Downton Abbey, presented on PBS Masterpiece classic this month, is one of the most expensively produced mini-series for television next to Brideshead Revisited. The sets and costumes are lavish, and the viewer can readily see that everything possible has been done to recreate the Edwardian world.
But even huge budgets have their limits, for creating new costumes for every character in the production would have been prohibitive. The website, Recycled Movie Costumes, and an article in the Daily Mail point to a few outfits that were worn in other productions. This custom is common, and has been pointed out on this blog before in Recycled Fashions in Emma 2009. Around 2/3 of the costumes used in Downton Abbey were used before, but only a few have been expressly identified so far.
The dress worn by Laura Michael (Lady Edith) was also used in A Room With a View, 2007. At left is Elizabeth McGovern as the Countess
Elaine Cassidy in A Room With a View, 2007
Compare the necklace worn by Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary to ...
...Monica Belluci's in Brotherhood of Wolves
Lady Mary (Michelle Dockerey, between Maggie Smith and Laura Michaels) wears the same dress as ...
... Radha Mitchell in Finding Neverland
You can look for Regency costumes that have been recycled in this link. The Daily Mail mentioned that one certain brown dress has been used in seven productions in the past 15 years, including Pride and Prejudice and Little Dorrit. I wonder which one it is?
As you watch Downton Abbey tonight, perhaps you can spot a few recycled outfits on your own and inform Recycled Films of your find. Learn more about the series on PBS Masterpiece Classic.
More posts about Downton Abbey on this site:
- Read about Europe’s largest costumier for films such as Downton Abbey
- Costumes, A Footnote to Culture and the King’s Speech
- The Jane Austen Connection to Downton Abbey and Egypt
- Entertaining visitors in an English country house, such as Downton Abbey
- Downstairs in Downton Abbey: The Servants
- Upstairs in Downton Abbey: The Three Crawley Sisters
Jane Austen's World 
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I love these comparison posts and behind the scenes of TV/film shoots. Thank you. :)
Vic, did you notice that the “author” (a term used loosely) of that article is the same Chris Hastings that got his facts wrong about PBS? He has nothing better to do than try and tear down Downton? And just like his previous article, he admits that his headline isn’t accurate within the post, yet continues to assert a faulty argument?
Anyone familiar with period dramas is aware that not all costumes are created solely for that production unless there’s a drama out there with magnificent resources and time that managed to pull it off?!
By the way, the brown dress that’s been worn 7 times is probably this one which was pointed out by another who has eagle eyes to spot these things! http://www.recycledmoviecostumes.com/regencyromantic007.html
I don’t see what’s wrong with the article. It’s completely neutral on the subject, and all the quotes are neutral or positive about the sharing. I guess if you see the act of pointing out that the costumes are recycled as inherently aggressive it’s mean … but I went in expecting to be outraged and was very, very surprised.
I did, indeed, Cheryl, which is why I did not include the title of the Daily Mail article. Interestingly, some of the facts contained within it are not out of line.
Thanks for spotting the brown dress! Excellent.
Huh. I guess it makes sense that shows would recycle expensive costumes, but I’ve never thought about it before. I might find myself looking for it now…
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I don’t know if this is the dress they were talking about in the Daily Mail (it doesn’t look that brown to me), but I it WAS in Little Dorrit, and it appears to have been around for close to fifteen years!
http://www.recycledmoviecostumes.com/victorianedwardian004.html
Update: THIS must be the dress they were talking about. :)
http://www.recycledmoviecostumes.com/regencyromantic007.html
I can only take my hat off to the impressive roster of talent and skill of the English series. I really hope to continue producing more things like this in the factory yours to the delight of all.
It’s just perfect the atmosphere of the time and classes cohabit in it. And then you come to mind the equally wonderful “Upstairs, Downstairs”, although old, is still a benchmark.
It’s a series for lovers of vintage series, craftsmanship and drama students in our country.
I know that there are some people who do get very uppity about recycling of costumes, but really in both theatre, film and tv it’s often unavoidable, if only from a cost perspective. I’m hoping to go into costuming, and even within the Drama soc at my uni there are jokes about certain pieces of clothing, props and furniture which get constantly recycled before being given a break for a few years until a new group of students comes across them.
Fabric alone costs a bomb, and if you think how much you’d need for just one of these dresses. Plus then there’s the cost of paying someone to make it. And why would you want to make new costumes for every single period drama anyway when there does exist a huge store of beautiful clothing with no other use or purpose than to be worn in costume dramas? I’ve only been to the Abbey warehouse in Dublin, and even that blew me away with the huge store; I can only imagine what the ones in the UK are like!!
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I do have a costume question that’s driving me nuts. If this isn’t the right thread, maybe someone can point me in the right direction. I’m very interested in the needlework on Anna’s aprons. I’d love to find out what kind of lace and/or embroidery it is and learn how to do it. If anyone knows, I’d appreciate any information you have. Thanks.
I work as a movie extra from time to time, and the biggest costume house in London, Angels, has literally MILLIONS of costumes avalable, for any period, country or climate. I have worn costumes made for “Becket” (which was filmed when I was barely a child!), costumes with labels from the Rome Opera and lots of tatty old stuff that has obviously been around longer than I have! This is for background work of course, but it’s hardly surprisng that some of the very costly principals’ costumes have been recycled too. Some do get sold off to collectors or museums, but there is nothing to stop the workshops producing a replica, especially if they need a slightly different size. Even in period, dresses would have been copied from magazine pictures or fashion features in newspapers, so two girls might well find themselves with similar dresses.