As we watched the different seasons of Downton Abbey, I was so interested in the outfits they wore and how their hairstyles changed over the years. Every day the women would have an outfit for each activity that required the jewelry and a hairstyle to match. Over the years, the skirts and hair got shorter and more fashionable. We can see many of these outfits in one of the buildings in the Biltmore Village. Some of these outfits are my all-time favorites.
A new frock for a new time.
Downton Abbey starts in 1912 when the Titanic sunk. This was the same year that my mom and Barney’s dad were born. Between this year and WWI that started in 1914, our friends in the show are wearing Edwardian fashions. But styles are starting to change!
The day’s fashion had been in place for over 100 years and featured floor-length dresses and corsets for the women and suits with stiff-collared shirts for the men.
In the 1920s, the fashion reflected the changing times: corsets were banished by many young women and hems rose, accenting legs and shoes, for both evening wear and daytime wear.
evening dressesfor the women
Dinners in the evening meant everyone changed into their white tie finery early on in the show.
Women wore elaborate gowns and tiaras, and men wore white ties and tails. After the war, many men reserved this style for more formal evenings and wore black tie at home or when dining more casually.
During the 1920s, men wore dinner jackets, and women favored dresses with shimmer and shine from antique lace or beads that were sown on by hand.
Let’s look at the women’s finery first.
evening dresses for Lady Edith (left), Lady Mary (center), and Lady Edith again (right)
Lady Edith’s lemon sorbet silk crepe evening dress is on the left.
Lady Mary’s antique cotton gauze heavily embellished with antique silver sequins is in the middle of the picture.
A second dress for Lady Edith of pale green chiffon with colored floral metallic embroidery and breeding is on the right.
Lady Rose’s gown when she was presented at court.
This pale pink silk dress wasn’t one of my favorites.
evening wearfor the men
Lord Grantham’s uniform (left), Lord Grantham and Matthew in white tie (center), and Henry’s black tie (right)
dress uniform with a black bow pie
white tie was for evening dinner and other formal events
As life got a little more relaxed, men started wearing black tie for dinner.
This evening dress that Lady Mary wore is one of my favorites.
During the 1920s, the fashion for women’s evening wear often had metallic lace sewn in it.
Another of my favorites is this evening dress that Lady Edith wore.
Her dress caught the candlelight with its silver and clear glass bugle beads.
iconic fashion
At some moments in the show, the outfits worn by the women spoke more than words ever could. One of my favorite moments is when Lady Sybil entered the room wearing her daring harem pants.
And here’s her outfit.
Wearing pantaloons was such a daring move for Lady Sybil, but she was the best one to pull it off when she entered the Drawing Room before dinner.
wedding attire
How many weddings did we have with the Downton Abbey ladies? Let’s count: Lady Mary – 2, Lady Edith – 2 (almost), Lady Sybil – 1, Mrs. Hughes – 1, Anna – 1, and Lady Rose – 1. Total of 8 weddings; so many gifts to buy.
Lady Mary’s first dress for wedding with Matthew
It is a pale apricot long dress. This is the first wedding dress of the show.
Lady Edith’s first dress for her wedding with Sir Anthony – I never did like this dress, so I’m glad she got a second try at marriage.
This an ivory satin full length dress.
Lady Mary’s 2nd wedding to Henry called for a more modern style; such a different look for her.
It’s a cream textured silk dress with a dropped waist, pleated skirt, and matching jacket.
Lady Edith’s wedding to Berthie showcased this dress.
This is a short-sleeved Brussels lace that was ankle length. Since it was the last wedding in the show, the style was more modern.
Mrs. Hughes and Carson
Her grey dress with a “borrowed” mauve velvet coat made this a beautiful stylish outfit. So perfect for her!
Always dressed correctly, Mr. Carson was ready for his wedding in his 3-piece suit.
leisure
Now we know why the red coats for riding were called “pinks.” The first ones were made by London tailor Mr. Pink! Shooting meant the men wore wool tweed suits with breeches. Women also had their skirts and jackets made of tweed, even if the ladies rarely picked up a gun.
Lady Mary’s riding habit
The ankle-length skirt was made so the material could extend over the back of the horse while the women were riding sidesaddle. Such a fashionable outfit!
Dashing Lord Gillingham in his suit for shooting
leisure outfits worn by Tom (left), Lady Mary (center), and Lord Grantham (right)
Tom’s shooting suit also looks like his estate suit.
While joining the men for shooting, Lady Mary was always dressed perfectly for the occasion.
Lord Grantham looked the part whether in his hunting pinks or white tie.
day wear
Before WWI, the women could change their outfits up to 7 times a day depending on what they were doing. The clothing protocols of the day for men and women determined the thickness of wool cloth, the appropriate layers to be worn, and even the colors. These “rules” were never written down; society people just knew them. Poor Matthew and Tom.
This is one of my most favorite outfits because it was so different from any of the dresses the women wore.
It was a mauve and ivory striped cotton summer day dress that Lady Mary wore at a picnic on the grounds. This is also the day that the guests found out that England had joined the fight in WWI.
various hats that the women wore in the show
This is one of my favorite outfits that Cora wore.
royalty
Didn’t you just love the entrance of the royalty into lives of Downton Abbey? Here’s some information about what they wore.
Princess Mary wearing a velvet ball gown, and King George wearing his full dress uniform
Molesley and Andy wearing Downton’s dress livery, and Queen Mary wearing a pale blue silk draped day dress (I had thought that Molesley and Andy’s outfits were from the royal family since we had never seen them in the 6 seasons, but now we know that they were Downton’s dress livery for the men.)
Goodbye Downton Abbey friends; I’ve loved this visit with you. Maybe I’ll watch the movie again!
In a couple of days we’re going to be taking off on our next adventure. Hope you can travel with us.
