An Old Fashioned Girl - Blog

Dear Writer Girl,

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 16:18:26 GMT

Dear writer girl. Maybe you’re perfectly fine the way you are. Like maybe it’s okay if you don’t touch your manuscript for 700 days.

Writer girl, live your life - drink tea all night long while you pour over the great works of fiction, run away to Paris, or Dublin, or Charlotte. Find inspiration in the mundane little things around you. If you don’t write today you’re going to be okay.

Perhaps tomorrow the words will come, or maybe you need to pick up painting and you’ll find the inspiration there.

Perhaps you need to have your heart broken and then sewn back together. Maybe you have to lock yourself in a room to finish your manuscript, or draft it in a string of text messages. Maybe you need to rent Emily Dickinson’s bedroom for an hour and write there, or maybe you need to go down to your basement and find inspiration in the unfinished floors.

Maybe it doesn’t have to look the way it looks for everyone else.

We get so caught up in word counts and publishing deals we forget about the smell of freshly sharpened pencils and the taste of coffee that has gone cold, and how disorienting it feels to finish writing for the day.

Writing’s this chaotic lifestyle of clacking away and reminding yourself that you still have to live.

A few years ago I would have told you that my best writing advice would be to write a little every day, to read a lot, and to make sure you have fun with your writing. Back then it was all about the act. The finger clacking, the outlines with hundreds of little check boxes. That was how I wrote. I thought there needed to be a method and I thought my book had to look like all of the other books and go viral on TikTok as well as bring millions of people to Jesus. I thought that I had to just pull all of this potential out of myself and throw it onto paper.

All of that has changed.

I don’t write that way anymore.

If you asked me today what my writing advice is I would tell you to listen to the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack and cry on your bed until your mascara stains your pillowcase. I would tell you to book a flight to London, to buy yourself an exotic perfume, to keep a stack of un-read books on hand just in case.

You want writing advice? I’ll give it to you - dance for an hour in your bedroom, laugh too loudly, take notes when you see people flirting, try to figure out why someone got that tattoo.

Watch movies, stupid ones, amazing ones. Laugh to them, cry to them, talk over them, hyperanalyze them. Read books, old ones, new ones, picture books, war novels, theology, science. Laugh at them, cry over them, write all over their pages, force other people to read them, hyperanalyze them, and sew pieces of them into your personality.

I’d tell you to make friends with random people and to listen to what they have to say. Let yourself be anxious, sad, angry, happy, giddy. Live your life, feel the things you were designed to feel. Eat food, buy coffee, start a scrapbook, take a picture every day of your life.

That’s how you write.

Yes you still have to get out of bed and find your way to your laptop. You still have to make the keyboard keys move and the letters turn into stories. But you have to experience life, let it happen. You have to be patient, maybe it won’t happen now, or maybe it will. Follow your fancies, don’t push words out that aren’t meant to be pushed out. Pray over your manuscript, your hands, each email you send, each new opportunity.

Get a job, go to school, join something, meet someone, be there for your family.

Sing along to the radio, write some letters, fold laundry.

Dance in the rain, gaze at the stars, throw leaves in someone’s face.

Live the story that is your life, and the words will come from there.

Dear writer girl. You’re gonna be okay. You’re not a failure if you’re not a success today. Live the beautiful life God has planned for you. The words will come, they always do. You’ll feel inspired again some day, even if that day is not today.

You have to live too. The stories happen out there in the big world we call home. We are the characters. The more we learn, the more we do, the more we observe, the better writers we become.

Write poetry. Write songs. Write a play. Don’t worry about writing your magnum opus. Jot down everything, read your Bible every day, take care of your body. Tend to your mind, protect your heart. Write.

Write on the lives of those around you by caring. Be loving and kind, be such an example of Jesus that everyone will know you live for him. Write on the places you visit by respecting them and caring for them as if they are your own. Write on your own heart your worth. Write letters to your future self telling her how proud you are of her.

Leave your handwriting everywhere just by living the way you live.

Dear writer girl - you’re gonna go places. I know you will. Live and write and the rest will come.

Writer girl, don’t let them tell you your dreams are silly - that you’re wasting your life.

Write that book.

Live that life.

You are here for a reason.

God put you here to do this.

Stop telling yourself you can’t when you really actually can.

Dear writer girl.

Belle Thomas

Belle is the writer and dreamer behind An Old Fashioned Girl. She is passionate about reminding girls of their identity in Christ, classic books, history, Louisa May Alcott, and earl grey tea.

Two Years of An Old Fashioned Girl

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 04:00:00 GMT

“The "Old-Fashioned Girl" is not intended as a perfect model, but as a possible improvement upon the Girl of the Period, who seems sorrowfully ignorant or ashamed of the good old fashions which make women truly beautiful and honored."
-Louisa May Alcott, An Old Fashioned Girl

Two years ago, on March 14, I hit publish on this little website. I prayed that it would make a difference, that it would be a comfort to someone, that people would be reminded of days gone by.

I started this blog as two things, a place for me to share my writing, and a place where I could be my true self. I started this blog while a member of The Young Writer’s Workshop and was hungry for a quiet place on the internet that was full of all of the things I love - history, literature, and Jesus.

The blog started out small, and guess what it’s still small! But I am full of gratitude, gratitude for each of you who reads my posts every week, for those of you who take the time to leave comments, and to God for giving me this platform and allowing An Old Fashioned Girl to grow.

This week we are celebrating all the Lord has done with this little platform.

The Last Year in Blog Posts -

I posted many a blog post this year, here is a list of some standouts

The Best Post - In Search of Wisteria - this post was an intro to my England posts, but it also serves as a little window into my heart.

The Worst Post - honestly I don’t have one I hate from this year :)

My Favorite Post - Who Can Ever Be Tired of Bath? - this post was where I recorded one of the best days of my life which easily makes it a favorite.

The Weirdest Post - Ranking Every Disney Channel Movie I’ve Seen - what was she doing here? I don't have an answer for you.

