Well, Glamour Girl finally did it. She took the short(ish) trip up I-95 to the Land of the DuPonts, better known as Delaware, to see the magnificent, swoon-inducing exhibition of the Costumes of Downton Abbey at the marble and stone extravaganza called Winterthur.
And oh, was it worth the wait.
Go on a weekday if you can; the crowds are obviously more sparse. Though when you buy tickets (ahead of time), you’ll get a two-hour period of time when you can show up and see the exhibition. That way, the museum can stagger the spectators, so it’s never too crowded at any one time.
Not only is the exhibit itself beautiful, but the grounds, especially with the leaves turning, are breathtaking. Acres and acres of rolling hills, brooks, bridges, footpaths, and gardens. You can take a little tram from the Visitors Center up to the house itself, getting a garden tour of 20 minutes along the way, or you can stroll there on your own.
You’ll see all the costumes in this picture, for instance:
Along with the glorious costumes, there are helpful little historical explanations of the types of clothes, when they were worn, why they were worn, by whom they were worn, how they were made, and what fabrics they’re made of. A DuPont timeline accompanies the Downton Abbey timeline, as the clothes, technology, and historical conditions change through the years. Huge video screens also display scenes from the series, including the terribly romantic scene where Matthew proposes to Lady Mary in the lightly falling snow. And the simple burgundy tiered dress, with tiny exquisite beading, that she wears in that scene is on display.
Also on display—and I know you want to see this one up close—is the fabulous Paul Poiret harem pants outfit worn by Lady Sybil for dinner one evening, when she shocks the staid Edwardians with her daring fashion sense:
The three sisters are all depicted together in a couple of scenes, along with their wardrobe, as in this summertime shot:
And this one on Lady Edith’s wedding day:
Speaking of Edith’s wedding day, you have to see her gown in person to appreciate how gorgeous it is, with all this delicate silver embroidery and Swarovski crystal beading on the train:
Of course Shirley MacLaine’s character is represented by some fabulous outfits, which I, for one, am dying to wear:
And the gowns of the elegant Lady Cora, Mary, and Maggie Smith’s formidable Dowager Countess are well represented throughout:
Although technically you can buy tickets on-line, I found Winterthur’s website maddeningly confusing to navigate, so I ended up calling. Clearly I’m not the only one. I was on hold for 15 minutes before somebody came on the line. When I told her that the website indicated that every single day from now through the end of the exhibition, January 4th, was sold out and that I had a hard time believing that, she assured me there were still plenty of tickets available. Maybe you’ll have better luck. If so, here’s the website.
However you get your tickets, the exhibition is well worth your while. GG is going again on the weekend of November 22nd, when a jewelry designer who has fashioned a new collection inspired by the jewels of Downton Abbey will be giving a lecture as well as a trunk show. Do you think GG will escape unscathed . . . ?!