How I Store and Organize My Antique Garment Collection

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I wound up acquiring a ton of new antique pieces in 2020, and it's high time that I actually catalogue my antique clothing collection. I have created a spreadsheet and a system to keep them all organized, and this video details how all of that works.
You'll also get a nice sneak peak of some antique pieces that you will see in upcoming videos this year, including some that I am actually going to make into wearable versions for myself.
If you've missed any of the antiques I've shared, you can catch them all in this playlist: • Examining Antique Clot...
I recommend using these archival storage boxes from The Container Store to store your own antiques: www.containerstore.com/s/clos...
(I also use acid free tissue paper, and a few silica gel packets.)
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Help support my channel on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/ladyrebeccafashions
My Favorite Sewing Tools: www.amazon.com/shop/ladyrebec...
What I use for filming: www.amazon.com/shop/ladyrebec...
Business inquiries: theladyrebecca@gmail.com
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Опубликовано:

26 фев 2021

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Комментарии : 112

@lisaowen6103 3 года назад

A nickname for you. The Rebecca Dressmal System. A take on The Dewy Decimal System.🗃️👗😀

@LadyRebeccaFashions 3 года назад

Hahah! I love it!

@roxiepoe9586 3 года назад

I bought 'risers' for my bed because I needed more flat storage for art. (Inexpensive - Walmart.) This raised the bed only 8 inches, but that is a lot of storage space. Wingspan is my favorite category of clothing description. :)

@annbrookens945 3 года назад

I had some of those risers once. They were nice until my teenage son jumped on my bed and they busted right through! My son was quite surprised. Fortunately, no one and no thing was harmed, other than the risers!

@LadyRebeccaFashions 3 года назад

My bed is actually already really high because of my base and boxspring, so I wouldn't want it to go any higher! Oh, and I think all 1890s outfits should be measured in wingspan. ;)

@milu9099 3 года назад

I want to ad to the petite-plus size conversation that petite is the opposite of talle and not the opposite of plus, just being shorter than 5'4 puts you in petite sizing and you can be petite and plus size at the same time! Finding a mannequin with a shorter torso is an issue too...

@WhimsyCourier 3 года назад

I am both petit and plus size. I hear ya

@annbrookens945 3 года назад

I, also, am petite and plus!

@Ompe8 3 года назад

make sure you back up the spread sheet to an external storage device.

@KaloCheyna 3 года назад

Google docs is online.

@LadyRebeccaFashions 3 года назад

Yep, it's already a google sheet.

@kjtherrick4031 3 года назад

Awesome! I suggest you add a footnote to your spreadsheet that explains how you've numbered each piece. Similarly, I would not use " to indicate inches because there may come a day or reader who is unfamiliar with that abbreviation. Instead, I suggest you change your column heading to "Measurements (inches)" and change your entries to (example) "waist 24, bust 32." You might also want to invest in some sheet protectors for 3-ring binders. That way, you can have a binder at hand that includes your printed spreadsheet and photographs for insurance purposes and to grab and go in case something happens. The sheet protectors will aid against accidental spills too. I live in hurricane country, so I keep important things ready to go. In an emergency you probably won't be able to grab your boxes. But, you could grab your binder and, if insured, at least get something back should your precious items be damaged.

@LadyRebeccaFashions 3 года назад

I'm lucky in that our only natural disaster here (besides a house fire, of course) is if Mount Rainier erupts, so I should have time to grab everything. With my spreadsheet being in the cloud, though, I would have that for insurance purposes anyway.

@davidhutchison3343 3 года назад

Definitely agree with having a photo file of you collection AND also having a photo on the storage box. I've done this with my plush animal costumes, and it makes it very easy to find a specific item.

@michellecornum5856 3 года назад

It's funny how hard cataloging actually is. As a normal human being you're like Psh, alphabetical order, or by color, or date, how hard can it be? And then you do it, and you realize why librarians have to go to school to become librarians, and that Dewey was a freaking genius. Love your collection!

