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.<br /><br />Sophie Andrews, 28, spent 10 years curating a regency wardrobe.<br /><br />She owns 25 day dresses and 10 ballgowns - which are all handmade by her friend and fellow regency enthusiast, Abigail Rose, 33. <br /><br />Sophie says she often gets mistaken for dressing specifically as a Brigerton character - and says people even think she's filming for the series.<br /><br />She is looking forward to watching the latest season of Bridgerton where the protagonist, Penelope, is plus size like herself. <br /><br />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.<br /><br />“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.<br /><br />“She deserves her happy ending, but I’m not sure about Collin, her love interest. He’ll have to impress me.<br /><br />“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.<br /><br />“I’ve got very used to being out and about and people talking to me. It doesn’t faze me.<br /><br />“People now stop me to speak about Bridgerton and I even get people asking if I’m filming something.”<br /><br />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. <br /><br />"It has been really fun to watch Bridgeton and see how they’ve interpreted Regency England.<br /><br />"It's great to see the passion it has inspired and how it's brought a lot of people to the Regency era."<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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. <br /><br />Although Sophie loves her regency wardrobe she says it isn't practical to wear it all the time.<br /><br />She said: “The idea of wearing my outfits every day is fun but it’s quite impractical completing modern tasks with a corset on.<br /><br />“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.<br /><br />“But I will say it’s often husbands and partners I have not come across a single straight man at these things.<br /><br />“That’s not the way I’m expecting to find my husband.”