The Post I Had The Most Fun Writing - Unhinged Thoughts on Pride and Prejudice 1995 - watching this movie and taking note of all the weird and wonderful things was so much fun (even though it ended up being highly controversial).

Celebrating -

If there was one thing I'd have you know about me, it's that I love to make the little things important. I love celebrating small wins as well as big accomplishments. So, on Friday for the blogiversary I bought us a cake. I hope you can take a second to imagine me standing the bakery waiting for the cake to be finished in my floral dress and sweater, and I hope you can imagine the casual embarrassment on my face when two random ladies read the text on the cake without any context (and also look me over from head to toe).

But despite that, to me cake is how you celebrate. And even though it feels weird for me to celebrate my blog turning two in this way, I realize that hard work needs to be appreciated. Even if it means buying myself a cake.

Birthdays and blogiversaries aren't complete without gifts, so I bought myself a book. It might surprise you to know that I never have owned a copy of the book this little blog is named after.

An Old Fashioned Girl is a tender and beautiful book by my favorite author Louisa May Alcott. The message of the book guides this blog.

So I bought a copy.

This baby girl is from 1903, and is in wonderful condition. It's something I will treasure and page through often. I'm so grateful that I had the opportunity to purchase this edition.

The Blog Going Forward

I started this blog out to be a safe space, and I want to continue to do that. I promise to not get into politics, social issues, or to talk about topics that are controversial (other than books of course). I want to keep this space clean and beautiful by fostering a kind community. I want to talk about Jesus’s love for you, I want to share about the things that bring me joy. I want us to talk about books, movies, music, the things that inspire us to be creative. I want to go back to why I started this blog, return to the original mission, to remind you that there is beauty in everything, especially the small and insignificant things. I want this to reflect in my continuing blog posts and everywhere that I expand my platform.

I also want this blog to be for you, even though I’m the one doing the talking, An Old Fashioned Girl is here to serve you <3.

An Old Fashioned Girl isn't me, the Old Fashioned Girl is any girl who sees life a little differently, who sees the beauty in the small things. Any girl who like Louisa's Polly Milton " ...thought that insignificant as she was, she yet might do some good, made her very careful of her acts and words, and so anxious to keep her heart contented and her face happy."

What Does An Old Fashioned Girl Mean To You?

Last week I asked my email list subscribers this question, and the responses warmed my heart (and made me cry). This blog isn't about me, but you. So here is what An Old Fashioned Girl means to you, (and me.) Thank you to everyone who shared!!

"I found this blog through YWW, and it never fails to bring me a sense of coziness and peace. I rarely skip over a post, and I've found some wonderful book recommendations from this blog! The posts are very thoughtful, engaging, and aesthetic. :)"
-Anna

"I found this blog after I discovered Belle's writing and after she left the writing community we were both a part of at the time. It started as a way to sort of keep in contact with her. However, it quickly became more than that, instead turning to my favorite blog! It offers such a calming environment on the internet (both her blog and her YouTube channel) that I honestly use to relax. Oftentimes I'm having a rough day and it just makes me so much happier to find an email notification for a blog post in my inbox."
-Haniah

"I found this blog because I was searching for beautiful newsletters to sign up for,and this is certainly just that!"

"I came across your blog because I know you, but I stuck around because it’s just a really cool space. It’s like stepping into a slower, more thoughtful world—where books, faith, and the little joys in life actually matter. I love how you bring that old-fashioned charm into everything you write. Whether it’s talking about literature, life, or just random thoughts, it always feels genuine. It’s refreshing, and I think a lot of people appreciate that."
-Ben

"I found An Old Fashioned Girl through Pearl Christine's blog. As soon as I saw the title and realized it was taken from my favourite novel, I knew I'd found something amazing! I've loved reading how you analyze novels, authors, and movies, including many of my favourites, and I look forward to reading your posts."
-Olivia

"It's a mesh of old and new! With vintage inspiration and modern ideas, it's the perfect place for old souls living in the 21st century."
-Molly

"An Old-Fashioned Girl blog is a weekly source of delight. The content is very wholesome, each post is very enjoyable to read and shines with Belle's beautiful worldview and I'm always reminded of where my focus needs to be – on God. Belle is very thoughtful and has beautiful views on how to live life to the fullest. I am very grateful for every post! ❤️"
-Oceana Rose

"I love Old Fashioned Girl so much! The posts are always so helpful. The overall vibe of the blog is so aesthetic and vintage and peaceful. "
-Bella

"It's such a sweet blog! Belle covers a spectrum of lovely content, from book reviews to travel to encouragement for the growing girl to idyllic things you can do to make life beautiful :)"
-Lillian

"I found the blog through an email list swap about a year ago, and I have loved it. My favorite posts are often the ones on Little Women and Jane Austen, and I loved the multi-part series you did a while back breaking down the similarities and differences in the 1994 and 2019 Little Women film versions. I also have enjoyed your recent recommendation on the website with recipes for single-serve cookies and other baked goods. As someone who often house sits, it is nice to have something that I can do for just me without having to make a whole pan that I won't eat!

All in all, I love the focus on older and classic stories for girls and women, and I do enjoy the occasional post about life as well. I would love to see even more thoughts on evaluating different adaptations of classic girls stories for film and radio drama. I'd like to hear what you think of the Focus on the Family Radio Theater Little Women version, since several people I have talked to loved it and it is also one of my favorites!"
-Anna

(a note from Belle - how have I never heard of the Focus on the Family Little Women?! I will find it as soon as possible and write a post about it!!)

"From its meaningful name, reminiscent of the old days, those values, those more humane ways, Polly Milton was the embodiment of all of this, of that simple, yet beautiful, and meaningful life; to its inspiring posts, by its creator, Belle, I think An Old Fashioned Girl is a unique space. I discovered this blog about a year ago and loved the mix of so many topics; and I can't forget that post from last year, "Something for the Girls." It came as a response to something I truly needed, and now I'm truly grateful for it. I think that's all there is to it. Greetings from somewhere in the world.🌷🌷🌷🌷"
-Ellen

Something I mentioned in my post last year was that I write to fourteen year old me. In the blogging community people often talk about your blog persona. Who is it that you write for? People tell you to write all about her, figure out what she looks like, what her day looks like, what she eats, where she shops, what music she listens to and so on and so forth. I always struggled with that prompt, because the girl I end up with always looks a lot like me.

