My talk includes a fabulous display of exquisite gowns decorated with pearls and semi-precious stones, elaborate headdresses, jewellery and fans.

Perfect background for fans of historical fiction.

This event will take place at Community Hub Central, Hartlepool. 

Please note: Tickets will not be issued for any of these events, and you do not need to bring along a booking confirmation. When you arrive at the event, please give a member of staff the name of the person who booked for your party to gain entry.

If you are having trouble booking online, please phone ARC box office on 01642 525199 to book over the phone.

Hope you will join me for this very special event!

arconline.co.uk/whats-on/crossing-the-tees/tudor-costumes-with-julia-soares-mccormick?fbclid=IwAR0net2TiUvWfq5d_optw1K77quDToO5aX8mMwrjoYsxLRKFtSk–xosujY

I presented my latest costume talk twice during the last week – for the Yorkshire Embroiderers Guild on Saturday 10 March 2018 in Cottingham in Beverley and then again for the Royal Scots Club in Edinburgh on Tuesday 13 March. https://www.royalscotsclub.com/afternoon-tea-2/

My talk about Marie Antoinette compares the styles of two dresses she wore – elaborate and and ornate Robe a La Francais or Sack Dress and the simpler La Reine Chemise. I explore the character of Marie Antoinette in relation to the clothing she wore and the impact it had on the French Aristocracy.

I am always happy to include a question and answer session after my talks. You may be interested to read some of the questions and answers below. 

Questions included

How wide was silk produced in France during the 18^th century?

Silk today isn’t usually very wide – mostly 44” however I have bought some silk which is 60” wide although this isn’t very readily available.  I know that the width of silk produced in the past was generally dependent upon the length of the arms of the weavers as they moved the frame. So the silk fabric was usually about 28”during the 18^th Century but could vary from a narrow as 24” up to as wide as 36”.

Did the ladies of this period wear anything at all under their skirts?

The ladies of this period wore nothing at all under their skirts and petticoats.  The first pair of knickers or drawers were worn about 1795.  They were separate legs and not joined at all in the middle. They were tubes of fabric based on men’s trousers. As the skirts were lighter and sometimes see-through they were needed for cover and warmth.

Were the cocoons of the silk worms producing silk in China brought to France to produce silk?

Silk dying and weaving developed in ancient Syria, Greece and Rome but the silk itself always came from the East. Silk production first made it way to the West in the A.D. 6th century when monks working as spies for Byzantine Emperor Justinian brought silkworm eggs from China to Constantinople in hollowed out canes. Bursa in present-day Turkey and Athens, Thebes, Corinth and Argos in present-day Greece all became silk producing areas.

Silk production spread to Italy and France and continued through the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and Industrial Revolution but was devastated by a silkworm plague in 1854. Louis Pasteur discovered the cause and developed a treatment. The Italian industry recovered but the French industry never did.

I would like to thank my super son James for assisting me with the talks and my kind friend Dave for doing all the driving and there was a lot of driving! 

I really enjoyed presenting the talks  – I love meeting new people and enjoy chatting to them about my passion – costumes! 

Last night we presented our Regency Talk and Costume Display for Heighton WI – Heighton is a very pretty village quite close to Newton Aycliffe.It was for a special WI event called a friendship evening and we were happy to present the entertainment.

The ladies enjoyed special cake and gateaux baked specially for the event  – enjoyed with prosecco wine. We were of course asked to join them however an alcoholic beverage is possibly not the best idea prior to presenting a costume talk!

I presented my Regency Talk which included costumes inspired by  Jane Austen and Empress Josephine among others.

After the talk I was pleased to offer a question and answer session.

One of the very interesting questions included –

What types of lace were used in the regency period? 

We will be returning to Heighton WI to present my new talk “Marie Antoinette and what she wore to the Revolution” – we are certainly looking forward to it!

Last Friday  21 October we presented our Tudor Talk for a ladies group in Brancepeth.

My talk included Tudor Underwear and costumes inspired by King Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots.

Quite a few questions after my talk were relating to the Tudor Under garments and laundering of the clothes.

What did they wear under their outer garments?

Could the clothing be washed?

Did the ladies wear any type of knickers?

How were the skirts held out?

