Closet Cosplay: Pride & Prejudice

When you love vintage inspired linen dresses your closet often toes the line between costume and everyday wear. I rarely feel like I'm in a costume in my favorite dresses, but I know to others some of my more dramatic outfits can look quite costume-y. Still I've only rarely intentionally tried to channel a character from a movie or book. Last autumn I did a re-creation of one of my favorite LM Montgomery books; dressing up like Anne felt fun and natural. I relate a lot to that character and if I wear my hair in braids or put on a puffed sleeve dress I often get compared to her by fellow fans of the books. Today I tried to channel another favorite character, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, as depicted in the 2005 film version of Pride and Prejudice. I know many people find the 1995 version more accurate (don't call it the "old" version when there's a black and white one starring Greer Garson!), but I love the cinematography, musical score, and costumes (accurate or not) in the 2005 version. The way the camera pans around outside the Bennet house showing different characters in their rooms like peeking into a doll house is just one of my favorite scenes in a movie. Add to that the beautiful scenery around England captured in majestic scale on Elizabeth's trip with her aunt and uncle and well, how can you not love it? I tried to channel the style of that character and those scenes in a manor house garden.
While the line between costume and every day wear in my closet may seem blurred to some, to me this is very much a "closet cosplay." No wigs, no stays, no attempt at period accurate footwear or makeup! Just a vintage-inspired linen dress and billowy blouse from CottonCandyWear that is reminiscent of Keira Knightley's costumes in the film, but I'll wear even when I'm not wandering manor house gardens in search of Mr. Darcy. I wore this blouse with jeans recently and felt like a quirky art teacher; it's the perfect billowy tunic for sitting on a stool staring at your blank canvas or lecturing a class on the classics (or you know, walking your dog on a summer's day). The blouse is named the Darcy blouse and I was tempted to try to re-create *that* wet shirt scene from the 1995 version of Pride & Prejudice for a laugh, but I was certain I'd get yelled at if I attempted to dip into the pond or fountains at this garden! I do have ideas for some less potentially scandalous closet cosplays I'd like to attempt in the future as well. It's fun to look at your closet and try to think of what characters you might be able to channel through different clothes.