The Downton Abbey saga came to an end with the fall movie, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale. Costuming has been critical in telling the story of the people and times of Downton Abbey. In this session, we will review Downton dress from the beginning of the TV series through the final 2025 movie, exploring how costume helped to communicate gender, status, characters, and context. Clips of the TV series, movies and interviews with the costume designers will illustrate the discussion. You don’t have to be a Downton fan to participate!

Moderator: Sara Butler is Professor Emerita, Department of Art, Miami Univ., where she taught History of Costume for 25 years. She is currently the volunteer curator of the costume collection at the Butler County Historical Society and Vice-Chair of the ILR Curriculum Committee. Her PhD in Textiles and Clothing is from Michigan State Univ.