Colin Firths Breeches.

Ah Ha! I thought that might get your attention. After my last dressing up/costumey post, I thought we'd stay on the same theme and all go on a jolly to the Barley Hall in York to visit this splendid exhibition of TV and film period costumes.

A word to the wise - if you go to the exhibition yourself, keep your entry ticket as this entitles you to revisit for free for the next 12months. Yipee!
I'll keep the words to a minimum this is definitely a visual post.
Cate Blanchett wore this one in Elizabeth in 1998.

Keira Knightleys gown from The Duchess

sleeve detail.

I found it very difficult to take photos one moment needing the flash and the next having to turn it off.

Back to those breeches. Who wouldn't recognise these costumes! Pride and Prejudice 1995.

The dress fabric here was used wrong side out as the print on the right side was too bright for the period.

Miss Bingleys hat worn by Anna Chancellor in Pride and Prejudice.

Sense and Sensibility. This is Emma Thompsons costume as Elinor Dashwood.

Gemma Jones hat as Mrs Dashwood.

This one has to be my favourite! The colour was beautiful.

Worn by Elizabeth Spriggs as Mrs Jennings in P&P.

This scrumptious hat is from the 1995 film Persuasion

Worn by Phoebe Nicholls as Elizabeth Elliot.

Cranford. Worn by Judi Dench as Miss Matty.

I'm sure you all recognise this one too. Larkrise to Candleford. Worn by Julia Sawalha as Dorcas Lane.

Now this one was new to me but absolutely stunning.

Elizabeth Taylor in Toscanini

The little white stripes around the trim on the over skirt are actually painted on!

Another one I'd not seen before. Nicole Kidmans gown from The Portrait of a Lady

A teeny tiny waist! I reckon I could get both hand around it.

Time for a bit more Colin Firth.

and Helena Bonham Carter, The Kings Speech.

Sequins galore, Claire Bloom as Queen Mary, The Kings Speech.

Detailing on the sleeve.

Downton Abbey. Worn by Maggie Smith as the Dowager.

The costumes we free standing so that you could look all around them, but it was soooo difficult not to touch!

I bet you won't get this one... Sweeney Todd. Alan Rickman as Judge Turpin.

Not to be out-done...

My mum and I...

Couldn't resist a little dress-up of our own!

I hope you enjoyed rather a loooooong post, we also visited the Quilt Museum but unfortunatley or maybe fortunately for you, lol, we weren't allowed to take any photos.

x

Step back to 1940's Yorkshire.

I found some old photos from around about 1945 the other day and I thought you might like to see them. I believe this is the Wensleydale Railway back in the day.
And look at these lovely ladies entertaining the troops while they wait on the station platform.

This is a picture of my granny looking a lot plumper than I thought she was back then!
Ok... I'm sure you've rumbled me by now...

Yes it's me.

All dressed up ready for a 1940's weekend. LOL. Wonderful man and I have been to the 40's weekend for the last 3 years and every time I've wanted to get dressed up. The first year we just happened to be in a cafe having some lunch when we noticed groups of people passing the cafe window dressed in 1940s fashions and had to ask what was going on. The second year I was far too unorganised and hadn't found anything to wear. Last year I had been scouting around but couldn't find anything suitable, so this year I was determined to take part.

It wasn't easy though. Previously I've made myself a Victorian costume, collecting bits and bobs from charity shops and altering and making bits right down to the corset. I've also made myself a 'pride and prejudice' style dress from an old pair of curtains found at the charity shop again with a corset to get the right shape.

So you would think coming forward in time would be easier. Nope! It's been the most difficult costume of them all. I couldn't find the right kind of shoes (I always think that if you start at the bottom and get the footwear right the rest falls into place.) I really wanted a floral cotton dress but couldn't find one the right style that would fit over my ample boobage.

So, I ended up with a modern 'New Look' red satin blouse from the charity shop which I had to stitch up the front as it kept popping open. The black skirt was also a charity shop find which was a gorgeous 'Gerry Webber' lined evening skirt, almost ankle length and had to be shortened by about 10 inches. The stockings are an old pair of mine with a fancy line up the back that I've had since the 80's when fancy hosiery was all the rage and I was a teenager with legs up to my armpits.

All in all I wasn't wholly confident that I'd got it quite right. When I looked in the mirror I though I looked like a cross between Yvette from 'Allo Allo' and a fat Amy Winehouse, so you could image my surprise when.... We arrived in the market square and immediately these two photographers approached me and asked to take my photograph! They positioned me in front of this old army lorry and started snapping away. Wonderful man took this one as they were giving me their business cards so that I could request a free copy of the photos they'd taken.Thought you might like a little peek inside my basket Everything modern is hidden under a lovely vintage hanky that says 'A present from Sidmouth'. I have a vintage needlepoint purse and of course some khaki knitting wool as I'm knitting for our boys on the front line.
There were loads of people dressed up, they all looked absolutely fantastic. Plenty of forces personnel and vintage vehicles. Everyone entered into the spirit. Forget the pooch look at those fabulous shoes!
There was an old style shooting range.
My favourites, swing boats.
Here are the Blitz Sisters singing there hearts out on the platform at Leyburn railway station where there were steam trains travelling up and down the line all day. We rode on the steam train there and back. Taking in the beautiful scenery. It was a wonderful day, the weather behaved beautifully, in fact it was too warm at times. My shoes gave me blisters and my clip earrings were agony but it was all worth it. I must admit... By the end of the day I was glad to unpin my Victory rolls and slip into something more comfortable.
But if I'm honest, I kinda liked the false eyelashes and the red lippy!

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.P.S. We need to get Wonderful Man kitted out next. It'll be lovely to have a 40's escort next time!