Become a Friend - Blandford Fashion Museum

For information about becoming a Friend of the Museum, which includes free access and discounts to our events, please email friends@blandfordfashionmuseum.co.uk.

To apply, please download a Friends Application form and Standing Order Mandate

Blandford Fashion Museum

1 week ago

Good Morning all readers. Just a correction to this morning's post! The first week of our new opening days will be from Monday 2nd August not as from today. Apologies for the error. Keep coming in to visit us and enjoy this heavenly weather. ...

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Blandford Fashion Museum

1 week ago

Today, with the Government easing restrictions, the Museum will open its doors for an extra day a week. So we will be open Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. That's not the only change. Hours will be 10am to 4.30pm, masks will still be worn by staff and volunteers in the tea room and in crowded parts of the Museum. Hand gel and cleansing of tables and chairs will continue. Childrens' quizzes will return with pencils sterilized between use. Dressing up will wait until later in the season and news of the progress and possible spread of COVID. We ask visitors to repect these measures and to maintain social distancing if areas become busy. The outside patio awaits you in the Summer time! We look forward to welcoming you all back with these extended hours. ...

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Blandford Fashion Museum

1 month ago

Stop press news. South Today will be showing our Fashion Museum special tomorrow night, Tuesday 22nd June at 6.30pm! Don't forget to watch Sarah Farmer learning to sit in a crinoline, exploring the world of Lucy Lockett and much more. ...

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Blandford Fashion Museum

2 months ago

The Museum needs volunteers. Do any of you have any hours to spare to work in our tea room or Reception> You would be with an enthusiastic and friendly team and working in an historic building amongst beautiful things (and that's just the costumes!). We are opening currently on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays 10-4pm. So a shift would be 10-1 or 1-4. if you are interested please contact us either at Lime Tree House or on 01258 453006 during those hours. We look forward to hearing from you. ...

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Blandford Fashion Museum

2 months ago

Cameras in the Museum yesterday. South Today came down to film the Collection for our 25th Celebration. Journalist Sarah Farmer learnt how to sit elegantly in a crinoline and tried on a "pocket". The costume team were filmed examining the new donation of a Victorian wedding dress. This was a splendid example of backstage work involving time consuming and professional expertise that has always been the hallmark of Stella Walker and her colleagues. This will be shown, possibly on a Tuesday, during the next two weeks. Watch this space! ...

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Blandford Fashion Museum

3 months ago

It’s official! Although we’ve been working towards this for weeks - we can now confirm that we open again at 10.00 am on Monday 17th May. For the next few months we will be open on Monday, Thursday and Saturday 10.00-4.00.Come and celebrate our 25th anniversary with us by viewing the new exhibition of our founder Betty Penny and her wonderful Cavalcade of Costumes. ...

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Blandford Fashion Museum

3 months ago

Eleven days to go before Re-opening Day.The 25year celebratory exhibition is nearing completion. See Betty Penny's blue costume and the red dress which was one of the first to appear on the catwalk, also photographs and a recreation of the 1996 Tea Room. A first chance for some to see the "Make Do and Mend" and VE Day tableau which coincided with the first lockdown...and so much more! Come and see us on the 17th May and each Monday, Thursday and Saturday 10-4 from then on. ...

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Blandford Fashion Museum

3 months ago

We are pleased to announce the opening of our doors again on May 17th 2021. The tea room and museum displays will be available to visitors on three days a week, Monday, Thursday and Saturday 10-4. Come and see us. It will be good to see you after so long. We have not been idle in the meantime and there are new displays in the construction stage with information boards. A great deal of work has been completed on updating the facilities and decoration. When the weather is mild there will be tables outside on our sunny patio . ...

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Blandford Fashion Museum

5 months ago

To kick start our 25th Anniversary celebrations we want to remember the woman who started it all, Betty Penny MBE. In the archives of the Museum are many examples of, not just her costumes worn by willing local models, but her amusing writings. The original opening in May 1996 was a festive affair with a piper in full Scottish regalia, the Mayor of Blandford and many staff and volunteers in replica period dress.In Betty’s reminiscences of travelling with her Cavalcade of Costumes she wrote “What is really heart-warming is the amount of support the Cavalcade has received over the years, and all in the aid of charity. Nearly £500,000 has gone to various Charities all over England, and the fact that everyone on the Cavalcade team did it with love, voluntarily.” Please see the photographs below and let me know if you recognise yourself or others. If so let me know on 07752 145812 or at the museum. Fingers crossed we hope to open on 17th May for two days a week. ...