I always come back to me at 14. She was anxious, alone, and she discovered classic books for the first time. She wanted to fly away to the Victorian period because then maybe things wouldn’t seem so hard. That girl had to learn to rely on Jesus, she had to learn how to find joy in the life she was placed in. I write for her and for the thousands of girls who look a lot like her. If that portrait of me at 14 sounds anything like you, then know that you’re in the right place.

With all of that in mind, I wrote my own response to the question "What does An Old Fashioned Girl mean to you?"

"Belle, I just want to share how proud I am of you. How far you’ve come. Remember being that anxious little 14 year old girl who found solace in Louisa May Alcott and L.M. Montgomery? Remember how alone you felt. Now you have the power to help other girls overcome that pain. I know it hasn’t been easy. I know you’ve doubted your abilities, been stressed about so many analytical details. I know you’ve had so many anxious days and cried so many buckets of tears, but you’ve impacted the life of at least one girl (you), and that makes everything worth it. What does An Old Fashioned Girl mean to me? Well An Old Fashioned Girl is me. It’s the place where I am truest self, a place where I can pour out love onto other girls who also feel trapped in the 21st century. It’s my home, it’s my heart, it’s the one thing that I will continue doing as long as I possibly can. It won’t be easy, but you know that already. I’m so proud of you. Imagine if we only knew how far we would have come when we launched back in 2023.

I’m listening to “Letter to my 13 Year Old Self” by Laufey right now and feeling so emotional, so proud, so grateful.
Jesus has carried you and helped you through so much to do what you are doing now.
I love you.
Thank you for changing my life."
-Me

“And Polly didn't think she had done much; but it was one of the little things which are always waiting to be done in this world of ours, where rainy days come so often, where spirits get out of tune, and duty won't go hand in hand with pleasure. Little things of this sort are especially good work for little people; a kind little thought, an unselfish little act, a cheery little word, are so sweet and comfortable, that no one can fail to feel their beauty and love the giver, no matter how small they are."
-Louisa May Alcott, An Old Fashioned Girl

Belle Thomas

Belle is the writer and dreamer behind An Old Fashioned Girl. She is passionate about reminding girls of their identity in Christ, classic books, history, Louisa May Alcott, and earl grey tea.

25 Ways To Have Fun Alone

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 21:00:04 GMT

A few weeks ago I wrote a blog post with 25 things you can do with your friends. Some of you mentioned how you don’t have many friends who live near you and I began thinking about a time in my life when I didn’t have many friends either. I understand how hard that can be, especially when you see other people having fun. Trust that God has good plans for you my loves. But, while you are in this waiting season I have tons of fun things for you to do.

(all images are from Pinterest)

This is also a great list of things you can do to recharge, care for yourself, or just do for fun.
I have ten ideas of small happy things you can do when you feel sad, anxious, lonely, or are just bored. Then I have ten solo hangout/date ideas, these are more out and about or planned activities that you can do by yourself (or with someone else let’s be real). Then finally I have five activities that you can do with long distance and online friends through text and video calls.

Little Recharge Activities

Here at An Old Fashioned Girl we (as in me), are all about finding joy in the small things. These are activities that are perfect things to brighten up any day.

1. A Body Reset

This is something I like to do once a week or so. Take some time to stretch, do yoga, take a walk or something else active that makes you feel good. Then take a full body shower with your favorite products. Afterwards use lotion, body mist, your favorite lip mask etc. and put on fresh pajamas. This always calms me down and helps my body feel like it has reset.

2. Make a Fun Drink

If you know me, you know I love a fun drink. Personally, I think there’s nothing better than making a drink for yourself, there is something so therapeutic about the process of making a drink. You could simply make a cup of tea, or you could experiment with mocktails, matchas, different kinds of coffees or something totally new. Take inspiration from famous cafes, your favorite desserts, and the seasons.

3. Buy Yourself Something You Don't Need

I don’t know about you, but I tend to get caught up in the “if I don’t need it, I shouldn't buy it” mindset. But once in a while, buy yourself something! It could be a favorite snack, a new makeup product, you could pre-order a new book, treat yourself to a cute piece of clothing or a new tea. The list is literally endless. I especially love things that I can order and then can look forward to their arrival.

4. Have a Dance Party

No matter who you are, you deserve a dance party. Solo dance parties are my personal favorite because no one can judge how you dance or what music you play. I like to pull the shades shut, make a playlist of the random songs I’m obsessed with at the moment and then just dance. This always makes me feel so so good!

5. Journal

I know this isn’t a fun thing for everyone, but hear me out. Writing about your feelings, your day, your favorite things, the movie you watched last night, whatever it is is such a calming experience. It helps me focus on what I’m writing and not all of the thoughts going through my head or the pain/stress/anxiety/exhaustion etc running through my body. Don’t confine yourself to writing either, use stickers, pictures from Pinterest or your everyday life, draw, write in code or sudoku or with tears whatever helps you express yourself! And just because extra is the best way to be, pair a journaling session with a fun drink and a candle!
Let me know if you want a full post about my journaling journey, processes, and prompts!

6. Take a Walk

But not just any walk my loves. Romanticize that walk. Listen to an audiobook and dress like the characters in it. Listen to music and pick flowers. Talk out loud to God, read poetry and frolick through the streets. Touch every leaf just to feel it, walk backwards, stop to listen to your breathing or to see the way the sun hits the cars. Take pictures, press leaves, pick wild grapes. Walk but make it something special.

7. Read Only Your Favorite Chapters of Your Favorite Books

This is especially good if you feel sad or lonely. Pull your favorite books off of your shelf and read your favorite chapters in each of them. For me this is Chapter 8 of Little Women, Chapter 26 of Ella Enchanted, and Chapter 15 in Anne of Green Gables. (Let me know what your favorites are!)

