500 Years of European Maternity Clothing ft. Kass McGann of Reconstructing History

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Welcome to a brand new series on this channel, "500 Years of..."! I've teamed up with friend and fashion historian Kass McGann of @ReconstructingHist to take you all along a journey of maternity clothing over the course of 500 years! In this episode, we cover the practices of maternity fashion from 1420-1920, and all of the intriguing details about what went on and what maternity may have been like.
We begin with Medieval fashion, then move into Renaissance and Tudor clothing. This is followed up by Stuart fashion, Georgian clothing, Victorian clothing, Edwardian fashion, 19-teens fashion, finally ending with 1920s fashion.
TW: In this video, we mention the extremely sensitive topics of infant mortality and misc****age. Therefore, if these are triggering subjects for you, please skip time stamps 25:40-26:33.
Historical maternity clothing has tonnes of misconceptions surrounding it, from myths about women harming their unborn children with super tight corsets, to the general taboo that existed around pregnant individuals being seen outside of the home. We take you along this extended journey to hopefully break some myths, offer up new valuable information, and have a bit of fun along the way.
While I keep using the term "we", really, it's Kass doing most of the explaining. I, myself, ended up learning so much just by hearing what she had to say on the topic, and I feel you will likely discover new information too!
The conclusion? Most "women's" historical fashion WAS maternity clothing. And throughout this video, Kass McGann explains why.
Thank you so much for watching!
Yours, etc.
V. Birchwood
Reconstructing History's Social Media:
Website: reconstructinghistory.com/
Instagram: reconstruct...
RU-vid: / reconstructinghist
V. Birchwood Social Media:
Patreon: / vbirchwood
Instagram: / vasibirchwood
Facebook: / vbirchwoodhistorical
Business Inquiries: vbirchwood@helmtalentgroup.com
Further Reading:
Women’s Work by Elizabeth Wayland Barber
/ 359139.women_s_work
Front Lacing Stays for Noble People:
collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1...
sarahabendall.com/2019/01/01/...
On women wearing doublets and jerkins, i.e. men’s clothes (pp. 37v-38r) Stubbs Anatomie of Abuses:
www.bl.uk/collection-items/th...
Victorian Londoners Being Shorter:
Mentioned in The Tudor Tailor by Ninya Mikhaila and Jane Malcolm Davies. Also: Werner, A. London Bodies: the changing shape of Londoners from prehistoric times to the present day. 1998: Museum of London, London.
Due to a limit in character count, all links to the images I used throughout this video can be found here: www.vbirchwood.com/sources/50...
Time Stamps:
0:00 Most "Women's" Clothing WAS Maternity Clothing
3:19 1420-1520 Maternity Clothing
6:11 1520-1620 Maternity Clothing
9:48 1620-1720 Maternity Clothing
18:26 1720-1790 Maternity Clothing
25:40 TW: PLEASE SKIP IF NEED BE
26:33 Late Georgian Maternity Fashion (1790s & Regency)
29:00 Victorian Maternity Clothing
36:06 1890s, Edwardian, & 19-Teens Maternity Fashion
37:36 1920s Maternity Fashion & Beyond
#500Yearsof #MaternityClothing #HistoricalFashion

Опубликовано:

22 май 2024

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Комментарии : 720

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

Edit: I’m getting a little bit tired of having to explain why I censored the word miscarriage in this video. I do not believe miscarriage is something we need to censor, as it is a common occurrence and is a tragedy that should be openly spoken about (if an individual feels comfortable discussing their experience of course). RU-vid does, however, have very unfair censorship regulations, and miscarriage is often a demonetised word. Demonitisation means a video doesn't get recommended as much, which in turn would cause people to miss out on this valuable educational content. I think it is vital that those who feel comfortable speak out about their experiences with miscarriage and related subjects, as no one should have to feel alone in such a situation. I had to make the difficult decision to censor the word not because it reflects my belief, but because I didn’t want the video to get suppressed and thus have many miss out on this important educational content. Please don’t leave rude replies about this in the comments section, and please consider my deeper reason for “why”, which is clearly not to suppress this tragic experience, rather to make sure as many people as possible can see this video, and thus benefit from its educational value. Welcome to this channel's latest "500 Years of..." series! This week's video is a bit of a long one, but I think it's a well-worth-it watch as Kass McGann of Reconstructing History walks us through 500 years of maternity clothing! TW: We will be talking about the sensitive subjects of infant mortality and miscarriage, so if these are triggering topics for you in any way, please SKIP the content between time stamps 25:40-26:33. Thank you very much for watching.

@thatterigirl 2 года назад

I would love to see you tackle regarding head coverings/hat evolution in western European fashion in this format!

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

@@thatterigirl I think you will be pleasantly surprised in a few months 😉

@CareenasAdventures 2 года назад

500 years of corsets/stays would be extremely helpful for my history bounding and historical costuming!

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

It was something we considered, but sadly they’ve been around less than 500 years! Even the Pair of Bodies, the precursor to the stays, isn’t 500 years old yet

@makeitjoyful 2 года назад

I really appreciate how sensitively you handled this subject. I have had several losses recently, and miscarriage is very difficult for me to hear about right now. By letting me know what would be covered, and even bleeping out the word, it made me feel like I could watch the video and feel okay.

@i2ndsight Год назад

As an older farmer in the Deep South, who wears a corset for back support, I would love to see historic clothing for women in the tropics, especially working women.

@OffTheWagons Год назад

Thought about doing this for my own back- have nerve damage though so not sure if it would help or make it worse.

@awkwardpotato7900 Год назад

That's not a whole lot of clothing, considering what you're probably thinking of is white people we didn't start traveling near the equator into a couple hundred years ago. What working women wore in the tropics wasn't a whole lot, probably sandals and maybe a loin cloth. The female chest just wasn't sexualized and still isn't by a vast majority of cultures

@i2ndsight Год назад

@@awkwardpotato7900 I think I would benefit from knowledge these fashion historians have about Edwardian or Victorian era clothing worn by working women in the tropics.

