Yesterday I presented my Regency Costume Talk and Display ‘Enter the World of Jane Austen’ for Sunderland Embroiderers Guild. We had a splendid afternoon and the ladies said they really enjoyed my talk. I described the fashions worn around the time of Jane Austen who was born in 1775 and only lived until 1817 dying at the age of only 42 years old.

It was an era immortalised by Jane Austen who adeptly used the new found diversity of fashion to enliven her characters – Mr Darcy’s understated elegance, Miss Tilney’s romantic fixation with white muslin and Mr Whickham’s military splendour.

I compared the different types of dresses worn during the period – the casual morning dress worn only in the house – created of old fabric or restyled dresses – why with all the money you saved you could spend it on your going out dresses!

 The afternoon or going out dress which would be of the best fabric and decorated beautifully to go out and be seen in. I created a very elegant gown in white windowpane cotton and lace.

I also included a very ornate and elaborate pure silk evening gown – which I created in lilac silk fabric decorated with crystal beading and gold lace which would be worn for a ball.

Not forgetting my set of Regency reproduction underwear  – it is extremely important to wear the right undergarments to give the correct period shape. I designed a short stays bra worn about 1800 – 1830 and a chemise which would be the first layer nest to the skin. I also included a set of the first pair of knickers ever worn in about 1790 – before then NO KNICKERS were worn at all.

They were separate legs tied separately around the waist – not a not a very sturdy arrangement, as one woman found out the hard way in 1820:

“They are the ugliest things I ever saw: I will never put them on again. I dragged my dress in the dirt for fear someone would spy them. My finest dimity pair with real Swiss lace is quite useless to me for I lost one leg and did not deem it proper to pick it up, and so walked off leaving it in the street behind me, and the lace had cost six shillings a yard…’ 

An embarrassing disaster for the lady, and a source of amusement for everyone else.”

My final costume was a very ornate masquerade costume which was commissioned for a friend as it was based on the coronation gown for Empress Josephine – wife of Napoleon Bonaparte who was crowned in 1801 – it was created in beautiful velvet with gold trimming.

I received the message below after my talk –

“Many thanks for coming to our Guild meeting yesterday. You gave us a splendid afternoon, your costumes were lovely and we learned a lot about the fashion of Jane Austen`s time. The talk was delivered with enthusiasm and a delightful sense of humour. `Mr Darcy` was great too, an added bonus!”

We had a super afternoon presenting my Regency Talk and we were very pleased that the ladies enjoyed it too.

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

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.

Last Thursday we travelled to beautiful Grassington in Yorkshire to present a Tudor fashion Show for the North Yorkshire West Federation WI. It was a large federation event and it proved very popular being fully booked with a large numbers of members in attendance.

We presented our show in the Grassington Devonshire Institute – a large spacious building in the centre of the town. Built in 1855 as a Mechanics Institute and extended in 1923 and 1997, the present building houses a main hall with stage, octagon theatre with stage, kitchen, games room, two further letting rooms, changing rooms and foyer. It plays host every year to a number of popular events.

A number of ladies mentioned they have been watching the recent series ‘Wolf Hall’ on television. ‘Wolf Hall’ is a historical drama chronicling the rise of Thomas Cromwell, the son of a humble blacksmith who became King Henry VIII’s chief minister, as he navigated the corridors of power in the Tudor court.

The series includes appearances by King Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour – famous figures of the period all included in our show. A WI member mentioned she had just finished watching ‘Wolf Hall’ and was looking forward to seeing the costumes ‘up close’ – she certainly got the chance at our Tudor Fashion Show.

We chatted to members after the show  – questions included  ‘ are the skirts and bodices separate or stitched together?’, where do you buy your fabrics?’ and ‘how are the ruffs/wisps made?  – come to our next event and find out! All the ladies said they really enjoyed it – we certainly enjoyed presenting it!

On a personal note I found the execution of Anne Boleyn in Wolf Hall the most moving I have ever seen dramatized in either film or on television. Claire Foy gave a magnificent portrayal and although Anne was portrayed as not the most likeable person during the series – she certainly managed to gain our sympathy by the last scene.

