Bridgerton superfan with £6k of period clothing: "Strangers mistake me as an extra"

A Bridgerton superfan with a £6k wardrobe of period clothing says strangers constantly mistake her for an extra.

Sophie Andrews, 28, spent 10 years curating a regency wardrobe.

She owns 25 day dresses and 10 ballgowns - which are all handmade by her friend and fellow regency enthusiast, Abigail Rose, 33.

Sophie says she often gets mistaken for dressing specifically as a Brigerton character - and says people even think she's filming for the series.

She is looking forward to watching the latest season of Bridgerton where the protagonist, Penelope, is plus size like herself.

Sophie, an author, from Reading, Berkshire, said: “I’ve always loved Penelope as a character because she was on the side lines and not seen as pretty.

“I’m a larger girl so it will be nice to see that character coming into her own and getting her happy ending despite being seen as a wallflower who’s considered as pretty as the other characters.

“She deserves her happy ending, but I’m not sure about Collin, her love interest. He’ll have to impress me.

“I’ve watched every series with my best friend Abigail, and I suspect we’ll be staying up at midnight together to watch the first part of the new season.

“I’ve got very used to being out and about and people talking to me. It doesn’t faze me.

“People now stop me to speak about Bridgerton and I even get people asking if I’m filming something.”

Sophie has had a passion for regency clothing since she was 18 but says the rise of Bridgerton has led to a fresh attitude towards the period.

"It has been really fun to watch Bridgeton and see how they’ve interpreted Regency England.

"It's great to see the passion it has inspired and how it's brought a lot of people to the Regency era."

Sophie also hosts balls and in April she is hosting a springtide regency ball, with a Bridgeton theme - where guests will be charged £70 a ticket.

The venue is a 17th century converted barn and it will be only decorated with items from 200 years ago - such as greenery, candles, and flowers.

Although Sophie loves her regency wardrobe she says it isn't practical to wear it all the time.

She said: “The idea of wearing my outfits every day is fun but it’s quite impractical completing modern tasks with a corset on.

“The stereotype of Jane Austen fans is middle-aged women and that isn’t true. There are plenty of gentlemen that come along to my ball.

“But I will say it’s often husbands and partners I have not come across a single straight man at these things.

“That’s not the way I’m expecting to find my husband.”