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Blandford Fashion Museum

5 months ago

In these freezing cold days, when you'd rather be at home keeping warm, but you might be looking for something entertaining to do - Blandford Town Museum are offering some interesting Behind-the-Scenes Taster Sessions.Check their website; Facebook page or Forum Focus for further detailsWe will be starting our ZOOM Taster-Sessions in February! Anyone even curious about what we do at the museum and how we do it...and maybe might like to become involved...this is a chance to learn about what opportunities are available. All session are 1-hour and all are FREE. ...

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Sandie Walters

6 months ago

www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-55773751Not an especially in depth article but it does highlight another way in which the pandemic is affecting the fashion industry, how lockdown drives new trends and how producers are adapting. In the years ahead will a discarded jogging suit become an item of socially historic significance? ...

Pandemic fashion: 'We went from selling sequins to sweatpants'

www.bbc.co.uk

How two go-to occasion wear brands were able to capture the lockdown retail market in 2020.

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Sandie Walters

6 months ago

An interesting article from October last year when hope for live performances was a little brighter.I had no idea that social distancing was a factor in the adoption of the Victorian Crinoline?Makes you consider what other fashion innovations have developed to ward off contagion. ...

Carlos Acosta: Refashioning ballet with socially distanced tutus

www.bbc.co.uk

The acclaimed ballet star resorts to extra wide costumes to reflect the realities of the pandemic.

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Blandford Fashion Museum

6 months ago

The Museum is currently in transition. Although closed there is an air of expectation within its shuttered rooms. Change is underway raising expectations of a return to our roots in the Cavalcade of Costumes. Watch this space! ...

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Blandford Fashion Museum

7 months ago

A tribute to Edna MooreEdna Moore, who died on 2nd November aged 97yrs at Casterbridge Manor Nursing Home is well remembered by those working in and visiting the Blandford Fashion Museum. She is described as a “wonderful lady and a great stalwart of the Fashion Museum in its formative days”. At various times she held the posts of Secretary, Chair of the Management Committee, Bookings Secretary, and Tearoom Volunteer. She is thought of with great affection as a lovely, warm, and gentle, person, who had a particular passion for the Cavalcade of Costumes and the Museum. She was also Secretary of the Townswomen’s Guild, founder of Age Concern and the Macular Society. The Museum wishes to extends its condolences to her family and to say that her strength and energy helped to create its popularity and high profile. ...

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Blandford Fashion Museum

7 months ago

Despite the challenging year for the Fashion Museum we've ended on a high.We learned last week that we had been fortunate enough to win funds from The Kathy Callow Trust. The Kathy Callow Trust makes grants to small Accredited museums to assist with the costs of conservation and display projects.The Fashion Museum will be using the funds for a very special project; the conservation of a 1920's silk wedding dress worn by Miss Violet Blewden when she married Walter Sadler in 1928. To make this donation even more unique the costume arrived in the original dress box with a photograph of the bride and groom; an original wedding cake box with card and some gorgeous lime green feathers believed to be a bridesmaid's headdress.The dress is currently with our Conservator, but will be on display at some point in the future once conservation work is complete, which as you can see from the photos is essential as, in its current state, it is too fragile to exhibit. ...

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Blandford Fashion Museum is feeling festive.

7 months ago

Yesterday’s Christmas raffle was a great success and in these challenging times the Fashion museum would especially like to thank all their Friends, Volunteers and visitors who bought a raffle ticket - a magnificent £700 was takenThe Museum would also like to single out all those who generously donated a prize including Tara of Morrisons, Hall and Woodhouse, Boots, Stewarts and Cranborne Garden Centres.Have a great, safe Christmas everyone.We’ll be back to re-open for our new season in February 2021. ...

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Blandford Fashion Museum

7 months ago

Prizes and Prize winners at the Museum Christmas Raffle Draw. Drawn by Deputy Mayor Lee Hitchings. Fun and laughter was the order of the festive day! ...

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Blandford Fashion Museum

7 months ago

It’s the Christmas Raffle day 🎉🎉🎉 ...

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Blandford Fashion Museum

8 months ago

Please let us know what you like to see and have seen at the Museum and your ideas for our 25th Anniversary in May. Are there any ex Cavalcade of Costumes models out there who would be willing to share their experiences with us? Gathering our history is what we are about for the coming momentous year. We look forward to hearing from you ...

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Blandford Fashion Museum

8 months ago

Don’t forget the Museum is open this week on Tuesday 8th; Thursday 10th and Saturday 12th DecemberWe were hoping to be able to open for more days this week however circumstances have conspired against us.That said there is still a warm welcome to be had in our traditional tea room and some opportunities for those lastminute stocking fillers. ...

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