Poldark Costuming Project

This blog is all about analyzing Poldark's costumes and teaching people of all sewing levels to make their own Poldark or Poldark inspired costumes. The blog will feature costumes from 2015 Poldark, 1970's Poldark and the novels. Moderated by amandapoldark.

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The Future of the Poldark Costuming Project

Although this blog never dealt in NSFW content, I am concerned that many people in fandom are abandoning Tumblr because of the recent drama. I was working on more S4 Regency research when this all hit the fan.   

WordPress along with a new Twitter/IG profile seems the most likely candidate for a new home for the Project if Tumblr should completely die. It is possible another platform may develop that could be a viable place as well. Of course moving the archives will be very time consuming. For now, please browse and follow the Pinterest page I started and will add to in future! Thank you all so much for the support! 

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Poldark S4: Behind the Scenes of the New Styles

Big hair, turbans and more! Pippa Woods (Makeup and Hair Designer) reveals the on-set secrets of styling turn-of-the-century Poldark characters. #PoldarkPBS

I’m a bit behind on costume research, but for now enjoy this BTS vid starring Series 4 Makeup and Hair designer Pippa Woods!

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4x03: Mother-In-Law From Hell

Lady Whitworth’s abrupt entrance into the story could not be possible without her costume’s emphasis on the most dramatic of Regency styles. (Photo from Kiss them Goodbye) 

Let’s start with the headgear. It is modeled off of the turban headwraps and hats which were very popular in the late 1700′s. Silk and linen scarves and in some cases fabric remnants were used to make them. Although this hat from the Metropolitan Museum of Art sits straight on the head, you can see how the milliner (hat maker) shaped the silk. Notice how Lady Whitworth takes the look up a few notches by adding a fancy brooch and woven in silk gauze.

This UK promo pic from Far, Far Away shows the dress and wig details you can’t see in the episode. Many may have thought she was wearing all black as if she was in mourning, but that’s not the case.

Her Open Robe gown is pewter colored silk and the bodice overlay is embroidered dark green Indian silk. This American dress from the 1790′s has similar embroidery. Open Robes were worn by many women but materials varied by class and also occasion. A dress like this may be slightly too formal for a daytime visit to her daughter-in-law, but Lady Whitworth wants to show just how much power she has in society. 

If you want to look like Lady Whitworth, The Modern Mantua Maker has a nice breakdown of recreating the turban wraps and an open front gown.

The Ask Box is open for questions! 

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4x01: The Cornish Poet Laureate

Moving to a new apartment put an unexpected dent in both my costume making and research. I’m starting off the new series of posts tied to PBS S4′s airing with the one major character I did not complete a breakdown for last year. 

Hugh Armitage, once he returns from Quimper, has a pretty consistent style. As a symbol of his Naval background, he wears mostly blue tones. His suits echo Ross and Dwight’s fashion palette. This I believe is a clear nod to why Demelza found him attractive. He has few frills and trimmings, an indicator that he is more concerned with the beauty in art and literature.

The waistcoat in the top picture is double breasted. This style was quite popular for both military and civilian men throughout the 18th Century. Although this waistcoat depicted in a portrait is red, the buttons and collar are very similar. The waistline and straight curve in the chest area are both indicative of the 1780′s and earlier men’s styles.

In this photo, we can see Hugh’s boots and breeches. He wears the same riding boots as Ross. These boots from the 1790′s are a very close match. The lighting in this episode makes it difficult to see the seam lines on Hugh’s breeches, but we can safely assume they are the same patterning as Ross and Dwight’s. 

The Ask Box is open again for questions! Previous questions will be answered in future posts in episode order. 

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Jumpmelza (2x07)

First of all, a special shout out to everyone who has seen my blog featured on Drunk Austen’s Twitter page and their FB page. Your support is much appreciated! 

My latest sewing project is a custom Demelza costume based on her 2x07 ensemble for one of my besties.  Most of Demelza’s Series 2 costumes follow the same formula of a caraco jacket similar to these, interchangeable linen or quilted cotton petticoats and jumps. 

