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.

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.