The Maria Edgeworth Centre, Edgeworthstown, Co. Longford, N39 E3C8
1.5 hours
“Dressing your Age: The Middle- and Old-Aged fashions of Maria Edgeworth”:
It is often thought that fashion is a young woman’s domain, and that older women who partook in fashionable displays were “mutton dressed as lamb”. Despite this public disapproval, many older women did still continue to dress fashionably, yet respectably, in their old age. Join Dress Historian, Dr Melissa Shiels, and Historical Interpreter, Carrie O’Flynn, for a costumed demonstration of the fashions in the latter half of Maria Edgeworth’s life; from her 40s to her 80s.
Melissa Shiels
Melissa Shiels is a recent doctoral candidate, awarded her PhD from UCC in 16th-century Irish history, focusing on gift exchange and material culture. She has been making historical clothing since 2002, recreating clothing from the Viking, Medieval, Tudor/Elizabethan, Georgian, Regency, and Victorian periods. Melissa gives costumed talks for a wide range of audiences, both academic and non-academic, speaking in museums, libraries, schools, literary festivals, as well as university lectures.
Notice: Photography and Videography in Progress
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Thank you for your understanding and cooperation!
This project was assisted by Longford Local Community Development Committee, Longford Community Resources Clg. and Longford County Council through the LEADER Programme 2023 -2027 which is part-financed by the EU, “The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas” and the Department of Rural & Community Development