I started getting into costume design and making in my A level Art and Textile lessons – encouraged by my teachers, I was given free reign to research and create what I like and what really interested me.
Now, like many people, I LOVE ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and often wish that we have similar garments to wear – when hats were compulsory items, gloves had to be certain length depending on the time of day and one had to get changed for dinner! So I decided to use this passion to provide an interesting area of study for my final AS project. Of course, this meant I HAD to watch all the versions and adaptations of Jane Austen’s famous novel!
Completed dress in our front garden.
From my research I then drafted my own pattern for a empire dress, made a toile out of calico then moved on to the main fabric – it was quite a simple design but worked perfectly in terms of the simplicity and grace of that era portrays; no one really want to know how they cleaned their teeth or how dirty their clothes must have gotten because the fashion is so beautifully iconic!
Completed dress at the Lacock Abbey Gardens.
