Carbon Costume Posts by Ashley
Cora Crawley
On Downton Abbey, Cora Crawley (Elizabeth McGovern) is an American heiress who became Countess of Grantham when she married Lord Robert Crawley. Though their marriage is arranged, she shows love for her husband and is generally sweet and accommodating. Born into a wealthy family, she is elegant, poised, and quite comfortable in fine clothing and jewelry.
Sarah Borden
The Prestige is a film about the rivalry between real-life magicians, Robert Angier and Alfred Borden. Sarah Borden (Rebecca Hall) is the wife of Alfred Borden, a magician in 19th century England.
Lady Mary Crawley
Lady Mary Crawley (Michelle Dockery) is the eldest daughter of Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham on Downton Abbey. Spanning from the post-Edwardian era to the 1920’s, Mary Crawley is always at the height of fashion. She is elegant, graceful, and poised, but she has a bitter, aloof attitude.
Julia McCullough
In The Prestige, Julia McCullough (Piper Perabo) is the wife of famed magician, Robert Angier. She is the former assistant to Milton the Magician, whose shills were Angier and future rival, Alfred Borden. When a water tank trick goes wrong and Julia drowns, Angier blames Borden, which begins the feud between the two magicians.
Nikola Tesla
Based on the real-life inventor, Nikola Tesla (David Bowie) is commissioned by the magician, Robert Angier, to build a teleportation device. It is Angier’s hope that this illusion will help him defeat his rival, Alfred Borden.
Robert Crawley
Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville) is the 7th Earl of Grantham in Downton Abbey, a historical period drama set in post-Edwardian-era England. He is the patriarch of the Crawley family and the co-owner of Downton Abbey. He also fought in the South African Wars.
Thelma the Cigarette Girl
In The Aviator, Howard Hughes has a brief flirtation with Thelma (Josie Maran), the cigarette girl in a supper club. Cigarette girls worked in speakeasies and clubs during the 1920’s, offering cigarettes, cigars, or other novelties from a tray they carried around their neck. Similar to a cocktail waitress, this tipped position was given to young, attractive women who were typically dressed similar to saloon girls, flappers, or burlesque dancers. Due to their portrayal in film, cigarette girls became a staple and grew in popularity until the end of Prohibition, when they moved to public nightclubs. Thelma’s outfit is similar to a belly dancer and can be achieved with similar clothing, though the belly dance skirt will need to be cut to the appropriate length. Cigarette trays are an expensive vintage item now, but they can be easily made with a shallow box and some ribbon.
Olivia Wenscombe
In the Prestige, Olivia Wenscombe (Scarlet Johansson) is the assistant and the lover of magician, Robert Angier. She is sent to spy on his rival, Alfred Borden, but only serves to fuel the feud by playing both magicians against each other. Set in 19th century London, Olivia’s costumes include bustiers and corsets with embellishments, stockings, and other accessories commonly found on burlesque dancers.
Noah Dietrich
In The Aviator, Noah Dietrich (John C. Reilly) is Howard Hughes‘ chief executive officer for his business empire. He served Hughes from 1925 to 1957, before they had a falling out over Dietrich’s capital gains income. Though the portrayal is accurate in terms of style, personality, and mannerisms, one criticism is that the film downplayed his role in Hughes’ success.
Errol Flynn
In The Aviator, Errol Flynn (Jude Law) is a 1930’s actor known for his romantic swashbuckler and action roles. He was known for his charm, good looks, and off-screen scandals. He crossed paths with Howard Hughes many times during their respective careers.
