It’s Day Eight of the Duchess presents “What Would Jane Austen Do?”

Day Eight:

“Would Jane Austen watch any of the ‘Real Housewives’ series?”

It’s Day Seven of the “What Would Jane Austen Do?” series and today’s question is . . .

“Would Jane Austen try speed dating?”

Today is “What Would Jane Austen Do?” Day 6 and the question is . . .

“Would Jane Austen Have Gone After the One Who Got Away?”

It’s Day Five in the Duchess Guide series “What Would Jane Austen Do?”

Today’s question from you is, “Would Jane Austen choose to invest in herself and grow her career?”

Watch today’s video tip to find out . . .

Day Four of the Duchess Guide Presents: “What Would Jane Austen Do?”

Today’s topic? “Would Jane Austen have tried a long distance relationship?”

Lets find out . . .

Happy Monday to you! It’s Day Three in the Duchess Guide presents: “What Would Jane Austen Do?” Modern Day dating dilemmas answered by the ultimate love guru, Jane Austen.

Day Three’s Question is: “Would Jane Austen have Cheated?”

Day 2: “And today’s What Would Jane Austen Do?” question is . . . .

“Would Jane Austen Give Up on Love?”

Lets check in with Jane Austen’s lovable character Eleanor Dashwood from Sense & Sensibility to find out …

Just a quick note from the Burbank, California Airport where I’m sitting awaiting my flight to Denver for the weekend . . . . I wanted to wish you all a very FUN and HAPPY and SAFE Halloween weekend! I’ve made a promise to a very special 9 year old niece that I would see her Halloween costume, school parade and take her trick or treating. I love that I’m in a place in my life where I can have the time and money to be with my family. My family is the world to me and even though it’s Halloween and not Thanksgiving, I want to say thanks to all the forces, people and mentors who have helped me arrive where I am. One of my favorite passages from Wallace Wattles book is “What I want for myself, I want for everyone.” I love that. It’s absolutely the reason I started and continue to share Duchess is for this reason. I know that it’s not just about the love and the relationships (although that’s a huge part of it). It’s the entire look at life that makes it so delicious – from love and relationships, to money and career, to family and health – I’m so lucky in all that I have and what I have and want, I truly do want for you as well!

Betty's Halloween Outfit this weekend - She's a little Devil!

So here’s to your happiness, your fun, friends and family filled Halloween weekend and your success! May you be silly and laugh and enjoy this fun and outlandish weekend.

Princess Betty.

XoXoXoXo

Jill

It’s been a very long time since the Duchess wrote about anything going on in her own life. For good reason believe me; I’m honestly more interested to hear what’s going on in yours! But I thought it may be a nice change of pace to give a little insight into the mind and life of the Duchess from time to time – and now seemed like a pretty good time.

What can I say? I’ve been holding back on writing about me because I got my heart broken. And it was just too damn painful and to write about. But enough about that, you can read all about my adventures in getting my the royal crap kicked out of my royal heart (turns out Jill really does come tumbling after when “Jack” decides he wants to fall down or chooses to break his Crown) when the book gets published. In the meantime, I’m finally feeling like it may be time to emerge from my cocoon and rejoin the living (and dating).

And so I’m going to share with you all over the next few weeks my adventures in dating (hopefully!). And since I’m a Taurus and the uber girl when it comes to beautiful things, quality fabrics, great smells and all the rest of the amazing things we get to experience as girls, I realized it’s time to start fresh with a “If you Build it He Will Come” lingerie overhaul.

Step One: Burn (okay, throw away, but that’s less dramatic then burning) all existing lingerie. No more stockings and garter belts that remind me of this or that with the ex. No more bras with memories tied to the time we met up in Vegas or the times at his office. No more underwear with a history of being lost in his covers or thrown around his room. Lingerie exorcism.

Cyd Charisse, from classicforever.jpg

Step Two: Invest in totally pretty, not only for function undies. I want to feel pretty and sexy again – not just like the walking wounded.

From brafitting.org

Step Three: Purchase and begin wearing. This is where you come in to play! 123Underwear.com has a great selection of beautiful (alright and functional too, but I’m focusing on pretty first!) lingerie sets and I need some help determining which way to go. For this week . . .

Do we like the Elle line (which I love except she’s Australian and I have a natural disinclination towards Aussies, but I’m willing to overlook that for Elle).

Elle line - from 123Underwear.com

Or do we like the Dolce & Gabbana line? Too much sas for my class? Can’t decide . . . .

D&G in "Ocelot' from 123underwear.com

Clearly your decision here will help me along – so please give me your thoughts. I’m going to start my new dating life with some fabulous investments in the girly, pretty things that make me feel great even when it’s only me looking back in the mirror (for now).

If I build it . . . (wear it, work it, own it!) he will come . . ..

XoXo

The Duchess

(the 2 collections I’m choosing are from 123 Underwear.com - loving this site and all about free 3 day shipping! Woot, woot!)

Every once in a while I read or hear something so beautiful that I get all teary eyed and emotional. This seems to be happening a lot lately as I’m five weeks into the Duchess Summer Loving course and I’m hearing some really beautiful things from the women in class. Tales of first dates that have turned into third, then fourth, then more. Tales of long term relationships turned into the sweetest and most loving engagement stories. Tales of happily married women now moving on to the next part of their journey with their partners, the starting of their own families.

And so even as I write this I get all sobby and emotional because I feel so grateful to be standing where I am today. Yes I wanted to be standing here with a partner by now. But now that I’m here, while the partner is still something I will openly welcome when he comes, he seems less important to making a complete and blissful life at the moment. Not because he doesn’t matter, but because I know that our meeting and coming together will happen effortlessly when it’s started and until then, look at all the love.

It’s easy when we get our hearts broken to say, “fuck love. I’m never getting hurt again.” But while some people may have thought my foolish to open up to it so totally again with someone, I am actually really grateful I did because I know now what it feels like and how to do it. I have loved someone totally and fully and bigger then I ever thought possible. And perhaps the point of that love was just to learn that I could do it, and lose it and still survive so that when I get another shot at it, I won’t be scared. I’ll actually be able to go even bigger because I know now what I’m capable of and that there is no reason to fear losing it, because “it”, love, is the reason. It’s the point.

I understand that love doesn’t pay the electricity bill. I know it doesn’t purchase the Porsche or solve the mortgage situation. It doesn’t do much of anything really, in that respect. But it does make life fun. It creates the moments that we carry in our hearts for life. It fills up the supply of courage, strength and support that we need in reserves to be bold and live fully. It’s the reason we’re all here. And I think it’s the reason we all long for the perfect partner, even those of us who have been so hurt as some point that we say we don’t care or don’t need it. Everyone wants to be loved. Everyone. I don’t know one single person who doesn’t need to be loved and cherished. It’s the best feeling in the world.

And as I’ve secretly hoped and loudly preached from my Duchess pulpit these past few years, there are good, nay, great men everywhere who want to join in this kind of union just as much as women. And to back me up is this beautiful article from the Huffington Post, written by a bold man explains, all men do dream of falling in love, just like women.

Whether you’re a man or woman, you should read it. There is something to be learned here, even if it’s just honesty.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arjuna-ardagh/goddess-worship_b_660896.html?ref=fb&src=sp

Something about the moon is always magical to me.