Thursday we packed up and traveled to Coalville in Leicestershire to enjoy up-close study of items in the Symington Costume Collection. Symington was a corset factory near Market Harborough from the 1840s on, and sample corsets were preserved in mint condition, including their boxes and advertising. We also got to see some 1770s “jumps” (at-home wrappers) and two sets of 1830s stays that we’re donated to the collection.
In addition to the wonders we were able to handle in the study room (thank you, Sarah!), we also enjoyed touring the extensive costume gallery in the Discovery Center, which contains items from the 1760s to the modern day:
There was even fun stuff for a wee one to do!
We all walked out with costume overload…in a good way! Lots of wonderful stuff to enjoy and digest. Well worth the drive, and this is an under-reported collection that should be known more broadly. We’ll have to come again.
Historical Fashion Tours with Sense & Sensibility 
What a fabulous collection of gowns! I loved the corsets, as well, but I think my favorite number was the pastel Romantic era gown with the enormous lace collar.
Thanks for sharing these pictures!
Katrina
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Jennie, I love the floral pelisse with the brown piping. Would you be able to switch out for a larger photo when you get home? Do have any more information on the beautiful garments you’ve posted in this entry. 😉 I’d love the year on that pelisse! Beautiful! It looks like you’ve had yet another wonderful tour! So happy to see some familiar faces in the group.
Dawn
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Hi, Dawn! Once I get all the photos downloaded from my camera card, I’ll email you those. I took pictures of all the information cards as well, so I’m hoping they turned out okay. Just got my crashed laptop working again, so give me a few days to get things downloaded and sorted. 🙂
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Yay! Thank you so much! I hope you all had a wonderful, wonderful trip.
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