Follow the Yellow

World Book Day is just around the corner – and if you’re looking for a book-themed fancy dress outfit, why not dress as Sophie, Lil or one of the characters from the Sinclair’s Mysteries?

I’ve seen some amazing Sinclair’s costumes over the last few years – if you fancy having a go at creating one yourself, try out one of these quick and easy ideas, using things you’ll probably already have in your wardrobe (or maybe your dressing-up box!)

Sophie

As she approached, her heart began to thump, and she put up a hand to check that her hat, with its blue ribbon bow, was at exactly the right angle, and that her hair was not coming down.

To dress as Sophie, wear a long, dark-coloured skirt; a blouse with a lace collar; and a straw hat with a ribbon round it. Sophie usually wears her hair pinned up. You could maybe add a green bead necklace like the one Sophie often wears – or perhaps a magnifying glass for spotting clues!

Lil

She was wearing a hat wreathed in poppies and she had a crimson scarf at her neck.

Lil might wear glamorous clothes when she’s performing in the theatre, but for normal life, she’d wear an outfit very similar to Sophie’s. Lil usually wears her long hair down. She also loves bright colours, so you might want to add a colourful scarf, or put some brightly-coloured flowers around her hat.

Billy

He was wearing the Sinclair’s porters’ uniform – trim, dark blue trousers, a matching jacket with a double row of brass buttons and a peaked hat – but the jacket looked a bit too big for him, the trousers a bit short, and the hat was askew…

Create your own version of Billy’s Sinclair’s department store uniform with a dark-coloured jacket and trousers, plus maybe a cap. As a shop porter, Billy will need some brown-paper parcels or boxes to carry – and of course, a notebook and pencil for making a note of any mysterious goings-on!

Joe

Working in the Sinclair’s stables, Joe tends to be more casually dressed than Billy. Wear a shirt, some trousers, a flat cap and perhaps some braces – but most importantly of all, make sure you’ve got a toy dog by your side to be Daisy the faithful Sinclair’s guard-dog.

Mr Sinclair

A champagne glass was in his hand, and he wore an exquisite dress coat over a snowy white waistcoat, against which a gold watch chain gleamed.

Why not dress up as the mysterious Mr Sinclair himself? Mr Sinclair is always very elegant: he wears a smart suit with a white shirt. You could add a bow-tie, a top-hat, a pocket-watch, or a flower for his button-hole. Don’t forget a soft toy dog to be Lucky, Mr Sinclair’s pet pug!

‘Red Hands’ Randall

One of my favourite costumes I spotted last year was villainous Red Hands Randall from The Painted Dragon! For this costume, you’ll need a dark jacket and trousers, a flat cap or bowler hat and of course a pair of red gloves… plus a very sinister expression!

Veronica

‘…she was dressed very beautifully in a much-ruffled, lace-trimmed ivory gown. She must be one of this season’s debutantes, and a particularly wealthy one at that.’

Fashionable young ladies like Veronica and her friend Phyllis would wear long dresses, trimmed with lace or frills. These would usually be in light colours like white, ivory, pale pink or pale blue – bright or dark colours would have been considered in very bad taste! A bridesmaid dress or a long party dress would be a great place to start. Remember to add some ladylike accessories such as  white gloves, a pearl necklace, or even a parasol. Of course, you’ll also need a hat decorated with flowers, bows or feathers. Maybe you could even add a sparkly brooch to your outfit to be the mysterious jewelled moth itself…

Tilly

In The Midnight Peacock we meet Tilly – a housemaid who soon finds herself investigating something strange at grand Winter Hall. To dress as Tilly, you’ll need a long dark-coloured dress and a white apron. To complete your outfit, you could add a frilly white maid’s cap.

If you’re looking for more costume inspiration, take a look at my Edwardiana Pinterest board, which is full of Edwardian fashions.

If you do dress up as a character from the Sinclair’s Mysteries, make sure you send me a picture! And if you’re looking for more Sinclair’s Mysteries related things to do for World Book Day, there’s some ideas here.