The chemise, called a “smock” or “shift” in the 16th century, was a simple garment was worn next to the skin to protect clothing from sweat and body oils. As Elizabethans rarely indulged in full-body baths, and as the clothing of the middle and upper classes was not the kind one could pound on a river rock or scrub regularly with ashes and lye soap, the chemise was vital to Elizabethan costume.Smocks were made of fine linen, as fine as the wearer could afford. Many of the better smocks were made of what we now call “handkerchief-weight” linen. Lawn, cypress and holland were three 16th c. varieties of sheer linen used for fine smocks.

These smocks hung to just about knee to calf-length, on average. This is a square -necked gathered smock – it has a  very voluminous body and sleeves, I have gathered the fabric into a square neckband and wristbands. It was sometimes pulled through the slashing of the outer garments during this period.Resistance to fungus and bacteria – Linen has natural antibacterial properties and that is why it is used in medicine. It also acts against the bacteria that make you smell. Regarding washing of the garments – the silk and heavily embellished fabrics could not be washed.  They outer garments were heavy to don and doff, stiff and uncomfortable to wear and to be honest very smelly.  Without the essential chemise next to the skin they would have been even worse

This corset has been inspired by the corset found on the ‘effigy’ of Elizabeth the First. I have designed a tabbed waist corset, which is the type which is the easiest to wear. The tabs distribute pressure so the corset does not ‘dig in’ at the waist. The Elizabethan corset gave a period shape to the body and had straps to help lift the breasts. It was made of linen (I have constructed it in cotton twill or linen. Spring steel boning has been inserted into channels to give strength.  During the 16th century corsets were stiffened with whalebone, reeds, steel or rope. I have used binding on the edges as Elizabeth’s corset was bound with leather. The lacing holes are reinforced with sturdy cotton thread and the corset is laced with cord.

To create the correct shape for clothes of the period a Spanish Farthingale was worn. This was a bell-shaped hoop skirt worn under the skirts of well-to-do women during the Tudor and Elizabethan era. From 1530 to 1580, the farthingale played an important part in shaping the fashionable silhouette. (First Farthingale worn by Joan of Portugal to hide pregnancy – had two illegitimate children)

The Spanish Farthingale, as its name suggests, originated in Spain. Tradition holds that the Spanish Farthingale arrived in England in the 1520s, introduced by Katharine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s future queen. It is true that, beginning in the 1530s, clear evidence of hoop skirts worn by English noblewomen begin to appear in court paintings and portraits.

The pattern for this farthingale is from Juan de Alcega’s Tailor’s Pattern Book, published in 1589. It has been created from sections of calico – which are cut and then pieced together.  The sections of fabric are placed so that no bias seams are sewn to each other. This was to eliminate the sagging which two bias seams sewn together would inevitably experience. I have cut additional pieces of fabric, 2 inches wide, to match the length of each piece of boning to create casings for the stiffening.After everything is sewn together, the farthingale would have been gathered at the top and the raw edges bound with a strip of fabric.  It is reasonable to say that the opening would have been in the back or in the front for a front-lacing corset.Three materials were known to be used for stiffening farthingales in Elizabeth’s time: rope, bent rope, and whalebone. Most recreation farthingales are made using hoop skirt boning. Hoop skirt boning is 1/2-inch-wide stiffened canvas or plastic with spring steel along the edges. It is very stiff and can hold out the heaviest of skirts, yet is lighter than other boning materials. After the boning is inserted the casings are tacked close.  The boning can however be easily removed so the farthingale can be washed.

A Bumroll, which, as its name suggests, was a roll tied around the bum, was an essential piece of Tudor and Elizabethan underwear. In Elizabethan times, it was more commonly called a “rowle”; “bumroll” is the modern term for the item. A bumroll is made from a crescent shape of non-stretchy fabric such as calico which is stuffed with wadding and has ties attached to the ends.

The first hard evidence of a separate roll worn around the hips are a reference to them in Elizabeth’s wardrobe accounts from 1580. It was tied around the hips to make a woman’s skirt swell out becomingly at the waistline before falling to the ground. It was used throughout the 16th century and into the 17th, and considered an essential aid to fashionable dress. Elizabeth I wore one with her gold gowns.

Gold Elizabeth I Gown

By the way no type of panties or knickers were worn – If you are interested – the first type of this type of underwear were in a form of leggings or long drawers, they originated in France in the early 19th century, and quickly spread to Britain and America. Without the correct underwear, the shape of the dress of the period would be unable to be achieved so it is a very important part of the costumes.

