Fashion historian Lydia Edwards delves into the enchanting escapism of period dramas.
OUTLANDER
(Image above; Claire channels 1940s Dior in this look from Outlander)
Period dramas must retain their element of escapism, of transporting viewers to a romanticised, sanitised world. This may explain part of the great appeal of shows such as Outlander, which, with its time travelling narrative, is fantasy on steroids. Ambitiously, it embodies not one but two historical periods: the 1940s and the 1740s. On the face of it many of the show’s designs seem extremely fanciful, but, as this is a time travelling story to begin with, we’re held in suspended disbelief. The 1740s gowns combine extravagant 18th-century pannier skirts with the 1950s aesthetic of Dior and Balenciaga, representing the opulence that the protagonist is denied in her 20th-century wartime existence. Designed by Claire (Caitriona Balfe) herself in the story, one costume channels Dior’s luxurious 1947 ‘New Look’, which very few women would have had access to in late 1940s Britain. In this way Outlander satisfies popular mid-century nostalgia while offering a parallel 1700s world, which by its fantastical nature cannot challenge or distress the viewer in quite the same way as a drama with a setting based more in historical fact.
BRIDGERTON
Following a spate of Jane Austen adaptations and ‘Austen-mania’ seen during the 1990s, the thirst for early 19th-century drama has never quite left us. However, the Bridgerton stories themselves are contemporary, not historical – they are modern interpretations of Regency England. Consequently, the dresses are modern in almost every sense, apart from their length and empire waists. The gaudy colours, bold floral prints and bling are influenced by a mix of 1950s and 60’s fashion, but this intentionally subverts the traditional expectations of a refined period drama. It provides a historicism that is comfortingly close, yet distant enough to gift us with escapism and a fun, romantic, sanitised version of a hugely unequal society. Costume designer Ellen Mirojnick uses a skilful colour palette to define different personalities on the show and endows many of the younger female characters with tantalisingly low necklines. These are lower than would have been worn for daywear in real-life 1813, but they successfully inject a sense of playfulness and flirtation that audiences will connect to youthful characters such as Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor).
DOWNTON ABBEY
(Image; Lady Sybil makes history in Downton Abbey)
In the phenomenally popular Downton Abbey, early 20th-century fashion is the focus. This is not a new angle for period dramas, a fascination for the Edwardian era perhaps being sparked with the release of Titanic back in 1997. The dresses of this period were essentially empire line revivals, and the show presents a range of recognisable silhouettes and accessories. We are also given a fashion history lesson, as well as a good nod at character, when Sybil Crawley’s (Jessica Brown Findlay) blue silk harem pants are given a debut. Popularised by designer Paul Poiret in 1911, this controversial garment smacked of rebellion and bravery. As a contemporaneously popular garment, too, its use also appeals to audiences who may well own a pair themselves. Unusually, this provides a very immediate and intimate link to history. Later in the series, the radical switch to shorter skirts, bobbed hair, and relaxed tailoring of the 1920s gave audiences an incentive to glam up their own look.
Period dramas have the double-edged power to help us lose ourselves in fantasy and change the way we present ourselves to the modern world. It is no surprise that in what can often feel like a topsy-turvy world, we enjoy basking in beautiful interpretations of a bygone age, and this might well be Bridgerton, Outlander and Downton’s greatest gift.
WORDS: Lydia Edwards
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This article was originally published in Issue 29 – Flights of Fancy. You can purchase this issue and enjoy more enchanting content here.
