Dickens-era
Costume Information
To
make your holiday event an adventure, visitors to ChristmasVille
in Rock Hill are encouraged (but certainly not required!) to participate
in the event with us
by dressing in Dickens-era outfits.
The wonderful Christmas merriment and holiday fashion of Charles
Dickens’ era is the time period between 1840 and 1860. Costumes
can easily be adapted from items in your closet, the local thrift
store, or even found on eBay. They may also be rented from costume
shops.
Locally,
we suggest:
Gregory’s
Formal Wear
725 Cherry Road, Suite
159 in Rock Hill, SC (the Commons at Winthrop)
for men’s
costumes.
Click
their name above to send them an e-mail or call them at 803-329-2615.
or
Vintage
Finds
133
East Main Street in historic Downtown Rock Hill, SC
for women’s costumes.
Offering 10% discounts on Victorian Costumes for ChristmasVille!
Click their name above to send them an e-mail or call them at 803-324-2430.
or
Morris
Costumes
4300 Monroe Road in Charlotte,
NC
for both men’s and women’s costumes.
Click
their name above to go to their website or call them
at 704-333-4653.
or
Black Dahlia
Angie Clinton of Black Dahlia Creative Designs welcomes
inquiries on her label's line of Dickens period costumes. Contact
her to
set up an appointment to select from designs in stock or to
arrange for a custom design.
Custom
orders require 7 days turnaround.
Cell: 803-627-0717 • Home: 803-684-5271
E-mail: blackdahliadesign@earthlink.net
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Examples of outfits from Black Dahlia |
Following
are some descriptions of clothing from the Dickens era to help you
in renting or creating your costumes…
For Women:
•
Skirts and dresses were long and full skirted. Petticoats with
a ruffled hem or a hoop skirt can add fullness. However, many of
the Brayers Christmas Carolers skirts were merely long, so don’t
worry if you can’t find a petticoat. White long sleeved blouses
with high collars that button in the front or back. Lace or embroidered
blouses are wonderful. Wide belts (2”) were usually
worn with blouses and skirts. Ball gowns were low cut to
reveal
shoulders and often laced tightly in the back with short
or three-quarter
length sleeves.
• Outer wear included capes, cloaks, and knitted or crocheted shawls.
Jackets had pagoda or bell-shaped sleeves. Bonnets that
tied under the chin were very fashionable. Lace doilies can also be adapted
into a hat by merely adding silk flowers or ribbons.
• Accessories included gloves, muffs, fans, parasols, aprons, brooches,
small earrings and pins. Cameos and pearls were also popular.
Shoes were either low heeled slippers or laced up boots.
• Fabrics were taffeta, wool, twill, velvet, cotton, and linen.
•
Colors were rich – garnet, plum, golds, greens, blues, as
well as black, gray, beige, and brown. Patterns included
plaids, stripes, paisleys, tweeds and herringbone. Trims, lace, and
ribbons were also used as accents.
• Hair was worn tucked underneath the hat or tied back. Mob caps
were typically worn by servants or lower class
For
Men:
•
Shirts - A tuxedo, plain white, or striped shirt can be made
period by turning up the collar (often with the tips down)
and adding a scarf or fancy cravat knotted in the front. Working
men wore collarless shirts or smocks with sleeves rolled up.
Vests or waistcoats were colorful and made of satin, brocade,
velvet, or wool (usually tweed or plaid). To make modern vests
Dickens era, merely fold front points under to make the bottom
hem square.
•
Pants for gentlemen were black for formal evening wear, with
gray, buff or white for day wear. Trouser styles varied from
tapered to looser at the thigh, then tapered more through the
calf. A working man would wear a baggy pair of pants or knickers
in wool or corduroy. Frock coats, day coats, or tail coats
can be made from a dark overcoat or raincoat. Trim the collar
with brocade, velvet, or silk and remove the tops few buttons
so that the coat will fall open in a cutaway style. The common
man would wear a wool coat with a scarf or muffler tied around
the neck.
•
Hats were a must! Top hats for gentlemen, tweed caps or derby
hats for others.
•
Accessories included walking canes, pocket watches with chains,
mufflers, gloves, handkerchiefs and umbrellas.
For
Children:
•
Boys wore knickers, trousers, and shirts under coats or vests
with a cap like the men.
•
Girls wore frocks fastened behind with cloaks or shawls and
bonnets for outside.
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Some
examples of Dickens-era clothing
from ChristmasVille 2006 |
Whether you decide to dress in costume or just want to
come enjoy the fun in 21st century clothing, please come
join
us for this wonderful family event. There’s truly
nothing like it anywhere else!!