8. Small Batch Baking

Bestie if you haven’t done this before, you need to! This is my favorite thing to do when I’m home alone or just want a little treat all to myself. The recipes tend to take only a few minutes and they make small servings if you don’t want to make a whole batch of something. My favorite recipes are always from Broma Bakery. I love that if I want to I can make them randomly after work or school and it’s such a good mood boost.

9. Write a Letter To Yourself

Taking a few minutes to write a letter to yourself full of hopes, dreams and encouragement is so much fun. You could write to your past self, yourself in the future, or yourself right in this moment. Seal it up and write a date on the envelope for when you will read it again. This could take a few minutes or you could make an afternoon out of it.

10. Solo Karaoke

Yes this is very similar to the dance party idea, but it’s a little different. Singing for some reason is something that always boosts my mood. You can have a little karaoke party on your commute, or you can use actual karaoke tracks in your bedroom, backyard or randomly in public if you’re cool like that.

Solo Hangouts

Have a free weekend with no friends who are free? Don’t feel like socializing? Need a little extra alone time? Then these ideas are perfect for you. They’re things you can happily do in your own company. These are a little more in depth then the last 10 activities as some of these may require more preparation. Some of them are out and about, some are easy to do at home.

1. Curate A Space To Make Your Favorite Online Activity Feel Classy

I love watching Youtube videos and I love scrolling through Pinterest, but neither of these activities feel very productive unless I’m sick or waiting in a line or something. A fun solo activity could be to make your YouTube video sessions feel like a short film festival. Write reviews of each video, eat movie theater snacks and host mental interviews with the creators.

Scroll through Pinterest but it’s an art gallery event. Make mocktails and appetizers and dress up to make your boards. Play jazz or classical music, dim the lights and feel like the classy lady you are.

2. Solo Coffee Shop Date

As has been said already, I love a fun drink. Cafes and coffee shops just appeal to my soul. Something very easy and very fun to do is to go solo to a coffee shop. Buy yourself a drink and a treat, bring a good book to read, and have a good playlist playing in your headphones and you’ve set yourself up for the best afternoon ever.

3. Go To A Museum

I love museums, but it can be hard when you have a large group of people who all want to see different things. That’s why going to a museum is the perfect solo activity. You can look at what interests you and stay as long as you want or leave as soon as you are ready.

4. Have a Time of Reflection

Go to your favorite place, whether that’s in nature, your bedroom, a coffee shop or somewhere else entirely. Take the time to reflect on yourself and your life. You can read your Bible, prayer journal, scrapbook, write about what’s been going on in your life, pray, write a letter to yourself, and go through your camera roll.

5. Live Like You're In Your Favorite Book

Most of us here are book lovers, I think for a lot of us there is nothing we would like better than to live in our favorite books for a day. Plan a day for yourself where you’ll eat the foods your favorite character might eat, dress how they might dress, do activities they might enjoy (or that they do in the book). The best part? No one really has to know that you’re reliving a book.

6. Read a Book In a Single Day

To me, there is nothing more comforting than reading a book in one day. Pick a book you’ve really been looking forward to, make sure your favorite sweatpants are clean and that you have a stash of favorite snacks, and spend the entire day reading your little book.

7. Create Something

I find so much satisfaction in creating something. Why not take some time to make something beautiful? It could be a painting, a piece of jewelry, diying a pair of jeans, making flower crowns, painting candles, anything. Make it fun for yourself, curate a playlist, buy Ollipop and your favorite chips, open the windows if it’s a nice day, and create.

8. Go on a Picnic by Yourself

I have a deep affection for picnics that manifests itself in lists of saved recipes and a wicker picnic basket I rarely use that has plastic champagne flutes included with it. Solo picnics are the most girl in a book activity I can think of. You only need enough food for one person (and it can be all of your favorites), you can bring your drawing, or poetry, or camera, or book, or Bible, spread a blanket out and listen to the birds. You can go somewhere special for it or just do it in your backyard. Bonus points if it’s at sunrise or sunset.

9. Solo Movie Night

I don’t know about you, but there are some movies I love so much that the people in my life are sick of or just don’t care about. So carve out time to watch those movies alone. Again, get all the snacks, the comfy clothes, build a fort or something if you’re feeling extra and enjoy Mary Poppins (or whatever film it is for you).

10. Vlog or Have a Photo Shoot

Plan a fun day (literally could be as simple as going to the pool and getting coffee) bus use your creativity and film it or take photos of everything. Make it cute, make it fun. You don’t have to share it with everyone, but experiment with photography. Doing this isn’t just fun, it also helps you realize how beautiful your boring little life actually is.

Things to Do With Virtual Friends

I know a lot of us have friends who don’t live near us so most of our communication happens digitally. Here are five things you can do with them because hanging out is hard when you live thousands of miles away.

1. Have a Bookclub

Read a book at the same time as your friends, then you can either have a group chat where you discuss the book, or do a video call once you all finish it.

2. Cook Something Together (or make a craft)

If you and your friend have a similar hobby such as cooking or crafting you can still do it together. Pick a recipe or project, call each other and stumble (or work through it) together.

3. Study Together

It is my opinion that pretty much anything is better with friends. You and your friend can save homework, projects, or even hobbies to do together while on a call. Sure you might get nothing done, but it’s a great way to spend time together when you’re apart.

4. Answer Questions

I don’t know what to actually call this, but this is something one of my best friends and I do all of the time over text. We name a subject, and the other person has to say either their friend's favorite or what reminds them of their friend’s personality. For example the topic could be months of the year, for my friend September is a month that just seems like her. It’s a fun way to see how well you know your friends and to give each other compliments.

5. Have a Virtual Scavenger Hunt

Make a list with your friend and then pick a day to do it. Each of you can go around your home or town and take pictures of the items on your list. As soon as you find it, text them to each other, whoever finds everything first wins. You could combine this with a solo date around town to make it even more fun. Make sure you both start at the same time and you take time zones into account.

