Perspectives on Pride and Prejudice: Costume

by Keith Lodwick, film and theatre historian

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and the BBC have a rich association, from being broadcast live from Alexandra Palace in 1938, to four further adaptations from 1952 to 1980. It is the 1995 Andrew Davies adaptation, starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth that became appointment television in the autumn of 1995, watched by over 11 million people each Sunday night. The costumes were designed by Dinah Collin.

Collin’s research process took her to the Bath Fashion Museum, and textile collections in Winchester and at Manchester Platt Hall, with further research on fabric types at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The London based specialist costume supplier Cosprop made the majority of the costumes from original fabrics which Collin has especially commissioned.

Authenticity was at the heart of the production, the key being to make the clothes look like real clothes from a wardrobe, rather than a set of costumes worn by actors. Collin worked out a costume plot for each character and then discussed with the actors how they’d like to wear the clothes. The Bennet sisters would suit light soft materials to reflect their zest and innocence, whereas Caroline Bingley and Lady Catherine de Bourgh should wear richer colours and exotic fabrics.

For Elizabeth Bennet (Jennifer Ehle), Collin created ‘the direct and practical aspects of her character’ with lots of browns and a curry-coloured coat she wears on her visit to Pemberley. Collin was inspired by a hat she had seen on display in Jane Austen’s House in Chawton: ‘I wanted a straightforward look that was very pretty and not fussy, Elizabeth was very active, and it was important that her clothes allowed her to move easily and naturally.’

The contrast between the Bennets and Bingleys was paramount in establishing their class differences. The simplicity of the Bennets’ dresses was contrasted with Caroline Bingley (Anna Chancellor) in the equivalent of ‘Gucci’ and a head-dress. To establish Mr. Bingley as an instantly likeable character, Collin dressed him in warm colours and soft textures such as tweed.

For Fitzwilliam Darcy (Colin Firth), Collin chose a darker palette in dark greens and greys, but wanting the actor to feel his breeches and boots were the equivalent of jeans and a t-shirt. The challenge was making him appear suitably aloof and unapproachable, whilst making him an object of desire for Elizabeth (and the viewer).

This was enhanced by a now-iconic moment, when Darcy emerges from a lake after bathing wearing only an Irish linen shirt. Although Davies’ script called for the actor to be swimming naked, this would not have sat well with the American A&E network, nor the UK Watershed. Men rarely wore underwear in this period, instead tucking long shirts in effect like a nappy. Dinah Collin and Christopher Prins, a costumier at Cosprop, suggested the ‘wet shirt’, allowing Elizabeth to become aware of his physicality and creating one of the most memorable moments in television history. Collin also ensured that Firth’s coats were fitted closely to his body, revealing his athletic physique, as clothes for this class of this period were designed to project marriageability.

Collin’s design brief also extended to the smallest of details. Two crosses on display at Jane Austen’s House were copied by a jewellery-maker and worn by Elizabeth and Jane. Footwear was also custom-made to period accuracy by a specialist shoemaker.

The series was an international success, winning Collin an EMMY Award for costume design. In 2022, the BBC marked its centenary with 100 objects that have shaped the beloved organisation. Mr Darcy’s white shirt was chosen to represent their celebration of costume dramas.