How did 1950's dresses get that shape? (it's CORSETS) 

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wedding gown alterations person here: Always include a hook and eye at the top of your zipper enclosure - it helps keep everything in place while you're zipping up and helps to avoid any warping of the zipper or accidentally catching fabric in it.

i love how ever since the "very silly pants" video morgan has slowly succumbed to the dark side- i mean goth fashion

The draping was exquisite! I would love to see Morgan Donner do her own Met Gala gown every year. Not only would she get the theme correct, a beautiful garment would be created. A huge thank you for making me appreciate 1950's silhouettes and designs.❤️

The Italian actress is Gina Lollobrigida. She is alive. After the successful movie career she developed her talents in other areas. Truly outstanding person⭐️

oh my god!? this is beautiful!?!? the 'mesh' corset would be such a beginner friendly way of wearing a corset too, or if you want to wear something structured without the corset being visible underneath!

Morgan, I am loving all these fun and interesting explorations of various clothes, times and mashups. So good and a great way to show how sewing can translate to making a multitude of amazing things. You looked ever so stunning in the gown and the voluminous butt cape perfect. Viva la corset!

I got married in my grandma's 1950s wedding dress... It fell into the very structured bodice category with a lace overlay and off shoulder straps, and then the skirt was a ton of floof with just a huge tulle skirt. Closed with a super simple side zip. Cool to see this run down of the fashions of the time. My grandma was a seamstress and I think about her a lot when I'm doing my own sewing.

So... This might sound really dumb but when I was working with plastic boning I used nail clippers to cut it. If you cut it in two passes you end up with really rounded ends that don't need much sanding. Might not work for everyone but it makes for a good shortcut for me.

I am inspired by your creativity! Not to disparage other “creators”, but you are my absolute favorite of the usual suspects. From steampunk to choose your own adventure to Kevlar armor to glamour, you’re always new and interesting. I love your experiments, and your honesty when they don’t come out ideally.

I had taken a couture sewing class several years ago and the instructor had us use white flannel for the base (soft against the skin, sturdy enough for the boning). We used the book by Susan Khalje, Bridal Couture, as a reference. It was very helpful.

Built in corselet dresses are the best! Seeing your process is an inspiration! But if budget/time/skill is an issue for anyone considering, I can speak to the benefit of adding as little as 2-4 plastic boning channels in contemporary off the rack dresses. As a not-busty gal, it helps sell the illusion of something fancier and keeps me from pulling up strapless dresses.

That draping is awesome! For the tension issue on the zip, many dresses of that era had a zip or hooks/eyes for the foundation layer, and then a separate zip for the outer layer. The two layers would be connected in the front and then separate either from the side seams back, or about 4-6 inches from the center back. That way, the outer layer fabric and zip aren't under strain.

Am I barmy or is that "corset" pretty by itself? You could add some beautiful embroidery on the mesh and put it over a dress or a top and it would be so lovely!

I love it. The tail out over the butt cape is my favorite look!

Okay, I was just going to alter an off the rack dress for my wedding, but… this. This is beyond inspirational and I am going to throw myself down a 1950s rabbit hole!

Seam ripping speed tip: rip out every fourth or so stritch from one side of the stitching. You should then be able to pull the thread from the other side out in one long piece. Not that I’d know from experience, of course … lol!

11:05 mic placement 10/10

I recently bought a Marchesa gown at a rumage sale. I had never seen a high end dress irl and I was amazed that It had boning inside. It's a 1950 inspired silhouette.

The tail bit over the top of the butt cape is rather bustle-era especially with all the other draping. It reminded me forcibly of the astheticists of the victorian era (re: Abby's video several months ago). It also had some very solid Grace Kelly vibes. I approve. Well done indeed. It makes me a little braver to try something like that myself! I've wanted one of the chiffon-style gowns for a good long while.

FYI the reason the new mesh corset didn't fit your dress form properly is because the dress form already has a corset built-in so it was like putting on two identical corsets at once. The one on the outside now has farther to cover buy just enough that it no longer fits the same way. 🥰😢 Hope this helps.

At 11:30 ..."Don't look" gave me Ferris Beuller vibes and I cackled!

Audrey Hepburn's white and black Givenchy gown from Sabrina iconic and a personal fave

It’s called a corselette, made with cotton tulle or with power mesh if you’re feeling a bit more atelier Versace!

A fabric sponsor? 10/10 for good fit and attractive to me as a content consumer

This was great. Draping like that is hard. So scary to cut the fabric! This is sort of how I made my daughter's prom dress, but no draping ! I built a corset out of the lining fabric with boning. Then using the same pattern I cut out the main fabric and the lace overlay. Then the outside got stitched onto the lining. I made the top and skirt separate. It was my first foray into corsetry.