Those were all of my activity recommendations that are solo or virtual. If you’re in a season without many friends, remember to lean on the best friend you could ever have, Jesus. And trust me when I say that he has people planned for you.

Belle Thomas

Belle is the writer and dreamer behind An Old Fashioned Girl. She is passionate about reminding girls of their identity in Christ, classic books, history, Louisa May Alcott, and earl grey tea.

How To Start Reading Jane Austen (the ultimate guide)

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 23:41:18 GMT

Hello there friend. Today I am going to be doing something I have no business doing. Giving you a guide on how to read Jane Austen.

This is a guide to Jane Austen by a girl who doesn’t take herself very seriously, so just keep that in the back of your head.

I have read every Jane Austen novel almost twice, I’m not sure where this puts me credential wise, but I just thought I’d put that out there.

Whenever you talk about liking classic books people automatically think of Jane Austen, yet at the same time I hear so many people (in my everyday life, on the blog, and online) saying they feel intimidated by her works, don’t feel smart enough, or don’t know where to start. Hopefully this post will help dispel each of those fears.

Let's Address Those Fears...

First of all, if you are approaching Jane Austen with any fears, let me remind you that we read for fun. We don’t read because of what other people will think of us or because we feel like we have to. We read because we desire knowledge and escape. Don’t treat Jane Austen like it’s an academic text you’re being forced to read or a holy grail that if you misunderstand it you will get hunted by the illuminati, treat it like any other novel you might pick up for fun. Not to say that everyone agrees with this train of thought, but trust me, it’s much better this way.

I also want to give a disclaimer that if you’re someone who wants to “get back into reading” Jane Austen isn’t likely the best place to start. I recommend Austen for people who already identify as readers and understand tropes of literature.

Jane Austen wrote six complete books in her lifetime, each with legions of fans, most of her books are very long and full of characters, so it makes sense that a lot of readers are intimidated. My best advice for you would be to just read one (I am going to give a recommended order down below).

If you don’t feel smart enough, I just want to give you a big ol’ hug and read the book to you, because you are smart enough. Yes there are college courses that study the nuances of Jane Austen, but that wasn’t the reason she wrote her books. She wrote for the common woman, she wrote about everyday society. Yes there is social commentary that may go over your head, but that’s what re-reads are for. Just enjoy the romance, the drama, and the comedy of the books, that’s why they exist in the first place. If you learn something, great, but if you just have a good time, that’s also great.

All About Jane

Okay so let’s talk about the woman herself - Jane. Jane Austen was born in December of 1775 in Hampshire, England (just before the American Revolution began if that helps you place the time period.) She was a daughter of a reverend, and was born into a large family. The Austen family was considered middle class. Jane was primarily educated at home and had access to a large amount of books. She began writing at a young age and much of her young writing still exists. Jane never married (though she was once engaged for about 12 hours, and is said to have fallen in love a few times).

Jane had four novels published during her lifetime anonymously under the pseudonym ‘a lady’. Her identity was suspected by many because of her brother bragging about her, but it wasn’t officially public until after her death when the same brother published a Biographical Notice about her alongside her final two novels.

Jane died in 1817 and left a legacy of literature behind her.

A Little Bit of History (yay!)

The time period Jane’s books are set in was a tumultuous time in history. England was being reigned by both King George III and King George IV. George IV reigned as Prince Regent due to his father’s illness hence why this period in time is often called the Regency period. This was a time when class systems still ruled England and money was crucial to one’s place in society. This was also the period where America was seeking her independence and Napoleon was waging wars all through Europe (hence why we see so many references to officers and navy men in Jane’s work).

Culture at the time was very reflective of the Renaissance period, with people seeking knowledge and well-roundedness. Gender roles in this time period were very defined as we see in Austen’s books, but Austen pushed the boundaries with having outspoken women as some of her heroines. Fashion of the time was loose and white, reminiscent of the styles of ancient Greece, the architecture of the time also reflects this.

Novels still weren’t very popular at the time Jane was publishing hers, they were looked down upon as something only for women, though this was the period where that began to change.

Okay that’s enough of my nerdy history lesson, let’s get into what you’re really here for… the books.

Publication Order And My Recommended Reading Order

The publication order of Austen's books are as follows
Sense and Sensibility (1811)
Pride and Prejudice (1813)
   Mansfield Park (1814)
   Emma (1815)
   Northanger Abbey (1817)
   Persuasion (1817)
   (both Northanger Abbey and Persuasion were published together posthumously with the Biographical Notice.)

The publication order could be a really fun way to read the books, (or you could read them in writing order), but I have a much better order for you.
This is my recommended reading order plus some little summaries. These are all spoiler free, but below I’m going to give small summaries on the meanings of the books just to help you understand it if you’ve read it and are still confused!

Pride and Prejudice

This is the Jane Austen book that comes to everyone’s mind. It’s a beautiful and well known story. I recommend reading this first because it’s the most well known and also the easiest to get into. It’s about the Bennet family, a family with five unmarried daughters. Mrs. Bennet is set on getting all of her girls married, so when Mr. Bingley comes to town, she takes it upon herself to get one of her daughters married to him. He also brings with him his dear friend Mr. Darcy who quickly hurts the pride of Elizabeth (the second sister), causing her to loathe him with all of her heart. This is a fast paced, humorous romance, with lots of spunk.

2. Sense and SensibilitySense and Sensibility is second because to me it’s just a more grown up version of Pride and Prejudice. It’s about the Dashwood sisters who have to move out of their home following their father’s death. The story follows them settling into a new life, and meeting young men. Not as fast paced as P+P, but just as witty, this book focuses a lot on sisterly relationships. There is romance and drama because it is Jane Austen after all, but go to this book for the sisters not the romance.

3. Emma
Emma Woodhouse is happy to be single, thank you very much. She loves matchmaking her friends, but has no hopes of settling down herself. This book follows Emma through many a matchmaking disaster. Austen’s longest novel is full of character sketches and subplots full of funny, unlikeable, and charming characters. With this book you just have to trust the process, that we will eventually make it to the happy ending. I genuinely love Emma and think it’s a great segue into Austen’s more complicated works.

