#historical garments

[sewlastcentury]

The two newest patterns that I have in testing right now, based on antique plus-size garments...

c. 1909 eleven-gore polka-dotted cotton day skirt The size as-is is a 37”/94cm waist with 60”/152cm+ hips, and ungathered it’s a 46.5”/118cm waist. It was made for a very short person, so I’ve provided the original length (32”/81cm) as well as an extended version (40”/102cm) on the pattern for whatever you need. On Etsy here.

c. 1915-17 silk day dress with beading This has a 60” (152cm) bust and 45.5” (116cm) waist and was made for a relatively tall person. On Etsy here.

Both are now up on Etsy!

[costumedump]

Gustav III's Masquerade Costume

Worn During His Assassination At The Royal Opera House, Stockholm

Midnight, 16th Of March, 1792

The Royal Armoury

Stockholm, Sweden

[erendur]

@peasant-player. I had to reblog the Iron Age murder cloak !

Someone living in Sweden during the Iron Age wore this cloak. Unfortunately, they wore it while they were murdered: forensic analysis found the holes in the cloak match how stabs would have penetrated the folds of the cloak when it was being worn.

Dating to 360 to 100 BCE, is also the oldest known example of a houndstooth pattern!

[jagzii]

" I will be the first to admit I’ve been pretty biased against Corsets. I mean, come on, the first time I saw a corset was in Pirates of the Caribbean, and Elizabeth Swan took a bit of a dive after being laced up in one. I didn’t know the people to blame in that scenario, realistically, would be the woman lacing her in rather than the article of clothing itself. Moreover, with the media being full of bizarre images of body modification caused by corset wear, I was even more put off by the garment. Quite frankly, I, like most other people, saw them as nothing more than symbols of the patriarchy–an instrument of control forcing women to conform to whatever weird standards of beauty were in vogue."

Read the rest here: https://open.substack.com/pub/ananyajagoorie/p/lace-me-in?r=7dcr2&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

[sewingsillythings]

[marzipanandminutiae]

I hate "it's not trying to be accurate!" arguments for historical fiction or historically-inspired fantasy clothing choices that just. don't make sense logistically

why is that girl in Br*dgerton tightlacing her stays? what is she reducing- her upper ribcage? not only can you not tightlace in those (hand-bound eyelets can't usually take that strain, in my experience), but there's no reason to because your waistline is under your boobs. and unlike most of the series, they actually commit to the empire waistline for the court presentation gowns. small waists don't matter when NOBODY IS SEEING YOUR WAIST

why no chemise, in so many productions? fantasy/lack of concern for accuracy can't make things not chafe. chafing is not a matter of accuracy; it's a physical reality. did a wizard give everybody in the kingdom Anti-Chafing Spells?

just because you don't WANT a linen underlayer beneath a medieval tunic doesn't mean sweat won't get to outer garments and damage them- or make them need laundering, which weakens the fibers -at a time when all clothing is handmade, custom-fitted, and created from hand-woven fabrics and thus a HUGE investment

you're not just throwing accuracy to the winds as a design choice; you're ignoring How Textiles And Bodies And the Realities of Your Technology Level's Fabric and Laundering Capabilities Work

[tiger-in-the-flightdeck]

I have some gorgeous shot taffeta that is just waiting for the right project to come along. Every time I see work like this, I want to start stitching

[die-rosastrasse]

Ball gown, 1840-41

Maker: Unknown

From the collection of Wien Museum

[edwardian-girl-next-door]

Evening dress by the House of Worth, c.1880. From the "Fashioned by Sargent" exhibit at the MFA Boston, October 2023

photo by me (@edwardian-girl-next-door)

[vintagefashionplates]

1845 green silk brocade evening dress with a white floral pattern, with a pleated skirt and boned bodice, that is shown here displayed with a lace bertha collar. Kyoto Costume Institute collection.

[itsoscarwilde]

First time wearing stays

Notes, mostly for myself and whoever’s interested :

Went to a knight’s tournament today and since I haven’t gotten around to researching the early medieval dresses I’d like to make one of, I decided to finally wear my 1780’s stays in a sort of historical fantasy look that was basically just stays + one set of petticoats and a belt. (An old sundress served as a shift)

I began the day with the stays quite loosely tied because it was my first time wearing them out and I knew I’d be wearing them all day. I ended up tightening them up quite a bit two hours later and that actually ended up being way more comfortable.