@sarahmwalsh 3 года назад

Yes! Thank you! This librarian appreciates the validation :-)

@across2726 3 года назад

I have volunteered at the Canadian Costume Museum and they do stack costumes in there boxes, as long as you have acid free paper between the layers. The pieces shouldn't touch. Just like what I saw you were doing❣🇨🇦

@katrinanielsen-kobushishib7976 3 года назад

I recommend a notes field. It will help IMO

@anieth 3 года назад

Having worked in high end art galleries, provenance is SO important--not for you or your kids, but for your grandkids who might garage sale everything... Wow, we got so much stuff that people thought was junk.

@bekytg9393 3 года назад

So wonderful to see you have archival boxes. I remember when I helped a Curator at a National Trust property. They would make sausage shaped padding with muslin, to fill out arms or pigeon like bodices. Hope that makes sense.

@LadyRebeccaFashions 3 года назад

I wish I had the space where I could properly pad everything out! As it is, just doing the tiny bit of padding on some pieces where they really need it means I can hardly fit everything.

@WhimsyCourier 3 года назад

Good job finding a system that works for you.

@New_Wave_Nancy 3 года назад

As a former librarian, I think you did a great job putting together your list of details to catalog. You could also check out some online collections (such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute) and see what they record. If you're able to determine the fabric/materials used that might be good to add.

@annbrookens945 3 года назад

She had a category for materials.

@LadyRebeccaFashions 3 года назад

Yep, I already have fabrics on there, but thanks!

@CanCanCancel Год назад

Love The Peak In To The Collection❤

@horsenroundstudio 3 года назад

OMG, that green and purple stripe!

@TheVelvetLoungeLife 3 года назад

Twas, insightful and made me 🤔 think of my massive vintage jewel 💎 collection. BTW, I mention you in my Dressing Room Boutique Style Redesign part 1 & 2. THANKS for inspiring ✨🤗#thevelvetloungelife

@c12341234XD 3 года назад

On the subject of being tiny-- I'm small (natural waist of 24") but also fairly curvy (think min. 10" difference between waist and hips, at least 8" between waist and bust) and finding clothing that doesn't fit like a sack is really challenging. Either things fit my waist and are made for teenagers or children and don't fit my hips or bust, or they fit my hips and bust and make my waist just absolutely vanish. Finding clothing or dress forms that approximate my figure has been a nightmare. I'll never claim that being small even approaches the rampant fatphobia that absolutely gorgeous larger folks are forced to endure, but it still sucks to be outside of the 'average' range (fun fact, I was bullied in jr high about having an eating disorder, even though I was just that size. Teenagers, huh?).

@LisaOuwersloot 3 года назад

A friend of mine was very slim too, but she was actually underweight (medically speaking). She struggled just as hard to gain weight as people struggle to lose weight. She was also very short and tiny in everything. Being an outlier is most definitely not easy. She had to shop in the children’s clothing and shoes department.

@c12341234XD 3 года назад

@@LisaOuwersloot I was underweight too! I actually had to go to multiple doctor's appointments as a kid because they were worried about how small I was. It's not the same, but there are actually way more real health concerns linked to low weight than high weight. I really think that outside the troubles with fashion, we need to stop pressuring people to look smaller or be lighter. It causes massive physical and mental damage! Being small is something my genetics did to me, not something to be aimed for

@cb9825 3 года назад

the spreadsheet is such an amazing idea! I've seen ones only for skincare and makeup, people fill them to remember when it's time to get rid of expired products. or if they have lots of them, to remember what exactly they've already got LOL

@Devanrealness 3 года назад

Love it!

@tiredoftrolls2629 3 года назад

Love it

@brigidscaldron 3 года назад

Thank you! This was really fun!

@johngion219 3 года назад

Hello Rabecca, I love love love your channel! I also love your atique clothing collection. I too have an antique clothing collection that is massive. It's all in the same kinda of boxes you have in your video. In a climate controlled storage unit. My boxes are about 10 boxes high an about 4 seperate stacks with some, not all the boxes having 3 to 4 garments per box. I have been thinking of starting my own channel. All about my collection and my period costumes that I made or make for theater. Oh, my antique collection dates from about 1867 to the late teens with one or 2 pieces from the 20's. Keep up the beautiful channel. I love watching all of the historical sewing channels. Thank you john.

