A change of clothes
Back in June, Bridport Museum, which is a small but wonderful museum and well worth a visit had the opportunity to display some of it's extensive costume collection in a gallery in the Arts Centre for a few weeks.
It was a fantastic opportunity to glimpse some wonderful items that are not often seen due to lack of space in the museum.
My favourite was this hand painted Georgian silk gown, isn't it beautiful - just look at the detail!
The haunted dress below has been on display many times in the Museum and is always a popular item. The dress was pushed through the Museum gates into the porch one night. Some people felt a presence about the dress and eventually it was decided to exorcise the dress. As there was no note left with the afternoon dress, dating from around 1900, the story behind it is unknown.
A couple of weeks after this event I had the opportunity to dress up as an Edwardian to help promote a local book " War Peace and New Beginnings" which captures stories of life in Bridport between 1914 and 1920. There was several of us that dressed up and after a few hours in the hot weather we were experiencing, we were all glad to return to our normal everyday clothes and cool down!
I have been recently looking at how clothes worn at the seaside have also changed so much in 100 years. Is there any period of fashion design that you particularly admire?
Thank you for visiting!
Sarah
Oh Sarah, how wonderful. I love all those clothes, even the haunted one. I watch every English period show I can, and when I see them walking down muddy streets with those dresses dragging - I just wonder how there are any left. Wish I was there to see it.
ReplyDeleteSarah, I think I would like the Regency Period--no waistline! I would not care for the corsets, though. I also love the way the men dressed in that time period.
ReplyDeleteLove the Edwardian period onwards - I did my History of Costume dissertation on this period and went weekly to Cheltenham and Bath museums to research and draw details from their stock of costumes not on display. Had a great time as I could handle them - probably not allowed now - the daintiness of the hand sewing is just amazing. The hand painted georgian is exquisite. Would love to have been there - so nice to see your photos - and don't you look the part in you outfit!
ReplyDeleteThat hand painted silk is incredible.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of haunted clothing before. I guess anything can be haunted.
You look great in the dress but it had to have been hot to wear.
What fun to see you beautifully dressed up in striking blue and white for the book promotion! The silk is my favorite, too, but as much as I admire the outfits you showed us, I shudder to think of caring for the clothing! I don't have a favorite period of fashion design, but I enjoyed very much viewing the outfits you shared. Thanks for posting.😃
ReplyDeleteYour Edwardian costume is very Downtown Abbey - I love the colour, and that belt. I'd be hard pressed to choose a favourite era for fashion, although the Edwardian style is attractive and looks easier to wear than some of the earlier styles. I do wish we all dressed up a little more these days - everything is so casual and it seems that people don't know how to dress for occasions like weddings and church services.
ReplyDeleteThe handpainted silk dress is magnificent, and a haunted dress that was exorcised is surely most unusual.
Fantastic clothes, I love seeing old textiles and all the work in them, wonderful. And I love that y ou got to dress up as well, how brilliant. CJxx
ReplyDeleteThe painted Georgian silk dress is beautiful - the painting reminds me of the wallpapers used during that period showing birds and exotic fruits known as Chinoiserie style.
ReplyDeleteSarah, hello! I LOVE this era of dress, and what a lovely museum to visit. I can't believe the hand-painted silk! The time people took back then to craft such personable items. I wonder what our creations of today will say to those who see them in a museum 100 years from now! You look lovely; my favorite era of dress is 1940s.
ReplyDeleteHow strange that someone would hand over the beautiful 'ghost' dress anonymously. I wonder if there was a sad tale involved; it would be wonderful if someone could give some more info but I imagine it's too late now. I love the bonnets in your first photo, they conjure up an age for me, and I rather like the formality of the Edwardian dresses - so much nicer than the 'bare all' often seen today! Lovely to see you in costume, Sarah, you look like you're enjoying yourself despite the heat! Caro x
ReplyDeleteI've never heard the story of the haunted dress before. Curiously one of the former curators of Bridport claimed to me that a *doll* in the museum collection was possessed by some entity but the Church authorities didn't treat the suggestion of an exorcism very sympathetically. I wonder if it was the same person who first encountered the haunted dress ...
ReplyDeleteI like the haunted dress... It may have had a sad past, but now it has found a place where it can be admired... I also love the Georgian silk dress ... Just imagine all the fingers that have worked on that dress! You are looking very Downtown Abbey in your lovely blue dress... A great way to promote a book. I can't imagine getting my little granddaughter to wear one of the bonnets, she hates hats of any sort, but I guess children did exactly what they are told in those days.
ReplyDeleteThe haunted dress is interesting but the handpainted is fantastic...
ReplyDeleteYou just look great in your dress!
Love Titti
You look very fine in your Edwardian garb, Sarah.
ReplyDelete