Some collaborations feel fleeting, but others arrive with a sense of inevitability — like they were always meant to be. The Most Ardently collection by designer Katie Pritchard and Chelsea of Styled by Magic belongs in the latter category. A romantic capsule inspired by Pride and Prejudice, it’s as much a love letter to storytelling as it is to style.
When I first saw the pieces, I felt an immediate sense of recognition — not just because Jane Austen’s words have lived quietly in the margins of so many of our lives, but because the designs themselves feel both familiar and transformative. They’re the kind of garments that don’t just clothe you but invite you into a world: part Regency dream, part modern-day interpretation, layered with sentiment.
Chelsea and Katie graciously sent me two pieces: the Bewitched corset and the Sheer Romance dress. I had just come down with a brutal sickness, but before it fully took over, I managed a quick photo and video shoot (you can see the video [here]). Even in that brief window, the pieces made me feel entirely transported.
The corset is, quite literally, stitched with devotion. Along the ties, embroidered in delicate script, are the words: “You have bewitched me body and soul.” Darcy’s declaration, immortalized in countless adaptations and reimaginings, suddenly feels intimate and wearable — like a secret you carry close. It’s a detail that elevates the corset beyond aesthetic beauty into something quietly sentimental.
The Sheer Romance dress offers a different kind of storytelling. With its empire waist and two floating tiers of netting, it nods to Regency silhouettes but stops short of costume. Instead, it feels modern, almost ethereal, depending on how you choose to style it. I paired mine with a black slip underneath — letting the sheer layers catch light while grounding the look in something moody and contemporary. It’s that balance — soft yet structured, romantic yet practical — that makes the piece so versatile.
Wearing them reminded me how much clothing can serve as a portal. Just as Austen’s novels blend sharp social observation with lush romantic tension, these designs hold their own duality: they’re playful, yes, but also deeply intentional. They acknowledge that sometimes we want our clothes to say more than just “I got dressed today.” Sometimes, we want them to tell a story.
Of course, the presale for the Most Ardently collection has already closed. (I would have shared sooner, but being severely under the weather kept me from writing at the time.) Still, I’d encourage anyone who feels drawn to this kind of literary-meets-romantic sensibility to sign up for future releases. Pieces like these aren’t just garments; they’re keepsakes.
What I love most about this collaboration is the way it treats literature not as something to be passively admired, but as something to be lived with — embodied, carried, worn. Austen’s words were never only about sweeping romance; they were about wit, observation, and the quiet strength to move differently within the expectations of a world. That spirit feels alive in Most Ardently.
And maybe that’s why it resonated with me so strongly, even in the midst of being sick and not feeling particularly beautiful or stylish. Putting on these pieces reminded me that personal style doesn’t always begin with trend or practicality — sometimes it begins with a story, a line, a character who lingers. Sometimes it’s about slipping into a garment and feeling like you’re stepping into a version of yourself you’d like to inhabit for a while: softer, bolder, a little more bewitched.
So here’s my belated but heartfelt recommendation: keep an eye on what Katie Pritchard and Styled by Magic are creating. The Most Ardently collection may have been a fleeting presale, but its spirit — romantic, thoughtful, literary — feels like it’s just the beginning of something larger.