4. Northanger Abbey

Northanger Abbey isn’t hard to read, but in my opinion it should not be the first Austen book you read. It’s a satire of gothic novel form so it helps to have a basic understanding of what that was. A lot of the humor in the novel hinges on the format. It features Austen's youngest heroine (17), Catherine, who loves gothic books. She goes on a trip to Bath and meets some interesting people. Later on she visits a gothic abbey and believes all sorts of paranormal things to be happening. It’s hilarious, romantic, and perfect for book lovers.

5. Persuasion

Austen’s last novel is a slowwwwwwwwwwwwwww burn second chance romance. I love it, but it is slower. It’s about Anne Eliot who was at one time engaged to Captain Wentworth but was persuaded to break off the engagement. When he comes back into town as the most eligible bachelor, Anne has to put her feelings aside.

5. Mansfield Park
The last Jane Austen book you should read is my baby, Mansfield Park. I will defend this book like a mama bear defending her cubs, but it probably shouldn't be the first austen you pick up. It’s about Fanny Price, a girl with a dismal background who gets adopted by her cousins the Bertrams. The book is a deep analysis of religion in the regency period and views human temptation and purity from various sides. It’s slow (the second longest), but trust me it’s worth it. And don’t worry we still get the classic Austen making new acquaintances and getting into drama. Yes a few things are a bit off to modern readers, but remember that it was written over 200 years ago.

I hope you enjoyed this blog post, learned something new, decided to start your Austen journey, and just enjoyed yapping with me. See you next week!

Belle Thomas

Belle is the writer and dreamer behind An Old Fashioned Girl. She is passionate about reminding girls of their identity in Christ, classic books, history, Louisa May Alcott, and earl grey tea.

A Step by Step Guide to Hosting a Galentines

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 20:20:50 GMT

This past weekend, I threw a Galentines party for my friends. Galentines is the perfect opportunity to prioritize the amazing girls and women in your life and show each other love

It’s also of course the perfect time to go all girly with pink, hearts, and florals and basically just live out your aesthetic dreams.

Even though Valentines has passed, it’s still not too late to throw together a Galentines. So in this post I’m going to be walking you through the food I made, the activities we did, and the decorations.

Food-

I chose to make our event a brunch since that worked with everyone’s work schedules, so we’re talking about a lush breakfast spread.

I made almond croissants that were amazing! I used this recipe from Broma Bakery with a few changes. I used 12 croissants so I doubled the filling, but I made only a single recipe of the simple syrup because from experience I know that simple syrup tends to go a lot farther than you would think.

Of course, it’s not brunch without fruit. I cut a melon into little hearts, and made chocolate covered strawberries with pink and pearly sprinkles.

For savories I made heart shaped mini omelets (because I had a heart shaped silicone mold), and breakfast sausages. The eggs were baked and filled with red peppers, parsley and shredded cheese.

No party is complete without fun drinks. I created a little diy mocktail station with pink lemonade, seltzer, lemons, and strawberries that I cut into heart shapes. Each girl was able to mix her own drink which was a lot of fun. I also made two pots of tea (one of Yorkshire tea, and one passionfruit green tea). You could also serve coffee, energy drinks served in goblets, hot chocolate, or your favorite juice.

The Vibes-

A huge part to making a party successful is the vibe. You want to create an environment that is relaxing and that fits the season.

The table setting was simple yet cute. I used a white tablecloth and red dishes. On top of each plate I put a pink and red valentines napkin and a namecard. I really like doing arranged seating because then you can arrange where you want each guest and it adds a personal touch to the place settings. In addition to just writing out each girl’s name, I put a Bible verse about love on the back of each name plate. Each girl got one of my prized flower tea cups (something that I also like to create a more personal air. Mismatched china is so cozy and I love giving each girl a teacup that fits her personality.) I cut small hearts out of red and pink construction paper and an old book I use for crafts, and lined the center of the table with silver candle votives. Candlesticks or flower arrangements could be a very nice touch.

To add to the vibes, I bought everyone heartshaped sunglasses. I also made little signs for the different activities we did all with the same design to help everything be a little more cohesive.

Finally, music is so important! I decided that since this party was all about the girls, I would have the girls curate the playlist. So, in my invitation I asked each girl to send me her three favorite love songs. The playlist was full of everyone’s favorites which again, made everything feel so much more personal.

Activities-

Activities were the perfect thing to round out the party (though I do think I should have had at least one more.)

The first activity we did while we ate, it’s a game I came up with called “Things I Love.” I had each person write on separate pieces of paper things they love, then we mixed them all up and had to guess who we thought wrote down each thing.

When I was a kid, something I loved about Valentine's day was swapping Valentines with my friends, so I decided to emulate that a little for this party. I diyed this envelope corkboard and we all sat down and wrote notes to one another. Some were sweet, some silly, and they all made the perfect little thing for each girl to take home.

Finally, we did a craft. I bought this charm bracelet making kit on Amazon. We spent probably an hour choosing charms and assembling bracelets. We each made bracelets that represented our personalities, and we were cracking up suggesting random charms to each other.

I hope you enjoyed this little recap/how-to-guide. Let me know if you decide to host a Galentines, or if you make any of the recipes or do nay of the crafts! What did you do for Valentines?

With love and a good book, see ya next week <3

Belle Thomas

Belle is the writer and dreamer behind An Old Fashioned Girl. She is passionate about reminding girls of their identity in Christ, classic books, history, Louisa May Alcott, and earl grey tea.

Romance Book Recommendations

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Hi friends! It’s the month of love as I’m sure you know, so I decided it would be fun (and helpful) to share some of my favorite romance books. I recently have been really enjoying historical romance and even some contemporary (I wanted to avoid classics for this post because those can be daunting and you’ve probably recommended them enough). These are all super wholesome, kiss only books that are light and fun.

