How I Wear Skirts in the Winter WITHOUT FREEZING 🥶: 5 modern and historical methods I've tried 

The boots are Ruth Cognac Everyday Working Boots by Memery. Not an ad, people keep asking.

Nothing is as cold in winter as jeans; wearing only skirts has actually been a huge step up for me. (And I live in Sweden.) I wear long skirts all year round, with petticoats and thin cotton bloomers in the summer, wool knit ”shorts” and kneesocks in winter. And yes, bloomers are the BOMB. I make them myself from a basic pants pattern without side seam. I don’t have a flannel pair yet, but I do have a flannel petticoat and it’s toasty warm. Wanna be warm in winter? Wear skirts, people!

The first time I wore my Victorian wool skirt and stockings it was snowing and my legs were just fine. It was like a stylish blanket. I was well pleased

Women’s legs were cold between the end of pantaloons and the acceptance of women in pants. I remember; I’m 74. For a young girl wool dress coats had matching thick “leggings” made like the coat, but when I reached 10-11 I thought wearing them was babyish; so I would freeze waiting for the city bus or walking to school. Age 12 nylon stockings barely helped. From the late 60’s to the early 70’s mini skirts were awfully cold. It was not appropriate for women to wear pants to work or church at that time. I’m all for never being cold again in the winter. Thank you for making this video. I want to wear skirts more often.

Sock tip: I knit my own socks on occasion but right up there are hiking/camping socks. Instead of etsy, try an outdoor store. If purchasing, a small amount of elastane is preferred. They also last for a long time.

I live in the swiss alps and have a dog. So long, long walks in the coldest of temps are mandatory. I found, that pairing up insulating leggings (not optional here) with long wool socks, very warm boots and a long, heavy wool skirt, knitted sweaters and a long wool coat, is just perfect. It might look quite nice, but I am basically wearing pijamas and wool blankets all day.

Bloomers are awesome under skirts year round. I have issues with chafing year round, and started wearing them under my skirts for that reason, but I just find them to be very comfortable and do help keep me cooler in summer and warmer in winter. I REALLY like the idea of flannel for them, and am definitely make myself some from your pattern. :-)

As someone who has worn pajama pants under a skirt several times already this year ... I definitely want to try making some of these!!! 😍

While I don't live in an area that gets THAT cold so my experience may not be that useful, my own magic combo has been calf-length skirts, petticoats, and layered socks (top layer often being a thinner cotton OTK sock for the sake of aesthetics). My petticoat epiphany was that it's perfectly possible to gather heavier fabric skirts to a lighter-weight but sturdy yoke (e.g. Pima cotton muslin) to avoid a lot of bulk in the immediate waist/hip area.

As someone who has knit socks from quality 100% wool yarn, believe me, if you wear them a lot they will get holes, usually in the heel. Good thing you know how to darn socks! I suggest making sure you have extra of the same yarn so the darning won't show.

I'm a 44 year old woman and I have NEVER liked or wanted to wear dresses. My mom tells the story of her trying to get me dressed for my 6 month old photos, and I cried every time she put me in a dress, but when she put me back in my jammies, I was happy lol. I'm feminine but growing up in the 80's and 90's, it was so common place to wear jeans that I have pretty much only ever worn jeans. That is until I got into real estate 5 years ago, I wore dress slacks for the first time and found myself liking a bit more formal look. I also liked the fabrics more than denim. But in recent months, I'm finding myself really wanting to start wearing skirts and dresses. They just seem so much more practical and versatile, not to mention, comfortable. I never thought I'd see the day that I wanted to wear dresses lol.