The jumps are what set this ensemble apart from her other costumes (hence the nickname). Jumps were looser than full stays because they were often boneless or very lightly boned. Demelza was pregnant and/or breastfeeding Jeremy during Season 2, which was a common reason for women to ditch fully boned stays.  Jumps were most commonly worn as daytime informal wear or for chores/farm work. Lower class women who could not afford fully boned corsets also wore jumps. In the mid to late 1700′s jumps became a fashion item during the overall transition from the stiffer Georgian styles to the beginning of the Regency era. 

Historical costumers and reenactors today commonly make jumps for working class reenactments, events while pregnant, or casual dress events. Angela Costumery has a video on how she made her jumps and Couture Myah has some still photo closeups of the inside of her jumps. My friend chose 2x07 Demelza because she wasn’t ready to commit to buying a full corset. Once I start sewing, I will be posting a Build Diary for this project and eventually my friend in her full costume. 

This is the fabric we selected for the ensemble. The bottom red cotton canvas will be for the jumps, the green cotton twill for the outer petticoat, and the top red cotton twill for the jacket. Demelza’s jacket may be linen, but the fabric store didn’t have close enough color matches.

If you have any additional questions about this or other Demelza costumes or Poldark costumes in general, submit them to the Ask Box! Keep in mind, Season 4 spoilers will be screened or receive partial answers until PBS airs these episodes in September.

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Build Diary: 3x03 Elizabeth Pt 2

Since it’s Warleggan Wednesday on Twitter, here are the back and front views of my costume from Sunday’s event. (Photos by Molly Picture Studio)

Picking up from where Part 1 left off, the next step was to assemble the skirt sections. Cartridge pleating using shirring/pleating tape is probably not completely historically accurate but it’s a good method for when you’re short on time as I was. This is a closeup of the measurements I made to attach the silver skirt to the bodice. I left 7 inches on each side open so the burgundy skirt could peek through.

This photo is the inside of the bodice after the skirt was attached.

The burgundy skirt was much easier to assemble, I installed the cartridge pleats, then measured each half of the skirt to make sure it covers the bum pad and the front isn’t too long. . 

After the skirts were finished, I decided to take two huge shortcuts that will result in future fixes to the costume. The first shortcut is that I installed snap tape on the bodice because I ran out of time to make buttons and install hooks and eyes. While this did save time, it wasn’t as effective as it should have been. I also didn’t have time to adjust the boning at the front so the snaps would sit evenly. Pinning the front closed would have also been more effective.

The second shortcut was the fake ponytail I bought from the local wig store for Elizabeth’s sausage curls.

The ponytail after tons of hairspray, a curling iron, and curling rods held the curls for precisely 3 minutes. If had more time I would have either dipped it in boiling water to set the curls or brought a premade 18th Century sausage curls such as this one. 

Here’s the finished outfit on my dress form! 

I want more people to get interested in sewing Poldark costumes so please send in your general costume/sewing questions! I received a commission for a custom Demelza costume so I will be delayed in answering UK S4 costume questions. 

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Build Diary: 3x03 Elizabeth Pt 1

I’m attending a Georgian picnic/historical costumer’s meetup at a local historical house on Sunday. Finally, an event where I can meet fellow costumers and maybe even Poldark fans as well! I wanted to avoid wearing a full wig, so I decided to go with recreating an Elizabeth costume.

With no clear pictures of the back of Elizabeth’s dress to determine the proper technique, I decided to road test McCall’s 7642, a pattern I initially bought for Hamilton costumes. I can recommend this pattern for use for any Poldark or Hamilton dress with a similar bodice shape. Easy instructions for newbies/intermediates and a good template for those who are more adept at drafting their own patterns. 

The biggest difference between Elizabeth and my earlier S3 Demelza build is that the back bodice pieces on the McCall’s pattern are much bigger and require fewer folds. I still placed boning channels in to make sure the dress maintains shape.

This photo shows the side back and bodice back seamed together. 

Next, the front pieces are attached to the side bodice back to form the armscye (what we call the armhole today). I set aside the additional front pieces to create a zone front bodice such as on Caroline’s 3x07 gown. 

Here’s the back of the bodice before I attached the sleeves:

This is the front of the bodice. Before I attached the sleeves, I stopped and tried on the bodice with my stays to make sure the bodice fit properly. All I had to do was to mark off where I would sew in the hook and eye closure. 

