“But he talked of flannel waistcoats,” said Marianne; “and with me a flannel waistcoat is invariably connected with aches, cramps, rheumatisms, and every species of ailment that can afflict the old and the feeble.”

Sense and Sensibility

Join us online for a fascinating talk by acclaimed fashion historian Hilary Davidson, as she explores the importance of Colonel Brandon’s underwear to wider British society in Jane Austen’s day.

Woollen flannel garments in the form of waistcoats, undershirts, drawers and petticoats for men and women were the hidden bulwark of British dressing during the later eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Practical, prosaic and unromantic garments shielded their wearers’ bodies in exotic and domestic climes, providing protection during illness, military campaigning and social melees alike.

This talk will dive underneath the elegant outerwear we know so well and examine the undergarments that supported, protected and kept their wearers warm – with a particular nod to Colonel Brandon and the flannel waistcoat that Marianne so much despised.

**This event is part of a Regency Dress double-bill – don’t forget to also join us for our first virtual talk: Regency Textiles and Fashion with Amber Butchart on Thursday 8 May.**

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Hilary Davidson is a dress, textiles and fashion historian and curator. Her work encompasses making and knowing, things and theory, with an extraordinary understanding of how historic clothing objects come to be and how they function in culture.

Hilary has worked, lectured, broadcast and taught internationally across a huge range of expertise, and is currently Chair of the MA Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory Museum Practice at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York.

Her publications include Dress in the Age of Jane Austen (2019) and Jane Austen’s Wardrobe (2023).

Details:
Date: Saturday 10 May 2025
Time: 8pm – 9pm
Location: This event will take place online. Join us from the comfort of your own home!
Tickets: £7 for this talk or £12 for both our Regency Dress talks!

**please click here and book ‘Regency Dress double bill’ to take advantage of the ticket offer**

 This event will take place on Zoom. Please provide a valid email address, as you will be emailed a link to join the tour in the run up to the event. 

 If you are joining as a group or household, please buy one ticket for each person attending.  All proceeds go towards the upkeep of the Museum. 

🎥 This event will be recorded so you can watch again later. All ticket-holders will be emailed a link to the recording after the event. The recording will be accessible for one month.

Timings are given in UK time (British Summertime) – please do check what the event time is in your territory, to ensure you log in at the right time. 

📖 This event is part of our Spring Fling: Sense and Sensibility Festival, running from 1 – 11 May 2025

Please note that booking for this event will close at 5.00pm (BST) on Friday 9 May 2025. This is to ensure that all attendees receive their link in good time.