I promise to share our wonderful week together as soon as I’ve uploaded photos and welcomed a new little one into the world. We did have a marvelous group (I truly believe we have the best tour group members!), and we thoroughly enjoyed our time exploring Cheshire, Yorkshire, Nottingham, Haworth, Warwick, and Bath.
Category Archives: costume
Days Four & Five: “I am for Bath!”
We headed out of London Friday morning, and I honestly don’t know how Keith does it. The twists and turns and traffic getting out of London made my head swim, and I doubt I could ever drive it! Glad to have a capable chauffeur at the wheel.
Costumes in Snibston and Home!
Because my flight out of the UK was late at night, Cathy and I had a full day to kill on the way to Heathrow. She recommended we stop at the Snibston Discovery Museum, which is just off the motorway. I’d taken my tour group there in 2012, and we enjoyed not only the museum displays but behind-the-scenes study of the fabulous Symington corset collection. Cathy mentioned there was a new display in the costume section, so I readily agreed to the stop.
Chatsworth’s Masqued Ball (or “Down the Rabbit Hole with Alice!”)
When my husband first surprised me with this special trip, it was early enough that I’d have time to put together my costume for the masquerade ball at the end … but, naturally, grandiose schemes were the first to cross my mind! I could totally see making a 1780s take on the White Queen, from panniers to a towering powdered wig! Then common sense (and the deadline and my actual suitcase space) reined me in, and I decided to go for something far less ambitious but still fun.
Yes, I’ll finish up the blog soon!
Well, I’ve been home for quite a while now, but it has taken time to nurse the dead laptop back to life and attend to the business of “catch-up.” 😉 I’m hoping to dump all my photos this week and organize them so I can finish posting (and share some larger versions of ones peopleContinue reading “Yes, I’ll finish up the blog soon!”
Symington Collection
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.
Platt Hall Costume Study Day
The collection at Platt Hall includes over 20,000 items of clothing, a huge array of buttons, and ephemera including fashion plates and magazines. The curator closed the museum in the morning to admit our group, which was lovely. Half of us wandered all over the former great house, enjoying the clothing on display, much of which was collected by the late Dr. C. Willett Cunnington.
Couple of quick photo additions…
Better pictures of that amazing black and white skirt of Cathy’s…
Thursday in Exeter
We wended our way southward today to Devon, enjoying beautiful scenery all the way there and cheering the warming temperature. Arriving at Killerton House was like entering an enchanting dream. I’ve seen many fine manor houses in England, but I have to say that Killerton now ranks as my absolute favorite.
Wednesday at Berrington Hall and Hereford Museum
Well, dear readers, it has been a red-letter day for anyone in love with historical fashion. I’ve never heard so many grown women squeal like schoolgirls! From start to finish, it was an amazing treat. So let me walk you through it!
Historical Fashion Tours with Sense & Sensibility 