After I inserted the sleeves, the last step for this part of the costume is to sew in the trimming along the neckline and at the sleeve cuffs. I used the selvage edge of the skirt fabric because it had a similar appearance to the original design. 

I used Wonder Clips to hold down the trim to the neckline as I sew. They’re much better at gripping the material and no stab wounds on the fingers! Here’s the neckline trim as I sewed it together. 

Here’s a closeup on the left sleeve.

This is a closeup of the completed trim on the neckline.

Part 2 will include pics from the event and how I assembled the skirts. The Ask Box is open with screening for US S4 spoilers. 

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Series 4 UK Promos Hot Take: Elizabeth and George

This is the last of the S4 promo hot takes before Sunday’s premiere. (Part 1, Part 2) Although there are other promos released in the UK, I am omitting content PBS did not release in the US yet. 

Elizabeth and George have the easiest transition to the London look. Last season, they wore the finest pre-Regency styles to suit moving up in society. It is clear the costume department is using the same base pattern and sari fabric for all of the leading ladies, but are altering color schemes, hairstyles, and embroidery placement to distinguish each character. There is an interesting deviation on Elizabeth’s outer pelisse bodice. Her bodice is crossed at the cleavage line revealing more of it compared to her earlier costumes. This dress from the V&A also has a crossed bodice. Feather headdresses were another Regency trend, although it is unclear how many feathers were used because the back of the hair can’t be seen.

George’s new suit is pretty much a clone of Dwight’s except for a smaller collar and frills on his sleeves. Since George is an MP, he would likely want to err on the side of fashion sobriety while displaying his ability to afford fine silks. His hair is slightly shorter and has less volume compared to last season. His hair resembles the very popular Bedford Crop. Part of the trend towards abandoning wigs in the late 1790′s was because of new taxes on hair powder. Although George could afford it, he seems to be using his coins towards securing more political power.

Thank you all for reading the previous posts in this series and I do look forward to posting more costume commentary for the UK and US airings! The Ask Box is open but will be screened for US spoilers. 

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Series 4 UK Promos Hot Take: Caroline and Dwight

This is Part 2 of the US spoiler-free Series 4 costume hot takes. (Part 1 here, photo from Far, Far Away)

Caroline’s outfits are consistently the most elaborate and her Regency ensemble continues this trend. Based on the sleeve patterning, I believe Caroline is wearing two layers: a sheer silk dress with closely tailored sleeves and a puffy short sleeve sari silk pelisse or jacket on top. The puffy sleeves came into fashion after 1800 but considering this is Caroline, pushing things ahead works. This pelisse with center front trimming from 1815 is similar in style. Turban inspired headwear was a huge thing during this era. This Regency portrait could have been the inspiration for Caroline’s hairstyle. Technically the Orientalist fashion trend preceded the Regency era, but the overall trend of natural hair for women meant this influence in hairstyle continued well after the dresses fell out of fashion.

Dwight in a similar way to Ross has also had to abandon his simpler suits form Cornwall to reflect his status as an elite landowner. Remember, Caroline’s inheritance is legally his, even though Dwight doesn’t care to exert that power. He has also set aside boots for flat shoes. This pair is pretty much an exact copy. Dwight’s tailcoat and breeches are made out of silk, which is ideal for formal attire. The most interesting part of his jacket is the extremely wide collar. That style is more commonly found on some French Regency jackets than British examples. It’s not a stretch of the imagination to picture Caroline hiring a French tailor in London or even importing French fashions. His hair is more heavily pomaded and cut closer to the scalp. You can tell the Roman influence in how it is styled. Dwight’s cravat has a bow built into it, something you don’t see in his earlier costumes. Regency neckwear was more complicated to tie.

Tomorrow, the attention will turn to George and Elizabeth. The Ask Box is open for your Regency questions.

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Hi Amanda! :) I was wondering, what is your opinion on Demelza's look in the newest s4 promo picture? I admit I'm not overly fond of the hairstyle...

Hi creepywarleggan!

I actually love it! The Grecian goddess look was the in thing during this time period and the makeup department nailed it. I understand personal preference but definitely keep in mind that Demelza, when she’s in London, will be influenced by Caroline and others to keep pace with the latest fashions.

