Rochester Dickens Festival supporters website

Resources

19.1.2019
(links updated)

RESOURCES

Useful sources of inspiration for anyone thinking of coming to the festival in costume. We have no commercial connection with any of these companies, but our spies have been out! If we have been contacted by a company, but haven't used them, we will make this clear.

I have been told about Kira, who has successfully used this page to research a research project on Victorian fashion in conjunction with Dickens' novel 'Great Expectations'. Kira also used this resources page on an American website, and thought it would be worth sharing with visitors to this page. Some of the other pages on the site might raise eyebrows, but we haven't seen anything too racy!

If you are coming as one of the characters from a novel by Dickens it may be worth taking a look at the 'characters' page in David Perdue's Charles Dickens page

First and foremost...
The Rochester Festival Costume Sale

About three or four weeks before every Festival there is a one day costume sale in Rochester High Street. This is growing hugely in popularity, and sells all sorts of outfits and accessories for Dickensian ladies and gentlemen.We will carry more information on our news page in good time.

Stallholder information The event is usually oversubscribed and there is only a limited chance of obtaining a pitch. However, we will pass on requests - email us . We won't let names be used for any other purpose.

Flea Markets in the area

Sadly, the Rochester Flea seems to be no more. However, we have heard rumours of a new flea market in the area, and if we hear good things about them we will publish details here and on our news page.

Costume Inspiration for the ladies...

Corsets-UK
Off the shelf' corsets. Look for 'steel boned corsets' or 'waist training corsets' (or 'steampunk corsets' if you want to put on a show) - especially good value at sale time.

The Costume Store
Based in Lewes, selling all sorts of theatrical props and costume supplies. A good source of gloves and parasols. (the small parasol is designed for a child, but works well as an adult fashion parasol if you extend the stick)

Gloves
The link we set up for a site that sold affordable ladies lace gloves is now selling something entirely unsuitable - avert your gaze! Now the best course of action is probably a search on Ebay or Amazon. Good search terms are 'lace gloves', 'prom gloves' or 'opera gloves'.Try this Ebay link for 'lace gloves'. Ebay deliveries can be very slow, depending on where your order is coming from, so check delivery times before you order.

The Great Pattern Review
Part of a San Fransisco Bay Costume site, a source of inspiration and well worth exploring. Unfortunately its updating is rather irregular, but it is still very useful.

Habithat
UK based source of European and American re-enactors patterns. The link takes you to the 'historical patterns' page, where you can click on '19th Century' and 'Victorian'. This is the easy way to buy patterns from the US and at the same time save on postage!

Sew Essential
Useful UK supplier of patterns and haberdashery

Vena Cava
This is a Corset and Costume Component Site based in Poole, specialising in resources for making your own corset. Also an increasing range of useful and uncommon patterns - look at the parasols in the 'accessories' section. Staffed by real people who reply to your questions!

Lavolta Press
We have been contacted by this American company selling books on historic costuming and vintage clothing. The site looks interesting - let us know your experience if you use them.

'Wendy Harrup' If you are looking for a made to measure Dickensian costume you might like to look at Wendy Harrup's website. Wendy is based in Hertfordshire and has contacted us. Her work looks stunning, so if you use her let us know how you get on.

Hats - Period!
Jane Walton is a skilled dressmaker as well as an enthusiastic Victorian re-enactor. She has recently extended the sale of her hand-made hats to the internet. Visit her site for ladies bonnets.

...for the gentlemen...

The Costume Store
As above, also for the gentlemen.

Darcy Clothing
Originally known as 'The Vintage Shirt Company', now known as 'Darcy Clothing' for the simple reason that they don't only sell shirts! The range of hats caught our eye. This company is based in Lewes in Sussex - we haven't dealt with them yet, so let us know how you do.

The Good Gift Company
If you want to look like a gentleman a rose in your button-hole isn't quite enough - you need a 'silver' posy holder. When we looked there was nothing around at the price we were willing to pay, until we found one at www.thegoodgift.co.uk. You are looking for a 'posy pin for weddings' and the item you need seems to move around the site. They sell quite a range of Art Nouveau accessories, many of which they say are made on old dies.

Hats - Period!
Jane Walton doesn't only make ladies hats - her site includes stylish and individual gentlemen's smoking hats at a very reasonable price.

...and if time is running out!

'Fancy Dress Ball' is a company based in Halifax. They have contacted us about their range of costumes - the link takes you to their 'Victorian' section. They stock a wide range of sizes and their childrens costumes in particular look as if they might be fun. We haven't seen their products, so If you use them tell us what you think and send us a picture!

If you have found a useful site contact us

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