Emma © David Venni for BBC/MASTERPIECE

Period dramas come and go. The Age of Innocence, Vanity Fair, Elizabeth, and The Young Victoria have enjoyed the spotlight (some even earned Oscars). The works of Jane Austen, however, are pretty much always having a moment, be it on the big screen or in perfectly produced television miniseries. It’s been about two hundred years since Austen wrote her iconic love stories, yet they (and she—don’t forget 2007’s Becoming Jane and The Jane Austen Book Club) remain in the forefront of our cultural landscape. This month PBS presents a brand new and absolutely gorgeous Masterpiece Classic adaptation of Emma. The network is also re-airing Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, not so coincidentally, we’re certain, around Valentine’s Day.

Northanger Abbey © ITV Plc for MASTERPIECE

As we've noted, interior design from Austen's era is as current as ever. The fashions from the period have remained relevant, too. True, we may not be frolicking about in muslin, bonnets and ringlets, but many of today’s looks can be traced back to Austen’s era. Case in point: look at the celebrities sporting modern interpretations of Austen-era fashions—whether they know it or not.

From left to right: Military clothing inspires current fashions (see Gabrielle Union's jacket) as it did in Austen's day, when pelisses (overcoats) were often embellished with frog fastenings and braid trim. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images). Agnus Deyn, poster girl for edgy style, wraps a lumberjack plaid around her shoulders, much the way Jane Austen characters wear paisley and embroidered shawls. (Photo by Kristian Dowling/Getty Images). Drew Barrymore goes roller punk in a cropped acid wash grey denim jacket, a casual take on Regency era Spencers, tight-fitting jackets cropped at the waist. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images). Kate Hudson in a floppy straw hat reminiscent of the straw bonnet worn by Romala Garai as the title character in Emma. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images). Madonna wears innerwear as outerwear better than anyone. Here, she pairs a black corset top with long gloves, a look that was de rigeur among genteel ladies in Austen's time. (Photo by Joe Kohen/Getty Images for Martini)

We chatted with Rosalind Ebbutt, the costume designer of Emma, about the fashion from the movie.

The Inside Source: What is the correct name of the style of this era?

Rosalind Ebbutt: We call it Regency; the French would call it Empire.

TIS: Can you sum up the look for us?

RE:  Ladies wore high-waisted dresses with little cropped jackets called Spencers, shawls, pelisses, pumps, bonnets, long gloves and parasols. The men wore cutaway coats and britches with topcoats or riding coats, and Hessian boots. In the evening, they wore embroidered coats with knee britches.

TIS: How do you compare your costumes to those in other Austen adaptations?

RE:  The others have a lot of white muslin, which is somewhat obvious; it’s a submissive look. They take cues from the pale watercolor tinted plates of Jane Austen book illustrations. We didn’t want our version look insipid. Emma is not at all a wishy-washy character.

TIS:  Where did you find inspiration for your interpretation?

RE:  Our palette uses the colors of a Georgian oil painting, which is a very different look, though also absolutely accurate. The most important thing was the script, and who they cast in the part. Romola is quite tall and blonde. If they had cast a dark haired Emma, we would have made different choices. I did a mood board for Romola that included very English corally pinks, greeny blues, grayish greens. The colors are strong but not primary, and there are strong outlines, which makes her more interesting, and communicates that Emma had a sense of her own style.

TIS:  How true to reality were you? Did you take any liberties?

RE:  We backdated Mr. Woodhouse [Emma’s father], giving him a lot of scarves because he’s always worried about being sick. He had a velvet hat which older men used to wear in the 18^th century; we thought he would have had one when he was younger. Emma probably had slightly more clothes than a person of that time would have had because otherwise it can get boring for the audience. But we did reuse things because it makes the story seem more real.

TIS: Did you have any wardrobe malfunctions or issues?

RE: While I was choosing, I had the yellow and the soft lilac colors of the wallpapers [from the interiors] with me all the time, so I would know which clothes would work. But there was one scene in which a pink chair appeared that I wasn’t expecting. Romola was wearing a pink brocade long sleeve dress; she disappeared into the chair, so we put a shawl around her.

We asked Ebbutt to peruse eBay for finds that she thought would work as modern updates of the Jane Austen look. Here’s what she turned up:

1.  "This corset style dress resembles a type of petticoat worn in Austen’s time that was not actually an undergarment, but rather a visible underskirt." Vintage ‘70s Gunne Sax Corset Dress (buy it now price, $66)

2.  “This and the other cropped below ($10) are both quite interesting as Spencer jackets—the little bolero jackets with the high waistline. This is really fab; it would look lovely over a corset.” Vintage Frederick’s of Hollywood Bolero Crop Jacket (buy it now price, $38)

3. “This vintage embroidered waistcoat (the garment you call a vest) could work really well to transfer Mr. Knightly’s look to a girl. Put it with jeans and a little jacket and floppy hat.”  Vintage Black Sweater Vest with Embroidered Beads (buy it now price, $39.99)

4.  “The girls in the production all wore period correct corsets. Vintage corsets are lovely; a nice look that can work under a jacket with jeans. Custom Regency Short Stays (buy it now price, $85)

5.  “I tried to keep away from the very obvious bonnet shapes. Emma has some airy straw hats with a ribbon to keep it under the chin. The straw lit through prettily in the picnic scene. A light summer floppy straw hat is a an obvious modern day translation.” Hollywood Sexy Summer Wide Brim Floppy Hat (buy it now price, $32.40)

6. This isn’t a modern look, but it is a good reproduction of the types of day dresses worn in Austen films. Vintage Regency/Empire Dress (starting bid, approximately $48)

7.  “These are not unlike the shoes we used.” Betsey Johnson Black Flat Pumps (buy it now price, $54.95)

8. “I used paisley shawls a lot; some original and some from Indian shops in London. They’re the modern [and Austen era] pashminas.” Jacquard Pashmina Paisley Shaw (buy it now price, $8.99)

9. “This little pink dress is the modern day version of what the girls wear in Emma . ”Pink Flower Print Dress with High Waist (buy it now price, $14.99)

10. “This is another wonderful update of the Spencer.”  Vintage Cache Black/White Lined Crop Bolero Jacket (buy it now price, $42)

[Editor's Note: Don't forget to check out our chat with Emma production designer Stevie Herbert about interior design from the era.]

Marni Elyse Katz is a Boston-based writer and editor who covers style, art and design for a variety of publications, including the Boston Globe Magazine, Boston Home and her own blog, Style Carrot.