Winterthur Museum to Exhibit Downton Abbey Outfits

Darley Green: New townhouses in Delaware

One of the best things about Darley Green's condos for sale in Wilmington is that they afford buyers the chance to explore one of the most historical parts of the United States. Darley Green homeowners are blessed with a whole world of culture right on their doorstep, from the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts to the Winterthur Museum and Library. The latter promises to be a particular treat next spring, as it plays host to an exhibition of outfits featured in the hit TV show Downton Abbey.

Edith's wedding gown and one of the bold purple dresses worn by the dowager countess are among the 40 outfits going on display from March 1 2014 until Jan 4 2015. The BBC/PBS show – now preparing to broadcast its fourth season – has lent the costumes exclusively to the exhibition, which is titled Costumes of Downton Abbey. The outfits span the classes, from servant to countess, of the fictional aristocratic house they call home, and the years covered in the show, set between 1912 and the mid 1920s.

The museum developed the idea for the exhibit after a visit to the warehouse owned by London costume company Cosprop, which boasts multiple floors of costumes arranged according to time period. Costumiers and serious fashionistas the world over head to the warehouse to find everything from Redcoats of the 18th Century to Tudor tunics of the 16th. The curator of the show has described some of the dresses – which include an olive green number sported by Cora and an aquamarine gown worn by Sybil – as 'unbelievably sumptuous.'

Winterthur and Downton a Natural Fit

In a recent USA Today article, Linda Eaton, the museum's director of collections, has drawn parallels between the characters of Downton Abbey and Henry Francis Du Pont, in whose former home the museum now sits. Eaton described Du Pont as 'a real dandy, a very snappy dresser' and someone who was 'aware of all the nuance of status and fashion.'

To reflect this connection, the show will include one of Du Pont's dinner jackets, made by British tailor Henry Poole & Co., who made the great man's clothes from the early 20th Century right up until his death in 1969.

The Du Pont homes in the Brandywine Valleyare of a piece, reflecting the new country living associated with the emerging America, and quite at odds with the more formal British household seen in Downton Abbey which required teams of servants for day-to-day running. Houses in Delaware and the rest of the Eastern Seaboard were more concerned with creating a luxurious life for owners and visitors.

Condos for sale in Wilmington close to culture & history

Darley Green offers Wilmington condos that give their owners a sense of history combined with luxury. The aim is to provide residents with a relaxing home basefrom which to explore the remarkable history of Delaware. The latest Winterthur exhibition is just one small part of this, and is not to be missed by lovers of Downton Abbey, or anyone interested in the state's history.

Other benefits of owning a move-in ready townhome in the master planned community of Darley Green include:

• On-site library, shops, restaurants and other amenities
• Pedestrian friendly with ample green spaces
• 20 minute drive to Philadelphia; 5 minutes from downtown Wilmington
• No sales tax in Delaware
• Low property taxes

Model homes are available to view daily between 11am-6pm. Call Darley Green's Community Sales Manager Amy Muluski at 302-655-2600 to find out more about our new townhouses in Delaware.