Slideshow: admire Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton costumes on display at the Spadina Museum
Slideshow: admire Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton costumes on display at the Spadina Museum
By Jean Grant | March 14, 2014
By Jean Grant | 03/14/2014
The historic manor-turned-museum Spadina House is currently hosting an exhibition featuring over 20 iconic outfits worn on the popular Brit drama Downton Abbey . Running until April 13, fans of the show can ogle a richly hued dinner dress worn by Lady Cora, an embellished gown donned by Maggie Smith’s character the Dowager Countess, and dapper menswear sported by Matthew Crawley and Lord Grantham. The showcase also looks at the apparel of wealthy Torontonians and aristocrats during that same time period (1900-1920s), including the Austin family, who actually lived in the Spadina House. Here, a look at some of the items on display from a fascinating era in style.
Until Apr. 13, Toronto Spadina Museum, 285 Spadina Rd., toronto.ca
264919 Downton matriarch Lady Cora, played by actress <strong>Elizabeth McGovern,</strong> wore the merlot-hued dress in Seasons Two and Three (Image: Spadina Museum) Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-09-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-09.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/style/downton-abbey-spadina-museum-preview/slide/downton-abbey-costumes-09/ downton-abbey-costumes-09 0 0
(Image: Spadina Museum)
264917 The Dowager Countess (played by <strong>Maggie Smith</strong>) is often dressed in the style of the Queen Mother. Her gowns are festooned with rich embroidery, intricate beading and other regal touches (Image: Spadina Museum) Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-07-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-07.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/style/downton-abbey-spadina-museum-preview/slide/downton-abbey-costumes-07/ downton-abbey-costumes-07 0 0
(Image: Spadina Museum)
264918 Lady Sybil wore the pale blue dress to dinner in Season One. As she says: “Is there anything more thrilling than a new frock?” (Image: Spadina Museum) Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-08-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-08.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/style/downton-abbey-spadina-museum-preview/slide/downton-abbey-costumes-08/ downton-abbey-costumes-08 0 0
(Image: Spadina Museum)
264921 Lady Mary wore the scarlet suit while she was pregnant and travelling with the family to Scotland at the end of the third season—before her storyline took a tragic turn (Image: Spadina Museum) Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-11.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/style/downton-abbey-spadina-museum-preview/slide/downton-abbey-costumes-11/ downton-abbey-costumes-11 0 0
(Image: Spadina Museum)
264911 Lady Sybil’s season-two nurse uniform was usually paired with pointed shoes. According to actress <strong>Jessica Brown-Findlay,</strong> “The headdress is quite severe—the hair and makeup department have a job trying to find a way for me to have a little fringe or curl at the side” (Image: Spadina Museum) Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-01-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-01.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/style/downton-abbey-spadina-museum-preview/slide/downton-abbey-costumes-01/ downton-abbey-costumes-01 0 0
(Image: Spadina Museum)
264912 Housekeeper Mrs. Hughes (played by <strong>Phyllis Logan,</strong>) donned this conservative black dress in Seasons One and Two (Image: Spadina Museum) Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-02-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-02.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/style/downton-abbey-spadina-museum-preview/slide/downton-abbey-costumes-02/ downton-abbey-costumes-02 0 0
(Image: Spadina Museum)
264920 The blue daytime outfit is worn by Lady Sybil in Season One. The darker daytime dress is donned by the Dowager Countess, also in Season One (Image: Spadina Museum) Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-10.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/style/downton-abbey-spadina-museum-preview/slide/downton-abbey-costumes-10/ downton-abbey-costumes-10 0 0
(Image: Spadina Museum)
264923 The suit and coat were worn by Matthew Crawley, played by actor <strong>Dan Stevens.</strong> He wore the gray suit on the family's trip to Scotland at the end of Season Three (Image: Spadina Museum) Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-13-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-13.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/style/downton-abbey-spadina-museum-preview/slide/downton-abbey-costumes-13/ downton-abbey-costumes-13 0 0
(Image: Spadina Museum)
264922 Lord Grantham (played by <strong>Hugh Bonneville),</strong) wore this summery linen suit for informal, daytime activities, like the Downton Garden Party, when he announced Britain was at war with Germany</strong> (Image: Spadina Museum) Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-12-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-12.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/style/downton-abbey-spadina-museum-preview/slide/downton-abbey-costumes-12/ downton-abbey-costumes-12 0 0
(Image: Spadina Museum)
264915 These two dresses are from the Spadina Museum’s own collection of Canadian clothing. They would have been worn around 1910-1918 (Image: Spadina Museum) Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-05-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-05.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/style/downton-abbey-spadina-museum-preview/slide/downton-abbey-costumes-05/ downton-abbey-costumes-05 0 0
(Image: Spadina Museum)
264913 These three dresses are from the City of Toronto's collection of historical garments. The cream-coloured silk crepe outfit is a wedding dress worn by a Toronto woman in 1927 (Image: Spadina Museum) Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-03-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-03.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/style/downton-abbey-spadina-museum-preview/slide/downton-abbey-costumes-03/ downton-abbey-costumes-03 0 0
(Image: Spadina Museum)
264914 A black sequined evening dress from 1915, made from silk with black net overlay (Image: Spadina Museum) Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-04-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-04.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/style/downton-abbey-spadina-museum-preview/slide/downton-abbey-costumes-04/ downton-abbey-costumes-04 0 0
(Image: Spadina Museum)
264924 The Downton daughters: Lady Mary (played by <strong>Michelle Dockery),</strong> Lady Edith (played by <strong> Laura Carmichael),</strong> and Lady Sybil (played by <strong>Jessica Brown-Findlay)</strong> (Image: Spadina Museum) Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum Slideshow: take a look at Lady Mary’s eveningwear, and other Downton duds on display at the Spadina Museum https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-14-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/downton-abbey-costumes-14.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/style/downton-abbey-spadina-museum-preview/slide/downton-abbey-costumes-14/ downton-abbey-costumes-14 0 0
(Image: Spadina Museum)