Actor John Bell was overcome with excitement when he started talking about the costumes he wore as Young Ian in the popular series, "Outlander." Bell was at the recent opening of the "Outlander: Costumes Woven in Time" exhibition at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown.
“Can I touch it?” he asked the curators, pointing to one of the pieces. “I feel like it’s mine.”
Starz this month released the eighth and final season of "Outlander," a dramatic, time-travel series that chronicles historic events in 18th-century Scotland and the American Colonies. Bell said the significance of the show isn’t lost on him.
“It was a show about history, and now it’s history.”
Many of the 26 pieces in the exhibition align with programming that celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, said Mariruth Leftwich, senior director of museum operations & education.
“We know from data that in America, 60% of people, their preference for learning about history is television and movies,” Leftwich said. “So that’s the other reason "Outlander" is important for us here at the museum is because that’s how people are learning about the American Revolution.”
The show follows Claire Randall, a 1945 British combat nurse who unwittingly travels back in time to 1743 Scotland. There, she’s forced to marry Jamie Fraser, who comes from a noble Highlander family and is brother-in-law to Ian Murray, Young Ian’s father. Randall and Fraser begin a passionate romance that has captivated fans for years.
The two leap in time and place throughout the series, including late 18th-century North Carolina, to escape the oppression of British-occupied Scotland. After learning about the Revolutionary War, Fraser joins the Colonial rebels and the Continental Army.
The TV show is based on the book series by Diana Gabaldon. Bell, who is from Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, said he loves that she emphasizes the idea that history is written by the winners. The narrative is poignant for Young Ian, Fraser’s nephew.
“The Scottish Highlander, who is usually depicted as a barbaric stereotype, has only recently been romanticized," Bell said. "When you come to America, that same depiction happened to Native American warriors as well. For Ian, who is in both worlds, telling the story from a marginalized character’s perspective changes the narrative.”
The show’s 12-year run left Bell deeply connected to the wardrobe. Young Ian works as a scout for the Continental Army and lives with the Mohawk nation and his costumes bear traces of his Scottish identity. Bell kept an intricately carved wolf necklace, an arm cuff and his bow and arrow as mementos.
During Bell's Yorktown visit, he asked a curator to pull out and better show the red feathers on a brown leather pouch he often wore around his neck. One of his favorite pieces in the exhibition is the jacket worn by Young Ian on his wedding day.
“Clothes were expensive back then, so they were used and evolved,” Bell said. “Young Ian eventually gets the coat of his father after his father passes away in Season seven. So, I think it’s gorgeous to see that coat.”
The costumes were created by Terri Dresbach, costume designer for Seasons one through four. After filming wrapped, Sony Pictures executives thought it was time to spotlight their craftsmanship and artistry. Dresbach selected items for the exhibition, picking the ones that conveyed the best story about the characters.
Randall’s Scottish identity builds the foundation for her wardrobe, Leftwich said. When she returns to the 18th century in Season four, the clothing silhouettes and designs mimic each other to show the connection between 18th-century Scotland and North Carolina.
Leftwich compared a traditional 18th-century long green plaid dress that Randall wore in Season one with her iconic red Versailles dress she wore in Season two in 1740. The red dress design was influenced by Christian Dior’s New Look of the 1940s to reflect Randall’s contemporary sense of self.
“In the silk red dress, you see Claire’s 20th-century knowledge shaping her 18th-century fashion, so that’s an important story for Terri.”
Other looks include Fraser's and Randall’s wedding looks from Season one; Randall's 1740s Parisian looks with a waistcoat that was also inspired by Dior; and two 1970s costumes worn by Brianna Fraser, the daughter of Randall and Fraser. Many costumes layer different textures. One Fraser wore during the 18th-century in Season four features a wool tweed coat over a wool sweater with leather belts and pouches to create a luxurious look.
The costumes can’t be 100% historically accurate because of the lack of access to certain fabrics, said Samantha Bullat, the historical clothing services coordinator with the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation. Bullat pointed out that an authentic replica of Fraser's outfit would have been all black linen, but lighter fabrics were used instead.
“That’s what’s cool about Terri’s work, the textures that are present in these garments,” Bullat said. “It makes it visually appealing and adds to the realism of the garment, like someone intentionally chose these pieces to serve their needs.”
The exhibition is on view through May 18. Visit the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation at www.jyfmuseum.org for more information and for tickets to programs.
Behind the Seams Exhibition Tour
March 26; April 12 and 22; May 7 and 14
5:30 - 7 p.m.
The after-hours tour provides the opportunity to examine costume pieces not on display and learn about details that are ordinarily out of view. Tickets are $30 per person, with a max of 20 people per tour.
Woven in Time Dye Workshop
April 25
10 a.m.
Learn about homespun fabrics and how using purchased, grown and foraged dyestuffs extended the life of garments. Attendees can try cloth-dyeing and take home their own hand-dyed silk scarf. Tickets are $45 per person or a special member price of $36 per person, with a max of 20 people per workshop.
Outlander Day
May 16
10 a.m.
Hear the sounds of pipes and drums, march through the Continental Army encampment and examine clothing styles of "Jacobian rebels." Time-travel from the 18th century to discover how women served in World War II, as Claire Randall does. Included with museum admission.
