Costume Collection Tea & Talk Fundraiser with Madelyn Shaw: A Downton Abbey Fashion Primer

Name: Costume Collection Tea & Talk Fundraiser with Madelyn Shaw: A Downton Abbey Fashion Primer
Start: 2026-03-15T13:00:00-04:00
Location: 101 Ferry Rd, Bristol, RI, United States, Rhode Island 02809

Schedule

Sun, 15 Mar, 2026 at 01:00 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

101 Ferry Rd, Bristol, RI, United States, Rhode Island 02809 | Bristol, RI

What we wear says a lot about who we are, and who we want others to think we are. The years during which Downton Abbey and its movie sequels take place represent some of the most momentous social upheaval in both British and American society. How did this influence the way the show’s costumers defined characters and illustrated their place in society? How historically accurate are the clothes? And if not, why not? Drawing on both her expertise as a curator of dress and textiles, and her prior experience as a theatrical costumer, Madelyn Shaw will discuss the ins and outs of the sartorial choices made for the Grantham family, their household, and their social circles, as they moved from Edwardian excess into interwar uncertainty.
All proceeds from this fundraiser go to Blithewold’s Costume Collection.
Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate any dietary restrictions for this program.
Tea and Talk: $100
Add on a Behind the Scenes Costume Storage Tour: $30
Tours at 3 & 3:30 PM, select a time when registering. Limited to 10 people per-tour.
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About the Speaker:
Madelyn Shaw is a curator and author specializing in exploring American culture and history, as well as its international connections through textiles and dress. She has held curatorial and administrative positions at the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution; the Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design; New Bedford Whaling Museum; The Textile Museum, Washington DC; and the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, NYC. She has curated more than 50 exhibitions and published widely. Her book Fleeced: Unraveling the History of Wool and War was published last spring.