Oh wow, this is so stunning, you are such a creative genius. Also your hair at the start of the video is giving strong princess Diana vibes and I love it.

I'm really digging this new era of Morgan's style evolution! Experiments and exploration!! Wonderful!!!

Super fun. For my wedding dress I had a store bought corset that kept pulling down the bust. I spent the whole afternoon grabbing it back up. Super attractive right? This is a hundred percent improvement. Probably worth the time and the money.

I did not realize I needed a butt cape and now I've never wanted to sew my own so bad. Need butt cape. I am shooketh. Morgan, this is stunning. Love the wrap flounce over the butt cape so it's full glory can swirl in the spin!

Another case for how silly the celebrities with 'corset-phobia' are. So much fun to walk with you through your creative process.

For my senior prom which was in 1982 my mother made up a classic Vogue pattern for me of a fitted water stain taffeta that was 300 plus inches around the bottom with a fully integrated corset with a waist tape and the whole nine yards. I still have it it's one of the most amazing dresses other than my wedding dress that she has made for me. So when you picked up that taffeta I'm like that perfect at least in my opinion 🥰

As a high school science teacher, I need a dress like yours.

They wore girdles under all that. (Born in 1953 here) and they continued to be used through the 60's by my Mom's generation. (Probablt even longer through the 70's ) 😀

i an glad I am not the only one who made a mockup of a corset, got it to fit well enough, and then never made the final version... I am just glad mine was a very pale blue

Morgan, you look phenomenal! That dress really sets off your complexion and figure! I LOVE the back skirt with the back gather pulled through. I notice in costumes and in wardrobes for plays and musicals, when people try to do those draped styles WITHOUT the firm foundation, it really shows and looks crappy. If the foundation isn't there, the whole dress doesn't work. For a play in high school, I had the opportunity to have a dress of my mother's from the 1950s altered for me to wear as my prom dress in "Grease." It looked amazing and fit beautifully. Then in my 20s, a dress shop proprietor suggested that I wear a black dress with a very similar neckline to the one you created with a tulle skirt. Both dresses were cocktail length and I felt so grown-up and glamorous wearing them.

The extra skirts I have seen have been double layered with tulle in the middle. My mom was in an orchestra and had many 50s formals. They aren’t as heavily structured although they are bones. She always had foundation garments under them. My favorite was a long line strapless bra. I was also able to use it, and it was incredibly comfortable.

Hi! Beautiful design, love it!!! I've been on a 1940's-50's streak myself, since I found some veeeery beautiful photos of my grandmother last month! For the dart in the corset, just so you know, I think it was, in fact, Atelier Sylphe that acquired a 1900's summer corset that was adjusted with tiny darts at the top, just like you did, so this kind of tiny fitting adjustement to prevent gaping might probably have some historical value! ;-) Maybe it wasn't done in the 50's, but since it appears to have been a thing in early 20th century corsets, well, y'know... XD

Absolutely love your journey to make this dress and all the 1950 photos you used . My mum always had wedding dresses cut out on the floor so I learned to put into a zip simplicity pattern before a spark plug in a ford ! I’ve made clothes all my life. My grandfather taught me to knit !

Wow, the first time I have actually seen a young lady with a genuine hourglass figure .... ! These fitted dresses work wonderfully for an hourglass 😊

And here we have Morgan, casually making haute couture ball gowns.

This takes me back to my corsetmaking days. Super well done on creating a mesh corset! The zipper is … speechless … It like pockets in a dress.. that feeling!

My grandmother made Dior gowns in Paris during the 1950's.

This dress is gorgeous, love the gloves, I grew up in the 50’s wearing gloves. Love love love 💕

When you held the tail up higher so it covered the back zip - that is my favorite. Extra drama, and bonus, it hides the plain Jane zipper.

Morgan, as a fantasy artist, and all around geek I love your videos. long ago I worked in a theaters costume shop as what they called craft fabrication,(my job was more prop related) and all the people who were sewing and making those costumes amazed me, with their skills. (sewing being a skill I never picked up). But I loved seeing how clothing was made, seeing what go's into the making a 1950's evening gown is fascinating.. As an artist I always found myself hanging with people who made amazing clothing, whether it was for cosplay, of historical reenactment I always thought of them as wizards with fabric.. So Thank you for sharing your skills and knowledge.

Love the science inspired fabric of your dress, I've just started creating my own 50s inspired clothes. My first circle skirt isn't the greatest but I'm inspired to be as skilled as you one day.

My Mom called them her "Foundational Garments", the bra, panties, girdle, and half or whole slip over those, then the dress. Early Spanx, I guess! I'm old enough that I had a pregnancy girdle with a wierd criss-cross mesh under the tummy. It did help hold up my (9 1/2 pound each) babies during 2 pregnancies. Only one baby each time, thank goodness! I love the butt cape. I really love that it's optional! So clever.