You simply can’t look like Lady Jane Grey, Anne Boleyn or Mary Queen of Scots without the right foundation garments. If you make the attempt, the most you’ll achieve is the look of a poor and cheaply made fancy dress costume: A lumpy and ill-fitting mess. It’s impossible to achieve the lines of an Elizabethan gown without a corset (as well as a host of other “underpinnings” such as bumrolls, farthingales, or hoops).

I would like to thank the super ladies of the group especially Janet for their help in setting up the costume display.

I had a great time chatting to them all afterwards – I also enjoyed a couple of cakes, fruit cheese and two glasses of Elder flower wine with them as well  – beautiful!

We really appreciated your kind hospitality and hope we meet again!

With Ann at Thropton WI

Earlier this week we presented our Tudor Talk with costume display for Thropton WI. Thropton is a very pretty village in Northumberland which is next to the picturesque town of Rothbury.

We were located in the newly refurbished Thropton memorial Hall – a lovely venue with perfect facilities for our talk- a large stage, a spacious hall and plenty of changing rooms.

The ladies really enjoyed our talk and sent the feedback below

The ladies also had quite a few interesting questions – 

What is one of the differences between the making of film, theatre and TV costumes?

In my opinion one of the main differences is that theatre costumes aren’t usually seen close up so they don’t need to be so detailed – for example embroidery on a stomacher for Queen Elizabeth I could be artfully glued with jewels and gold paint could be sprayed on to give an impression of embroidery as the first row of the audience in a traditional theatre is usually quite a distance away. In a TV production or film the embroidery needs to be more realistic as the dress can be seen in more detail- intimacy is gained through camera angles and close ups. I noticed in the recent TV series “The White Queen” starring Max Irons that the actress playing Elizabeth Woodville had a zip at the back of her dress- not a good look considering the first zips were invented hundreds of years later! 

The White Queen TV Drama

Re-enactment Costumes are different again – they need to be accurate close up – right down to the type of thread used to sew the seams – no polyester/cotton thread – it must be pure cotton! This type of costume is not the type I would wear as re-enacters are not allowed to use make up or modern hair straighteners  – which wouldn’t suit me!

Do I visit exhibitions of extant costumes?

Of course I do – I love seeing any type of costumes.  I recently visited two costume exhibitions while on holiday in Harrogate. I visited Normanby Hall- a beautiful 300 acre estate set in the heart of North Lincolnshire. Normanby Hall’s costume gallery featured the exhibition ‘Victorian Vogue’.

http://www.tudortalkandcatwalk.com/normandby-hall-haute-couture/

I have included photographs of the display and more information on my website – to read more just click the link above..

It took items from Normanby’s extensive costume collection to document changes in fashion from the 1840’s to 1890’s.

I also visited a fabulous new Costume Exhibition at York Castle Museum called ‘Shaping the Body’. An iron corset, crotch-less pantaloons from the time of Jane Austen, bum rolls and a killer dress are a few of the items that featured in this major new exhibition which charts the way fashion, food and fitness have shaped the body over the last 400 years. I am currently designing an 18th century Sacque Dress for my new talk Marie Antoinette and Fashion.

A 1775 Dress at York Castle Museum

There is a wonderful extant 1775 Sacque dress on display complete with a set of panniers (boned hooped underskirt).   It was wonderful to see an actual dress of the period similar to the pink silk Marie Antoinette gown I am currently making for my new talk.  The display gave an invaluable insight into the fabric, construction and design of the period!

My Pink Silk Marie Antoinette Gown

What did Tudor women wear under their underskirts?

Ladies of the 16th century wore nothing under their skirts as nothing was deemed essential, necessary or had even been thought of at that time.

In her book ‘Knickers, An Intimate Appraisal’, Rosemary Hawthorne records that before 1789 and the French Revolution that long skirts, a petticoat or two, a corset and linen chemise were the only forms of underwear women thought were desirable. As a result, women began covering their lower regions simply because it was warmer to wear some undergarments in the cool north European climate.

During the Regency era women began wearing pantalets. Pantalets originated in France in the early 19th century, and quickly spread to Britain and America. They were thought to have been based on men’s trousers. Pantalets were tubes of fabric which were not sewn together which they tied around the waist.

At Thropton WI

Is the Henry VIII clothing comfortable to wear?

