Patterns taken from the garments themselves
Each pack lets a competent dressmaker recreate a genuine historical costume. The patterns are drawn to scale on squared paper for easy resizing, and come with full instructions, historical notes and a colour photograph of the original garment — ideal for museum reproduction, stage and dance, or even a wedding.
Charlotte Brontë's Going-Away Dress
The dress Charlotte Brontë wore on 29th June 1854, setting off from Haworth with her new husband for their Irish honeymoon. The original belongs to the Brontë Parsonage Museum, which is associated with this pack.
A Dress of the Revolution — 1793
Taken from a dress once belonging to a Seine boatwoman — worn, the story goes, by a Frenchwoman married to an Englishman as she escaped the Terror of the French Revolution.
Edwardian Sailor Suit & Bridesmaid's Dress
Two children's garments of the Edwardian era in a single pack — the ever-popular sailor suit alongside a charming bridesmaid's dress.
Dress for the Mayoress of Hull — 1896
A bodice and skirt made by the celebrated Hull dressmaker Madame Clapham for Marion Richardson, Mayoress of Hull, in 1896. The original is held by Hull Museums.
Prices & ordering
- £4.50 per pack
- £3.50 each for 10+ packs (may be mixed)
- UK postage from £0.80
- Cheque or money order, payable to the Society