Chawton House: Explore 18th Century fashion and nightlife

Dressing Up: Fashion and Nightlife in Eighteenth-Century Hampshire opens at Chawton House on Saturday, October 3 running until Sunday, April 4, 2027.

The exhibition explores the rituals, style and social life that transformed an ordinary evening into a glittering occasion in Hampshire between 1750 and 1820.

The exhibition explores the rituals, style and social life that transformed an ordinary evening into a glittering occasion between 1750 and 1820. (Image: Chawton House)

Kim Simpson, deputy director at Chawton House, said: "Collaboration is at the heart of what we do at Chawton House, and we are delighted to work with colleagues at the University of Southampton to bring their research to a wider audience.

"This exhibition is a wonderful example of the ways that such research can tell fresh stories and bring history to life.

"By combining fascinating objects, rare books and manuscripts with the expertise of our academic partners, we hope visitors will discover the rich social and material worlds that existed beyond the pages of eighteenth-century literature."

Through rare books, manuscripts, artworks and clothing, visitors can trace the journey from getting ready to getting there and getting entertained.

Featured items include an embroidered waistcoat from the 1730s, a 1799 fan made from magazine pages and personal items such as wig curlers, cosmetics recipes and theatre tickets.

The exhibition also highlights the social scene in Georgian Hampshire, including assembly rooms, pleasure gardens and the country houses that played host to night-time gatherings.

It is co-curated by Dr Julie Gammon and Professor Maria Hayward from the University of Southampton’s history department, and is supported by a grant from the Ardeola Charitable Trust.

Professor Hayward and Dr Gammon said: "Night-time cultures are historically elusive, so it is exciting and challenging to uncover how people experienced going out after dark in the 18th century.

"A big night out is something that most of us enjoy today but this exhibition reveals the historical continuities in the many pleasures and perils associated with night-time entertainments."

First-hand accounts by Jane Austen, Frances Burney and Ann Radcliffe are included, alongside satirical prints that poke fun at beauty routines and the sometimes absurd lengths people went to in pursuit of style.

For fans of Georgian fashion, Jane Austen or Hampshire’s social history, the exhibition offers a vivid look into a world where hours of preparation were all part of the entertainment.

A full programme of related events will run throughout the exhibition, including tours, workshops, dressing demonstrations and Georgian suppers.