I have asked my husband this question today and he gave this reply

“It is a fairly comfortable costume to wear and not particularly restrictive”.  There is no boning in this costume just some padding in the sleeves and body of the gold doublet. There is also copious padding  in the top of the sleeves of the outer robe – Tudor gentlemen liked to both emulate and flatter their their stout monarch by adding padding to their clothing.

“The costume does to seem to become heavier after being worn for about an hour” Today we are not used to wearing such heavy clothing on a day to day basis – we usually dress for comfort the exception being a formal event like a Wedding , ladies may wear a boned corset to change their shape and gentleman a stiff high necked shirt.

Mick as King Henry VIII

“The costume can make you feel very hot during a costume event particularly when worn in the summer months.” The Henry VIII costume becomes hot and uncomfortable quite quickly. There are at least four layers of clothing on the torso alone – the shirt, the padded doublet, the  jerkin and finally the very heavy robe of velvet, trimmed with fur and lined with satin. I have read that the climate in the Tudor period was on average quite a lot colder than it is today, during James I’s reign the Thames froze completely, people skated and had fairs on it!

 “The shoes are very comfortable”  They have been commissioned from Pilgrim Shoes. They are designed in soft black leather slashed with gold silk puffs. They were made to measure for a very reasonable price. In fact my husband had to stand on a piece of paper and draw round both feet- the papers were sent to Pilgrim shoes and the shoes that were sent are very comfortable. I would not hesitate to recommend them.

http://www.pilgrimshoes.co.uk/

Finally he said “The tights/hosen do feel awkward at times” I suppose as my husband is used to wearing modern trousers every day tights would feel rather odd to a gentleman!

Talk at Thropton

Did I present a display of costumes at Belsay Hall?

Yes – I have presented two large displays of my Tudor Costumes for English Heritage at Belsay Hall in Northumberland  – other venues for my displays have included Raby Castle, The Royal Armouries in Leeds , Lauriston Castle and Kedleston Hall.

I also presented nine- yes nine! Tudor Fashion Shows over a bank holiday weekend at Belsay Hall.  It was very hard work but my team and I really enjoyed it!

Costume Display at Belsay Hall

Do we present talks to mixed groups – ladies and gentlemen?

We do indeed present talks to mixed groups of Ladies and Gentleman.  Not only women are interested in history and costume!

Admittedly we present the majority of our talks to ladies groups however have presented a large number of events to the general public including The Royal Armouries in Leeds, Belsay Hall and Kedleston Hall.  We also presents events for the U3A (University of the Third Age) and there are usually an even mix of ladies and gentlemen . For our Regency Talk at the Army and Navy Club in London to commemorate to bicentenary of the Battle of-Waterloo there were no ladies present at all and the gentleman said they really enjoyed it!

Costume Display at Raby Castle

Where do I source my fabrics?

I use a large amount fabric mainly silk for my costumes. I used to buy James Hare Silk which is amazing however this has become very expensive – I need at least 10 yards for a Tudor Gown which can cost quite a lot.  So I now buy my silk from India for a much more reasonable price- the only problem is that it isn’t very wide – only 44 inches.  I am currently making a Marie Antoinette Gown that required 16 yards of pure silk brocade and managed to buy it from a fabric retailer based  in India for a very reasonable price!    http://www.puresilks.us/

If anyone would like a list of my suppliers I for fabric or haberdashery I would be happy to email them a copy.

Thropton WI

We really enjoyed presenting our talk for Thropton and hope to see them again in the future – thank you Ann for all your help and hospitality!

I hope you have enjoyed reading this post – if you have leave a comment – thank you

Last Monday I visited Normanby Hall.  Normanby Hall Country Park is a beautiful 300-acre estate set in the heart of North Lincolnshire. Open to the public every day of the year, the park offered a perfect backdrop to our day out.

Normanby Hall’s costume gallery features the exhibition ‘Victorian Vogue’ during the 2016 season. The exhibition takes items from the hall’s extensive costume collection to document changes in fashion from the 1840’s to 1890’s.

The costumes were on the first floor and although I must confess to be perfectly honest that the Victorian costumes are not my favourite period (as I find them quite fussy and over ornate) – it was a very good exhibition that included quite a number of very interesting items.

