Emma cinema outing

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The new film of Emma opens at the Belgrave cinema in Armidale this week, and we’re going on Sunday 16th to the 12.10 screening – Regency dress encouraged by not required! The Farmer’s Markets are also on that morning, so we’ll meet at the markets at about 11am, for a stroll around in our finery and a delicious croissant or Portugese tart for a filling brunch before the movie.

Buy your tickets directly from the cinema – you can book online.

Don’t happen to have a Regency dress or tail-coat in your wardrobe? That’s okay! If you’re feeling handy and have time to spare this week, you can check my posts with tips for the Jane Austen Festival on a budget at my costume blog here and here. But if you don’t have time, just come along – pretty frocks, dashing waistcoats and cravats, Regency Steampunk, or even comfy jeans – all welcome.

Downton Abbey movie night

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The new Downton Abbey film will be released world-wide in mid-September, and we’re planning to dress 1920s style and go and see it at the Belgrave Cinema in Armidale on Friday 13th Sunday 15th September.(Please note change of date due to another booking at the cinema.) They haven’t set the session times yet, but we’ll aim for the screening that’s nearest 7pm.

A promotional image from the film, Downton Abbey, showing the cast in evening dress

The film is apparently set in 1927/28, after the last season of the television series. Think flappers, elegance, lace, beads, velvet, luxury… and a touch of daring, especially for the younger set.

Here is a slideshow of some inspiration images, from fashion and pattern magazines of the time.

This simplest approach for ladies’ dresses, entirely historically accurate for the 1920s, is the ‘One Hour Dress’ – a simple shift dress, with gathering or pleating at the hip level, based on the booklet published by Mary Brooks Pickens in 1924, and various magazine articles and sketches of the time.

Biance who blogs at The Closet Historian has a very useful set of posts about making a 1920’s ‘One Hour’ dress.

A good ‘One Hour’ dress will take you longer than an hour to make; I hand-sew hems and edgings but I can still make one in around 3 hours. If you’re adding trim, fringing or other decoration it will take a little longer.

1920s evening dresses were usually sleeveless, although those of us of more mature years may wish to keep the short sleeves of the ‘one hour dress’ style, or add longer ones.

If you follow our Facebook Page, I’ll be posting links for ideas, easy patterns, and other tips for dressing in 1920s style.

Werris Creek train trip

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Such a lovely day yesterday! Ten of us took the train to Werris Creek, where we filled the almost four hours before the return train back by having lunch at the Coffee Corner Cafe across the road from the Railway, and then exploring the Railway Museum and memorial. Several of us dressed in steampunk, Michelle wore her fantastic 1880s bustle dress, Raelene came in an Outlander-inspired outfit, and Angele was regal in her medieval/Game of Thrones inspired robe and dress.

10 of us at Werris Creek Railway Station, with the railway sign in the background.
The group at a long table in the cafe.
Mihelle in her purple bustle outfit. High neck, front closing, long sleeves, with overskirt drpaery at front and back.
Michelle used patterns from Truly Victorian for her outfit.
Pete and Katinka rocking the Steampunk style – although it was early in the morning and perhaps there hadn’t been quite enough caffeine!

Sunday events

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We’re having two events tomorrow (Sunday 23rd)! First up is a trip on a vintage train – Lachlan Valley Railway have a 1920s Rail motor train in Armidale this weekend. Four of us went in steampunk outfits on the dinner trip to Walcha Road pub last night – heaps of fun! Tomorrow, about 6 of us will go in costume on the 11.50am shuttle to Uralla and back. We’ll be in Carriage CPH 25, in the back end – there are still seats left in that carriage, so anyone who’d like to join us can book tickets here.

I’m planning to wear a 1920s ‘One hour’ dress; others might be going in 1920s, 1950s, or other historical fashions.

The train returns to Armidale around midday. We’ll probably have some lunch afterwards, and then from 2pm we’re having a making get-together at the Historical Society’s rooms at 114 Faulkner Street – on the corner with Cinders Lane. Bring along ideas, questions, projects for heaps of costuming discussion and inspiration!

Here are a few photos from the train trip yesterday evening. Katinka and Pete are Steampunk enthusiasts and always look great, so Jane and I (Bron) decided to go in Steampunk style, too.

Jane and Bron at the front of the train on the platform at Armidale Station
Jane and Bron at Armidale Station
Jane, Bron, Katinka and Pete in front of the train at Walcha Road Station
L-R: Jane, Bron, Katinka and Pete – at Walcha Road Station
The vintage train at a small rural station, at dusk, with dark clouds overhead.
At Walcha Road Station, ready for the return home.
Pete and Katinka wearing Steampunk hats and outfits inside the vintage railway carriage.
Pete and Kat on board the train.

Saumarez Devonshire Tea

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This coming Sunday (4th November) is our historical dress-up Devonshire Tea at the stunning Saumarez Homestead, on the edge of Armidale. The gardens should be lovely at this time of year, and perfect for photographs, so dress in your historical attire – or a spring frock or waistcoat! – and come along to enjoy scones and jam and cream (GF available).

Saumarez Homestead - a double storey house with white decorative veranda railings and a green roof.

We’ll gather at 1pm in the courtyard and then there’s plenty of time for a stroll and photos in the garden, afternoon tea, and those who wish to can join the house tour at 3.30pm.

The cafe menu is limited but inexpensive and delicious:

Saumare cafe blackboard menu

There is an entrance fee of $8 for the garden, or $15 for entrance to both house and gardens.

It should be a wonderful afternoon of grace and elegance! If you’d like to come, please RSVP by commenting on this post, or over on the Facebook event page  so that we can tell the cafe volunteers how many to expect.