This has proved our most popular year ever at Julia Renaissance Costumes – our booking for 16^th century events have certainly increased due to the massive interest in  ‘Wolf Hall’.

Incidentally our bookings for ‘Enter the World of Jane Austen’- my Regency costume talk with display- have also increased as it is the bi-centenary of the battle of Waterloo in 1815 – it is certainly proving to be a bumper year for us!

I would like to thank Margaret at the WI for all her help and support in making the event such a success  – I would also like to thank her for kind hospitality in providing lunch and drinks for my team.

We really enjoyed presenting the Fashion Show in the Grassington Devonshire Institute for the North Yorkshire WI.  Finally I would like to thank my splendid team for all their excellent work!

King Henry VIII with Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour

To launch the 2014 Winter Programme members of the National Trust were invited to a fashion show with a difference held in the atmospheric surroundings of Washington Old Hall.

I presented my Period Fashion show in this beautiful period building which is steeped in history. Washington Old Hall is a manor house located in the Washington area of Tyne and Wear. It lies in the centre of Washington, being surrounded by other villages.
The manor was the ancestral home of the family of George Washington, the first President of the United States.The name Washington goes back to Anglo-Saxon times. The Norman knight, William de Hertburn, settled on the manorial land here before 1183.  Another house was on the site at the time, and over the years the family improved it and added a hall. Parts of the original hall are still in existence, notably the west end arches of the great hall.

Queen Elizabeth I

Our show took place downstairs in the very beautiful hall – at one end of the hall the arches provided a very attractive backdrop for my costumes. It was commented upon how perfectly the dresses suited the venue and how they brought history to life! Wine and canapés were also served in the Liberty Hall upstairs.

A very nice lady at the show particularly loved the silver silk Jane Seymour Gown. She commented  “It it is absolutely perfect for  Queen Jane Seymour, the design of crosses in the fabric is perfectly suited to her pious nature” she also mentioned that Jane loved pearls. That is why I used pearls to embellish the bodice and underskirt of this very elegant gown.

I would like to thank Douglas the lovely gentleman who booked the show for all his help in making the show such a success as well as the very kind man who served myself and my team refreshments during the evening. Not forgetting my friend Diane who introduced Douglas to my work – Thank you all – without your help this event would not have taken place.

[See image gallery at www.tudortalkandcatwalk.com]

A television crew from South Korea filmed our show as part of a documentary about Fashion and Corsetry throughout the ages.  I was interviewed by Gina – a lovely Korean lady who  organised the film crew.  I also met the director Luciano Cho of ‘Story On’ the award winning documentary makers who are producing the programme for KBS-TV- the Korean equivalent of the BBC. I enjoyed being interviewed by the team – we chatted about the ‘Renaissance Period’ – the significance of costume and importance of underwear to provide the correct period shape.

My husband was also interviewed – they were very impressed by his very ornate and splendid costume. When he was asked “Why was the costume so ornate” he answered: “Henry VIII portrayed himself as not only a King but as a God – this gave him more power and prestige among his subjects”.

Rachel as Anne Boleyn

The crew filmed in the event with a state-of-the-art camera which recorded in 4K resolution, a format beyond standard HD. I was told that not even the BBC has adopted this camera technology yet.

We really enjoyed the evening – it was very interesting and to be honest quite exciting to be part of a television production.

I mustn’t forget to mention that I was presented with a beautiful gift by Gina the leader of the television crew. An absolutely stunning Korean mother of pearl jewellery box with silver butterfly hinges.  A wonderful gift that I will always treasure – it is so beautiful I have shared a couple of pictures of my gift.

I mustn’t forget to thank my team for a splendid show – Kevin on sound, my son James as Narrator and my husband Mick resplendent as King Henry VIII. My two new models Emma and Rachel were splendid in their first show with Helen my lead model superb as usual!

As soon as I receive a copy of the documentary I will see if it is possible to put an excerpt on my website – so watch this space!

Washington Old Hall

We are presenting two Period Fashion Shows this month. I am very excited to announce that the first show at Killingworth is to be filmed and featured on television! The second show is to be presented at beautiful historic Washington Old Hall in Tyne and Wear!

My exciting and dynamic Period Fashion Show includes historically inspired costumes worn by models accompanied by beautiful period music. There is also a brief history of each historical figure and a talk about the design and construction of each costume. Our show includes Elizabeth I, Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Catherine Howard and Mary Queen of Scots taking off her velvet robes to reveal her elegant execution gown. 

Tudor Inspired Historical Costumes

We have been booked by North Tyneside Council to present our Tudor Fashion Show at the White Swan Centre in Killingworth on Thursday 25th September 2014. The Centre has excellent facilities and is used to present special events such as weddings and shows. It is an attractive airy building with beautiful natural light – a wonderful setting for our Show.

My Tudor Fashion Show at Killingworth is to be featured on television.  It is to be filmed by South Korean TV Station KBS – the Korean equivalent of the BBC. KBS produces award winning documentaries internationally. The documentary  is to be called ‘Fashionable’  – it will be filmed in UHD, the latest high definition and will be all about hidden and amazing history about fashions, focusing on Corsets and Renaissance Costumes.  We are very excited to be a part of this excellent production.

The show is to presented on Thursday 25 September 2014 at 7pm – for more information including details of how to book please visit the following-

http://www.friendsaction.co.uk/events/tudor-fashion-show

http://www.northtyneside.gov.uk/browse-display.shtml?p_ID=553544&p_subjectCategory=1298

Washington Old Hall

The following evening Friday 26 September we will presenting our Tudor Fashion Show again in the wonderful Washington Old Hall in Washington Village for the National Trust. Washington Old Hall is a Manor house associated with the family of George Washington, the first president of the USA. At the heart of the historic Washington village lies the picturesque stone manor house and its gardens which provide a tranquil oasis, reflecting gentry life following the turbulence of the English Civil War. The building incorporates parts of the original medieval home of George Washington’s direct ancestors, and it is from here that the family took their surname of ‘Washington’. It will provide a wonderful historical setting for my historically inspired costumes. I am really looking forward to presenting the show in such an amazing setting – for more information visit http://www.durhamnt.org.uk/socials.html

It is an very exciting time  – I do hope you will join us and become part of my costume events!

Queen Jane Seymour

Majesty At St Mary’s Heritage Centre

How often did 16th Century courtiers bathe?

Bathrooms were very rare in Tudor houses. On average Tudors took a full bath about twice a year. Rich Tudors probably washed quite often using a bowl of water, soap and a cloth – there are lots of recipes for soaps of various sorts! A poor Tudor who could not get clean water probably hardly ever washed!

Were Tudor corsets comfortable?

There are several myths about wearing corsets, many of which spring from Victorian corsetry rather than Elizabethan. In the 16th century, the corset was not meant to draw in the waist and create an hourglass figure; rather, it was designed to mold the torso into a cylindrical shape, and to flatten and raise the bustline. Another common myth revolves around the horrible discomfort of corsets. This, too, stems from the tightly-laced waists of the 19th century; the corset worn in Elizabethan England, when fitted and laced correctly, is quite comfortable. Some well-endowed women consider them more comfortable than modern underwire bras, and many people with back problems have remarked how much a boned-tab Elizabethan corset feels like a supportive back brace.

King Henry meets his people

Did they wear underwear?

Tudor women did not wear knickers or bras, their underwear consisted of a linen smock and a woman would own enough smocks to last her a week. Heavy gowns could not be washed, and were beaten, so smocks were the pieces of an outfit that could be washed and they protected gowns from sweat and skin oils.

How did Tudor ladies manage to go to the lavatory

I believe that they simply hitched them up around their waists. In the past, women did not always wear drawers so the process was much simplified. Hooped dresses are not the problem they appear; in fact when, many years ago, toilet calls were actually easier than in a modern long dress; the hoops lift up, ballooning forward from the lady as she sits, so that there is no need to crumple fabric around the waist.

After the Show meeting visitors

It was mentioned to me by one of team that a lady stated ‘ she knew exactly who the historical characters were as soon as they appeared’ as the costumes were so well designed’.

All the models particularly King Henry VIII were rapturously applauded – my show proved to be very successful indeed. We certainly enjoyed presenting it – it was both very well publicised and efficiently organised.

I would like to thank my team  – models – Mick (my husband),  Helen, Jess, Laura as well as Kevin my sound engineer. I must mention my son James who presented the talks while I changed the models backstage.

I would also like to thank Jen at Gateshead Council and all her team for making the Period Fashion Show such a success – we would love to present an event in the centre again. It was a fabulous period setting for my costumes!

[See image gallery at www.tudortalkandcatwalk.com]

 A Tudor Fashion Show presented at St Mary’s Heritage Centre in Gateshead

We will present a ‘Tudor Fashion Show’ for Gateshead Council on Saturday 22nd February at 7pm in St Mary’s Heritage Centre.

St. Mary’s Heritage Centre is a unique and innovative visitor attraction incorporating libraries, arts and heritage in one venue.  Sitting high above the River Tyne close to The Sage Gateshead, the centre opened on the 16th December 2008 following a £1.2m transformation, funded by Gateshead Council, the European Regional Development fund and the heritage lottery fund.The interior of the Grade 1-listed church has been completely stripped out to return it as far as possible to its former state, and is open to the public with a programme of exhibitions and activities including a family history section focusing on the church and the nearby area.St. Mary’s Heritage Centre welcomes visitors to learn the history of Gateshead, and provides a spectacular venue for events, family history research and educational activities.

For more information about booking and prices please click     https://online.gateshead.gov.uk/EventTicketsOnline/pages/eventdetails.aspx?ky=2313

This exciting Tudor fashion Show includes a number of superb costumes I have designed and made worn by four 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. Our show includes King Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Katherine Howard and a fabulous gold gow for Queen Elizabeth I. Also included are two gowns for Mary Queen of Scots – a fabulous court gown and her elegant execution gown.  Hope to see you at the show!

Costumes include Henry VIII, Catherine Howard, Mary Queen of Scots and an Orange Silk Court Gown

Last Friday we presented two Period Fashion Shows at Muncaster Castle near Ravenglass in Cumbria.

What a beautiful setting for my costumes – The medieval Castle is bordered by beautiful gardens, with the backdrop of the spectacular views of the Lakeland Fells. Unusual plants, trees and flowers from all over the world grow in the landscaped areas and the wild woods. Planted over 200 years ago, the gardens have been described as the Gateway to Paradise.

The Great Hall with its dramatic rich red and wood panelled walls dating from the medieval age.  This room is the heart of the Castle and was the dramatic setting for the shows.  The family’s seven centuries of accumulations fill the castle and the walls of the Great Hall are lined with beautiful portraits.The Castle was a superb venue in every respect

I received excellent feedback – comments from visitors I spoke to after the show included

– “The dramatic finale with Mary Queen of Scots wearing her execution clothes brought a lump to my throat”

–  “I really enjoyed both the history of the Tudors as well as an insight into the design of the fabulous costumes”.

– ” What an excellent King Henry VIII – he really looked the part!”

Everyone said they thoroughly enjoyed the fashion shows.

Henry VIII, Jane Seymour, Mary Queen of Scots and Anne Boleyn

After the final performance the models took part in a photo shoot in the magnificent grounds of Muncaster Castle.  I have included a selection of pictures taken both in the Great Hall and the beautiful grounds – I really hope you enjoy viewing them.

I would also like to thank all the staff of Muncaster especially Andy, Peter and Bronwyn for their help in making the shows such a success. They provided great facilities for the shows as well as excellent hospitality for the whole team – thank you!

My thanks to my friend  Dave Foster for his photographs