Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Recycled Costumes: Guest Post by Hayden

I asked my dear blogging friend Hayden to write a guest post for this week, and she very kindly complied.  I was fascinated by her study of period drama costumes, and I think you will be too!

Have you ever been watching a period drama and realized that something looked oddly familiar? One thing I love about period dramas is that the actors tend to stick with the genre and become like old friends. But that’s not exactly what I’m talking about. Besides the acting, one of the best parts about these movies is- you guessed it –the costumes. And a lot of times these costumes are recycled. I guess even BBC likes to be thrifty now and again!

One outfit I find the most recognizable is Margaret Hale’s (North and South, 2004) green striped hoopdress:


When watching Bleak House (2005), I recognized it right away, worn by Lady Dedlock:


It wasn’t until my second viewing of Return to Cranford (2009) that I saw it on Erminia:


This, I think is one of the easiest to spot. Though I’ll always think of it as Margaret’s dress, I have to admit I like it on all three women. Who, in your opinion, wore it best?

I admit that I looked up several of these next ones on the internet. A great site is
http://www.recycledmoviecostumes.com. It has an extensive collection of reused movie costumes.

Some of these outfits have been around for years- both Sabina Franklin (as Jane Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, 1980) and Freema Ageyman (as Tattycorum in Little Dorrit, 2008) have worn this gown:


I can’t believe I didn’t realize this one: Elizabeth Bennet (P&P 05) and Marianne Dashwood (S&S 08) are wearing the same dress!

I’ve never seen The Count of Monte Cristo (2002), but she’s wearing Emma (2009) Woodhouse’s dress!


Well, I guess it’s really the other way around…


And Jane Fairfax borrows Emma’s dress….

Emma 1996
Emma 2009





You cannot see Mrs. Dashwood’s (Sense and Sensibility, 1995) dress in this picture very well, but it’s the same as Lady Ludlow’s (Cranford, 2007) …


Two such different characters wearing the same dress:

Fanny Thornton (North and South, 2004)


Miss Galindo (Cranford, 2007)


The March girls aren’t proud! Hand-me-downs are a part of life. :)


Both from Little Women, 1994

Why, is that Anne Shirley wearing Lucy Honeychurch’s (A Room With a View) dress?


Well, I hope you enjoyed this! I know I did. :) (Although, if BBC ever wants to get rid of their old costumes, I'm perfectly willing to take them off their hands....


Thanks so much for writing this, Hayden! I loved it!
Hayden blogs about period dramas (with costumes!), books and other things in her life at Story Girl.  Hop on over and take a peek!

8 comments:

Treskie said...

Oh my gosh! I'd never noticed that! e

Jessica Greyson said...

I feel completely mind blown!!! WHY HAVE I NEVER NOTICED THIS BEFORE!!!!

It's funny though how each character brings their own feeling to the dress, they seem suddenly new and different...

Thanks for sharing, and I'll be happy to help and volunteer taking some of these costumes off their hands.

Mykaela said...

That is SO funny!!! I absolutely go berserk over the dresses in 'North and South', and S&S especially, and I never even noticed this!! I guess each character is so different, it's hard to notice the same dresses? Ha. I will have to inform my mom about this. Thanks for an excessively diverting post! :)

Hayden said...

it looks great! Thanks for letting me post! :)

GreenMedallion said...

Really cool. I love noticing things like this. ;)

Alexandra said...

Love the post, Hayden! I love finding recycled costumes!

I know, it took me a bit to realize that Erminia was wearing Margaret's dress.

OOOOH! I just realized that Tattycoram is Martha Jones in Doctor Who!!! Sorry, that was random. Ha.

I never even noticed Mrs. Dashwood or Miss Galindow's dresses. And I NEVER noticed that Anne and Lucy are wearing the same dresses, and I've seen both Anne and RWAV millions of times!!! Ha!!!

Anyway. Love, love, loved this post. :)

Marissa Ballenger said...

I never can spot things like this!!!!!
Margaret Hale wore it better to be sure!!!!

Poor Emma.... to think your own dress being ripped away from you LOL.

I love these posts!!!!!

Marissa

Rachel Heffington said...

One of my absolute favorite indoor-sports. :D Though I will admit I hadn't realized Miss Galindo vs. Fanny Thornton! :D Nor have I seen "A Room with a View" but that's fascinating!