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Series 4 UK Promos Hot Take: Ross and Demelza

I’m a bit jetlagged from spending the last 10 days touring London and Cornwall, but it’s time to get back to work on this blog, especially since I was interviewed by the BBC and ITV last week! 

Before I begin the breakdowns for Series 4, I must point out 2 important things: a) Although I am less experienced in Regency dress and I do welcome helpful links to research, I will continue to stand against the stitch counters in the fandom who are excessively nitpicking designs. I appreciate historical accuracy, but I also value how Poldark’s costume department modify designs to suit the character and design the costumes so that they are not clones of what has been made in past productions. b) For Americans waiting for PBS, no major plot point spoilers will be included in these posts. In many cases, I will give a brief review of the costumes during the UK airing and more detailed posts when it airs in the US.

Ross and Demelza have the London look, which overall is up to date for 1797. Ross has abandoned his riding boots for shoes and stockings. He also has a fishtail coat with a much higher waistline compared to his older great and frock coats. Some may argue he should be wearing white stockings and not black stockings, but I believe there are 2 reasons for this. Firstly, black stockings were the popular choice for evening wear for gentlemen. Secondly, Ross’ clothing tells the story of how he has to conform to what London wants from a man of his status but also represent himself. He was never a guy for a lot of color in his outfits, and very rarely wore white breeches in earlier seasons. He wants to set himself apart from his colleagues. His hair is also no longer the looser curls he wore back at home. The hairline is very similar to this photo of William Pitt the Younger. If you’re seeing similarities between Ross’ hair and Greek/Roman styles, you’re on the right track because everyone looked to the ancients for inspiration.

This teal embroidered silk dress is a major fashion upgrade for Demelza. Her waistline is in line with Regency trends and in a rare look for Demelza, her dress features a train on the bottom. Although this gown is from 1815, you can see similarities with the sheer sleeve and the front of the bodice. She has adapted the newer fabrics of the era but kept her copper-toned palette. Lightweight silks and imported Indian saree fabric were very popular choices for formal Regency dresses. Another rarely seen feature in previous Demelza costumes is a train at the back of her dress. This is a French fashion plate with a similar length and rounded hemming. Some may argue Demelza’s sleeves are too long for the era. However, I can see how the flare trim of her earlier costumes was incorporated into this dress. Her grey leather shoes are pointed and flat on the bottom, another move away from the heavier Georgian heels. Demelza has tightly curled her earlier loose flowing hair. The thick curls are copied from a Greek statue as many were at the time. The single ribbon in her hair is a bit less formal compared to other examples, but this is in keeping with her earlier tendency towards natural styling. 

Tomorrow and Thursday are devoted to Hot Takes on Dwight/Caroline and George and Elizabeth. The Ask Box is open for comments and questions. 

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Feisty Fertile Fishing (2x04)

Demelza sacrificing her safety to put food on the table is one of the most iconic scenes from Season 2. She represents the women in the 18th Century who had to continue with manual labor throughout their pregnancy because there was no one else to help them.

Demelza’s caraco (jacket) closes with lacing rings in order to accommodate the baby. Since working-class women reused clothes, it is historically accurate for an older jacket with a stomacher closure to be refashioned into maternity attire. 

This white pregnancy ensemble from Colonial Williamsburg may have inspired Demelza’s outfit. Corduroy, which was called fustian was widely available in 1791 and was often a favorite fabric for laborers in various trades. The durability and quick drying properties make corduroy a practical choice for her fishing expedition. The red tabs at the bottom of the jacket were also a common design element as well. 

The light blue outer petticoat is the same as her petticoat from Ross’ trial. The waistband pleats were undone and raised above the prosthetic stomach. Women of all classes mixed and matched outer petticoats and jackets in the same way modern women pair jeans with several different tops.  

The only part of the outfit that may not be accurate is likely the placement of the pregnancy prosthetic itself. As I pointed out in Part 1 of the Poldark maternity outfit breakdown series, fans who have had children or are medically trained believe some of the prosthetics are placed too high on the actresses’ waistlines. If anyone wants to weigh in on this part of Demelza’s fishing costume, the Ask Box and replies are open to comments.

