#the fortunes and misfortunes of moll Flanders

[rosalie-starfall]

Moll & Lucy

The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders - 1996

[mercysong-tardis]

✨❤️ Red Moll Flanders costume Summary ❤️✨

This costume was constructed between February -June 2024. I chose it because Alex Kingston told me it was her favorite costume to wear from her time on “the fortunes and misfortunes of Moll Flanders.”

The dress is constructed of upholstery velvet, trim, embroidered polyester, polyester ribbon, thrifted lace (off a bridal veil), hook and eye closures, vintage buttons, and vintage cording.

I already had the stays from my first Moll Flanders dress, so I used those and used the exact same pattern I’d drafted for myself on this dress. I also used the same bum rolls, padding, and frankensheet as a petticoat. The underskirt has a zipper in the back, and pins closed. The red overskirt closes at the front with a clasp. The bodice has the basque attached, and closes down the front by Hook and eyelet closures hidden behind the bows. The bows are all made of Christmas ribbon in maroon, and covered with vintage buttons from my grandmothers stash. I lined the inside with a specialty silk I’ve been saving for a special project. I used it because wouldn’t Moll have a surprise on the inside of her gowns?

The hat is made off a wicker base, covered in velvet and silk, with ostrich feathers from a derby hat store, trim from Johanns, and one of my old velvet hair ribbons.

This costume is based off of the red and orange dress as it appears in the miniseries, with allowance made for budgeting, costs, and the fact that I am not Trisha Biggar with Swedish fabric from the 60s. 😂😂😂

Alex absolutely loved my dress, and the whole look was pulled together by my devilishly handsome Daniel Craig @songinthestars on instagram who braved the dangerous highways for me, just to be called “Jemily” all day.

[wibblyv]

I tell you this, Moll. I never cared for any man the way I care for you.

[perioddramapolls]

Period dramas dresses tournament: Pink dresses Round 2- Group C: Isabella Fitzwilliam, Harlots (gifset) vs Moll Flanders, The fortunes and misfortunes of Moll Flanders (pics set)

[smallerontheoutside]

so I have a new favourite film

'the fortunes and misfortunes of moll flanders' is, genuinely, a masterpiece

and something which I already knew but has now been confirmed tenfold - Alex Kingston is a master of her craft and omg I could watch her forever

[nemoo-m]

✨Alex Kingston✨

[savycon63]

💜🔥🫠

Moll & Lucy, for we-live-in-marvelous-times

[immortal-in-their-way]

Just finished Moll Flanders (miniseries) and discovered my hair makes me look like practically every dude there. I'm delighted and I'll probably rant about other stuff about it (it was AMAZING) but for now it's just gender happies.

[simplyalexk]

Alex Kingston as Moll Flanders in The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders (1996)

[quotation--marks]

He smil’d when he heard all this, and I ask’d him how he could make so light of it, when he must needs know that if there was any Discovery, I was Undone for ever? and that even it would hurt him, tho’ not Ruin him, as it would me: I upbraided him, that he was like all the rest of the Sex, that when they had the Character and Honour of a Woman at their Mercy, often times made it their Jest, and at least look’d upon it as a Trifle, and counted the Ruin of those, they had had their Will of, as a thing of no value.

Daniel Defoe, The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders

[savycon63]

💜😍🏳️‍🌈

THE GREAT ESCAPE

A little drawing of Moll Flanders and Lucy Diver, because I'm still refusing to acknowledge the fact that their story ended up in death. Happy pride month, if it were up to me they would've lived.

[hayaomiyazaki]

Alex Kingston and Nicola Walker THE FORTUNES AND MISFORTUNES OF MOLL FLANDERS — 1996

[mercysong-tardis]

Meeting Alex Kingston in Moll Flanders cosplay at FanX 2023

Just over a year ago, a little birdy (@now-theres-a-spoiler-for-you) informed me that to the best of her knowledge, Alex Kingston had never seen a Moll Flanders cosplayer. And as an avid appreciator of the Miniseries, I took it upon myself to become the first.

The Miniseries, "The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders" (1996) of which Alex Kingston starred in alongside Daniel Craig, was Alex's major breakout role which led to her role on ER and her subsequent claim to fame. So considering the prevolence, I had to make it special.

