Tipping the Velvet is a 1998 novel written by Sarah Waters which was later adapted into a three-part BBC serial starring Rachael Stirling. Set in
Victorian England, it tells the story of Nancy "Nan" Astley, an oyster girl from Whitstable who falls in love with a music hall male impersonator named Kitty Butler.
Contains examples of:
- Adorkable: Ralph. especially when he walks in on Nan and Florence
- Aristocrats Are Evil: Diana Lethaby and her decadent friends.
- Bifauxnen: Nan
- Cast Full of Gay
- Closet Key: Kitty
- Dirty Communists: Florence and Ralph are aversions (also socialists instead of communists), as they (especially Ralph) are easily the nicest people in the story
- Erotic Eating ("Have you ever tasted a Whitstable oyster?")
- Everyone Remembers the Stripper: Is that the series about Victorian lesbians? Sweet.
- Get Thee to a Nunnery: Quite a few examples, most notably the title.
- Happy Ending: But not the one you might have expected.
- Or wanted, depending on your favoured couple.
- Have a Gay Old Time
- Hollywood Homely: Plain Nan passes as a rent boy for a few years on the street. Rachel Stirling, who plays her in the TV adaptation is never anything but a gorgeous young woman in boy drag.
- Hooker with a Heart of Gold: Nan, although she technically works as a rent boy.
- Iris Out: In the TV version, obviously. Usually on Nan, since she's the narrator.
- Last Girl Wins: Florence
- Except that she actually met Florence in the middle and then forgot about her when Diana came along.
- Lipstick Lesbian
- Romantic Two-Girl Friendship: Nan and Flo initially. This being a lesbian story, it ultimately ends up being more than just "friendship."
- Time Passes Montage: Used in the BBC adaptation.
- True Companions: Nan eventually creates a family for herself made up of Florence, Ralph, and Cyril. There's even a scene where the adult members speculate as to who would be in their personal heavens with them and each one lists all the others
- Wholesome Crossdresser: Nan and Kitty
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