Tower and Town, October 2023 (view the full edition)Arts ReviewJane Austen's Wardrobe; H Davidson (2023, Yale University Press) I know Ms Guest writes the book review column, but I simply must add a new publication to the growing list of 'must reads' this autumn. Hilary Davidson is a dress, textile and fashion historian and curator. She is a Jane Austen expert and advocate for the re-making of historical dress as a means of applied scholarly research. In her latest book, Jane Austen's Wardrobe, Davidson has helped to uncover the sartorial mysteries behind one of Britain's most revered writers. Indeed, it quotes: Despite her acknowledged brilliance on the page, Jane Austen has all too often been accused of dowdiness in her appearance. Now her garments and accessories - from gowns and coats to shoes and undergarments - have been brought together with her 161 known letters to tell a very different story. (Davidson, 2023, p.9) For me, a recent MA graduate in Historical Costume with a shared love of Austen and the Regency era, this book is like delicious magic. It is divided into chapters relating to a particular area of garment history, for example, Closet: Spencers, Pelisses and Outer Garments and Drawers: Undergarments and Nightwear. This book follows decisively on from Davidson's first book about early to mid-nineteenth-century fashions, Dress in the Age of Jane Austen: Regency Fashion (2019). In both texts, Davidson's precision, attentiveness to research, analysis, and interpretation are apparent on every page. In contrast to what has been previously written, said or inferred about Jane Austen's appearance, Davidson states: She may not have been a fashion leader, but she maintained a respectable, informed balance between old and new clothes, and never seems to have actually fallen out of style. (Davidson, 2023, p.9) Beautiful illustrations, fashion plates and photographs fill the pages of this book, elevating the text and providing readers with a thorough examination of what Jane Austen is likely to have worn and possessed. One of a very small number of surviving items believed to have belonged to Jane Austen, is her silk pelisse coat (dated 1812-14). The pelisse belongs to Hampshire Cultural Trust, but on p.106 of Davidson's book, there are two photographs (front and back) showing the pelisse in its full glory. Judging by Davidson's assessment of the pelisse and the two images, it is in remarkably stable condition, with little discolouration or damage. Lastly, Jane Austen's House in Chawton, Hampshire, is a truly wonderful place. I found it peaceful, restorative, engaging and transporting. So, off to Meryton I go to buy some new ribbon for the Netherfield Ball... Gabriella Venus |