@sarahrosen4985 3 года назад

Wow. Sounds yummy. I would love to see that!

@LadyRebeccaFashions 3 года назад

Wow, that sounds like an amazing collection! If you do start a channel, please let me know!

@meme-sw1pc 3 года назад

HI thanks for making my day, I really look forward to your videos.

@karengoldie6801 Год назад

You could make a bootstrap dress form for your small dresses,

@terrifoster2089 3 года назад

I enjoyed the video. You have some lovely pieces.

@annbrookens945 3 года назад

You have a nice collection! I'm impressed!

@skitdavitt 3 года назад

What a gorgeous collection

@That_Stupid_Circle 3 года назад

At first I thought you were documenting way more than I would, but this could be a life saver for insurance reasons. 🤔 I definitely need to catalogue some of my stuff!

@That_Stupid_Circle 3 года назад

And yes, both ends of the size spectrum are tough. I’m a vintage dealer and I have a plus size vintage shop. As someone who floats around that mid-size range, it’s more of a personal mission lol. But I also look for really small sizes in clothes and shoes. I have a lot of customers who have a hard time getting size 4 and smaller clothes and size 6 and smaller shoes.

@Irene_ATF 3 года назад

woke up to a new video so excited! youre my favorite youtuber i just love the way you talk

@LadyRebeccaFashions 3 года назад

Aww, thank you so much! :)

@robintheparttimesewer6798 3 года назад

Wow everything is so lovely. I really enjoyed the look through your collection. It’s also a great reminder why I don’t collect!!! We don’t have the room in this house for any more collections. I think no matter your body it’s hard to find a good fit. There are just too many variables. I’m short my hips and ribs almost touch my arms are short too. Oh and have a broad back just to add to my fitting nightmare. I don’t know who fits the plus size petite but it’s not me. I took a weekend course on fittings years ago. The teacher who had been doing home economics for something over 30 years said she had only ever seen one person who had all the measurements of the pattern. They measured her 5 times before anyone believed!!

@yezzyjames 3 года назад

You have a wonderful collection. :}

@Griiisetryne 3 года назад

This was a lovely watch! I love having a look inside how other people store their antique garments. I only have one 1880's silk dress and nothing else antique, so it's nice and comfortable in my huge box :D Also YES to your mannequin size thoughts! I'm like a S hips, XS waist and XXS bust/ribcage, but average height.. so finding a mannequin that fits is practically impossible for me :') Guess I have to just make my own, someday.

@sarahmwalsh 3 года назад

When you first talked about how you were going to need to place multiple pieces in each box, the librarian in me was like "maybe you could box approximately by era," but I realized as the video went on that you couldn't really make that work given the various weights of the materials and fragility and all that.

@barbaraschwartz4637 Год назад

This was so helpful. We are cataloging our collection.Sag Harb Historical Museum

@LadyRebeccaFashions Год назад

Oh awesome! I'm glad this was helpful!

@marie-joselandry7195 3 года назад

Hello Rebecca, great collection that you have there but I was wondering if each pieces needs more acid paper to cover them completely. I think that’s what Abby Cox explained as she showed us a few items she had. Having such a great collection I would over cover them all to protect them all lol . Very informative segment this morning thank you for share these treasures with us .

@TheEconWoman 3 года назад

Yes please! More paper inside the outfit and where the fabric touches other parts. (Between sleeves and bodice or skirt). I didn’t use enough paper 20 years ago and I really, really regret it now. Acid free paper is cheap - in comparison. I love your system.

@LadyRebeccaFashions 3 года назад

Yes, honestly each piece should be completely padded out with the acid free paper. Unfortunately, I just don't have the space to do that in my home, since I can only fit so many boxes in here currently.

@tamaraelfkin 3 года назад

For a dress form, why not do a bootstrap with the measurements of your smallest item?

@LadyRebeccaFashions 3 года назад

I've been thinking about that!

