The Dressmaker - Urinary Tract Infections From Corsets, Hash Cookies and More

   

Hello!

 

Who would have thought corsets cause such grief, which The Dressmaker author, Rosalie Ham, recalled during her time as an extra on set.

 

According to Rosalie, urinary tract infections and bleeding caused by the corsets were tolerated because those wearing them on set looked fabulous and loved it!

Rosalie is incredibly generous with her time, attending countless speaking engagements. I was fortunate to attend one held by the Association of Image Consultants International in Melbourne recently where she spoke candidly about what inspired the storyline and the characters. Being a fellow NSW Riverina country girl, it was a thrill to meet her. 

Here's some of what she shared: 

• The story is based on her mother who was a seamstress in a small rural town in the Riverina. Women and even shearers sought her expertise where she'd design outfits one day and mend old shearer singlets another.
• Cate Blanchett and Nicole Kidman were approached to play the main character, Tilly Dunnage, but Rosalie was thrilled Kate Winslet agreed to play the part.
• Although she wasn't familiar with Liam Hemsworth, after watching him in a film she was happy he was playing the handsome Teddy McSwiney...as were we! 
• They needed to attract A-list actors to secure finance to make the movie. When Kate Winslet fell pregnant, the movie had to be delayed. 
• Kate and Liam were friendly on-set to the delight of the extras. 
• Rosalie wasn't too happy when Tilly faced Teddy front-on, on her knees, when measuring him for the wedding suit but respected it was the producer's call and film...and the fact it set many hearts racing seeing the bare-chested Liam! 
• The cross-dressing policeman, Sergeant Horatio Farrat, was inspired by cross-dressing country football players at social footy functions...having attended a wedding ball where the players were brides, I can confirm it happens! 
• Teddy's drowning in a silo was partly inspired by her father warning them as children not to jump in to the sorghum when playing at the silos.
• The hash cookies that Tilly makes was influenced from the time Rosalie made them for her mother to ease the pain of her rheumatoid arthritis. 
• The Dungatar townsfolk were poisoned before Tilly burnt the town down in the original manuscript but was changed at the request of the publisher. A number of characters also had to be cut from the story. Rosalie respected their request as they were the experts. 
• Rosalie never thought the book would be published after rejections by other publishers nor has she read it since she wrote it. (She now has two other published novels - Summer At Mount Hope and There Should Be More Dancing. More info can be found at rosalieham.com).

I wished we had more time with her as it was a fascinating insight into the book and the film. Thankfully The Dressmaker is now out on DVD so we can watch it however many times we like.

 

The Dressmaker Costume Exhibition is still showing - it's been extended over Easter at Barwon Park Mansion near Winchelsea in Victoria before relocating to Rippon Lea House and Gardens at Elsternwick, Victoria, from the 22nd of April to the 3rd of July. More details can be found at dressmakerexhibition.com.au.

The haute couture costumes by award-winning designers, Marion Boyce and Margot Wilson, are stunning and well worth the effort to see them. However, realistically, due to distance and other factors, many of you won't be able to get there so I have posted some photos so you don't miss out!

Happy viewing and happy Easter!

Nicky xx