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Blue (for)Valentine [3x02]

I’d like to thank @WarlegganGeorge on Twitter for this accidental suggestion for a costume breakdown. [Photos from Kiss Them Goodbye]

Navy blue is rarely a color we see George wearing. In fact, at first glance you would think this is an ensemble Dwight, Ross, or Hugh Armitage would wear. (As a side note on history, gender coded clothing for children dates from the early 1900′s . I like catchy post titles.) There’s 3 key elements that set George apart from his style rivals who favor blue. 

First of all, George’s sleeves have a fine lace detail you don’t see on the other men. I can’t tell if the lace is sewn directly into the arm seam or if it’s part of George’s shirt. This was a very common design during the 1790′s as seen here on this suit from Canada. 

Secondly, George’s waistcoat is double breasted with closely spaced buttons. Based on the texture, it’s very possible it is made out of a silk blend. This extant waistcoat is constructed fairly similarly. 

If you look closely, George’s jacket has a standing collar, which speaks to his overall style of being a refined gentleman holding back from fashion extremes. This French suit also has a standing collar. From these photos, it is very hard to tell if the jacket is constructed out of wool, linen or a blend of the two. Either of these possibilities are historically accurate for pre-Regency menswear. 

George continues to be a good example of the balance between Ross’ casual style and Ossie’s foppishness. If you have any more questions, the Ask Box is open. 

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The Quilted Bride: Verity’s Riding Habit (1x07)

One of Verity’s feistiest moments in the series is when she marries Captain Blamey. Defying the fashion rules goes perfectly with her defiance of Francis. She’s wearing a riding habit instead of a dress.

What makes this riding habit stand out is the quilted embroidery on the jacket and textured petticoat. Click on the high res file to see the full pattern. Quilting was very common in mid 18th Century outfits, especially in the colder climates. This Pinterest gallery devoted to 18th Century quilted clothing features several riding habits similar to Verity’s. Based on the sheen of the material, her jacket appears to be quilted silk or wool. This pink riding habit from Denmark has a very similar collar and draping on the jacket.

Fabrics did not come pre-made into quilted patterns as they are today, they were embroidered by hand. One historical costumer spent 170 hours on just recreating a petticoat! Silk and wool were the most common materials for the top layers and cotton batting for padding. Linings were often recycled silk, cotton, or linen and may not match the top layer. 

The straw hat takes the outfit to the next level. Women of all levels of society during the 18th Century had straw hats for warm weather daytime wear. Some straw hats were in the bergere style (flat crown) and others were taller. mutiple crown heights. Ribbons and feathers were often color coordinated to complement or contrast the outfit. If you want a hat like Verity’s these three tutorials are a great starting point.

Last but not least in the ensemble is the bridal bouquet. Flowers in the 18th Century and Regency era had meanings attached. I can’t tell what type of flowers these are, but one thing that is clear is that Verity is clearly choosing her own Happy Ever After. 

Have questions on other Verity outfits? The Ask Box is open!

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Mauveabeth: Elizabeth 3x03/UK S3 Promos

Elizabeth had a lot of great looks in Series 3, but I wanted to start out branching out from making Demelza costumes with something I already had a pattern for. 

Elizabeth has consistently worn open front round gowns throughout Seasons 2 and 3. This dress from the Chertsey Museum is circa 1773, and has a highly similar pattern. In the 1790′s, open front gowns were still popular, but the waistlines moved closer to the Regency styling. What you can see in terms of changes, is that Elizabeth is wearing much more patterned silk because George can afford to buy it. I am inclined to say the dark lilac bodice fabric is more reminiscent of modern silk moire than anything I’ve seen in the 1790′s silk dresses. 

In this closeup shot, you can see the outline of the stays Heida Reed is wearing because the dress doesn’t have any boning (structural supports) except on the front closure seam line. Lace fichus (neckerchiefs) were very on trend in the 1790′s, so this is one area where the styles are moving ahead.  Elizabeth’s hairstyle is in between the structured curls of the 1780′s and the airy styles of the late 1790′s. Frock Flicks has a good image guide to common English hairstyles. Since Elizabeth is at home, there’s no need for her to have ribbons or other adornments. 

In the top picture, she is wearing dark blue or possibly dark purple shoes. These red silk taffeta shoes from about 1790 are a good guess for the heel height and overall design. (Following that link will result in a ton more pics of shoes from that era). 