Genre: Regency Romance
If you’re looking for a book that is a mix of an atmospheric romance book and a Jane Austen novel with nothing serious in it, this proper romance is for you. It’s about Miss Newbury, an engaged young lady who has a list of activities she wants to complete before her wedding. Set in the Regency period in spring this book has the perfect atmosphere. It’s a bit cheesy I will warn you, but I fully believe that there’s always a time and place for that.

Genre: Contemporary YA Romance
This is a YA romance set in Paris. It’s about a girl who goes to a ballet camp in Paris for the summer and meets a handsome boy. They run all around Paris, get into trouble and of course fall in love. I read it this summer and enjoyed it far more than I expected. French food, ballet, Degas paintings, and a swoon worthy Parisian romance combine to make this book a treat.

Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy
If you’re looking for something more fairy-tale-esque where romance isn’t the central plot (this book is great for middle-schoolers), you may love this book. It’s a retelling of Beauty and the Beast (pre-Disney film). It’s about Beauty, a smart girl who is forced to live with a beast to pay off her father's 'debt'. Of course, you know how it all goes… This book is so good, it also was the inspiration for two pieces of media that are literally my personality - Ella Enchanted and Disney’s Beauty and The Beast.

Genre: Adult Historical Fiction
I'm really into what I call "grandma books." They're wholesome historical romances that are often in large print ;). I talked about this book in my top books of 2025, but I have to talk about it again. Set in World War Two England this is a book about a single mother working in a library. It can be a little intense with bombings just so you know. There is a sweet romance subplot that I loved so very much, it's tender and genuine. This book is moving, cozy, and all around wonderful. It's kind of like a more grown-up version of A Place To Hang The Moon.

Genre: Christian Historical Romance
This is the first book in a Christian Historical Romance trilogy, and also falls into the "grandma book" category. It follows Marigold, a spy disguised as an Edwardian Socialite. Her family is in the investigating business, (so basically they know everything about everyone.) This book is full of intrigue, romance, and strong faith. It’s kind of hard to describe because there are so many layers, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Genre: Contemporary YA Romance
If there was ever a book written with me in mind it was this one. I cannot tell you how genuinely thrilled and surprised I was by this book.

It’s about Britt, a soccer player with a blood disease that is keeping her off of the field. She goes to England for a scavenger hunt hosted by her high school English teacher, and meets Luke, a charming and smart British boy. Britt embarks on a scavenger hunt across England based around literature and Luke joins her on her adventure. This book was perfect, the author is also a Christian so she brought in some fantastic Christian themes. It's literally everything I could want in a YA Romance.

I hope you found some books to add to your Valentines day plans! Have you read any of these? Do any of them especially stick out to you? Do you have a favorite romance book?

Belle Thomas

Belle is the writer and dreamer behind An Old Fashioned Girl. She is passionate about reminding girls of their identity in Christ, classic books, history, Louisa May Alcott, and earl grey tea.

Unhinged Thoughts on Pride and Prejudice 1995

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 17:50:46 GMT

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but in all of my ranting and raving about book to movie adaptations there has been one subject matter that I have avoided. I have avoided it for many reasons, feeling like I’m not smart enough to address it, not wanting to add to the endless noise that already exists on the internet about this subject matter, having avoided watching one of the films in the debate, not feeling like I am a true fan of the original work, and my fear of being banned by all Jane Austen fan clubs across the world.

But you know what, I’m not going to talk down about myself and my knowledge when it comes to this debate any longer. So these past two weeks were devoted to re-reading the original work. Then when I was sick this past week I sat down, dedicated 6 hours of my life to the 1995 Pride and Prejudice.

I have talked a little bit about Pride and Prejudice on the blog, but always with much caution. You see, when I first read the novel I really didn’t like or understand it. I eventually fell in love with the 2005 film adaptation starring Keira Knightly (I mean, who doesn’t love her?) but I always could sense people looking down on me for loving it so much. And I am genuinely not exaggerating. When I told a friend of mine who I was spending a few nights with that my alarm song was “Dawn” from the 2005 film, she gave me a look and began telling me why 1995 was so much better.

After much nagging from friends online, coworkers, in person friends, and my own conscience I decided that I would watch it. And while I watched it I took detailed notes and thought, why not share this with the girlies (what I often refer to my readers as). So here we are. Before we get into the meat of this conversation, I want to say that I am not picking any fights. I love Jane Austen and the original source material is what I will always come back to. As I have said with my Little Women series, I really don’t believe that there is a right or a wrong when it comes to movie adaptations (specifically in that and this case). I think that there are good parts and bad parts and I also believe that people are allowed to like whatever they like. If this disclaimer seems over the top to you, then lucky you you haven’t seen how crazy Jane Austen fans can get. This is just for fun, I am even including some of my very unhinged thoughts.

I also want to say that this isn’t a comparison between 1995 and 2005. I’ll come right out and say that Pride and Prejudice 2005 is one of my favorite movies of all time. This review is simply my slightly unhinged thoughts and opinions. Most of the comparisons I’ll be making will be to the novel and the time period, not to Joe Wright’s film.
   So without further ado, let’s talk Pride and Prejudice 1995.
   The 1995 Pride and Prejudice is a BBC mini-series starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth. It was written by Andrew Davies and directed by Simon Langton. The story is broken down into 6 one hour episodes making it a dedication to watch.
   Let’s break down the series

Book Accuracy and Plot

The plot very closely follows that of the original novel (I re-read it about three days before watching the series). If any scenes are left out, I didn’t notice them. It hits all the beats of the original story. There actually were some added scenes though. People often tell me that this adaptation is an exact adaptation of the book, and really this isn’t true. Character lines are moved around, the point of view in some scenes is changed, and we will talk about the added Whickham scenes and the added Darcy scenes in a few moments. I think this adaptation did the book justice, but I wouldn’t say it’s perfect.

Here is your spoiler warning for the remainder of this post, because I am unable to not spoil things when I review them.

The Cast and Characters

I found the cast of this adaptation to be a very mixed bag. Some characters I adored, and some couldn’t be off of the screen soon enough.