The costumes were dressed on mannequins with a number of accessories from the period also included.  Three large glass cases of costumes were situated in the bigger room with another glass case in the much smaller room next door.  The display was lit with a low yellow light so the costumes would not fade.  I know from experience that a lot of fabrics particularly silk can fade in strong light however the costumes could still be easily seen.  Because they were behind glass it made photographing them more difficult so some of my pictures aren’t as clear as I would like them to be – however they certainly needed to be protected. No flash photography was allowed – this may seem extreme but it has been proved that a large number of bright flashes can definitely fade clothes over time.  Some of the dresses particularly a very delicate pink silk evening dress seemed quite fragile.

I can’t include every costume/accessory included in the exhibition but I have included some of my favourites to give you a favour of the exhibition –

Pink Evening Dress c 1885 – 1890

Corded silk evening dress with bustle and long train.The bustle comprises a pad at the back of the skirt with rows of steel bands below – It is fastened in position by tapes so that when the dress is in storage it can be laid flat. Very ornate and quite complex dress however very beautiful – I love the combination of silk and lace trimming and also the colour.

Girls Dress c 1877 – 1879

Cotton dress for a girl of around nine years of age.Girls dresses were similar in style to the fashionable dresses of their mothers, but shorter. This girl would not have worn a wire bustle but rather a small pad under her skirt at the back.

Wedding Dress c 1893 – 1895

Grosgrain wedding dress comprising bodice and skirt with train.The bodice is boned and is decorated with lace and satin ribbon. There are pearl beads around the neck. Ivory coloured wedding dresses were popular from the 1870’s. Many were altered for evening wear afterwards. A very elegant gown reminds me of the costumes worn in ‘Room with a View’ with Helena Bonham Carter.

Corset 1860’s

Twilled cotton corset with 22 bones. It has lace decoration at the bust and is shaped to allow it to fit closely over the top of the hips. This corset seems to have a very narrow waist circumference when laced. It certainly wouldn’t fit me a UK size 12-14 – I would hate to have to wear something so restrictive all day. I suppose however if you are brought up wearing corset them from a young age you may not notice so much or know anything different!

Wedding Dress c 1860’s

Shot taffeta wedding dress comprising of bodice, skirt and belt. The buttons are purely decorative as the bodice actually fastens with hooks and eyes.Wedding dresses were normally made in the current fashion for day dresses and worn with either a bonnet or a veil hanging behind the head. Brides of social standing wore white as did their bridesmaids, but many of the lower classes simply had a new best, coloured dress. Remind me of gowns worn by Joan Fontaine in the 1939 version of ‘Jane Eyre’.

Evening Dress c 1850’s

Grey satin dress covered in black Spanish bobbin lace. The skirt is lined in calico to stiffen its skirt and keep its shape.Lace was often used a s a status symbol because of the different grades of quality. It was often passed down as a family heirloom. Most lace was machine made by the Victorian period.The pointed waistline combined with the decorated sleeves gives an illusion of a slimmer waist. I am not so keen on the black lace but really like the slimming shape of the dress.

Evening Dress c 1874

Silk evening dress comprising bodice and skirt. The bodice is boned and is decorated with black lace and velvet.The skirt has two more bodices in the same material along with an unfinished skirt and other pieces of material. The skirt has started to be modified, with the front cut open and tacked back. I love the fabric,colour and neckline- not so keen on black lace personally I would prefer white if it was for me however a very pretty gown.

Dress 1850’s

Green silk dress with narrow black stripes. The dress has a separate bodice and skirt. There is a lace trim around the collar and ruffle around the waist and cuffs. The velvet covered buttons are purely decorative as the bodice fastens with hooks and eyes. The back of the bodice is tailored to rest on the large skirt. The bodice and particularly the skirt look a strange shape – perhaps it’s the hoop petticoat underneath at fault however I cannot tell what’s happening under the dress. Perhaps it just needs a few more petticoats or a different mannequin.

Waistcoat c 1860

Satin waistcoat with hand embroidered floral decoration. It is lined and backed in tough cotton.The hand embroidery is particularly beautiful.

Dress c 1844 – 1852

White muslin dress with floral pattern. The sleeves and the bodice are lined and many petticoats would have been worn under the skirt. The front of the bodice is boned.The long narrow shape of the waist was achieved by means of a long one-piece corset supported by shoulder straps and shaped at bust and hips. I love the shape of the bodice – it’s very well made and fits so well and the fabric is very fine and pretty.

