tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post7839366506486900889..comments2024-03-28T20:46:22.875+00:00Comments on Clothes In Books: Murder is Easy by Agatha ChristieClothes In Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-64602912011963667762023-12-31T18:01:21.198+00:002023-12-31T18:01:21.198+00:00Yes they had to change the colour of the dinner ja...Yes they had to change the colour of the dinner jackets for future events didn't they? But no woman guest at any similar event would ever be mistaken for serving staff...<br />I don't recall it as a plot device as such, though it crops up a lot and I have written about it frequently - the country lady look in The Moving Finger is a particular favourite. <br />I have an important theory about the democratisation of legwear when silk stockings were no longer the thing, nylons were worn by everyone and much more universal. In pre-war books the lower classes are very much criticized if they wear silk stockings... <br />Christie uses the term hat paint loosely. But almost no-one else mentions it at all, it is a most mysterious business. It has a brief moment around the outbreak of the 2nd World war - maybe then everyone thought they might renew their hats rather than use up coupons. Doing up your hats (though usually with a feather and some pieces of ribbon) IS mentioned a fair bit. eg Henrietta Sees it Through by Joyce Dennys https://clothesinbooks.blogspot.com/2014/11/henrietta-sees-it-through-by-joyce.html<br />Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-23403630299587861232023-12-31T10:10:11.809+00:002023-12-31T10:10:11.809+00:00.... over from Twitter: oxalic acid isn't hat ....... over from Twitter: oxalic acid isn't hat paint though, but hat bleach. Presumably it's used to remove the old paint so the new paint can be applied. In Christie "posh girls can end up looking shabbier than low-class ones", but are still obviously posh, but low-class girls are merely shabby. Given the number of people faking their class in Christie, does the distinction ever crop up as a plot device rather than a passing comment?<br />There's a Father Brown story where the plot revolves around the difference between a gentleman in evening dress and a waiter at an expensive restaurant. It all depends on how they behave.Roger Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11012987757094423896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-2342316711132697062021-05-04T17:35:02.033+01:002021-05-04T17:35:02.033+01:00Absolutely, I'm glad there's a phrase for ...Absolutely, I'm glad there's a phrase for it - when I wrote about it before I was hoping for a snappy title. Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-77177396013177200492021-05-01T18:48:57.298+01:002021-05-01T18:48:57.298+01:00Look up "recency illusion" on Wikipedia....Look up "recency illusion" on Wikipedia.<br />Lucy R. Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08632983296994349550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-33239084481462283832020-01-24T14:00:49.869+00:002020-01-24T14:00:49.869+00:00ThanksThanksClothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-7813984543754854512020-01-24T13:01:18.095+00:002020-01-24T13:01:18.095+00:00That's a great description of the ending, the ...That's a great description of the ending, the perfect Christie twist where everything switches around.cat tahan panashttp://paint-coating.com/?AGATHA_PAINT:CAT_ANTI_%7C_TAHAN_PANAS%26nbsp;noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-34906151714839527282015-02-16T19:00:25.692+00:002015-02-16T19:00:25.692+00:00Make sure you tell me if you think of it, please. ...Make sure you tell me if you think of it, please. I am so interested in these little things, that must have been part of life but don't surface except for the odd whispering reference, because they were such a mundane part of life.Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-89718093499838337402015-02-16T15:39:47.192+00:002015-02-16T15:39:47.192+00:00Now that is going to niggle away at me! I read som...Now that is going to niggle away at me! I read something a while ago about hat dye and it being the cheap way to change one's hat every Summer, but I'm damned if I can remember where I saw it. Straw hats, that is.<br />I haven't read this particular book, although I do like Agatha Christie, my late Grandfather was also a fan.LollyWilloweshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05616800459266149659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-52549879165592214082015-02-12T20:48:56.700+00:002015-02-12T20:48:56.700+00:00That's a great description of the ending, the ...That's a great description of the ending, the perfect Christie twist where everything switches around. Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-66465936863667004542015-02-12T18:08:12.383+00:002015-02-12T18:08:12.383+00:00This is one of the first Christies I ever read, an...This is one of the first Christies I ever read, and I still remember being thrilled by the 'least likely suspect' solution. Very clever, and somehow typical of her to come up with such an idea.Martin Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16082485795280777670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-26247843118468945752015-02-12T17:13:44.113+00:002015-02-12T17:13:44.113+00:00You're going to have to read some of her soone...You're going to have to read some of her sooner or later...Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-73554830678663358472015-02-12T12:20:59.725+00:002015-02-12T12:20:59.725+00:00Avoid..... not for me I'm afraid.Avoid..... not for me I'm afraid.col2910https://www.blogger.com/profile/06422138069939709043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-46884944705541895992015-02-12T10:08:22.872+00:002015-02-12T10:08:22.872+00:00It's quite a commitment to read them all Prash...It's quite a commitment to read them all Prashant - I read them when I was much younger, and had more time....Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-91851336220697900732015-02-12T09:38:30.467+00:002015-02-12T09:38:30.467+00:00Moira, I don't have a favourite out of the few...Moira, I don't have a favourite out of the few Agatha Christie books I have read and barring one Tommy and Tuppence novel, I haven't read any non-Poirot or non-Marple books. My plan to read her novels in chronological order is on the back burner for now.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-13694478007332663012015-02-12T07:59:20.871+00:002015-02-12T07:59:20.871+00:00A good long-term project then!A good long-term project then!Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-84723443734610498622015-02-12T05:53:18.565+00:002015-02-12T05:53:18.565+00:00I have read one Christie this year, not reviewed y...I have read one Christie this year, not reviewed yet. It is one of my goals this year to continue on that, but we will see. TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-91090771443774972792015-02-11T23:03:37.772+00:002015-02-11T23:03:37.772+00:00I know, it's quite a good idea, isn't it, ...I know, it's quite a good idea, isn't it, so long as you don't poison anyone! Are you still working your way through Agatha Christie? Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-7414176972315365842015-02-11T20:42:36.081+00:002015-02-11T20:42:36.081+00:00I love those hats. I had not heard of hat paint, a...I love those hats. I had not heard of hat paint, although it makes sense. TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-80092599420759245212015-02-11T18:59:10.029+00:002015-02-11T18:59:10.029+00:00That's quite a cast - I feel I did see that on...That's quite a cast - I feel I did see that one years ago, but have no memory of it, I must look it out. <br />The young women in Death in High Heels aren't proper shop girls, ie common, are they? I'm trying to remember how Brand gets round that.<br />The best dress shop is in Elizabeth Taylor's Game of Hide and Seek.Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-83449324455164280542015-02-11T16:39:10.522+00:002015-02-11T16:39:10.522+00:00In Death in High Heels the girls using oxalic acid...In Death in High Heels the girls using oxalic acid to clean a hat - but it doesn't work very well. Somehow it gets into the curry... Sadly there is too much of a detective who is supposed to be appealing, and not enough of the girls and the shop.<br /><br />Amy Gibbs is also referred to as "that girl Amy" - another clue that she is not One of Us. (Shes a maid.)<br /><br />There's a rather wonderful film version with Bill Bixby, Olivia de Havilland (yes, really), Shane Bryant, Helen Hayes, Timothy West, Leigh Lawson and Lesley-Anne Down.Lucy R. Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08632983296994349550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-79878604128076521532015-02-11T16:23:17.421+00:002015-02-11T16:23:17.421+00:00Excellent thanks Noah, I can make a collection of ...Excellent thanks Noah, I can make a collection of references. It's funny, if you google it you get nothing of any help, it must be something that existed below the radar...Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-15033365555028509982015-02-11T16:19:28.846+00:002015-02-11T16:19:28.846+00:00Hat paint also shows up in Christianna Brand's...Hat paint also shows up in Christianna Brand's "Death In High Heels". Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-59492434371198848412015-02-11T15:12:02.464+00:002015-02-11T15:12:02.464+00:00I KNEW it turned up in another one, but couldn'...I KNEW it turned up in another one, but couldn't think which - I might have known you would know! thanks for the reminder. And yes please, a post on snobbery in crime fiction would be great....Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-44180261871807228802015-02-11T15:11:17.173+00:002015-02-11T15:11:17.173+00:00Oh yes, that was a very funny book wasn't it? ...Oh yes, that was a very funny book wasn't it? I should work on a word for my concept....Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-82899891698602824002015-02-11T12:47:55.386+00:002015-02-11T12:47:55.386+00:00Moira - I have to agree with you that this isn'...Moira - I have to agree with you that this isn't Christie's best. But yes, that hat paint scene is nicely done. Hat paint shows up in <i>Cards on the Table</i> too, and it's just something we don't use these days. Really interesting!! And you know, there's that sort of snobbery in so much crime fiction. I may do a post on that...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com