If you’re anything like us, you cannot (repeat: cannot) wait for the premier of the third season of Downton Abbey on January 6th. The romance… The drama… The costumes!

Watching Downton transports you to another time, when getting married was a woman’s only life goal (at least in the eyes of her parents) and the help lived more scandalous lives than The Kardashians. Whether they’re riding side-saddle on horseback through the English countryside or sitting down for dinner in opera-length gloves, the women of Downton (almost) always act ladylike and classy.

Though they barely had electricity then, we can still take a few lessons from Downton Abbey on classy behavior we can apply to blogging.

Never undervalue discretion.

It’s all about what isn’t being said, isn’t it? A woman’s mystery is one of her greatest assets, and holding on to a secret or two is never a bad thing. Though blogging has a reputation for encouraging over-sharing, you have ever right to keep some things to yourself. Your life is yours, and only you can decide how much to open up to your audience. Why not leave them slightly curious?

No matter your station in life, nothing should stop you going after something you want.

Many of the female characters on Downton actively seek to break out of the societal status they’re currently in. Gwen the housemaid aspires to become a secretary in season one, and Cybil boldly gives up her family station to marry her family’s driver and move to Ireland. Both women sought happiness and a life they felt more drawn to, despite what their birthright may have traditionally had in store for them.

You want to wear pants? Wear pants!

Remember when Lady Sybil gets to have a new “dress” made, and she has the seamstress create an outfit that’s a very billowy pair of pants? It was controversial and fabulous. We could all take a lesson from Sybil on breaking tradition, being a bit political and shaking things up.

Even the classiest of ladies make mistakes, and they can admit them and move on. 

There’s a reason we love and love to hate Lady Mary. She’s a snob, she’s a romantic and she’s prone to making mistakes. We can all relate to that. Whether it was a dangerous liaison with Mr. Pamuk in the wee hours or refusing Matthew Crawley and then regretting it and losing him — Mary is impulsive, head-strong and brave. Her strong will and fiery personality as well as her love and loyalty to her family allow her to admit her mistakes (eventually) and try to right them in time.

Amongst drama, war, love and high tea, there is always humor.

Of course we all love Lady Mary and following her quest for happiness and marriage, but she can be rather serious can’t she? We’ve come to rely on the witty banter and sly comments between The Dowager Countess and Mrs. Crawley or the younger Lady Grantham. She has an uncanny ability to throw out unforgettable one-liners in even the most trying of circumstances, and we’re all better for it!