A new exhibit at the Arlington Museum of Art will celebrate the 250th birthday of beloved author Jane Austen with a distinctly Hollywood touch. Called Dressed for the Drawing Room: Fashion in Jane Austen’s World, the exhibit will showcase costumes and jewelry from film adaptations of two of Austen's most iconic works: Pride and Prejudice (2005) and Emma (2020).
The exhibit, which will run from January 9 to March 22, 2026, will be presented in partnership with Jane Austen Society of North America - North Texas Chapter, a nonprofit dedicated to the enjoyment and appreciation of Jane Austen and her writing, with costumes loaned from NBCUniversal Archives & Collection.
By bringing costumes and accessories from two important films in the Austen world, the exhibition hopes to immerse visitors in the elegant and often politically charged world of fashion during the Regency era.
“Literature, film, and costuming are all important expressions of time, place, and identity,” says AMA Director of Exhibitions Kendall Quirk in a statement. “Jane Austen’s novels are full of observations of the time period she was living in. Using costume to portray these subtleties of the Regency era highlights how important details are. We hope visitors experience costumes from their favorite Austen films and gain a better understanding of what each costume signified for the characters.”
Pride and Prejudice costumes will be part of the exhibit. Courtesy photo
Written in 1813, Pride and Prejudice was about a tumultuous courtship between Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy, who initially dislike each other before falling in love. The 2005 film starred Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen, and was praised for the chemistry between its two stars as well as its stunning visuals and modern feel. It earned its costumer designer Jacqueline Durran considerable attention for her work, including an Oscar nomination in 2006 for Best Achievement in Costume Design.
Set in 1800s England, Emma was about Emma Woodhouse, a well-meaning but selfish young woman who meddled as a matchmaker in her friends' love lives. The 2020 film version starred Anya Taylor-Joy in the title role, and earned costumer designer Alexandra Byrne an Oscar nomination in 2021 for Best Achievement in Costume Design.
The exhibition is free (and the museum does not charge admission). It is the latest in a series of similar Hollywood-themed shows hosted by the Arlington Museum of Art in recent years including Disney memorabilia, Wicked, and Game of Thrones.
