heiress: Cover Reveal!


So, what does a Regency heiress wear?

That’s what my cover designer, Kim Killion of The Killion Group, had to figure out when I asked her to create the cover for the second book in my Grace-by-the-Sea series. The Heiress’s Convenient Husband tells the story of outspoken Eva Faraday, orphaned daughter of a wealthy financier. Eva’s father was a self-made man, and he never wanted his daughter to lack for anything. As a result, Eva can have the most beautiful gowns and the most expensive jewels. Except, she’s not that sort of girl. And her late father tied up her inheritance until she reaches the age of 25 or marries, so she’s living on pin money while the Earl of Howland acts as trustee over her accounts and tries to force her to marry his heir.

Here’s how she described her recent clothing choices:

"Eva had always favored brighter colors, but the earl’s wife had wrinkled her nose and declared that young ladies wore pastels. So, Eva had promptly used her allotment of monthly pin money to buy a length of purple satin, purple embroidered gauze, and a sash the color of the fuchsias in Kew Garden. The countess had averted her eyes whenever Eva wore the outfit."

I hope you didn't avert your eyes!

The Heiress’s Convenient Husband is available for preorder now as an ebook at fine online retailers (print book coming shortly):

Kobo  

The book arrives April 20, 2020.

2 comments:

QNPoohBear said...

The cover is pretty pretty - but- don't hate me- that purple is a little lurid for the Regency era. Dyes were made from plant materials until aniline dyes were invented in the 1860s. While purple and lilac were popular colors, the purple color tended to be more muted and dull.
https://sarahs-history-place.blogspot.com/2011/09/colours-used-in-regency-and-georgian.html

You can see some real life examples and fashion plates by searching "Regency era purple dress." Here's one from 1823 that is close to the color you want. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/61713457363493941/

vs. the Victorian analine purple
https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu/aniline-dyes/
http://thedreamstress.com/2013/09/terminology-what-are-aniline-dyes-or-the-history-of-mauve-and-mauveine/

Yes I know only nerds like me will nitpick the details but Georgette Heyer set the bar REALLY high for nitpicky details!

Regina Scott said...

Of course I don't hate you, QNPoohBear! I always appreciate your insights. I knew about the analine dyes. Sarah's History Place has some rather bright colors. And I was absolutely shocked to see the shades of yellow used in Sir John Soane's house in London. I had no idea Regency folks decorated that brightly, LOL!