For those of us who love historical fashion but don’t or can’t wear it but wear modern tights, I wear a second pair of knickers over the top which stops them from sliding down 😁

For those who don't mind the way tights fit and feel, you can also just layer two pairs of tights on top of each other. I usually wear a pair of heavy tights underneath lighter weight but more interesting coloured tights in the winter, and it gets the job done for me. I've had good experiences with the ones from Snag Tights

Im 60 year old and have always been an enigma for some people concerning my clothing, i have always been rather boheme and have always worn long skirts and layered dresses i winter with boots and legging. As i live in a warm climate i no longer need to wrap up in the winter. Im from the UK, but have lived in the South of France for 30 years. I have never worn trousers, i hate them. Stay warm and dress how you want. ❤

I started wearing skirts regularly in my first year of college, and by my second year of nursing school was wearing them almost exclusively during the winter - with a twenty minute walk as my commute and temperatures usually in the negative teens and twenties Celsius. My magic combo was layers: a pair of capri-length sweatpants (the sort that are thick cotton knit and gathered to elastic at the bottom hem) and a pair of plain thin cotton socks for the base, then a homemade petticoaot of an unidentified thick fabric done in gores plus a pair of knee high knit fashion socks (which overlapped the pants), and finally my "fashionable" skirt which was a gathered printed cotton number I got hand-me-down from my mom's closet from the nineties. It was........dubiously attractive, given I usually paired it with a pullover hoodie, but it was definitely warm - I walked to school in that in weather all the way down to -30C, and even when it was colder I walked to the bus stop. Now my cold-weather trump card is also layers but done differently. I wear an unidentified synthetic slip (also hand me down from my mom and made circa 1980) as a base layer, a thin cotton skirt with gathered tiers and a hem circumference of something like 11 metres as the insulation layer, and a ~A-line gathered skirt on top. The yards of gathered fabric trapped in the middle works wonders to keep in heat, and I generally pair it with the same knee-high knit fashion socks from my school days, but with a braided yarn garter to keep them up (my skirts all fall to about mid calf)

My favorite is to find a oversized merino wool sweater at a thrift store, and make my own leggings out of it. The arms become the lower legs, and the front and back torso become the pieces for the thigh and waistband.

As I watch this I'm working on finishing up a flannel-back satin petticoat to wear under my skirts, along with my very long socks (they go almost all the way up my legs). The socks were plenty warm under a linen skirt 2 weeks ago, but I know I'll need an extra layer for the coldest days. I love seeing how different people deal with dressing for the weather while still maintaining their personal style.

I'm 70 and grew up when petticoats or slips were still worn. They're sensible! Warmer in winter, and outer clothes sit better.

I haven’t seen anyone mention this, but legwarmers could be a good option! I’m working on knitting my very first pair, which will be over-the knee when finished, because I’ve tried wearing leggings and my petticoats/skirts keep getting staticky and riding up my legs. The pattern I found even had a modifier that lets you weave a ribbon in to keep them up, which I will be using. I also switched out the recommended yarn for the next weight up because I’m aiming for warmth and as long as they fit I’m not too worried about the gauge of the project. I’m a little over halfway done with the first legwarmer so I’ll come back and update when I have them done.

I loved seeing the history of woman's clothes. I've worn skirts my whole life. I'm 56. On really cold days I just put on leggings under my skirt for outside chores. Loved your video.

I too am short-waisted, and I hate modern tights (and, largely, modern pants) for the same reasons. About 10 years ago, I started wearing cotton leggings under dresses and skirts, and I haven't looked back. Walmart carries a "high waist" style that really aren't high waist, and the waistband is wide and comfortable (when the leggings wear out, I reuse the waistbands for skirts). In the winter, I wear them under my long tiered skirts with hand-knit wool socks over them. DO learn to knit socks. They're a satisfying project, and truly custom-fit socks will change your life. Cascade Heritage Sock (75% superwash merino, 25% nylon) is my go-to yarn for socks, and I use Deborah Norville's top-down pattern. Also, LOVE how the deck is coming along!

The way you think and feel about projects like this and your life, well it gives this old man hope for the human race.

This is such a smart idea! for years I've been using thigh high socks from sock dreams with a garter belt and bike shorts as part of my winter skirt kit and I really like sock dreams' socks but the addition of looser bloomers is just mind blowing. I have super sensitive skin so commercial wool tights are out for me. I did try out a pair of those fleece lined tights and the quality was absolutely terrible.

The struggle is real! I have pretty exactly the opposite fitting issues, to the point that I'm about to give up on anything with a waistband because the back is too low and only gets lower while the front continues to try and find my chin😅 I think I'll have to resort to buttoning leggings/drawers to camisoles

I am so happy to see another video from you, my favorite garment creator on RU-vid. I used to knit a lot of socks for my husband, and he would wear the soles out in one month. So, just fyi, there are sock patterns that are designed to have re-knitable soles. There are also big differences in wool from different breeds of sheep, and some are stronger for socks than others.

My gran wore lighter weight flannel ‘directoires’ in a peach colour, together with a corset, from which suspenders held her stockings. She always had a little piece of satin, edged with lace, pinned across, if she felt her v-neckline was a bit low. It wasn’t until the late 1960s that her underpants were a little shorter, but still came to the top of the knee. This was before central heating in the house, which we didn’t have until the late 1960s. She was born in 1888, and died in 1978.

Oooh, it's summer here in South Africa, but I am planning for the winter already, and this is exactly the confirmation from someone in colder climes that I needed to commit to the idea of bloomers! Thank you for yet another lovely video 😁

This was super interesting! It's always a struggle. My outfit usually consists of: slip dress as silky bottom layer; my "petticoat" which is a polyester winter skirt that is basically impenetrable to wind; thigh high compression socks (I wear them due to POTS but highly recommend to anyone, both for warmth and leg fatigue), and thigh high cable knit stockings from Amazon. I then wear my edwardian historybounding layers on top of all that. My winter coat is a knee-length Edwardian cape that completely shields me from all the elements! I never wear pants in the winter if I can help it, the wind goes right between your legs! Skirts keep all the warmth trapped.

I'm at the dreamstress rosalie stockings stage, literally the same issue as you. Modern stockings wear out fast and are uncomfortable and knee high socks and biker shorts is kinda awkward, leaving my knees exposed to the cold. Thank you for saving me years of experimental winters, I shall be making some bloomers as soon as possible XD

As a Swede, I have always found skirts to keep me warmer than pants. Note that they have to have lengths and also volume (it's the air trapped that keeps you warm), so not a tight mini skirt. I am though planning on making a more modern version of a "stubb" and a "skinnklocka" (if you make an internet address of "digitaltmuseum se" and search for those terms, you can see what I mean) partly for fun but also for use. As for the problem you have with pantyhoses, pull them up, then tie a string around your waist, then fold the pantyhoses down. Some find it better to fold it inwards (stuffing the panthose down instead. Just a tip. For me, I have to long legs for panthoses, the crotch end like 20 centmetres to far down. There isn't a string that can sort that problem out.

This is so interesting to me because you so clearly understand clothing design and faults in it. Like, how do I know that I’m uncomfortable because something “pools around my ankles?” I just know I’m uncomfortable. I don’t know what’s wrong with the garment or how it could be better. That’s just so cool that you can recognize that and trouble shoot it

Have worn home made bloomers for 40 years! Cotton for summer, flannel for winter! They are the best!

I feel bad you’ve never heard of petti-pants. They were very popular in the 60’s. With mini skirts, above the knees skirts they kept your bottom warm especially wearing wool school uniform skirts. I have been making my own for summer skirts and dresses from cotton lawn or very light linen, absorbs sweat, provides modesty, prevents chafing, and if made like longer tap pants no panties needed! I make and use heavier cotton half slips in fall and flannel in winter, plan for full slips with linen on upper half like camisole and flannel lower. Most favorite winter wear are lined wool jumpers rather than skirts,less fabrics at waist, versatile with T-shirt or turtle neck layers and then sweaters over all. Cozy even in snowy MN through winter, and easier getting big boots on and off.

The timing of this video is funny, just yesterday I wore my black flannel full length half circle skirt with a pair of sweat pants underneath! I appreciate getting to see the way your layering process evolved over the years! My best DIY layering piece is a pair of leggings I copied from my favorite pair of leggings from cotton jersey. I need to sew up the other 3 I cut out but watching your video got me excited about sewing with flannel too❤