@i2ndsight Год назад

@@OffTheWagons be sure to ask your doctor.

@i2ndsight Год назад

@@awkwardpotato7900 my family came to the Deep Southeast in 1621, so I know nurses and teachers were working in these peri-tropics in the early 1600s. Spanish women were in the Caribbean, Central and South Americas a hundred years earlier.

@SimpleDesertRose 2 года назад

My husband and I really enjoy going to the Renaissance Faire every year. It was even our first date. The year we went when I was pregnant with my oldest it never occurred to me that I would need a maternity dress for faire. I simply undid the side laces on my dress and only laced them to the top of my belly. It worked so well that I did it again couple years later when I was pregnant with our daughter. Over the years and various fairs, I recall seeing various women wearing their costumes over their pregnant belly. There was only one woman that ever complained about her bodice being uncomfortable. But then she was just uncomfortable in general due to the heat and the fact that her bodice was made out of entirely synthetic materiels. For some women pregnancy and the heat don't mix combined with a bodice that doesn't breath its no wonder it was uncomfortable. This was a fascinating topic to cover. I'm really enjoying the 500 years of fashion series.

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

How interesting! It's great to hear your personal experience with this as well. I can definitely see how the combination of pregnancy, heat, and fabric that doesn't breathe the best could become very uncomfortable for that individual! Thanks so much for watching 😊

@jewdd1989 Год назад

Have you heard of the SCA? It’s not my thing but my father participates and has for over a decade if not longer. It’s not “renaissance” but is more focused on historically accurate imitation of the medieval times, that’s a very poor description but if you like renaissance fairs you might like the sca

@lauriivey7801 Год назад

I was born in 1962, and I remember how 'shocked' I was to see women starting to accentuate their pregnant bellies (instead of having their clothing drape loosely across them) ... I believe it was in the late 80s or early 90s

@EileenNestman Год назад

I would love to see a video where historical clothing wearer brings in a friend who is pregnant and shows "this is how this outfit fits non-maternity, and then this is how this same outfit fits maternity" if that makes sense. Just to see how those same pieces can shift and change and to see how it would move and look in real life in both contrasting circumstances. Heck I'm pregnant now, I'll volunteer if someone has a historical wardrobe to share for a video😅

@VBirchwood Год назад

That would be super fascinating! I would recommend the channel “Katherine Sewing.” She has videos on wearing stays whilst pregnant 😊

@ellaisplotting 3 месяца назад

That's such a fantastic idea!

@chrysanthemum8233 2 года назад

The front/back lacing discussion at 39:00 is one of those things that seem so obvious once someone else says it. Who did up the back lacing for a working woman? Well, her husband, probably, and if she wasn't married yet, a sibling or parent or co-worker. Almost no one lived alone in those days, especially women.

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

Exactly! It was a myth I believed for a long time as well, and when Kass made this point, it's like it all clicked. Women almost always lived with someone, as you say.

@findingbeautyinthepain8965 2 года назад

@Chrysanthemum I feel like a lot of women’s dresses and skirts still require two people to put on. I can sometimes put my skirt on backwards, so I can reach the zipper, and then turn it around once zipped. I obviously can’t do that with dresses though. (FYI: I most only wear skirts and dresses. I very rarely wear pants.) At least twice a week, I need to have my mom or fiancé help me zip up my clothing. One time, my mom was on vacation, and I had to sleep in my clothes, because I couldn’t reach the zipper on my own. 😂

@aShadeBolder Год назад

personal experience says anyone flexible enough to scratch their entire back can probably tie a back lacing corset for themselves. it's a lot easier to adjust/tighten laces and then tie them off than it is to zip up a modern dress with a back opening.

@TheJiamy Год назад

Not to mention you can mostly lace up a corset in front and then turn it around and tighten it :V

@Robynhoodlum Год назад

I've seen plenty of historical costume videos where they show how it is very easy for a woman to lace her own stays and corsets by herself, even those in the back. Basically, they would lace it loosely, slip it on, then pull the laces tight in the middle and tie the laces. Much like how you lace and tie shoes.

@ParkrosePermaculture 2 года назад

Appreciated this video a lot. I have four children and spent all of my mid-20s to early 30s, pregnant or breastfeeding. My body was constantly changing shape, and I had a LOT of frustration with modern fashion and how many garments I had to own for my constantly expanding or shrinking breasts, belly, and thighs. While I appreciate the huge number of issues that come with assuming pregnancy and breastfeeding and post-partum bodies are obligatory for women, I appreciate a concept of fashion that makes room for these seasons and fluctuations in some of our lives.

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

Thank you!! I’m really glad you enjoyed it. It’s definitely (I’d imagine) so frustrating having to deal with modern day maternity clothing. Bodies are made to change and evolve, that’s natural, and it’s a bit strange that clothing doesn’t often make room for this for adults. Perhaps because generally clothes these days are cheaper, people aren’t as much in the repair and alter mindset so to speak. As much as things were horrible all throughout history for many individuals, little aspects like clothing being made to evolve with an evolving body shows some of the innovative and useful (even today) things that existed in history.

@Elizabeth-rq1vi Год назад

So true! Thankfully I sewed my own clothes for each pregnancy I made one outfit, with exception of #4 where I made two outfits! So by then I had 5 outfits. For my first my sister gave me a mumu which was very comfortable but couldn’t wear it to work because I had a uniform.