@mayachapman6503 Год назад

Me tooooo

@dee-annegordon5959 3 года назад

Looks like a great system, and one that can easily expand as your collection grows. I see I have some catching up to do on your videos. I love videos showing actual antique pieces, if only for the fact that they show that those pieces weren't perfect. Which of course gives us permission not to be perfect either.

@LadyRebeccaFashions 3 года назад

Yes, exactly! In fact, my mom told me she expect me to do a better job on the teagown I'm working on than the original maker did. And I especially plan to not leave any pins in it!

@dee-annegordon5959 3 года назад

Well not leaving pins in, is a good goal to have 😆😆😆

@susanneostermann6956 3 года назад

hello rebecca, greetings from germany and thank you very much for your great channel! perhaps this idea might work for you? you are thinking about sticking pictures onto the box of the things which are inside... what about sticking a transparent cover on the boxes, so you can change the sheets/pictures, whenever you add or remove things? it would be very sad to damage the boxes. love your work, keep on going! :-)

@LadyRebeccaFashions 3 года назад

Oh, that would have been an excellent idea! Now I've already taped them to the boxes, though. I have found, with the couple pieces I've purchased in the last month, that I was able to just tape on a small picture of that item in order to add it with the others.

@heatherkemp1846 3 года назад

I love the chocolate walking outfit. Does it have pockets for dog treats and would it look good with wellies. My beasts and I would love a stroll along the beach in this gown. Ps, Bunny dog came best in show at our virtual dog show. Best wishes Heather xx

@LadyRebeccaFashions 3 года назад

It does have a couple pockets (one super interesting one in the bodice that I'm excited to show you all!) Congrats to Bunny!

@tracyg843 3 года назад

Short form for approximate use aprx :)

@lesleyharris525 3 года назад

Hi, so many pretty things, sounds like it was a good idea to start cataloguing your collection now as it would only be worse later, when you started talking about your manikins and the size issues,when I was younger I struggled to get clothes to fit, I'm 5'3" ,but it's all legs and boobs,I was a size 6UK with a 31leg and a 34dd, so it was difficult, not many places sold size 6petit extra long. 😅, age has changed me since then.

@SusanYeske701 3 года назад

My best friend from grade school is 4'11' and when she was a teenager, her waist was about 16-18 inches. Scarlett O'hara would have been jealous. (She's had kids, so that is not her waistline anymore, of course)

@alaskacosplay 3 года назад

I might organize my more fragile or white dresses like this since it might discolor like how all old dresses can get damaged with light and age.

@sonjialeyva 3 года назад

I am lucky to have a lot of my great-grandparents stuff from the early 1900s. The problem is that I have a lot of my great-grandparents stuff from the early 1900s. Abby also inspired me to start cataloging my "collection", and, like you, I found I had to create my own spreadsheet and put more than one item in a box. I started with the antique purses/reticules and have two to four in a box. I found a great online source for archival boxes: Gaylord Archival (www.gaylord.com/). They have a great selection of box sizes and specialty items for a reasonable price. Next up: the jewelry!

@Silverfoxx001 3 года назад

maybe "fits on my dress form/s" in the picture book portion under the the picture? so that you know at a glace if it will fit in the forms for future reproductions or display

@LadyRebeccaFashions 3 года назад

That's a thought - I might have to add that!

@deanofthequeer 3 года назад

I hope you labelled that one velvet bodice "light eater" to differentiate it 😂😂😂

@chriscrosscrafter 3 года назад

Loved seeing the collection! You Recommend the acid free boxes but what about plastic? Would that be a horrifying idea? Take care stay safe!

@LadyRebeccaFashions 3 года назад

Thank you! I've heard that it's actually really bad to keep antique garments in plastic, because they need to breathe.

@erinnieves2256 3 года назад

In regards to the small waist dress form. Have you thought about looking for a child's dress form. It would have a small waist and chest measurement.

@LadyRebeccaFashions 3 года назад

I'll have to dig deeper into those, since the couple I've come across so far are still too large in the waist.