Behind Bustle c 1870 – 1885

Bustle with 25 steel hoops, which are adjustable with a lace inside. The bustle was fastened around the waist with buttons underneath the dress to create the fashionable shape of the 1870’s. It is quite a complex structure which I think would fold down for storage.  I think I certainly wouldn’t need a bustle as large as this with my figure!

Wedding Dress c 1841 – 1850

Watered silk (Moire) wedding dress with satin ribbon decoration. The whole dress is lined in cotton and the bodice is boned. There is a large pocket inside the skirt at the back. This reminds me of the wedding dress worn in Jane Eyre – remember the scene where Rochester contrasts his ‘mad’ wife with Jane who is standing dressed in a beautiful virginal white dress for their wedding.

Dress c1863 – 1864

Twill-woven cotton winter dress with black velvet trimming on the bodice and cuffs. The vulcanite buttons are purely decorative as the bodice again fastens with hooks and eyes. There is a large pocket on the inside of the skirt at the front. Not particularly keen on this dress but it does show a different kind of day dress possibly worn by the lower classes.

It is great for a designer to actually see extant costumes up close and working out how they were made/decorated etc. There is nothing like seeing them ‘in the flesh’.  I would certainly recommend this exhibition for lovers of history and costume!

http://www.normanbyhall.co.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/#.V2-lNrgrKUk

By the way last week I also visited a new exhibition at York Museum called ‘Shaping the Body’  which included an extant cream silk 1775 La Robe Francaise dress. As I am currently designing a new pink silk court gown in a similar style for my new talk ‘Marie Antoinette  – what she wore to the Revolution‘ the gown was of great interest to me. I will post  more details of my new talk soon so please keep checking my website!

“Enter the World of Jane Austen’ Regency Talk and Costume Display”

I presented my Jane Austen Regency Talk with Costume Display on 9 April 2016 for the Border Textile Group in Foulden.

They have published a very interesting article about my costume event on their website – I thought you may like to view it.

It contains a number of interesting facts from my talk as well as pictures taken of my costumes and myself during the event.

I included a quick demonstration on my talk entitled – “How to make an excellent Regency Bonnet in a couple of hours”   also included on their website is a picture of one of the members wearing my Regency Bonnet.

She loved it so much after my talk decided to go home and make one herself – I am looking forward to receiving a photo of her creation!

Hope you enjoy reading the article!

With very many thanks to Annie Robinson for taking the photographs 

It is the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare this year and his life and works  will be celebrated over the country.

William Shakespeare  was born in 1564  and died in April 1616 He was an English poet, playwright and actor and was widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist.

He is often called England’s national poet and the “Bard of Avon”. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. In 2016 celebrations will commence in the United Kingdom and across the world to honour Shakespeare and his work.

Newcastle City Library will be joining in these celebrations and I am pleased to announce we have been booked to present our 16th Century inspired Fashion Show at Newcastle City Library.

We will present our show on Saturday 14 May  – our event is to be included as part of the popular ‘Late Shows’ which take place during the evening in the main library which is located in Newcastle City Centre.

We have already presented a number of events at the venue including costume talks and shows – it is a superb venue with wonderful facilities.We will present our Tudor Fashion Show show on the evening of 14 May- times to be confirmed.

My exciting show includes a eight exquisite costumes I have designed and created worn by models. They are accompanied by beautiful period music, a brief history of each historical figure and a talk about the design and construction of each costume.

My fashion show team consists of of eight people which includes four/five models.The show is both informative and interesting as well as humorous.

Our show presents King Henry VIII in full regalia arriving to a fanfare of trumpets, Queen Elizabeth I in an elaborate gold silk gown with decorative jewelled ruff, Queen Anne Boleyn wearing an elegant  blue silk/gold gown worn with a pearl trimmed French hood.

A stunning silk Peacock Blue dress with partlet for the young Mary Queen of Scots, a very attractive rose silk gown embroidered with gold for Queen Catherine Howard.

Also included are a stunning silver silk gown worn by Queen Jane Seymour or an elegant court costume with doublet, hat and sword for King James VI of Scotland. Mary Queen of Scots taking off her velvet robes to reveal her elegant execution gown is the dramatic finale to the show.

Please join us on 14 May for this celebration of Shakespeare – I am sure you will enjoy the show.

For more information click –  http://thelateshows.org.uk/2016/newcastle-city-library

My Jane Austen Talk with Costume Display was featured in the Northern Echo on Tuesday 10 November – please find excerpt below –

AN insight into the fashion of Jane Austin has helped raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society.

