Defying Expectations at Bronte Parsonage Museum

This brand new exhibition, co-curated with costume historian Dr Eleanor Houghton, places focus on some of the remarkable garments and accessories worn by Charlotte Brontë.

These brightly coloured, fashionable, even exotic items boldly challenge the preconception that Brontë and her famous protagonist Jane Eyre were, at least in terms of dress, one and the same. The clothes draw attention to both Charlotte’s ordinary and extraordinary lives but also remind us that she was an active participant of the fast-changing mid-nineteenth century.

Items on display include Charlotte's wedding bonnet and veil, and a never-before-displayed dress worn by Charlotte Brontë in London following the publication of 'Jane Eyre'