My grandmother had vintage ball gowns and she called the corseted undergarment a merry-widow. It had hook & eye closures, but they were on center front instead of on the back.

I now want butt capes in every colour. Morgan, this gown rocks!

I so appreciate how you teach, not talk for ever. Your imagination is amazing, your talent at sewing and construction chefs kiss. Thank you for the peek each video into how your creative mind works.

You're saying 'It's not perfect' and in my head I hear "Wow is she pretty". Your dress fits you like it was made just for you darlin. Very nice work, bravo.

This is beautiful. The version with solid tail over the patterned Cape is totally pretty, and to me looks great. I preferred it. Thanks for sharing this project, just love your take and ability to make all these beautiful and fun clothes!!!

I got an I Love Lucy vibe with the different draping and long skirts (plus all of the pictures). I always loved all of those fancy, fancy dresses from the 50's.

Hi. I just discovered your channel. I am fascinated by the inner construction of 1950s Couture. I love how your foundation turned out. Traditionally, these foundations did not have that many panels or that much boning (although sometimes they did). The bust was usually shaped by using darts and not panels, so you did not have to stress out about your dart. We have to remember that these were not necessarily to shape the body but to provide structure to the dress itself. Dior was known for creating very shallow bust cups on his corselettes. As you mentioned both hooks and eyes and zippers were use to fasten the corselette. They would use a very long zipper to fasten the inner layer foundation bit, leaving a very long zipper tail. Usually the dress is attached to the corselette at the neckline just like you did. However, about 3 inches is left loose at center back on both sides of the closure and a second zipper would be added to close the actual dress. Ultimately the skirt and the bodice would be attached together and a single zipper would be used to close the outer layer of the dress.wonderful

I think the waist tape is what really does it. Adding it in your dresses gives the most shapely fit without doing a ton of work

Not to be weird but the shot of putting the pin in on the zipper, after unpicking the hooks, was just GORGEOUS

former haute couture dress maker here: Achieving the right form, fit and function of the under or integrated corset is for the dress the same as a skeleton is for the rest of a body. Often the worry is that your over constructing the corset, but you'll find (like i think you have in this video) that a sweet spot appears, with future upgrades or fabric choices for the next dress coming to mind during the process. (i stopped to comment at 10 min so i might be prematurely commenting but that's what i think so far. Oh also the stuff you used for the corset base was called nylon crinoline where i worked. Probably not the same thing its called else where, because as far as i can tell the melting pot that is higher sewing causes all languages and names to end up in the same space.)

That is exactly how my wedding dress was made. I remembere when I went to get it altered I said something off-handed about trying to find a bra and the seamstress was like honey you don't need a bra with this dress it basically is one. And she was right she altered that thing to fit my measurement and got one minute of that day that I worry about my undergarment or my boobs that dressed it all the work

I love the versatility of the tail and the butt cape. It occurred to me, as it has lately, that the pencil and wiggle skirts of the 1950s are just a variation of the hobble skirt of the early 1910s. I've been making a lot of narrower skirts lately -- mostly because the fabric I have ready access to, right now, are all ready cut lengths of 3 yards. AND I noticed that the shorter skirts from the 50s to the 90s are, in MANY ways, just short versions of the floor length skirts from the 1830s on. Love the butt cape over a wiggle! I have a UFO of one in teal that I now want to take a second look at. Thank you!

Now, all you need are reservations! For an evening of fine dining and dancing! Beautiful work resulting in a beautiful dress!

Yes the gown is beautiful, but we can we talk about how she always looks so good in them?! Iconic

It is interesting to also think that in the 1950s ( though in "vintage" fashion in general), on top of all that garment structure, they would wear lingerie that would add even more structure to it . (The decades/era I mean when I say "vintage" is the 1920s to the 1960s) (I am not sure about all kinds of 1950s lingerie that were worn for special occasions, Merry-windows is one of the few I can recall)

It is shocking how a single sponsor transition can completely sell me on a video- the comical subversion of expectations is hilarious

oh my god a CORSELETTE!! I have been wanting to make one of these for years. You did an amazing job on your dress! Thank you for the inspiration! 💜

Can I just say that about 13 minutes in, the bound mesh corset looks really cool over the pattern you are wearing?!? 😍🤩😍

This is amazing. Well done. I’m evolving a crochet jumper in a similar experimental way at the moment. Sadly I look rather less glamorous! More like a tea cosy.

As an Australian man, I wondered why your channel dropped into my feed, but as soon as I clicked on your video, I found you and your topic fascinating. Bravo!

Love, love, love it! I almost wonder if Diana's Revenge Dress was a corset understructure like this 🤔 Because it definitely has that sort of sturdy understructure and then draped over feel?