Julia Soares-McCormick entertained and informed guests about the history of Regency clothing between 1811 and 1820, using costumes she made herself.

The talk at Sedgefield Parish Hall was organised by the town’s mayor Gloria Wills, who was joined by residents and the mayors of Bishop Auckland, Barnard Castle, Newton Aycliffe, Hartlepool, South Tyneside and Brandon and Byshottles.

Dubbed as an insight into the world of Jane Austin’s clothing, the five costumes, made by Mrs Soares-McCormick, from Cramlington, Northumberland were explained along with some historical background.

She was assisted by her husband, Mick McCormick who demonstrated how the Spencer coat got its name after Earl Spencer of the period burnt his frock coat while standing too close to the fire.

Ms Wills said: “Mrs Soares-McCormick’s talk includes lots about how the costumes were made and how they would have affected the people’s lives who wore them. The clothes were very impractical. Imagine going out in the rain wearing such a long dress.”

 

 

 

 
The event was supported by Sedgefield businesses along with Sedgefield’s pensioner support group, Days In Days Out.”The talk at Sedgefield Parish Hall was organised by the town’s mayor Gloria Wills who was joined by the mayors of Bishop Auckland, Barnard Castle, Newton Aycliffe, Hartlepool, South Tyneside and Brandon and Byshottles” .

I really enjoyed presenting the event and meeting all the lovely ladies  – we also joined them for refreshments afterwards.

View the article in the Northern Echo – – http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/14021241.Jane_Austin_costumes_explained_at_Sedgefield_Parish_Hall/

 

 

Really enjoyed presenting our Tudor Talk with costume display this morning for the Newcastle Embroiderers Guild – it had snowed heavily very late last night and we were worried that when we woke up it would be a very heavy covering.

Hey presto! As if by magic all the snow had disappeared this morning and we had no problem to driving to Bartholomew’s Hall in Forest Hall near Newcastle upon Tyne – 0n a good day it’s only a 10-15 minute run from our home in Cramlington.

Newcastle upon Tyne Embroiderers’ Guild is a friendly, enthusiastic group of embroiderers – their aim is to share opportunities for creativity and promote embroidery for all – everyone is welcome, from beginner to expert.

The only qualification needed is an interest in, and love of, embroidery. – they group say you can enjoy embroidery and not pick up a needle.The ladies really enjoyed our talk and we really enjoyed presenting it.

One of my favourite costumes – my Blue Silk Anne Boleyn Gown has been chosen to grace the cover of a novel about my favourite Tudor Queen . I was happy to show the ladies a copy of ‘The Reincarnation of Anne Boleyn’  written by Nell Gavin  – my lovely model Laura is on the front and back cover wearing my gown.

While discussing Tudor underwear I mentioned that in the 16th Century Tudor ladies wore no type panties or knickers at all and that that type of undergarment was not deemed desirable or essential and in truth had not even been thought of – however strange that seems to us today.A lady attending the talk asked me if I knew where the names knickers and also panties comes from. The word drawers was invented because underwear was drawn on.

Apparently the word knickers  comes from a novel called History of New York by Diedrich Knickerbocker, supposedly a Dutchman living in New York (novel was actually written by Washington Irving).The illustrations for the book in this country showed a Dutchman wearing long loose fitting garments on his lower body.Knickerbockers were men’s loose trousers worn for sport so women’s underwear were soon called knickerbockers too. In the late 19th century the word was shortened to knickers in the late 1800’s . In America ladies undergarments are called panties, which is obviously a shortened form of the word pants.

I enjoyed chatting to the ladies after my talk and was happy to answer questions or queries about both my costume design and history of the Tudors. I even caught up with an old friend Kath who used to work with me at Northumbria University – it was great to see her.

I am currently producing a new talk for 2016.  It is about Fashion and Queen Marie Antoinette.  My 18th Century inspired costumes will include a pink patterned silk corset and panniers, La Reine Chemise worn with a pretty Bergere hat and and a fabulous court gown worn with an amazing wig.

This talk should be available from early next year – date to be advised. A number of the ladies I am pleased to say expressed an interest in booking my costume event-  I will be providing more information about my new talk in a future post.

We also enjoyed refreshments after my talk – I would like to thank the ladies for their help and hospitality – not forgetting my super son James who kindly set up the display.