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Period costumes immerse us in history. Ostentatious ruffles sweep us away to Elizabethan England, linen tunics and leather sandals take us to ancient Rome, and tailcoats, waistcoats and cravats bring us closer to the Regency fashion of Jane Austen’s famous novels.
The clothing and style of period costumes represent more than just superficial eye-candy – they’re a key part of the storytelling process. And while the actors that wear period costumes for stage and screen might get all the attention, the process really starts long before the clapboard snaps – with careful and considered period costume design. To take us behind the scenes and explore the world of period costume design, we spoke with Deakin’s expert, Dr Lorinda Cramer.
So, what is a period costume, exactly? As Cramer explains, period costumes are clothing, accessories and hairstyles worn for film, TV, theatre, reenactments or other events that capture the style of what was worn during a specific period.
‘It aims for accuracy that can extend beyond simply the style of clothing worn at that time to the type of fabric and trims used and the methods of construction,’ she says. ‘This might mean, for example, fabrics from natural fibresrather than synthetics when these have only been available since the twentieth century, hand-made lace rather than the machine-made version much more commonly available today, and garments that are hand stitched.’
Think of the demure white dresses worn by the schoolgirls in Picnic at Hanging Rock, the powdered wigs in Amadeus, or the hooped gowns of Marie Antoinette – all historical costumes designed to evoke the styles of the period.
Period costumes combine the best of contemporary creativity and historical insight, making for a far more intensive task than typical costume design. According to Cramer, period costume design is often fuelled by a ‘drive for authenticity’ that requires rigorous research.
‘Visual sources such as paintings, fashion plates and later, photographs, offer insights into what people wore,’ says Cramer. ‘Paintings and fashion plates, which were often printed in colour, show popular colours of the day. All three – paintings, fashion plates and photographs – capture trims, accessories and the styling of the hair.’
Pattern books and instructional guides from history also offer a great primary source for period costume design, but nothing compares to existing garments themselves.
‘Surviving garments make it possible to examine both the external and internal surfaces to see in detail how they were constructed, boned, stiffened, padded, lined, together with a whole host of other insights,’ says Cramer. ‘Surviving undergarments adds to this further.’
Period costume design sets the scene for a film production, but its uses go beyond visual flair and historical accuracy. Designers use these costumes as part of the storytelling, ‘to gesture in a visual language to who [the characters] are, their personality and their tastes,’ according to Cramer. ‘In this, period costumes can be used to give flavour or tone. They can move a narrative forward as audiences read the visual cues provided through costuming.’
When delving into history, period productions might center around themes like class (as in Marie Antoinette) or gender (like Gentleman Jack). As Cramer explains, period costume design helps to tell these stories and explain these themes, for example, through the opulent silks of the upper class or the onerous expectation of modesty for women.
‘Clothes have always acted not only as a barometer of fashion but as a reflection of status and gender, of power and respectability, and thus as a signal to others of who their wearer is,’ Cramer says. ‘The real opportunity for costume design is the potential to amplify this on screen and stage.’
With surging popularity of blockbuster period pieces like Bridgerton and Downton Abbey, and the recent Withering Heights remake starring Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie, it’s clear that costume dramas are well and truly back. But which is the best? For Cramer, some of the greatest examples are interpretations of Jane Austen’s works — and the Regency period costumes that go with them.
‘All of her novels were published during this time,’ Cramer says. ‘Many people will be familiar with women’s Regency fashions in particular from film and television adaptations of these novels: empire line gowns (getting their name from Napoleon’s rise as Emperor of France and his wife Josephine’s influence on fashion) featuring a short bodice, small puffed or long sleeves, and a skirt that fell long and straight. They will also recognise the short jackets known as spencers worn over these gowns and the delicate fabrics in which they were made, together with accessories like bonnets that were commonly worn with them.’
Cramer points to the BBC’s 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice as one of the best historical costume movies about the Regency period.
‘Colin Firth’s Mr. Darcy introduced many viewers to men’s Regency dress, including breeches, hats and neckwear,’ she says. ‘Firth’s Darcy also gave viewers a sense of men’s undress with his iconic wet shirt scene. The scene in which Darcy emerges following a swim in a white linen shirt is now so famous that when the shirt (and the velvet waistcoat, breeches and boots that he stripped off before the memorable swim) were sold at auction in London in 2024, it fetched £25,000.’
Considering a career in period costume design? The role combines practical creativity, design and craft skills, and historical curiosity, which makes for a rewarding film and TV career path. From Cramer’s point of view, the recent wave of creative, risk-taking historical drama on our screens means the future of period costume design is looking bright.
‘One need only to think of the impact of the popular Netflix series Bridgerton to see a wave of creative costume design that pushes forward elaborate clothing that glitters and shimmers on the screen,’ she says. ‘The colours are bold and bright, and the styling is specular. Queen Charlotte’s wigs are a standout. While this flamboyant recreation – or re-imagining – of Regency dress has drawn criticism, it has also won over plenty of fans. They might suggest that some moves away from accuracy is not always a bad thing.’
