Downton Abbey Fashion and Costumes

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Are you obsessed with Downton Abbey like I am??

Season 4 premiere just aired this past Sunday on PBS in the US.  Did you watch it?  If not, now is the time to catch up so you can have a brand new show to watch this Winter!

Not only is the plot interesting, but the show is also a feast for your eyes!  It is set at the beautiful Highclere Castle in England.

The costumes are just wonderful.  And that’s what this post is about… we will be looking at the fashions from the show!
*PICTURE HEAVY*

Season 4 promo, Highclere in the background

Season 1 was set in 1912.  The fashions are Edwardian.  The colors here are nice and refreshing; perfect for a Spring or Summer day!

I prefer these day dresses to modern ones!

One of my favorite outfits is Lady Mary’s riding outfit. The top hat also has a veil.  

Matthew Crawley is sporting a sweater vest, still popular today. Lady Mary is wearing again an Edwardian style dress and hat.

I just love this jacket that Lady Cora is wearing.

Here Lady Edith, Lady Sybil, and Lady Mary are wearing their Edwardian style dinner dresses.  Can you imagine wearing such fancy dresses to just a regular dinner?!

Season 2 is set during WW1.  This is one of my favorite outfits Lady Mary wears. I just love the tweed coat and the hat… it’s so English.

I also love this red jacket she wears.  I would wear this today too.

Everyone is decked out in tweeds for their afternoon hunt.  I’m pretty sure the Queen of England still goes on hunts.

A look at the outfits worn for the Christmas Special at the end of Season 2.

Here is the wedding dress Lady Mary wore in Season 3.  It’s actually quite plain.  The diamond tiara makes the outfit.

Here we are at Lady Edith’s wedding.  Her sisters wear pretty pastels. The time period here is 1920.

Here we are at the Christmas Special at the end of season 3.  As it is set in 1921, notice the dresses are starting to appear more flapper like.  Also, Lady Mary’s dress is missing her sleeves. How scandalous! 

I just love these dresses Lady Cora and Lady Rose wear to Buckingham Palace. The colors are so pretty.

Here is Lady Edith in a season 4 promo picture set in 1922.  This orange color looks beautiful on her.  The early flapper dresses on the 1920s were actually long and below the knees… when we tend to think of flapper dresses we think of the short ones!

The Dowager Countess, played by the lovely Dame Maggie Smith, always wears Victorian era clothes.

The house staff though always dresses in black and white.

Here is a pic of the pretty actresses from a Vogue photo shoot.

from Vogue

There is a nice article from the costume designer HERE.

I wanted to compare the show’s fashions to real fashions of the day.  The Victoria & Albert Museum in England has a wonderful exhibit on clothing from different eras.  The pictures below are from the museum website.

Edwardian Dress, 1910

Edwardian Dress, 1910

Dress from 1913

Dress from 1922

Ohhh-kay. Did you have fun?  I sure did.

Stay tuned as next week I will feature a post about my trip to Inverarary castle, the castle where the Season 3 Christmas Special was filmed!!

coming up next week!

 I’ve linked up with The Scoop! Visit Confessions of a Plate Addict blog, Tablescape Thursday at ‘Between Naps on the Porch’,Wow us Wednesdays!at Savvy Southern Style, Open House Party at no minimalist here, Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage,Seasonal Sundays & Oh the places I have been at The Tablescaper, and life of the party at the grant life, and the style sisters, and Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop