27 March 2017 “Enter the World of Jane Austen” – Witham Group of W. I’s 

We will present our talk “Enter the World of Jane Austen” – Regency Costume Talk with Display for Witham Group of W. I’s 27th March 2017 at Washing-borough near Lincoln. A very interesting, lively, humorous and informative lecture about the design and construction of gowns I have created inspired by the Regency period. Beautifully costumed mannequins/dummies will accompany the talk. I will include several costumes and some underwear inspired by the period as well as a morning dress, afternoon dress and evening gowns.

2 May 2017 Regency Talk  – Rothbury WI

We are looking forward to presenting our Jane Austen talk for Rothbury WI. Our venue is the Rothbury Golf Club located across the river from the centre of picturesque Rothbury in Northumberland. We will present the talk in a large airy room with a superb backdrop of the rolling hills of Northumberland. My costume display will include superb reproduction Regency underwear based on extant of the period – a chemise, corset and pantalettes – I will illustrate how important it is to wear the correct foundation garments as the true period shape would be impossible to achieve without them.

5 July 2017 South Shields  – U3A

On 5 July, we will present our Regency Talk – Enter the World of Jane Austen’ for the U3A – The University of the Third Age. We had had a number of bookings for the U3A and always enjoy presenting events for them. We will present our talk in a large spacious hall in the centre of South Shields. The U3A is an organisation was established in South Tyneside in 2001 – it’s motto is ‘Friendship, Fun and Learning’. South Tyneside U3A offers many opportunities to explore new interests, expand old ones and learn something different. They believe in learning for fun rather than qualifications or exam results. We are also looking forward to presenting our new talk about Marie Antoinette for the U3A later this year. 

 2 October 2017    Marie Antoinette  – Bede of Jarrow U3A 

I am presenting a costume event for the University of the Third Age in Jarrow.  This is the third lecture I have presented for the U3A and the very first presentation of my lavish new talk about the 18^th century called ‘Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution’. An integral part of my new talk is a comparison between the large elaborate court gown worn by Marie Antoinette for formal court occasions and the more casual Chemise a la Reine which she preferred.  I will also include a superb costume display of mannequins wearing a La Robe Francaise, La Reine Chemise and reproduction 18^th Century underwear. 

https://u3asites.org.uk/bede/page/61618

La Robe Francaise

 12 October 2017    Regency Talk  – The Mansion House 

I am pleased to be presenting my talk ‘Enter the World of Jane Austen’ for the Mansion House in Doncaster. My Regency talk is a very interesting, lively, humorous and informative lecture about the design and construction of gowns I have created inspired by the regency period. Beautifully costumed mannequins/dummies will accompany the talk. Included are a very pretty white cotton afternoon dress for Jane Austen worn with bonnet, chemisette and velvet spencer,a sumptuous lilac silk ball gown embellished with gold lace – worn with a turban, fan and gloves and Regency Underwear – chemise, corset and pantalettes plus accessories. Also included is a very pretty morning dress and an exquisite gold-encrusted court gown inspired by Empress Josephine, wife of Napoleon Bonaparte. I also will be assisted by a Regency Gentleman wearing a silk waistcoat, shirt and cravat.

http://www.doncaster.gov.uk/Events/enter-the-world-of-jane-austen-with-julia-soares-mccormick

Saturday 9 December 2017 – Marie Antoinette – Tee-side WI 

This will be my second presentation of my fabulous event about Marie Antoinette.  I will include a Pink Silk Court Gown worn with fabulous wig adorned with towering feathers, a very pretty romantic white cotton dress worn with Hedgehog wig and Bergere (shepherdess style) hat and 18th Century inspired underwear.  The underwear includes a corset, a chemise and two types of panniers – the pocket hoops and the Grand pannier which held out the very wide skirts! 

Chemise a la Reine

 10 March 2018   Marie Antoinette  – East Yorkshire Embroidery Society   

On Saturday 10 March, I will be presenting my new talk about Marie Antoinette and her costumes for the East Yorkshire Embroidery Society.  I will be including a fabulous costume display and also some very interesting information about Marie Antoinette herself. I have already presented both my Tudor and Regency talks for the group and I am sure they will enjoy this new talk.  They are a lovely group who are very interested and informed about costume. I am really looking forward to presenting it.

https://eyes-embroidery.co.uk/201617-programme/

13 March 2018  Marie Antoinette  – Royal Scots Club Edinburgh

I always enjoy presenting my talks for the Royal Scots Club.  They really enjoyed my Regency Talk a couple of years ago and I am sure they will enjoy my new talk inspired by clothing worn in the 18^th Century.  The Royal Scots Club is located in a beautiful building in the heart of Edinburgh.

My new talk ‘Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution’ includes reproduction 18th Century costumes – they will include a very elaborate Pink Silk court dress ‘Robe a La Francaise’ worn with large ornate pompadour wig and accessories. A “Chemise a la Reine” a simple gown worn by Marie Antoinette herself – worn with a Bergere hat and powdered curled hair. Also 18^th Century Underwear – a beautiful silk boned corset, side panniers and petticoat.

5 April 2018     Marie Antoinette   – Dumfries Embroiderers’ Guild

I always enjoy vising Scotland as it is one of my favourite places so I am particularly pleased to be presenting my new talk about Marie Antoinette and Fashion there on Thursday 5 April 2018. I really enjoy presenting talks to Embroiderers Guilds as the ladies really enjoy anything connected to fashion and sewing. I will be including a number of costumes I have designed and made which were inspired by costumes of the 18^th century. I am looking forward to it!

https://dumfrieseg.wordpress.com/meetings/

Pink Silk Court Gown

Yesterday I presented my new talk ‘Enter the World of Jane Austen’ at Stockton Library – it was very successful indeed we were sold out with over 75 people attending.  My talk included   a number of Regency costumes I have designed and made.  They included a morning gown with cap and petticoat, an afternoon gown with spencer, chemisette and Bonnet, a very attractive lilac silk ball gown with reticule and turban and a fabulous ‘Empress Josephine’ masquerade outfit of gold dress with sparking over robe, fan and diadem.

My display included a pretty morning gown that could have been worn by Jane herself  – everyone was delighted when I removed the detachable sleeve. Short sleeves were worn during the summer and long sleeves were buttoned or tacked in to the gown for the cold winter months. A lady at my talk remarked ‘ what a good idea – perhaps we should have detachable sleeves today’.

The reticules – the regency form of handbags were also included in my display – they proved very popular with my audience  – a number of ladies asked me how to construct them as it was remarked that they would make an excellent evening bags for today.

I also presented a very interesting introduction about the changes in fashion from 1775 the year of Jane Austen’s birth to 1817 the year of her death aged only 42.

Included were a number of pictures from the period which were both informative and humorous. I included two very amusing pictures called ‘Advertisement for a husband by Dr Syntax’  and also a picture called ‘The Three Graces’ by Gilroy.  One illustrated the lack of available men during the period and the other the apparent lack of underwear at the time! I also included a lovely picture of Jane by her sister Cassandra wearing a gown  with chemisette and cap – I of course included examples of these items in my display.

The construction of bonnets proved a hit with my audience – they are in fact quite simple to construct and easy to decorate and certainly very attractive when worn. I was happy to share my construction techniques.

I spoke to a lady from a local Embroiderers Guild who was interested in booking my talk. I present a large number of talks with display for a number of  Embroiderers Guilds – the ladies really love my  presentations.

I am sure all the audience at Stockton enjoyed my costume lecture and display.  I spent over a hour chatting to them and answering questions afterwards.  I  like everyone to have a good look at my work – I was happy to remove the spectacular sleeveless robe  form the Empress Josephine costume to reveal the construction of the gold satin court gown beneath. I was even commissioned by a visitor who asked me if I could make her wedding dress!

We presented the talk in Stockton library – it has excellent facilities and we were made very welcome. I would like to thank Claire and all the staff for her help – it was much appreciated (again).

[See image gallery at www.tudortalkandcatwalk.com]