The fashions of Downton Abbey revisited

CONROE, Texas -- The latest fashion craze is not on the runways of Milan, Italy, nor on the streets of Paris, France. In fact, one would have to get in the wayback machine and travel back to Yorkshire, England, to the beginning of the last century, to see the fashions that are being worn by today’s fashionistas.

Made popular by the British period drama, “Downton Abbey,” created by Julian Fellowes, the program which airs Sunday evenings spans the decade from 1912 thru 1921. The fashions re-created by Susannah Buxton and Caroline McCal, are now all the rage. Long, ankle-length skirts are back in vogue, worn with old- fashioned lace blouses. The costumes are so true to the period that the program has received the Creative Arts Emmy Award for Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special.

Due to their age, the fashions are hard to find in antique shops, instead try checking the trunks in the attic or the back of grandma’s closet for garments in good condition. Although home-sewing has become somewhat of a lost art, if one can locate vintage patterns, a good seamstress can bring the look of the early 1900’s back to life. The patterns might be located in antique stores, but to be truly authentic, the garments would have to be made of fabrics of the period… natural fibers like cotton, silk, and wool.

The program is comprised of three series: Pre-WWI, with the next two spanning the years 1916 thru 1921. The clothing evolution depicts the Post-Edwardian fashions when women wore long, bell-shaped skirts, with emphasis on the waist which was still being cinched with corsets. The lace blouses had long, fitted sleeves with high, standup collars, reminiscent of the modest women. Shoes were laced up, and hats were picturesque…wide brims, embellished with plumage, flowers, or large satin bows. Throughout the series the viewer can detect the hemlines rising to mid-calf, and the waistlines dropping to the hip.

Accessories during this period consisted of parasols, feathered fans, small handbags with long straps, and fur muffs which served a dual purpose both for keeping hands warm and as a fashion statement.

Menswear consisted of either a cutaway coat or straight-lined jacket, with a wide pant width. High-collared shirts were worn with bow ties, and the outfit was topped off with either a top hat or a bowler (derby).

At the Greater Conroe/Lake Conroe Area Chamber of Commerce 2013 Chairman’s Ball, vintage furs were all the rage. A couple of mink stoles, circa 1940-50, were seen wrapped around bare shoulders, and another attendee carried a early 1900s muff as a fashion accessory.

“I purchased this muff at an antique store and literally had to piece it back together, but I just had to have it,” said Linda Speight, a Montgomery County resident.

They say ‘what goes around, comes around.’ It’s unlikely that all the fashion trends from the earlier part of the last century will return in their entirety, but Downton Abbey has definitely made its mark on the fashion scene.

The Season three finale is set to air this Sunday, February 17, on the PBS network at 8 p.m. CST.