By the book

This is a little project I have been wanting to try. I am going to do more outfits on other pages but I was so excited I had to share the start.

Dressing for Dinner

Like a lot of you, I have gotten hooked on the tv show Downton Abbey on Masterpiece Classics. Although it is a little out of my typical time period, it is a fantastic period drama. As you would expect, I have been watching the show as much for the costumes as for the plot lines. Here is a little information, in case you were interested, about fashion during the time of the show.

The first season of Downton Abbey is set from 1912, starting with the sinking of the Titanic, through 1914, while the second season takes place during WWI in 1916. Women's fashions were undergoing drastic changes during this time period. The silhouette went from the "s-curve" and enhanced bust of the Victorian era, to something softer and more natural. Corsets were still worn but they gave women a more natural hourglass shape, and towards the middle of the decade, were abandoned for less restrictive undergarments.

Rather than full skirts, women often wore "hobble" skirts, which were widest at the waist and grew narrower at the ankle. Oriental styles were very popular. During the war years, women's clothing became more tailored and military inspired. Hemlines became shorter, as fabric was rationed and as women entered the workforce. Large brimmed hats were most popular in the early part of the decade, but as women started to bob their hair, closer fitting hats became popular.


I leave you with a few images of the great costumes from the show, including one of my favorite moments when Lady Sybil shocks the family by showing up wearing pants.

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