The tight sensation actresses complain about in interviews (you know which ones) only happened when i slouched- as long as I kept my posture in check I didn’t feel caged in at all, even after eating.

But most fascinating to me is that after a day like this, which involves a LOT of standing, i normally get a back ache in my lower back. Today? Barely anything. (By comparison my legs are a bit sorer, I guess the combination of the stays themselves and actually watching my posture caused me to put my weight into my legs and not my lower back for once)

Finally, the muscles in my upper back are almost as sore as they are after a workout targeting that area- so fascinating.

I sewed the stays over Christmas break and was so happy to finally have a reason to break them out today and experience first hand what I’ve been watching Bernadette Banner & Co. talk about for ages. (I used the infamous redthreaded pattern and found it quite tricky as an intermediate seamstress, still very happy with my result)

Will definitely think about wearing the stays to more functions!!

Details for Historical/Fantasy Writing: Insights from a Reenactor

Writing is the main thing I do for fun, but I’m a multi-faceted lass with many hobbies, and I also do Roman reenactment. I find that by actually doing something, you learn things that aren’t possible through theoretical research alone, so here is a collection of small things I’ve noticed while reenacting that you could add to your writing for a bit of extra realism.

Loose long hair is ANNOYING. There’s a reason most depictions you’ll see of women in history show them with their hair up and/or covered, and that is pure practicality. Having hair in the way is a massive pain (this would be particularly true for working women with stuff to get done).

Repetitive tasks aren’t boring if you have someone to chat to. When we do events, I’m in the textiles tent, and as the most junior member of the team I’m the one who does the spinning. Most events are 10-4/5, and you’d think 6/7 hours of spinning (with a break for lunch) would be boring, but actually, once you’re practiced you can do it on autopilot while you natter! I’m sure this is how people managed samey tasks back in ye olde days.

Speaking of spinning, working with textiles leaves its mark. If you’ve been spinning, sewing, or weaving for a long time, you’ll feel it. It knots up your shoulders and, perhaps less obviously, the friction of fibre against your fingers can wear away just enough skin to make them tender. Thimbles help with sewing, but not spinning or weaving.

Wool is WONDERFUL. I love it. It has a reputation as being scratchy and itchy, but when it’s finely woven/spun it is fantastic to wear. It keeps you cool when it’s hot, and warm when it’s cold. It also has the fantastic property of keeping you insulated even when soaking wet, which is why wool cloaks are so brilliant.

Linen is also wonderful. Lovely against the skin and cool in the summer (but for the average person in history, it’s more expensive than wool).

Woodsmoke gets everywhere. It stings your eyes and makes your clothes and hair smell smokey. However, after a little while the smell becomes just a background thing (and you get pretty practiced at anticipating when the smoke is going to change direction so you can move out of the way). It also keeps insects away!

Cooking over a fire takes longer than you’d think. If we start an event at 10 am, that means we’ll usually be having lunch at 1-2pm. However, we do have pretty elaborate meals, and have to start the fire from scratch every day (a lot of the wait time is getting the fire to cooking embers). If your characters are cooking simple fare over a fire that you’ve started from being banked, it’ll be quicker.

You want different footwear for different purposes. Hobnails give you great footing on soft/muddy ground, but on pavement they offer no purchase at all and will KILL YOU (okay, this is slight hyperbole, but there is an account of a centurion running from grass to pavement, slipping over and getting killed by his enemies). City wear would likely be leather and clogs/pattens.

CLOAKS CLOAKS CLOAKS! They are so versatile. They keep you warm, they keep you dry, they can be a blanket or an impromptu bag. Essential equipment in my view.

[sewlastcentury]

Aaand two more patterns from antique garments!

1890s silk faille evening skirt with a 34" / 86cm waist. On Etsy here!

c. 1870 cotton sateen day dress with a 50” (127cm) bust and 39” (99cm) waist! (It fits the 48”/122cm-bust mannequin very well.) On Etsy here!

I'm finishing up digitization on these, but tester slots are currently open! Once the patterns are finished, I'll put them up on Etsy with the others. <3

[fashion-plates]

Met Costume Institute

Walking dress. British. ca. 1830

[fashionsfromhistory]

Ball Gown

Late 1860s

European

The MET (Accession Number: 1981.49.3a–c)

[digitalfashionmuseum]

Black wool dress and coat with a fur collar, 1970, American.

By Oscar de la Renta.

Chicago Historical Society.

[postcard-from-the-past]

Folklore garments from Zlosela, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Croatian vintage postcard