I put in a LOT of work researching, sourcing fabric, internet deep-diving, and reading before I ever got started on the dress. The actual hard work of sewing the dress took a few months to make once the initial homework was done. Undergarments? Structuring? Patterns? All of these took a lot of guesswork on my part.

The original was created by costume designer, Trisha Biggar (Which if you are in the costuming community you will know her as the designer of Padme Amidala's wardrobe and the designer for Outlander) for the 1996 miniseries. The dress was constructed of fabric Trisha Thrifted in the 1960s in Sweden, most of which I am fairly certain is Indian Fabric specifically used for Banarasi Sarees. The dress is inspired by a common silhouette from the 1670s London England, based on common evening gowns worn at the time. Considering the substantial trade happening between India and England at that time, it makes sense that a dress is fine as this would’ve been historically constructed with Banarasi silk.

The original evening gown:

Sadly, I cannot afford to construct a dress entirely out of silk in this American economy, so sourced much of my fabric overseas and while I was in Egypt and Israel this summer. The rest of it was either Thrifted or appliquéd by hand by me. All of the notions and ribbons were Thrifted. I believe in doing everything possible to keep cosplay sustainable. There is a video on my TikTok which goes into detail on my construction process.

But once the dress was done, I was ecstatic, and It was time to debut it at a convention. The morning of Thursday FanX SLC, I got some pictures (in my River wig to preserve my curled hair) and this is how they turned out...

Then it was time to show The Queenston herself. I had been a little bit stressed that she wouldn't recognise the dress or wouldn't be very interested, but I held out hope.

Spoiler Alert; I had NOTHING to worry about.

Before I got to Alex, I got an autograph from Karen Gillan, who's table was next to Alex's. While in line, I was staring in awe at Alex, as she was just under twenty feet away. In between people, Alex glanced up to the crowd, then did a double take, and leaned over her table to see me through the crowd. Her mouth dropped open, she pointed straight at me, and she got all excited, and mouthed “You! Moll Flanders! Wow!” Time slowed down and I froze until I gave her a big smile (and I think a thumbs up?) and I was so starstruck that I was convinced I was hallucinating until she added “you look amazing!” still smiling, before going back to the next person. 

When I got to her table, she greeted me as Moll,and she said she'd "Never ever, ever seen a Moll cosplayer!" and I got to tell her that I made the dress. Alex absolutely loved my Moll Flanders cosplay. She told me it was the first one she’d ever seen. She was so sweet. I wasn’t anxious at all. I was so excited to finally meet her but I didn’t cry. I was actually so relaxed, which came as a surprise, as I have a track record of being emotionally overwhelmed and crying in front of Celebrities.

She was so nice and was so impressed with the dress. We got a Photo together and she ended up grabbing the shackles (is it even Alex Kingston without a cheeky touch?)

Then she signed my Making of Moll Flanders book and she flipped through it “oh this really takes me back. This was my favorite dress. The red velvet one. It was quite warm. I loved the big hat!”

For reference this is the dress she was talking about:

Then she looked up back at my dress and asked me “aren’t they fun to wear? Don’t you feel sexy?”

I said yes.

I was a liar.

I was actually incredibly uncomfortable but I would NEVER SAY THAT TO THE QUEENSTON.

So I just smiled and said yes. (I did feel sexy but 17 hours tightlaced in 1670s stays is not fun to wear)

Then at the photo op, Alex played with my hair XD

So that is the story of my most insane cosplay yet! I hope you enjoyed all you people out there on the internet.

[wibblyv]

Alex Kingston as Moll Flanders | The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders (1996)

[perioddramapolls]

Period dramas dresses tournament: Pink dresses Round 3- Group C: Elizabeth Dido Belle, Belle (gifset) vs Moll Flanders, The fortunes and misfortunes of Moll Flanders (pics set)

[forthegothicheroine]

It's time, folks, for...

The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders

Who was Born in Newgate, and during a Life of continu’d Variety for Threescore Years, besides her Childhood, was Twelve Year a Whore, five times a Wife (whereof once to her own Brother), Twelve Year a Thief, Eight Year a Transported Felon in Virginia, at last grew Rich, liv’d Honest, and dies a Penitent.