Morgan, you make the complicated look doable and for that I thank you. Your instructions and process has really helped me in my explanation of patterns from different era’s.

I actually really want a mesh corset now, its so hot over here i havent been able to wear any costume. Edited to say, YES SOMEONE FINALLY ADRESSED IT HOUSE OF WORTH WAS OG FREE THE NIP/ COULDNT PUT ON THE OTHER SHOULDER STRAP

You look like a billion dollars in that. I love the versatility of the gown in the way you have made it. Time for the red carpet.

In my opinion, draping the "taffeta flounce" over the "butt cape" is slimming visually. Not that it's needed, because you have such a cute figure, but just saying... Making a gown that can be worn in so many ways, with just simple rearrangements and accessories is actually a dream to me. I have no reason to own a gown at all these days, but if I did own one, I would want it to be so versatile as this. Thank you so much!

What a stunning dress. I can definitely see why this decade was calling to you!

I love the butt cape in a different fabric. It was gorgeous before but that extra touch elevate it even more

Draping on yourself looks like a magic trick, like you go from a piece of fabric right to a dress! Abracadabra!

When I was a kid my mom went to the "Foundation" Dept in the store. Gotta keep it a together...

Thanks for this vid…I am planning on making myself a human version of Barbie’s red velvet/white satin dress from the 50s & wondered how to keep the top supported. Now I know. Awesomeness! U rock! ❤️

I don’t sew, I have absolutely no interest in learning to sew & yet I LOVED your video!!! This is DEFINITELY your calling! You have such a bright personality, your research, your explanations were ALL fascinating. And the end product, seeing how it all came together - WOW. Thank you for a delightful 35 minutes!!

Absolutely STUNNING! I love all the playing around with the drape and the general construction, it felt like a delightful journey we got to take with you!

Oh wow this dress came out amazing! And I loved all your fabric choices - the menace within me kind of wanted you to just use them all lmaoo even the chiffon. Also I'm curious as to how much 1880s/bustle fashion may have inspired these 1950s gowns, especially because it's an era I would typically liken to the mid-Victorian era in terms of silhouette

Every new video you seem to have more and more fun making. And it looks good on you too. This dress is defiantly one to go to an opera in. I like it’s versatility too since you can add the butt cape or change the position of the dress tail. Very fancy.

What a gorgeous gown!

Morgan, I am always SO happy to see your content! You are such a joy! I watched one of your videos with my mom, and she was like, "who is this lady she is very fun!" :)

WOW Morgan, looks amazing. I like the "tail piece" on the outside of the skirt cape. Your hair is brilliant, loving it; it has really started to grow again.

I recently used a bra as support ans base to drape a formal dress directly on the body. Attached a simple circle skirt to it and am pretty happy.

woah this is crazy. I was just looking for pantsuits with a train, just like this dress with the same bodice and outerskirt, except with pants instead of the inner skirt. Great timing!

I’ve made a couple attempts at this method. One used an purple and gold embroidered lace with a deep scalloped edge over a purple underdress. Really fun, lots of hidden closures and spangles. The other was a silver gray tulle dress; the idea was to look like a zombie prom queen. Not quite as successful in the implementation but still fun. Learned a lot about how much tulle it takes to replicate that 50’s style. Next step in learning . . . Using nude mesh and structured foundations together. Not sure what I’m making but it’s gonna push my boundaries.

Morgan Donner, you are an absolute marvel. I love watching you create your masterpieces X

I hate seeing women wearing tight fitting dresses without a gurdle or anything to shape underneath, then they say "I just don't look good in them!" No, hun you're not wearing it right babes 😅

I love the period, and your execution of the style is just beautiful. You made it look easy, and you looked wonderful in the finished gown. Thank you. It made me smile.

Giving delightful Ms. Frizzle vibes with that science-y dress! :D

As always the end result is beautiful and stunning work, I really love your content!

this looks AMAZING! the way you tailor stuff for your body is sooo dreamy. you're so talented and skilled and creative ahhhh I just LOVE this

Yesssssss I loved this. It's always inspiring to watch someone else's creative process. Loved the editing btw, the side by side comparison of butt cape vs no butt cape was very well done.

That dress is very va-va-voom! I love watching the techniques used to create it!

This is GORGEOUS!! Watching you makes me want to start back sewing clothes again!! Thank you for the lovely vid!

This is awesome! I wonder how your little "tail" would look with horsehair braid at the bottom, to encourage it to fan out. It'd be like a mini version of the second skirt!

When you make a dressform of yourself, do it on a day where you are very well rested and do it first thing as early as you can. Most people probably don't notice this but as their work week goes on they usually have to adjust their rear view mirror down and then when you get in the car on Monday morning after a nice relaxing weekend you're like "who the fuck moved the mirror?!"

This is my favorite project you've ever done 🥰 I loooooooooooooooove it!!