Made in Chelsea

When I was in middle school I became addicted to The Hills. We didn't have MTV at my place so I had to wait patiently until midnight every Monday for the latest episode to be posted online. I continued to watch the series throughout high school, growing more and more attached to the glamorous lifestyle of Lauren Conrad and her friends. After the series ended I miraculously found myself with a noticeable amount of free time (reruns can only keep you entertained for so long). However, a few years ago I stumbled across a British reality show almost identical to my teenage obsession. Safe to say that the extra spare time I had acquired began to disappear again, along with the remains of my social life. I can't even remember how I discovered the show in the first place, but my guess is that I typed in something along the lines of "shows like The Hills" on my Google search engine. Barely half an episode in and I was already hooked. Albeit it took me most of the season to differentiate most of the characters, the lifestyles of the British heirs and heiresses were enough to keep me entertained. I'm sure there are many people out there, especially in England, who would classify Made in Chelsea as trashy reality TV and I can't say I would be able to argue against that; however, this is one guilty pleasure of mine that I am happy to share with the world, especially ex-Hills lovers. Allow me to introduce you to one of my favourite British obsessions, Made in Chelsea.

 

Set in one of the most elite corners of London, Chelsea focuses on the lives and relationships between a group of wealthy young adults and their glamorous lives. As previously stated, I had trouble at first differentiating many of the characters and relationships from one another, but once I did I was able to appreciate their witty personas and trendy style. The pilot begins with Caggie Dunlop hopping into a white Rolls Royce, Gucci bag in hand and fur draped around her shoulders. "Take me to Chelsea, please" she directs the driver. Caggie's statement that Chelsea is filled with "gossip as shocking as the prices" prepares us for what proves to be a dramatic season. Love triangles, cheating, and exculsive parties prove to be even more appealing with a British twist. Before I introduce you to some of my favourite characters and highlights from the series, here is a little sneak peek into the first season of the show.

 

The Bromance

In the first season, Spencer and Hugo are the highlighted partners in crime, showing off their playboy personas. As Hugo begins to man up in the second season, Spencer joins forces with Jamie and Proudlock as they put their womanzing skills into full gear.

 

Spencer and Hugo discussing Spencer's relationship status.

Spencer, Jamie and Hugo

Spencer, Proudlock, Jamie and Hugo.

 

The Girls

Millie Macintosh, ladies and gentlemen.

Millie and Caggie were my favorite pair from the first season. Caggie's presence slowly fades after the first season, but the opposite goes for Millie and her drama. Without Millie Macintosh, grandaughter of the Macintosh candy empire (a serious statement, these kids really are loaded), there would be no drinks thrown on people and fewer bitch slaps, but also less extravagant style. Millie is who I would consider the true female fashion icon of the show, consistently sporting perfect outfits that I can't resist being slightly jealous of. Although I got over Caggie's initial exit, I can't imagine what the show would be like if Millie ever left. Right when you think things are going smooth, Millie is always there to shake things up for the viewers.

Caggie and Millie: a true friendship.

Never shying away from voicing her opinion.

Like I said, a true fashionista.

The Three Musketeers

With so much drama surrounding the show, Made in Chelsea would not be complete without some comedic relief. Enter Ollie, Binky and Cheska. Putting Ollie's personal relationship drama aside, these three are the true entertainment that the series provides. Sure most of my laughs come from their idiotic remarks (see below), but you are guaranteed a good laugh when these three are together.

Just kidding, this is a quad not a trio: Binky, Cheska, Ollie and Ollie's hair, a prime character in the series.

The Entrepreneur

 

With the exception of Francis it's rare that we see any of the characters working. Having said that, our insight into Francis' work life really only showcases him flirting with his assistant and having friends visit him in his office. We are informed that he is in the diamond business however, so I really didn't need to see much more after that to be won over.

How did I never think of this?!

Evidentely he has always had his entrepreneurial skills in him.

Francis is clearly another part of the show's comedic relief.

#winning

To call Mark Francis anything but fabulous would be slightly inappropriate. His presence on the show is moderated and I wish the producers featured him more often. There really needs to be a spin-off for him and his sass because it would be nearly impossible to get enough of it.

 

This is only the beginning of his witty tweets.

Finally, someone with a practical view on workouts.

 

Like, duh.

 

 

That concludes my little low down on Made in Chelsea. If I manage to get you hooked let me know, and I can definitely do another post on the lifestyles of the British elite.

With love,

Ciara