‘I never in my life saw anything more elegant than their dresses.’
Pride & Prejudice

Join us for our popular annual Dress Up Day! On this special Saturday, we’ll be dressing up in our finest Regency outfits and we’d love you to join us!

This year’s Dress Up Day promises to be bigger and better than ever! It’s the perfect excuse to break out your favourite Regency regalia and pose, picnic or promenade at Jane Austen’s House and our pretty cottage garden. It’s a lovely way to step back in time and get a sense of life in Regency England, and to experience the House in a new way.

We can’t wait to see your Regency outfits – but if you don’t have a Regency dress of your own, we’ll have lots available for you to try on.

Once you’ve seen the House, drop into a free pop up talk on Regency fashion, enjoy Regency Country Dance demonstrations and a drop-in dance workshop by The Georgettes, and watch our Festival Artist in Residence Niki Groom creating lightening sketches of the day.

There are also some special ticketed events to enjoy throughout the day – join us on a Costumed Village Walk, a Regency fashion illustration workshop, or a talk on costumes in Jane Austen adaptations.

In the evening we’ll be staying open late, with live piano music in the Drawing Room by Gillian Dooley and Laura Klein, and pop up talks on Jane Austen and Music.

Draft schedule (subject to change):
10.30am: Pop up talk – Regency fashion and dress (free, drop in)
11am: Village Walk in Costume (SOLD OUT)
11.30am: Pop up talk – Regency fashion and dress (free, drop in)
12pm: Regency dance demonstration (free, drop in)
1pm: Pop up talk – Regency fashion and dress (free, drop in)
2pm: Pop up talk – Clueless (free, drop in)
2pm: Regency dance demonstration (free, drop in)
2.30: Regency dance workshop (free, drop in)
3pm: Talk – Regency Film Costumes (SOLD OUT)
4pm: Pop up talk – Regency fashion and dress (free, drop in)
4.30pm: Talk – Regency Film Costumes (ticket required)
5pm – 8pm: Live piano performance and pop up talks on Jane Austen and music, by Laura Klein and Gillian Dooley (free, drop in)
5pm – 8pm: Pop up scenes from Emma, performed by Helen Davidge and Erika Sanderson (free, drop in)

We’ll be taking photographs throughout the day. If you’re happy to appear in photographs to be used on our website and social media, we’d love to include you!

Details:
Date: Saturday 19 July
Time: 10am – 8pm (last entry 7pm)
Location: This event takes place at Jane Austen’s House in Chawton. Find us
Tickets: Free with House admission (some events are ticketed)
Book here (please make sure you select 19 July!)

This event is part of our Emma Festival running from 12 – 20 July