We’ll start with the main protagonist Elizabeth Bennet. Elizabeth (or Eliza, or Lizzie), is the second daughter of the Bennet family. She is outspoken, and thinks that she is a good judge of character. Jennifer Ehle played Lizzie in this adaptation, and though I was skeptical to trade my beloved Keira Knightly for her, I soon found myself obsessed with her portrayal. Seriously Jennifer Ehle plays the humorous side of Lizzie so well, her little gestures and moments of eye contact. The way she smirks when something amuses her, and the passion with which she speaks is perfect. Also she’s so incredibly beautiful, I literally couldn’t take my eyes off of her. Every time she wasn’t on screen I desperately wanted her to be. As I wrote in my notes app, “I love looking at Jennifer Ehle honestly shes amazing I love her.”

Jane Bennet is the eldest Bennet sister, she’s sweet and pretty and falls quickly in love with the new man in the neighborhood, Mr. Bingley. This Jane was a mixed bag for me. I loved how she was portrayed, but I cringed whenever people remarked how pretty she was. I felt like she was way overshadowed by Lizzie.

Mary Bennet is the middle sister, she’s smart and bookish and not really known for her social skills. I think Mary was portrayed very well. I think shy and awkward people are very hard to adapt to film. This Mary was just out of touch enough for me to believe her. Also it’s apparent she cares nothing for how she looks.

Kitty Bennet, the second youngest sister who is always in the shadow of her younger sister Lydia. I really liked this portrayal of Kitty, she seemed to have her own place and her own voice. There was nothing really remarkable about her, she is just Kitty after all and doesn’t play a big part in the plot.

Lydia Bennet, the youngest sister is a trouble maker, a flirt and totally unaware of her surroundings. This Lydia was good! She was flirty and chaotic and very loud. She annoyed me, but maybe she was supposed to? She felt the right age, but I don’t know the way she acted seemed to opposite societal norms of the Regency Period

Mrs. Bennet, I hated this portrayal. She was so incredibly over the top and her shrieking was a bit much. I always picture Mrs. Bennet as a worrier, but not as a shrieker.

Mr Bennet was good. In general he’s such a good character, I love his sense of humor and his closeness with Lizzie. This adaptation did a very good job of portraying the details that make me love Mr. Bennet so much.

Mr Collins, this is the cousin of Mr. Bennet. He is set to inherit Longbourne (the family house) and is kind of a generally annoying character. I know Mr. Collins is supposed to be annoying, but this portrayal was almost too much for me. He was so irritating. I couldn't stand when he was on screen.

Mr. Bingley, this is Jane’s love interest. He’s known for basically being the nicest guy ever. This portrayal was good, nothing very special, but it was good. While watching this I began plotting my dream casting for a pride and prejudice adaptation, and I think Andrew Garfield would make an incredible Mr. Bingley.

Mr Darcy, I know this is the character you were anxiously awaiting me to talk about. As I am sure you know, Mr. Darcy was played by Colin Firth in this adaptation, and girls….. He was amazing. Like I get it now. His aloofness, his eye contact, the way he pines for her but gives her her space. So much was said in his saying nothing. And I know that that’s the charm of Darcy anyway, but Colin portrayed it so well. I did feel like he looked a little old for the character, but there’s nothing we can do about that.

As for the other characters, I have thoughts but I am not going to weigh you down with those thoughts when there are far more important things to get to.

Costumes

I don’t have many complaints when it comes to costumes. They all seemed pretty true to the Regency period. The only things I didn’t like were a.) the color palette they had Caroline Bingley in, green and orange just don’t seem right for her, and b) the excess of curls. Like everyone had curls. There were so many curls. It just didn’t seem very realistic.

Okay, so now let’s chat about the added scenes that made no sense to me, and the random unhinged things that went through my head while watching (in no particular order). First off we have when Lizzie goes to Netherfield when Jane is sick, Mr. Darcy just randomly runs into her. I don’t know what the point of that was, to examine the mud on her hem? There was no explanation.

Then we have Mr. Darcy playing billiards by himself. Like why? Yes Lizzie walks in, but it was pointless.

Okay so then, Mr. Darcy took a bath…? Umm. Then as he is drying off, he looks out the window and sees

Lizzie playing with a random dalmatian, with no context. It would make sense if maybe this was Darcy’s dog, or a dog that is known for being mean to people, but nope, it was never explained.

I really didn’t like how at the end of each episode it froze randomly on a character. It honestly made me uncomfortable.

While watching this I felt like they framed Lizzie and Lydia to be very similar. The big difference is that Lizzie has a natural grace and grooming that Lydia doesn't. Their senses of humor are very similar, but Lydia has no control of herself and her emotions. This isn't necessarily portrayed in the book but I thought it was an interesting take.

I really liked the initial interaction that happened between Mr. Wickham and Mr. Darcy, it felt like a genuine encounter between two men who hate each other but want to appear like they don’t. It just made sense.

I felt like there was a lot of sitting around and talking for a film. I understand that that’s how it is in the book, but adapting some of the scenes to be walking around or dancing would have been nice.

There was a strange scene explaining Mr. Wickham’s background, it was uncalled for in my opinion.

At some random points there was a floating Darcy head when Lizzie was recalling something he had said to her, and it was so weird.

And then there was a random scene of Darcy sword fighting an old man, like what is happening? We don’t need all of these bizarre Darcy scenes!

Of course we also have the iconic lake scene. This was also weird to me even though I knew it was going to happen, again it really added nothing to the story.

I thought it was interesting how they added in scenes of Lydia and Wickham when they were in London. I don’t think this was necessarily good or bad, it was a choice and they chose it. So yeah.

I hope you have enjoyed this all over the place review. Do you have thoughts on Pride and Prejudice 1995? Do you have a favorite P+P adaptation? Do you agree with my thoughts? Disagree? I’d love to know.

Belle Thomas

Belle is the writer and dreamer behind An Old Fashioned Girl. She is passionate about reminding girls of their identity in Christ, classic books, history, Louisa May Alcott, and earl grey tea.