In The Dressmaker, Nancy Pickett and Prudence Harridiene (Amanda Woodhams and Hayley Magnus) are two of Dungatar’s worst gossips. Despite their disdain for Tilly, they appear in an array of her gorgeous designs throughout the film, highlighting their vanity and their need to place themselves above others. Gertrude’s wedding is the ultimate occasion to show off.
Nancy wears a midnight-blue silk fishtail cocktail dress with a hat decorated with blue cornflowers. Prudence wears a silvery-gray silk taffeta dress with a dusty-pink-and-aquamarine bird design. The fabric pattern gives another nod to Marion Boyce’s metaphor of the townsfolk being like preening birds in their new outfits.
Content notification
Our collection comprises over 40,000 moving image works, acquired and catalogued between the 1940s and early 2000s. As a result, some items may reflect outdated, offensive and possibly harmful views and opinions. ACMI is working to identify and redress such usages.
Learn more about our collection and our collection policy here. If you come across harmful content on our website that you would like to report, let us know.
How to watch
Stream, rent or buy via
Collection
Not in ACMI's collection
Previously on display
14 July 2024
ACMI: Gallery 1
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
194851
Curatorial section
The Story of the Moving Image → Moving Worlds → MW-04. Costume Design → MW-04-C02
Object Types
Costume/costume element