Polka dot skirts, pastel cardigans, sixties shift dresses and silk pyjamas, the costumes on hit BBC1 period drama Call the Midwife are pretty spectacular.


We can see why Emerald Fennell, who plays midwife Patsy Mount, says “coming into work and dressing up every day is the best.”

Even the cast members who find themselves forever wearing a nun’s habit are aware of the show’s stylish wardrobe.

“There is a big part of me that’s really jealous that I don’t get to wear any of the incredible clothes, that especially Trixie wears,” admits Sister Winifred actress Victoria Yeates.

Not that the clothes the actresses wear are just for fun.

“What I say to everyone in every fitting is, ‘I’m here to empower you to become who you need to be through costume’,” costume designer Ralph Wheeler-Holes says. And that’s especially the case for fashion-lover Trixie.

“She wants to be someone different every night so she dresses like Doris Day, or she’ll dress like Marilyn one day. The next day she’ll be a bit more beatnik and put on a polo neck so there’s always another role that she’s trying to play,” says Helen George.

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Call the Midwife series four concludes on Sunday at 8:00pm on BBC1. The series will be available on BBC DVD from Monday on BBCShop.com