An exhibition of Downton Abbey costumes is coming to Toronto
Naturally, it’s taking place at Casa Loma
Listen up, fellow Anglophiles and serial binge-watchers: it’s time to channel your inner Dowager Countess and dust off your finest heirloom tiaras. This summer, Casa Loma is morphing into the Downton Abbey of the North (minus the chic threat of Spanish Flu).
From June 12 to August 30, Toronto’s favourite cheesy overachievement—built in 1914 by a guy with major castle envy—is hosting Dressing the Abbey, a close-up look at the award-winning costumes worn by the Crawley family and the staff who judged them from the scullery.
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Curated by London’s Cosprop Ltd., the exhibition tracks the tectonic shifts in fashion that happen throughout the show, from covered-up Edwardian propriety straight into fringe-shaking 1920s flapper gear. Visitors can wander through the grand halls and gawk at everything from the servants’ crisp liveries to those ridiculously lavish beaded evening gowns that make you wonder why we used to be a proper society and now we wear sweatpants.
Walking through the castle’s (sort-of) authentic heritage architecture means you won’t just be staring at a mannequin display; it feels more like stepping straight onto the television set. If you’re lucky, you may even hear Lady Mary quipping rudely about your footwear from across the conservatory.
You have to book a timed-entry ticket, but the exhibition is included with daytime general admission, making it easy to plan a full day of pretending you have a trust fund and an entire staff to run your household. Just promise not to actually try ordering Casa Loma workers around like you’re Carson.
Leah Rumack has worked as the deputy editor of Today’s Parent and the features director of Fashion and has contributed as a writer to a long list of Canadian brands including Toronto Life, the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, Chatelaine, Elle Canada, Zoomer, the National Post, EnRoute and Re:porter. Her work focuses on travel, food, pop culture, beauty and fashion.