@ashleysovilla2037 Год назад

From a slightly divergent perspective, I prefer to leave the house much less when I’m pregnant because I get tired, my feet can swell, I have to pee frequently, etc. So to some degree, this may have been less about oppression than convenience. Obviously working class women didn’t have as much of a choice. Such a fun video! I’m glad it popped up in my suggested videos!

@VBirchwood Год назад

That’s very understandable! There are so many new factours to be worried about whilst pregnant, or that can just make someone feel flat out uncomfortable. I’d imagine nesting at home can sometimes just feel like a welcome relief. So glad you enjoyed the video! Thank you for watching it and for your comment 🥰

@redwolfden7930 Год назад

i agree i was reading the english countrywoman and the magority of women worked 247 doing stuff to add minute earnings to the family, although i have no doubt, the richer folk were far more restrictive with outings from what i read in that book the commoners throughout most periods were working all the time either in the home or outside all day from 5am to late 7-8pm or more, i think it would of been a dream for a lot of women in those times to be told to stay in bed and have 5 months to themselves, although i imagine all would of hated being confined to the actual bed for five months, i cant imagine many stuck to it. still very interesting and great video.

@izzieluv Год назад

I totally agree! But the though of being looked down on for leaving the house when pregnant is definitely dumb 😅

@ingloriousbetch4302 5 месяцев назад

@@redwolfden7930as someone who had to bedrest for 6+ months of each pregnancy.... It's miserable. And also impossible if you've got a kid already, then it was a lot of 'do what you have to for the lottles then get horizontal wherever you can'. I'm guessing it was pretty simple for a wealthy woman to do and utterly impossible for working women, and you basically would've had no choice but to 'let the inevitable happen" and try again.

@spaghettiking7312 4 месяца назад

I give Kass McGann an applause. This was incredibly informative, interesting and insightful.

@MikaelaKMajorHistory Год назад

Despite having a generally healthy pregnancy, I had a very restrictive one. I lived at a pregnant women and children’s shelter where they had rules for the women who stayed there. I could not stay in bed, even if I was tired and wanted to, and I had to be working or schooling. It was also hard for me to get maternity clothes because I was a small girl and many of the clothes were large sized. Clothes felt extremely tight, to the point where sometimes I felt choked and had to unbutton and lower my pants. When I got large later on, the maternity pants I had were too loose and kept sliding off my hips and stomach. I would have loved some adjusters on my waistline/hip line or to be able to wear heavy skirts or dresses in cold weather. And most of all, I would’ve given anything to be allowed to lounge whenever I felt tired. Women have never had more rights in history than today, but our clothes and expectations of women are still restrictive, just in different ways. I wish we could look at women’s clothing in history with a bit more positive light and make clothes more diverse and accessible for larger women, pregnant women, and nursing women.

@cincocats320 2 года назад

Thank you a very thoughtful discussion. I feel like so many people infantilize people in the past, especially women, when on the contrary they were wonderfully practical and inventive in their approach to everyday problems. While today's fashions offer more freedom in some way, we have lost a lot of knowledge in how to make adaptable and longer lasting clothing and there is a cost to that.

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

Thank you for your comment! It’s definitely quite disheartening we’ve lost a lot of the practices of repairing and altering quality made clothing. At the same time though we are starting to see a very slow fashion resurgence, like what I try to promote on this channel and do in my own life, and that’s quite amazing to see as more people start making their own clothes 😊

@wadenyoost1796 Год назад

I could listen to Cass for hours. She really knows her stuff and how to convey fashion history in a way that is fascinating. Wow!

@VBirchwood Год назад

She’s brilliant! 😊

@fighttheevilrobots3417 Год назад

I'm a plus size woman and I've known for a long time that maternity clothes can be used for everyday wear with only slight modification, or sometimes even none.

@lbatemon1158 Год назад

I wasn't planning on watching this whole thing, but it was so well done! And fascinating. I can sleep tomorrow... If my 2 year old will let me... But thank you for taking such care to find examples in art, and zooming in on the details being discussed. I think this is the first RU-vid video I've seen that does such an amazing job at this. Thank you for taking the time to do that.

@VBirchwood Год назад

I’m so glad you enjoyed the video! Hope you’re able to get some sleep! 😊

@ladyKrone Год назад

The hardest part of pregnancy as a reenactor was never the clothes for sure, it was the heat outside! I've met so many other preggo reenactors wearing clothing from all over the world and covering most time periods; nearly all of it is bump-adaptable unless for exceedingly rich women or women who did a victorian-style confinement.

@hjpngmw Год назад

I realize that you chose to only cover 500 years, but I remember stories from my mom and her sister (and sisters-in-law) about how, until the 1970s, it was rare to see a woman in late stages of pregnancy as it was still considered improper to advertise fecundity (as if it were something dirty). In fact, my mom and her sister were scolded as children in the late 50's/early 60's for mentioning that one of their aunts was pregnant! (My mom reportedly exclaimed, "Aunt Betty's pregnant again?!!!!")

@bustedkeaton Год назад

I remember reading a childrens book assigned to me by a teacher around 2000 where a child saying "pregnant" was still treated by the adults in the scene as disruptive and as transgressive as a swear word

@RowanWarren78 Год назад

Indeed, on the show "I Love Lucy", not only was Lucille Ball the first pregnant woman to be shown on a TV program, but they couldn't say the word "pregnant". They had to say "expecting".

@whyohwhy3407 Год назад

So, Political Correctness brigades have always been around policing words! Sad!!!