As far as my own costume build goes, I’m using 9 yards of silver faux silk moire and faux burgundy silk taffeta from B&J Fabrics in Manhattan. The color contrast isn’t ideal, but I have a feeling a closer match towards mauve would be way more than the $98 I paid for this. 

As soon as I get underway with this costume I’ll post a Build Diary. Until then, if you have any costume questions, the Ask Box is open!

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I just chanced upon your blog!! I'm incredibly interested in Ross's Season 3 coat, what would be a modern equivalent I could purchase for my husband? Thank you for your time!

Hello there! 

The difficult thing about Poldark’s costumes is that there isn’t as large of a market for recreating the costumes of the series. Your best bet would be to contact one of the Etsy sellers linked here that sell Hamilton/general 18th Century designs to negotiate a custom order of a costume according to Ross’ promo pics for S3. Be prepared to spend several hundred bucks on this endeavor, these are specialty items, often custom made:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/584401081/mens-18th-century-jacket-scottish?gpla=1&gao=1&utm_campaign=shopping_us_CostumesbyAly_sfc_osa&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_custom1=0&utm_content=9919544&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIg4r_k6T82QIVwQOGCh1_VQ43EAQYFCABEgKLBfD_BwE

https://www.etsy.com/listing/583065345/frock-coat-adult-custom-colonial-rev-war?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=18th%20century%20mens%20coat&ref=sr_gallery-1-5

https://www.etsy.com/listing/570063264/18th-century-blue-wool-civilian-coat?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=18th%20century%20mens%20coat&ref=sr_gallery-1-2

https://www.etsy.com/listing/88618211/custom-made-18th-century-3pc-frock-coat?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=18th%20century%20mens%20coat&ref=sr_gallery-1-3

If you want something already made that’s similar to Ross’ style, I highly suggest trawling eBay using the search terms “18th Century men’s coat/18th Century men’s theatrical costume”/18th Century reenactor mens costume”. (These terms avoid the cheap Halloween listings from popping up.) This is one example of a reenactor letting go of old wares. Make sure you have notes on your husband’s measurements in inches so you can weed out too small/too big items: 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/REENACTOR-18TH-C-REV-WAR-COLONIAL-MENS-COAT-WOOL-JACKET-LINED-MEDIUM-NEW-WINTER/162956232948?hash=item25f0f2c8f4:g:HGsAAOSwiBJaNCuI

ETA: These are additional ready-to-wear links. They’re not exactly like Ross’ styles but much closer than the Halloween stuff:

http://www.townsends.us/1750-1760-wool-civilian-coat-wc-149.html

http://www.townsends.us/mens-costume-civilian-coat-cc200-p-1566.html

http://www.townsends.us/mens-18th-century-civilian-coat-mc150-p-472.html

If these options are outside of your budget range, I can also investigate to see if anyone in the historical sewing groups on Facebook could work with your budget to complete the costume.

Happy shopping and please do not hesitate to message or send me another ask if you have follow-up questions!

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Hot Take: Ross’ Season 4 Parliament Coat

ETA (3/21) Masterpiece posted the textless version on US social media. 

I saw the Radio Times UK preview going around the fandom, and I had a feeling people were going to want info on the history side of things. (Thanks, @joyfulloy on Twitter for scanning this image!) For my more spoiler averse US readers, the text in the picture has NO major spoilers.

The most important thing about the costume is that Ross is wearing the newer Regency styles while maintaining his classic penchant for black (or dark blue) wool. Specifically, he is wearing a dress coat. The mid-chest cutaway on the front of the jacket is similar to women’s styles of the era. In the back, the “tails” of the coat were cut in a square. This coat from 1815 is also double breasted and has similar collar details. Tailcoats for men surfaced as early as 1790, so Ross is now more historically accurate technically than he has been this entire series so far. His hair isn’t quite period compliant, but knowing Ross, he would want to set himself apart from his more fashionable colleagues. 

I’ll revisit this assessment once the UK press stills are released for Season 4. Sadly the Masterpiece still doesn’t give me enough info to truly detail the breeches but for now this costume definitely punches a few holes in the complaints from those who have trashed Poldark’s accuracy in the past. 

The Ask Box is open for questions!