Any ideas on how to get dressed in full period costume?

[Ambushedbycakeinmydreams]

I'm looking for good ideas. Back story - I've always been fascinated by period costume and my secret wish is to be whisked off and dressed up from head to toe in a Georgian or Victorian costume, complete with authentic underwear, elaborate hair do and make up.

I have googled and tried to find someone who could accommodate my wishes. Sadly I'm not an actress or I would apply for a role in a costume drama. I don't know how to contact TV costume departments to see if they could help (for a fee, naturally).

Otherwise it appears the only crappy option is hiring a costume from a fancy dress shop or the local theatre costume dept, but it's not the same thing.

If you have any contacts in any costume department who may be able to help please kindly point them in my direction!

Right, I have just sent an email to the BBC following their Q&A pages ... but wonder if I will hear anything back! (though auto-acknowledgement reply has been sent to me).

I probably did not explain myself very well, but think of it as another "experience" day. So far, if you want to race a premium car on a Formula one track, or drive a tank, or go up in a hot air balloon ... there are providers out there. I just wish there was somebody who would offer "dress in the costume of a Georgian" event!

I used to get dressed up in Georgian costume when I volunteered at a museum years ago. I also used to demonstrate loading and firing a flintlock pistol. Perhaps contact local museums if they have a fashion department or if they have a ‘living history’ focus?

I did see this on a travel programme about really expensive hotels not that long ago. However, I think it was in France and, as you can imagine, very expensive 😂

I think it might have been on C4.

I know there is a company who do this for Tudor era.. just google Tudor experience.
You could try contacting them and asking if they know of anyone who does similar for different periods or if they know where to get costumes.

I think museums are a good idea, you should also explore historical reenactment fairs and events. Something like: www.victorian-festival.co.uk/ or stamfordgeorgianfestival.co.uk/. Plus oodles of renaissance and medieval fayres. I think once you get started you'll quickly find yourself own a rabbithole with likeminded people!

@plixy

I know there is a company who do this for Tudor era.. just google Tudor experience. You could try contacting them and asking if they know of anyone who does similar for different periods or if they know where to get costumes.

Wow, I'm looking at it now! Thanks Plixy.

Apply to be a background extra in all the period dramas

It was the first outing for my blue gown yesterday. Safe to say I loved it and I can’t wait to wear it again! 💙 t.co/dta2lIYRRa

Look for living history / reenactment groups. I've also come across Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer groups who do costume events. I'd include the term 'regency' in your searches as well as Georgian / Victorian.

Tudor Dreams historical costumier
I saw a sweet by @TudorSongbook

This national trust property mentions that you can dress up in regency costume link

[quote APerfectlyGoodName]It was the first outing for my blue gown yesterday. Safe to say I loved it and I can’t wait to wear it again! 💙 t.co/dta2lIYRRa[/quote]
That looks great! Really authentic too.

You want Angels fancy dress on Shaftesbury Avenue.

Just looked at the Tudor Experience website - for a day with afternoon tea and being dressed up in Tudor garb, the cost is £525 per person and

Tourist places often do that sort of thing, for photos, but I can't think of anywhere very recent other than a photo a friend sent me from Edinburgh dressed in highlander warrior costume (probably outed myself to that person!)
That's possibly a bit fancy dress.

Museum shops to arrange it yourself, or join a period dance group to do similar. Sorry!

I like the poster's idea of applying to be an extra in a period drama...

No prices but this (or similar in your area) might be worth a phonecall leedsplayhouse.org.uk/costume-hire/

This link was included in the Monty Don thread a while ago.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/4281220-If-Monty-Don-was-a-woman
Link:
www.darcyclothing.com/collections/shop-the-look-1

Not quite the whole dressing up experience you are looking for, but do check out the shoes, and both women’s and men’s pages….some rather lovely things! Some of the beautiful shirts and shoes could be worn stylishly everyday?
www.darcyclothing.com/collections/womens-shoes
www.darcyclothing.com/collections/mens-shirts

Sent from my iPad

OP - this online course might interest you - I thoroughly enjoyed it.
www.futurelearn.com/courses/royal-fashion

I collect vintage clothing and one of the things I would recommend is starting with the correct underwear for the period. You will never get an authentic look, regardless of the period you are going for without the right underwear.

Look on places like Ebay or Etsy for period pieces that say "for study" these are pieces that are not in good enough condition to wear but can be used as a pattern. A good dressmaker can easily recreate an authentic dress from these.

Try searching auction houses for vintage clothing sales, you can pick up late Victorian pieces very reasonably because the cost of vintage clothing is not reflected by age but by wearability, so a 60's piece by a designer will probably cost more than a dress from 1860!

Try
The link is for Karolina Zebrowska, she has some brilliant videos on Georgian and Victorian outfits.

Go to Venice, preferably during Carnevale. Sorry, that probably isn’t very helpful.

Maybe a trip to the Fashion Museum in Bath is in order.

They have a dressing up section.
I have a rather fetching photo somewhere of me in a poke bonnet.

antiquephotoparlour.com/

If you are in the midlands how about applying as an extra. It's Haddon Hall near Bakewell so rumour has it. Rumour has it Jude Law will be there...

[quote waltzingparrot]antiquephotoparlour.com/[/quote]
That's in the USA! Duh. Looks great though.

Thanks everyone for the advice and tips. As @IheartJKRowling said, you really need to be dressed from the undergarments up to create an authentic look (rather than a hammy replica of a bygone era) but I don't want to have to source all the pieces to DIY.

I've also discounted the Tudor experience at £525 a pop and includes stuff I don't really want rather than a pure focus on the dressing up aspect.

I have not had any response from the BBC Costume dept yet (no surprise there! I'm probably just another one of the 'annoying little people' who write in and need to be batted away). I've also logged details from the National Costume Museum who hire out stuff and may be able to help me further.

What about the Bridgerton Secret Cinema ball?

secretbridgertonball.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=sc&utm_campaign=100555_lon&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIg7_7m-6D9wIVhWDmCh0vkgZuEAAYASAAEgJU8_D_BwE