Diana Rigg as Miss Winter in The Assassination Bureau has a beautiful and practical wardrobe as the Modern Woman of the turn of the (last) century. In aspiring to this look, which is great working in a library, I have made a skirt, restyled a hat and hunted down a round collared white shirt (Madamoiselle R).

Miss Winter – tilt/ perch hat

I bought a large straw boater and unravelled it to the base size I needed. Then I hand stitched around, bending the straw at the beginning of the side edge and the brim. Once the brim was the desired width, I tied it off and flattened the front brim with heavy books while turning the back up. It can be dressed with different ribbons.

Straw boater/ perch hat

The blouse with the round collar is good for 1920-30’s (Peaky Blinders) dressing too.

The skirt is an A-line cut, and the elasticated wide belt nips in the waist without wearing a corset underneath!

Straw Edwardian style hat

Jpeg

Here is an outfit not yet attempted. I do have a steam punk pattern for a skirt with a deep pleated hem, and my mum has made an outfit with a matching jacket, which I’ll post soon.