@sandiemable 3 года назад

Hi Rebecca, It is April 21,2021, and I just watched this video. The dresses are so pretty; remake all of them! Have you tried looking into the decorative dress forms? I wonder if that would work.

@LadyRebeccaFashions 3 года назад

Most of the decorative ones I've seen are those wire/metal kinds, and I would worry that they would catch on the insides of the garments.

@sandiemable 3 года назад

@@LadyRebeccaFashions Oh, not those. I have seen them on nice wood stands with a wood finial at the top, covered in fabric. Hmm try Etsy; I will try to remember where I saw them.

@sandiemable 3 года назад

@@LadyRebeccaFashions Ok, I just found two for you to look at one Etsy; TheShopCompany $79.00, and the second one is AmericanDressForms $88.00 this one showed forms with Victorian shapes! I didn't have time to click into the shops because I need to run or I will be late for an appointment. I hope these will work; I can look for more when I get home. Have a great day, Sandie

@Bexahlia5933 3 года назад

the broach you wore with the purple jumper is lovely, did you get it for Beauty and the Beast Disneybounds?

@LadyRebeccaFashions 3 года назад

Thank you! My boss actually gave me a bunch of brooches that had belonged to her mom, and that was one of them.

@hornomat6099 Год назад

In order just to find it - can be simplified

@amb163 2 года назад

I don't know if you're still looking for tiny dressform, but have you considered getting one for a child, and building it up with batting?

@LadyRebeccaFashions 2 года назад

I have thought about that, but a lot of those even have some larger proportions than I need.

@amb163 2 года назад

@@LadyRebeccaFashions WOW. It's amazing how petite some people were and are.

@amilan409 Год назад

that 1860's dress with the green, would it have been that poisonous green dye ? i was worrying and cringing seeing you handle it without gloves

@LadyRebeccaFashions Год назад

Nope, this one is safe!

@katiejo911 3 года назад

Period and color?

@LadyRebeccaFashions 3 года назад

I have those in there already!

@RianShafer Год назад

What about a dress form for children - for the tiny sized clothing. I know little people that have to shop in the children's departments & don't appreciate being forced into childish designs as adults. then there is the problem of shoes. One lady we knew when I was young wore a size 2 Princess shoe. They were heels & too small for me at 12 years old. Making your own clothes makes sense but that goes back to child sized dress forms or just flat & trying on A LOT?

@LadyRebeccaFashions Год назад

Unfortunately a child size one wouldn't really work that well, either, since usually the waist is tiny, but the bust is significantly larger.

@aubreymd 3 года назад

Can I be honest? These antique clothes with out anyone wearing them and laying in boxes reminds me of death. I’m not trying to be rude ( or morbid ), but everyone that owned these dresses is dead. Does anyone else think like this? I feel like I’m the only one.

@spiritxdancer 3 года назад

It’s an interesting thought. I didn’t really consider it before but you’re right. Honestly I don’t think it’s morbid so much as humanizing. It’s a reminder that there were real, changing people that lived lives in these clothes.

@JohnSmith-gn3jk 3 года назад

When I was a costumer for a little theatre we had a patron that donated all this late wife's clothes. The earliest were from the twenties. This was a couple decades ago, but we used her clothes well still do. Her husband loved seeing her clothes on stage until his death several years later. He felt she was near by when he saw the beautiful clothes some he had forgotten until he'd see it and gave him much joy.

@sarahrosen4985 3 года назад

Did you watch “I Hate Valentine’s Day”? The lead character shares your feeling so you aren’t alone. :-). I, personally, love antiques and feel like a guardian and protector of treasures.

@LadyRebeccaFashions 3 года назад

I've always felt that keeping antiques of any kind, though especially clothes, is a way to keep the spirit of that original wearer alive, in a way. Like, they may be gone, but their footsteps still live on in their clothes. I just wish I had the story/provenance of each piece! But I can still imagine, especially with pieces that I've acquired locally, how interesting it must have been to live here in the 1860s or 1890s or whenever, and what their experience must have been like.

@aubreymd 3 года назад

Lady Rebecca Fashions That’s a nice way to think of it :)