I was definitely late to the Downton Abbey train, my friends. I watched an episode or two when everyone was going crazy about it a few years ago (I mean, people are still definitely going crazy about it, which this post clearly proves), but I didn’t get caught up in the fever until I sat down and really watched it this month.
Yup! This month! As of January 2018, I can officially declare myself a crazed Downton Abbey fan. My mother bought the special edition box set and we sat down to watch them together after I arrived in the Hudson Valley this month.
On Christmas morning my dad surprised us with tickets to the Downton Soiree & Exhibit in NYC this month, so we shopped for 1920 style dresses and accessories and sped off to the city last night for this amazing event.
The soiree was a cocktail party with in-costume wait staff (they looked right out of Downton Abbey) and endless champagne (which was partook in generously, obv).
The exhibit was a combination of museum-style displays of props and artifacts from the show—costumes, love letters, instruments used in the house—as well as in-depth history lessons surrounding the real Downton Abbey plastered on the walls.
Our favorite part, though, was that you could walk through recreations of the Downton Abbey rooms. From the dining room and servant’s hall to Lady Mary’s bedroom, it felt like stepping into the actual show. How cool is this?
The costumes on display were authentic vintage from the late 1800s and early 1900s. Below, you might recognize who wore each of these outfits if you’ve watched the show.
My crappy phone camera couldn’t even capture how dazzling and sparkly these were. As a fashion design grad and a lover of vintage, I was in my glories.
Mom and I were late to the exhibition but it was several hours long, so we were fine. Here’s us rushing through the city in our cab. Can you tell we’re excited?
The bells!
Here’s Lady Mary’s bedroom—the one she moved into after her first marriage.
A few more shots of stunning dresses… The beading here is just insane.
What an experience! Apparently, these soirees are so popular that they’re going to continue having them around the world, in addition to the exhibit itself (which is staying in New York a while longer). Check out this website for more info if you want to go check one out.
Just be warned… there are a lot of spoilers at the exhibit if you haven’t finished the series, so watch the whole thing before you go!
I’m still not done watching the whole series, but writing this post has inspired me to watch a few episodes right now. 😉
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