@Angel-ts8rc Год назад

@@RowanWarren78 I think it might be a personal thing- in my family and I know many other pregnancy has been celebrated and folks are very eager. I’ve got pictures of my grandmas, aunts, great aunts, etc very pregnant both at home and in public

@jewdd1989 Год назад

Interesting, my Mom doesn’t remember that. Now clearly morals were different or held at a higher standard then but women weren’t hidden away in late stages of pregnancy. She remembers her Mom and Aunts being too busy raising kids, cooking, grocery shopping, even sewing clothes, etc. to have hidden themselves in their homes. She also remembers discussions about a particular sister in law being pregnant “again” in family discussions or gossip. It was more common that they stayed home and didn’t work which was perfectly normal. They didn’t show off their pregnant bellies or pop their boobs out to breastfeed publicly like today but they weren’t forbid to come out of the house because they were 8 months pregnant

@lauralake7430 Год назад

It suddenly makes sense to me why the Mudlarking community in London finds so many pins in the mud of the Thames!

@michellecornum5856 2 года назад

This is SO interesting! This is how I ended up wearing a herjolfsnes as my normal clothes. I originally made them when I was pregnant. Six children later, I considered taking them in so that the dress was fitted in through the bodice and gored from the waist down, and I thought (whew) what a lot of work -- so I didn't change them. Now, I swoosh around in these big multi-gored dresses, people tell me they're pretty, and I could easily wear any of them while carrying twins.

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

This is so awesome to hear! What a great reason to keep wearing herjolfsnes as normal garments too. It’s amazing how many historical items are so versatile, even to this day.

@thecatatemyhomework 4 месяца назад

Just to look at them in a photo, I feel like I'm going to pass out. They look so heavy.

@marthasalter405 Год назад

I am doing some family history research and read that my female German forebears probably wore skirts made with deep openings from waist downwards. So the back tied around the waist at the front while the front of the skirt tied at the back. Very adjustable and the slits at each side allowed access to a sort of purse worn underneath. Sounded very practical

@VBirchwood Год назад

That’s extremely similar to how a British 18th century skirt is tied :) one deep slit on each side, ties back to front and then front to back.

@lenaeospeixinhos 2 года назад

"Professional complainers" that cracked me up 😂

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

Lol Kass is a funny one 😂

@candicefrost4561 Год назад

I had never seen that robe from the Golden Age of Trade before- it’s very cool! I love the idea of using nice fabric to make a comfortable garment so you can adjust it for body changes. I had no idea that’s where the robe a l’anglaise/Francois came from!

@VBirchwood Год назад

Isn’t Kass just a wonderful wealth of knowledge? 🥰

@nmd1211 2 года назад

Totally enjoyable video, answering a few questions of my own. As someone who spins, I often have wondered about the turnaround time to produce a garment of linen or wool. 4 years for linen, and probably 2-3 for wool. And this labor to produce fabric means fabric is costly. Also, in reference to ministers, etc., of the Puritan days complaining of women's riding clothing, it is actually a Biblical injunction about cross-dressing: Deuteronomy 22:5, we read, "A woman shall not wear a man's garment, nor shall a man put on a woman's cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God." Depending on your beliefs, there you go for many reasons clothing was relegated to sexes in the west. In Asia, and other parts of the world, women did wear pants. So, part of western dress and dressing mandates are also founded on religious mandates.

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

I'm glad it was so enjoyable! I always find Kass really fun to speak with 😊Fabric really must have been so expensive, probably a cost that we cannot even fathom nowadays. Even in the Victorian era clothes were expensive compared to now, and that's with full-fledged industrial revolution productions. Ah yes! It makes perfect sense then that with Western history especially being so influenced by Christianity, that clothing would be delegated as per Deuteronomy 22:5 as you reference. I was raised in an Eastern school of thought, so I appreciate the insight into this as it's not an area I'm familiar with! 😊

@kassistwisted 2 года назад

@@VBirchwood The usual thing we say on the subject is "Back then labour was cheap and fabric expensive. Now labour is (more) expensive and fabric is (relatively) cheap. Italian merchant families in the late 15th century were known to spend their entire fortunes on specially-woven silk brocade for their eldest daughter's wedding just so they could show off. After the wedding, the fabric was secretly auctioned off to pay the debts incurred for the celebration!

@katwitanruna 2 года назад

I do 12th C reenactment. When I was pregnant I did make a pregnancy tunic dress because I get big! But I was able to wear my regular garb for most of it. I did build a nursing chemise (used a nursing nightgown pattern) to wear under front laced gowns. I also made a tunic with slits and put Byzantine trim to cover the slits which closed with hook and eye.

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

This is so fascinating to hear! Thanks for sharing your experience 😊

@nancytestani1470 Год назад

Cool..

@karengerber8390 Год назад

Thank you for sharing your experience!

@GutierrezBrenda721 Год назад

I think the adaptability of the clothing is useful even today. I got huge so I did have to retire some pants but most of my dresses fit and I didn’t need to buy much at all when pregnant. It was so convenient.

@elinordrake9716 2 года назад

This was a really fascinating video! I'd never actually thought about maternity wear, having not had any children, but would have simply assumed that with all that fabric there was plenty of room to hide the bulge! I honestly hadn't thought of the Victorian era issues. Really enjoyed the bit about the woman hours required to sew one man's tunic, and also the bits about the Victorians height being stunted by the industrial revolution. I actually watched this one twice because there were so many fascinating details that I'd not heard before. Thanks! I quite look forward to seeing your future collaborations. Will check out Cass's channel too!

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

Thanks so much Elinor! I’m glad you learned so much useful information from this video, and thanks for the two views 😁

@awilson8521 7 месяцев назад

I've been curious about this for YEARS and just found this. Amazing! Thank you!

@antoniobroccoliporto4774 Год назад

If you look at the publications of French fashion plates of “Galerie de la Mode” during the late 1700’s there were references to Maternity Outifits…they would be called deshabillé ( in a state of undress) and of course still wearing plenty of clothing just not wearing noticeable tightened stays.

@monicacall7532 Год назад

I fell in love with fashion history when I was 12 and my parents bought a set of World Book encyclopedias. When I discovered the entry about fashion history I would pour over the the illustrations of the various kinds of women’s and men’s throughout history and then invent and draw my own takes on the prevailing fashions at any given time. This visit with your excellent fashion historian was so informative. When I think of pregnancy clothing from around 1830 until the 1980’s I think of the smocks and Mother Hubbard dresses that my mom and many other ladies that I knew wore. When I got pregnant with my son in 1988 fashion was turning away from tent like fashions to more fitted maternity clothes. It was definitely a welcome change because wearing the equivalent of a circus tent was not a flattering look on any woman. I and most of my friends who were pregnant during this transitional period of time were already dealing with a rapidly changing silhouette, and the last thing we needed was to feel frumpy on top of being pregnant. Thank goodness that the sky’s the limit in terms of pregnancy fashions now rather than there being only one way to dress AND be comfortable during those nine months!

@VBirchwood Год назад

Thank you so much! I definitely agree that it’s such a blessing there are many maternity options now and that it doesn’t just have to be loose fitting garments. Also that pregnancy isn’t something needing to be hidden anymore is a big help, because many can now wear tighter fitting maternity clothes that they perhaps feel more comfortable in and still be accepted in society overall. It’s great progress.

@Bananadiva1 Год назад

This is without doubt the most fascinating fashion video on RU-vid. It was so enlightening and a joy to watch.

@VBirchwood Год назад

So glad you enjoyed it!

@haldouglas4773 2 года назад

my current favourite pieces in my wardrobe were marketed as sustainably made maternity wear, and due to how they're made they're perfect pregnant and loose or not pregnant and with a belt or pair of (particularly pretty) stays on top!

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

That’s so awesome! I’m constantly impressed by how versatile some maternity wear can be.

@cap4life1 2 года назад

This was a fascinating topic, thank you so much for covering it. The vast majority of us watching understood and appreciated why you had to censor as a youtube creator who wants this to reach as many people as possible.

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

Thank you for the kind comment and the reassurance of my choices (which I did to benefit the greatest good.) They're both greatly appreciated 😊

@lynnodonnell4764 4 месяца назад

Your channel is EXCELLANT and covers HISTORICAL CONTENT IN ALL IT VARYING ASPECTS -

@LiljaHusmo 2 года назад

Very facinating, and it makes total sense that ones everyday clothing would also be maternety wear! Especially with how many pregnancies people in the past went through

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

Thanks Lilja! And yes absolutely, especially considering how much time it used to take just to make one dress. Very few would have had the time to have separate maternity specific garments so they’d need sort of a Swiss army knife of garments that would be perfect for anything life could throw at you haha.

@LiljaHusmo 2 года назад

Haha Yes a swiss army knife of garments is a perfect analogy 😂

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

@@LiljaHusmo hahaha thank you, I feel proud of that one 😂

@Angel-ts8rc Год назад

They really didn’t go through *that many pregnancies- more couples had children than today but miscarriages, deadly pregnancy and birth complications, childbed fever, etc were so common that it wasn’t something they avg gal did that often tbh. Wealthier women who had access to proper nutrition and doctors had larger families- that’s why there’s so many queens and princess that had a lot of children, they also didn’t have to work and had more time on their hands. Birth rates actually increased in the early to mid 20th century during times of medical revolution.

@crystalcline9036 2 года назад

I'm pregnant and don't want to spend money on a maternity wardrobe. So I have muslin on the way to make a shift, possibly 2 or 3, for everyday wear, and an over dress that will wind break well in the winter. I decided on regency dresses because I KNEW those would fit (and got a great deal on an authentic pattern) but was curious so I found you! It's fascinating. Mind I hate modern conventional fashion but I apparently ADORE historical fashion.

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

Congrats on the pregnancy! Regency dresses were a great call, super accommodating for pregnancy as you say 😊 Historical fashion has many convenient elements and can be very sustainable, so I don't blame you for loving it!

@kristineapodaca3173 Год назад

That sounds beautiful!

@jaisapow Год назад

As a person who has had two children and cannot afford to get a new wardrobe every time my body changes (plus the environmental and human labor costs of fast fashion are just devastating), I really appreciate the practicality, inventiveness, and durability of women in the past. The pleasure in objects that are also highly functional. Yes, of course, there are moralistic and social status concerns, but there's a lot of maneuvering within those confines. Love to see it. Thank you and Kass for sharing!

@VBirchwood Год назад

Thanks for watching Jaime! And for sharing your own story 😊

@kristineapodaca3173 Год назад

I had four children between age 22 and 29--i actually wore out many of my maternity clothes!

@scythian6829 Год назад

"ExTrEmElY gEnDeReD lAnGuAgE" are you kidding? When talking about women's bodies? The US is so nuts

@VBirchwood Год назад

I’m not in the US 🙃 have a nice day!

@jewdd1989 Год назад

My grandmother, a life long seamstress (specifically was known for her historically accurate costumes for our theater) would’ve appreciated this type of content had it been around earlier so thank you for these educational videos. I do have to say comparing our modern perceptions of life (what we deem right and wrong) to early times is unfair if not ignorant. We have so many more luxuries and conveniences today than women ever have had so of course it seems horrific if not barbaric to imagine a pregnant woman in the Victorian era forced to stay home but I love that the expert on here quickly reminds us of the differences of then to today and why. It’s easy to criticize history or what was practiced during a point in time. There are parts of history that will always remain egregious and inhumane but we weren’t there, our ancestors were and I appreciate this expert and the facts and points she brings. Especially with the point made on how long it took to sew a man’s garment/shirt and why women often wore the style of dress they wore with the waist and that was to accommodate pregnancy. Absolutely makes sense

@mialemon6186 Год назад

I’m juuuust old enough to have heard as a child that you should never show off your pregnancy. My mother was dressed in these insanely shaped garments to hide her belly but of course, that didn’t really work by the end lmao. By the time I was considering children for myself that had shifted. Now we are delightfully proud of that life stage and generally don’t hide. I chose to not have children, but if I had, I would not have hidden. I like the change, though being able to stay home and not have to go out in the later stages certainly sounds like a pro, not a con!!!

@VBirchwood Год назад

It’s so wild to imagine how recent it was too that things started to shift around visibly seeing pregnancy. Definitely feel really grateful that people are proud of pregnancy today generally and don’t force it to be hidden.

@Heather-xm9ul Год назад

As someone who can't have children but tried, I think that "don't show off" thing probably came from how common pregnancy loss was. If nobody knew you were pregnant, you wouldn't have to answer the awkward "how are you feeling" type questions after you lost the baby. Also, people are SO WEIRD about pregnant women, it has become acceptable to touch random strangers just because she has a belly. Hiding the belly for a long time would make it much easier to go about without idiot strangers trying to touch you.

@kristineapodaca3173 Год назад

I never really heard this (I was born in 1970.) I don't recall what my mother wore while pregnant with my sister--I was 3. But I had all four of my kids during the 90's and even then, I had a very hard time finding maternity clothes that didn't look like they were made for a toddler. Bows and ruffles galore! As a six foot tall woman, I didn't want to be dressed like some frilly confection. I'm eagerly awaiting grandchildren, and think it's so cool that now maternity clothes look like regular clothes with a little extra room.

@Angel-ts8rc Год назад

I’ve never really heard this. Must be a regional or personal thing. And vintage 20th century maternity clothing was often just loose or with pieces that gave them the ability to grow along with the women. I’ve got lots of pictures of my grandmas, aunts, great aunts, etc very pregnant not hidden at all. Perhaps they just didn’t wear “bump hugging” clothes as much as women do now

@AprilGabrielle Год назад

When I clicked on this video I did so because I was curious and had no intention of watching the entire thing. But here I am 40 minutes later wondering why the video ended. This was so informative and interesting. Thanks for doing this and I look forward to seeing more.

@VBirchwood Год назад

that’s such a compliment! Thank you so much 😊

@EmpressNatiLocs 10 дней назад

What an absolutely delightful and enlightening video this was! I could listen to you two ladies all day. So happy the algorithm suggested this video ☺️

@juls_krsslr7908 10 месяцев назад

Thank you! I loved this video! Your guest is very knowledgeable and entertaining, and I learned a lot. (I have some Reconstructing History patterns and the one I've made turned out really well.) I've always suspected that women's clothing had lacing because of pregnancy (and monthly bloating and such) so I'm glad to have it confirmed. I'm beginning to think a lot of our modern social problems were inherited from the Victorians - not that the problems didn't exist before that, but the particular form they take now was heavily influenced by Victorian thinking. That was a weird time in history. It seems like the development of technology makes people believe they can transcend humanity, and that transcending humanity is desirable, which is a very strange and harmful concept. It's like we are supposed to be ashamed of being animals (because that's somehow "lower") and hide that from everyone around us. It's interesting to consider how clothing reflects our attitudes and values.

@janewhite3728 2 года назад

This was excellent and I'm so looking forward to further 500 year episodes. I love Kass's enthusiasm and knowledge. You make a great pair!

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

Thanks so much Jane! 😊

@kirstenpaff8946 Год назад

The real reason why modern women say things like "I don't have the right body for 1920s clothing" isn't because they believe that only ideal body shapes existed at the time, but that some historical fashions only appeal to modern sensibilities if worn on a very specific body type. No matter how much someone is into historical fashion, they are still being influenced by modern beauty standards.

@kr3532 Год назад

Can you do a 20th century materity clothing video throughout the decades? Would be cool!

@kaarlimakela3413 Год назад

I learned a song that is very very old, and refers to pregnancy. It's called Tarrytown ... Or Wild Goose Grasses: In Tarrytown there did dwell A lovely youth, I knew him well. He courted me my life away And now with me he will no longer stay Wide and deep, my grave will be With the wild goose grasses growing over me. When I wore my apron low He followed me through ice and snow Now that I wear my apron high He goes right down my street and passes by Wide and deep my grave will be With the wild goose grasses growing over me. Pregnancy. Always serious. Wonderful episode, and even to remind me of this song!

@okiedokieartichokie772 Год назад

Such sad words, and not much has changed has it.

@kaarlimakela3413 Год назад

@@okiedokieartichokie772 yes, the struggle continues, but good people voting and voting will make the difference.

@marthabenner6528 Год назад

Something I definitely would recommend looking at because it's just Fantastic. Is princess buttercups red dress from Princess Bride. The bare bones of the pattern is almost exactly like my grandmother's summer house dress that's probably 50 years old. With minor changes it can work for nearly any century, including the modern day.

@VBirchwood Год назад

Thanks for the suggestion! 😊

@mint4444 2 года назад

This was very interesting, especially the bit about the pins. I can't imagine what a chocking hazard this would have been for babies.

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

Thank you! That’s a very good point! I’m guessing though that babies had all sorts of potential hazards since infant mortality was extremely high historically. Probably pins was a more minimal worry.

@ah5721 Год назад

as someone who sews with 2 healthy children, I've never had issue with my babies swallowing pins- they get put in a pincushion or a container and are kept out of children's reach. In modern settings It's more likely that my child would find it in the carpet and it stabs their feet. We also have remember most people had wood, tile or earthen floors and such pins are easier to spot on these flooring types . With what I DO know about health sanitation and other things about history would be more concerned with: drowning, falls , choking, accidental smothering and diseases than pins around small children..

@deborahwilliams349 Год назад

During the timeframe where women would have used pins to daily close their clothes, pins were expensive and labor intensive. A woman would have kept tabs on where they were and taken care to store them in a secure place.

@ah5721 Год назад

@@deborahwilliams349 very true. Pins would have been precious

@22mononoke 2 года назад

I loved this! The whole topic was interesting throughout and especially the information on literally how long it would take to produce fabric back in those days. Something you just don't think about nowadays with our industrial advancement. Can't wait for the upcoming 500 years of videos :-)

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

Thank you so much 22mononoke 😊

@roastedpepper Год назад

This was so educational and amazing. Not just about the clothing but the generalities as well. So awesome.

@lynnodonnell4764 4 месяца назад

My Aunt who was born in 1925 was totally disapproving of anything resembling a SMOCK in the 1970s on up because they looked like Maternity Smocks from the 50's. I have an actual Maternity Smock that was my mom's (from the mid 50's) made by HANES. Yes, HANES produced a specific Maternity line. My jaw dropped and my eyes bugged open when I saw the label 😮

@clairejeannette8454 Год назад

What fun! Thank you. I hardly even se but I have so enjoyed watching things about clothing over the last 500 years. Very relaxing

@VBirchwood Год назад

So glad you like the video! There will be another episode coming out in about two weeks 😊

@virginiagraham2196 Год назад

Fascinating, and very well presented. Thank you!

@frankiemackenzie4120 Год назад

Really informative thanks for this great video. Peace to you both and to all who are seeing this

@taralohman6492 Год назад

This was such an interesting video. I could have listened to these two ladies all day. Fascinating information and years of education and research here!

@VBirchwood Год назад

Thank you so much for watching! 😊

@Nichole.4nn 2 года назад

Such a freaking good video! Thank you thank you! I’ve been so curious about maternity fashion I. History and this showed up and was just what I needed

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

Thanks so much for watching Nicole! 😊

@annakerr7045 Год назад

I enjoyed this video very much. Talking about women not going in public. If you were Pregnant. When Queen Elizabeth II had her 25th anniversary on the thrown. Princess Anne was pregnant. All the reports on tv. We’re wondering out loud. If we would see Princess Anne. Would she would come out in public. Because she was pregnant. The reports were so excited when she did come out with the rest of the royal family.

@VBirchwood Год назад

Thanks for watching! How interesting!

@poppylove3673 Год назад

I would like be to hear how our fashion and dress would be described for those living in a different time period! This was fun! Thank you for sharing this interesting part of history! 💗

@eelarol 2 месяца назад

My great grandmother stayed confined at home throughout her pregnancies. My grandma, her daughter, didn't know her mother was going to have a baby ahead of time, when as a teen. The kids would go visit a family member for a day or two, and come back to a surprise baby sibling. She wrote a voluminous apron, all the time, and it apparently hid the pregnancy for the whole nine months.

@toniwilton4531 Год назад

That was very interesting; not what I was expecting but so much better! Thank you, ladies!

@VBirchwood Год назад

Thank you for watching 😊

@tularegirl Год назад

I loved this. So much information. Thank you both for making videos like this for us. 😊

@VBirchwood Год назад

You’re very welcome! There will be a new episode out interviewing another fashion historian in the next month or so 🥰 thanks for watching!

@darthbee18 Год назад

I've been wondering about this since I heard of maternity corset (which apparently only started to be a thing from the 1870s on?). Anyway this is such a thorough exploration of the history behind it, I'll take a look on it time and again if I need it 😺😉

@skirtedgalleons 2 года назад

Excellent video packed with info, thank you! It was the clearest, best explanation for lacing through time and why buttons for women were a flex!

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

Ah thanks so much Skirted Galleons! I always really enjoy reading your comments 😊 (And buttons really were a flex!)

@angelal8829 Год назад

This is one of the most helpful, interesting, and informative videos I have ever encountered on youtube.

@VBirchwood Год назад

Yay! So glad to hear it 😊

@willowtree6657 Год назад

I found this discussion to be so engaging and informative and of course so much fun. As a Londoner I can confirm that a person still has to be vigilant when out and about. It’s very sad.

@elizabethwarman9028 Год назад

I really enjoyed this video. Historical women's fashion has always fascinated me.

@ddregno1 Год назад

I loved this production. I have never studied period clothing and found this fascinating. This wonderful history lesson is done so well. Thank you for the enlightenment..

@Elyse1997 Год назад

This was fascinating. Thanks for sharing!

@wendybutler1681 Год назад

Fascinating, ladies! Thank you!

@fikanera838 2 года назад

How fascinating! Looking forward to the next one!

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

Thank you 😊

@Ashlett337 8 месяцев назад

That was utterly fascinating, thank you for the video! It totally makes sense that all women's clothing was maternity clothing in the times when a) women were pregnant for much of their lives and b) clothing wasn't mass produced so it wasn't affordable or practical to get entirely new garmets for your changing body. Your run through different eras not only made me look at historical clothing from a new perspective, but also organize my patchy knowledge about the evolution of European female fashion. I've been watching fashion history RU-vid for some time, but still have limited understanding of where different styles fit chronologically. This video helps 🙂

@PhyllisGlassup2TheBrim Месяц назад

What a fascinating video. I was glued to the screen.

@kendrayourlove 2 года назад

Such fascinating content, thank you so much for the effort!

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

My pleasure! Thank you for your kind comment 😊

@watsonmelon6575 2 года назад

This is quite interesting and I have always wondered about this topic so thank you for putting the information in one place like this

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

My pleasure! Thanks so much for watching, and for your comment 😊

@annapierce2604 Год назад

I don’t know how I managed to miss this for so long. I loved it and Kass is awesome!

@VBirchwood Год назад

She’s so amazing, right!? Glad you got to see it! It was an important one to film 😊

@t.a.yeah. 2 года назад

That was so interresting, thank you both! 🌻

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

Thanks so much for watching!

@roserenik6375 Год назад

Awsome content, great explanation of fashion. Thank you fir this program.

@donyacalderon6492 9 месяцев назад

I really enjoy the information in this video and I really love to listen to all the information Kass provided and her demeanor and smile are great.

@sonyalytle8972 Год назад

This was a very good video! It taught me a lot. Most of all to appreciate the freedom we have today as women, and fashion. Thank you!

@joykoski7111 Год назад

Hello: Sorry I am so late to the party...lol. I just discovered this video. It was very interesting a well done. Thank you. I had hoped that the time period would go to the end of the 1900's . My own pregnancies were in the 1980's and 90.s It always made me laugh at that time that for some reason society felt that women carrying a baby should also dress like a baby. For reference, refer to Princess Diana and Sarah, Duchess of York. Everything I owned had ducky buttons or cotton candy stripes, big lacy collars, sailor styles or pastel overalls. All of which would have looked delightful on a 2 year old. Anyone else remember this or have any explanation for it?

@VBirchwood Год назад

Thanks so much for watching! Gosh, that sounds so absolutely infantilising, how awful that was the acceptable maternity fashion in the 1980s and 90s. I’m really grateful there are so many more maternity fashion options now, even if that means wearing more historical styles from a couple hundred years ago and altering them into a more modern lens.

@fighttheevilrobots3417 Год назад

My mom was pregnant with me in 1984 and she explains that pregnant people then wore large billowy things to hide their pregnancy. She was kind of shocked that I wanted to wear dresses that showed my bump.

@ginnyhogan6386 Год назад

An extremely knowledgeable guest! Thank you. Well done!

@VBirchwood Год назад

Thanks for watching!

@texas6065 Год назад

That was Pretty Intresting. Thank you for sharing.

@sweb23879 2 года назад

This is such an excellent video! Love the depth of research and the editing! Subscribed to both of your channels :)

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

Thanks so much Sweb 😊

@jamiehendrix2568 8 месяцев назад

If i remember correctly, part of the popularity of the houppelande was because of what came before it: the bubonic plague. To have a dress that made it look like you were pregnant meant fertility and birth instead of the death they were coming out of

@lindseyalbert6536 2 года назад

This is so interesting; thank you for putting it together!

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

Thanks for watching!

@elizabethstanley4541 3 месяца назад

Thank you for this excellent content!

@EXO-L45 2 года назад

Yay! This is a good topic and the painting on the farthest right "In The Garden Door. The artist's wife" by L. A. Ring on the caption is one of my favourites ☺️

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

Thanks for watching! It’s such a beautiful painting 🥰

@assedo9822 Год назад

Just found this channel, and I love it very interesting and enjoyably entertaining 😃👍😀

@nycp1969 Год назад

This is a fascinating discussion. Thank you so much for your detailed explanation of fashion through the lens of pregnancy.

@VBirchwood Год назад

Thanks so much for watching! 😊

@skyetoddmakeup Год назад

Your fichu is so lovely and delicate. Also, thank you so much for this video. I love learning about all aspects of fashion history.

@VBirchwood Год назад

Thank you! So glad you enjoyed the video 🥰

@mfg2324 Год назад

Thanks for sharing that amazing knowledge, that's so interesting!

@MelonLordHefe Год назад

Thank you so much for this fascinating video!

@VBirchwood Год назад

Thanks for watching 😊

@gsunsetave Год назад

I learned so much from watching this video, my mind was blown. Thank you for sharing this knowledge with us.

@VBirchwood Год назад

Thank you for watching! 🥰

@karthymcg2104 Год назад

How interesting I really enjoyed this, Thank you Ladies

@libraryoflilylol199 Год назад

My stays are back lacing only and I don't need anyone else to lace me into them. I put them on backwards to lace them in front and then I suck in my belly a bit and twist it around so the laces go in back. No second person needed.

@VBirchwood Год назад

I lace up my own stays too and use a similar technique 😊

@piatc4813 2 года назад

This was great, thank you! I have made an early medieval dress for Viking age living history. The gores pretty much start under my armpits and it is huge around the waist. I have had two kids and I made the dress this way without another pregnancy in mind. Just because it would accommodate every stage of a women's changing body and that is great to show to the visitors at the museums.

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

Ahhh this amazing! And I totally agree with your thinking. It's great to have garments that can be go-to's no matter how the body decides to change 😊

@conitorres9774 Год назад

What a wonderful, educational video. I loved it. I am fascinated by Victorian dress and times.

@SewSewDrew 2 года назад

I loved this! very informative in a very fun way!

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

Thanks so much! I'm glad you enjoyed the video 😊

@annefromont546 2 года назад

this is an absolutely fascinating video thank you so much

@VBirchwood 2 года назад

Thanks for watching! So glad you enjoyed it 😊

@izzieluv Год назад

I want to hit on how new the idea of showing off your pregnant belly with your maternity clothing is. My grandma doesn't understand the straight/tighter dresses and shirts cut to fit and emphasize a belly because when she was pregnant with my aunt, uncles, and mom in the 50s and 60s you hid your belly as much as possible (even though at least imo maternity wear was pretty specific and easy to pick out). I love that we show off our pregnant bellies more now! What's happening in our bodies is *amazing* and I love emphasizing what my body is doing!

@VBirchwood Год назад

Definitely a great point! Kass mentioned this when I was interviewing her too but I had to cut it because of time constraints. I’m so glad that bellies can now openly be shown in many places, because it really is such an incredible thing.

@debzeb6899 Год назад

I remember Demi Moore’s pregnancy cover in Vanity Fair as a turning point in modern history, after that women felt freer to show and celebrate a pregnant belly. When I was pregnant in 1996 it was common to wear draped clothing but when I was pregnant in 2001 I was comfortable showing my silhouette.