 

Spring events

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We have a few events coming up in the next month!

To help prepare for them, we’re having two costume-making sessions in October – on Sunday 21st October, and Sunday 28th October, both from 1.30 to 4.30 pm, in the HIstorical Society’s rooms at 114 Faulkner Street Armidale (the old Dumaresq Chambers building on the corner with Cinders Lane). Come along and bring what you’re working on, or ideas for what you’d like to make!

Fashion plate from 1915 with a woman in a pink dress, and a listing of event dates

Afternoon tea at Saumarez homestead

On Sunday, 4th November, we’ll have afternoon tea at the beautiful Saumarez Homestead, near Armidale Airport. Do dress up in historic costume if you have one, or a spring frock or dashing waistcoat. I suggest that we meet at the cafe there at about 1.00pm, which gives us time to have afternoon tea and a wander (and photographs) in the gorgeous gardens, before those that wish to can join the 3pm house tour. Please note that Saumarez has a limited menu, which does make afternoon tea inexpensive, but if you have dietary restrictions you may wish to bring some food for yourself. There is an additional charge for garden entry – $8, although we may be able to get a group price – and if you’d like to do the house tour the cost is $15 for both the house and the gardens (although again we may be able to get a group rate.) But it is a stunning late 19th century house, beautifully kept, and worth it!

Centenary of the WW1 Armistice

Sunday, 11th November marks the centenary of the Armistice that ended the fighting in the First World War, and there will be three events in Armidale on that day. The RSL is holding two services – a Church service at 7.30 at the Anglican Cathedral, and a Remembrance Day service at about 10.15 at the War Memorial Fountain in Central Park, finishing in time for the traditional minute’s silence at 11am, the time at which the Armistice was signed and Germany formally surrendered to the Allies. Several of us are planning to attend at least the service in the park, dressed in civilian 1918 costume, out of respect for those who endured the long years of the war, and those who fell.

The third event will be the opening of an exhibition at the Armidale Folk Museum, which will look back at the Armistice and WW1 and explore the themes of Sorrow, Celebration and Social Change that the war years brought to Armidale and district. The news of the signing of the Armistice reached Armidale at about 8pm on the 11th November 1918, and such was the relief that there was a huge and impromptu celebration in Beardy Street – people simply poured out on to the streets, with musical instruments, processions, flags. The celebrations went on until the small hours of the morning, and the following day was declared a public holiday. Some of us will also dress up/remain dressed-up in 1918 fashion for the exhibition opening, which may be around noon – time to be confirmed.

If you’d like to take part in 1918 fashion in the Centenary events, let me know, and I can provide some resources.

September meeting – a making session

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Our September meeting will be another making session – a great chance to get projects started/finished/progressed! So bring along your current costume project to work on – there are some tables for cutting out fabric or patterns and some power points if you want to bring your sewing machine. If you let me (Bron) know what you’re working on or need help with, I may be able to bring some resources/books from my collection.

Also, do bring along anything to show off! Finished outfits, accessories, items of interest. We love to admire things!

Note – we have a new venue for our meeting! Please see the details below.

Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided.

Date and time: Sunday 30th September, 1.30pm to 4.30pm

Venue: The Historical Society rooms in the old Dumaresq Chambers building at 114 Faulkner Street Armidale – it’s on the corner with Cinders Lane. The markets should be finished by then, or in the last stages of packing up, so you should be able to park on Faulkner Street, or in the Cinders Lane car park. Dumaresq Chambers is the single-storey building on the corner, with green doors, not the double-storey Lands Dept building on the opposite corner of Cinders Lane.

August meeting – costume making

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Our August meeting will be a making session. Bring along your current costume project to work on – there are some tables for cutting out fabric or patterns and some power points if you want to bring your sewing machine. If you let me know what you’re working on or need help with, I may be able to bring some resources/books from my collection. For those going to the Outlander Gathering in Glen Innes in October, I’ll bring along some pattern ideas (and maybe an outfit-in-progress!)

Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided.

Date and time: Sunday 26th August, 1.30pm to 4.30pm

Venue: The Activities Room in Kent House, 141 Faulkner Street Armidale. If you come in from the front, go down the side veranda to the second last door. You can also park behind the building and come in via the veranda.

Cost: a contribution towards the room hire will be appreciated as the rates have quadrupled this financial year. We’re looking for a longer-term solution.

An eighteenth century painting of a group of women sewing around a table

July meeting – preview of Museum costumes

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Our July meeting will be at the Armidale Folk Museum. Bronwyn has been volunteering there, working with some other volunteers on documenting the museum’s costume collection. For this session, she’ll show a number of garments and discuss their time, their construction, and who might have worn them and where.

An 1890s bodice in cream silk printed with a delicate green floral design.

A printed silk bodice, with cream lace, dating from the 1890s. The bodice has a matching skirt and Swiss waist.

Most of these costumes have not been on display for many years, if ever, so this is your chance for a special preview of some hidden treasures. We’ll also look at some construction and details you can’t see when an outfit is on a mannequin, and discuss underpinnings and accessories.

Bodice of a silk satin wedding dress, circa 1910-1912

Bodice of a silk satin wedding dress, circa 1910-1912

Meeting details: Sunday, 29th July, 1.30-3.30pm, at Armidale Folk Museum, corner of Rusden and Faulkner streets.

Note: Please dress warmly – the heating in the museum isn’t great – and wear comfy shoes, as we’ll be standing around a table for the session. Please also note that the museum doesn’t have a toilet, and the nearest one open on Sundays is in Central Park.

Afterwards we’ll likely adjourn to somewhere else for a warming cuppa!