I recently wore a denim maxi skirt (with back slit) at home on a chilly autumn day and was surprised how warm I was, wearing a skirt. It was because the denim is very dense and kept my warmth within. With no front slit, as I walked, no cool air got in. Sitting down, it was like having a throw over my legs. So totally believe it. Wish we could just wear long woollen skirts now and not look strange

i wore wool stockings every winter day with my school uniform for 13 years and i can confirm, the waistband could cover my bust. to this day i have not met someone who was both tall and small enough for their legs AND waist to fit into them properly. a truly mystical and confusing garment

What I do in winter time to keep wearing skirt is layering: I start off with a silk skirt, then I add another flannel underskirt and above all the final mid-calf wool skirt. On the legs I love wearing compression stockings, they really make the difference, eventually I add a pair of over knees wool socks and warm boots 😊 this is my to-go winter skirt outfit P.s.: I always love your videos, you’re so well spoken and honest about everything you talk about

Bloomers! Aw yeah! Flannel bloomers! I started doing this maybe three years ago. I have a few different designs, including one with a yoke and heavily pleated legs to give bouyancy to skirts. I honestly need to make about five more pairs because they're just so comfortable. I have linen ones for summer, cotton for general use, and flannel for winter!

It would have been nice to know how cold it is/gets where you live! Doesn't look like it's below freezing yet, but will it be? I’m in Norwary and have been using 98% wool tights forever (under jeans in the winter, skirts gets too cold), but have the same problem as you with the waist putting preassure/lumping in all the wrong places. But then I got pregnant and found maternity wool leggings, and now I can just fold them down a bit, with no preassure on my belly, and they stay in place and are so comfy! I have used them ever since, and my youngest is 8…😂 Love the flannell bloomers though, maybe I'll make some winter skirts now that I have a new idea of how to stay warm! If I have really want to wear a skirt in the winter, my solution has been two layers of tights (wool under, cotton over), thick knitted leg warmers, and two layers of socks (cotton under to absorb sweat, thin wool over), and very warm winter shoes. Layered tights is not the most comfortable to wear… Thank you for sharing your winter skirt journey, it was really helpful! ❤ P.S. Also I just wanted to add that wearing two layers of socks will make them last longer! Especially if the layer closest to your skin is smooth like normal cotton socks. Not sure why, but maybe the friction gets distributed differently? I know they sell "double socks" for hikers to prevent blisters.

Fantastic video! I've been wearing bloomers daily since the start of the pandemic. I wear shorter linen bloomers in summer, and I wear longer mid-calf cotton bloomers in winter. For extra cold days I layer cashmere leg warmers over my tall cotton socks and I'm super toasty.

chiming in at the beginning of your timeline - i’m sorry to hear tights gave you such a hard time at the start of your winter skirts joruney! it took me a while to finally find a brand and size that i’m happy with (not all brands are one-size, thankfully), but now that i’ve pinned it down, i swear by them. i live in norway, and wear almost exclusively skirts and dresses year-round - only ever putting on trousers for hikes and other sports activities. i have a couple of light cotton dresses specifically for that handful of summer days, and the rest of the year i just rotate my four favourite knee-length dresses (a capsule wardrobe of sorts), changing up the layering underneath - short and long-sleeve tops, and tights of varying thread count. for those sub-zero months, i add a pair of wool longjohns over the tights when commuting or walking around town, which i take off while at the office. i haven’t been in the vicinity of a pair of jeans since 2019, and i never want to change that 😅 okay, back to the video i go 😊 (edit: and getting happily lost in everybody’s wildly differing and fascinating experiences and preferences in the comments)

I quite enjoyed this video and it's something I've been thinking about. I want to wear more me made skirts. One thing you didn't mention are thicker historical silk stockings. Silk is incredibly warm and light. I've worn 18th century repro silk stockings and they are quite warm. Also silk underwear (leggings). Maybe not for you because of the waist fit issue, but I have pointelle-knit silk underwear from LL Bean that has lasted a very long time. It makes me wonder if a pair of silk bloomers might be worth a try.

I live in leggings as an underlayer for both skirts and my jeans, because it's central Wisconsin and we get multiple weeks below 0°F. I get cotton leggings from Old Navy. They are 95% cotton and 5% spandex. I actually can't do poly or nylon for any length of time. My skin freaks out. I am very interested in this as another option for under my skirts though. I'd been looking at it for chafing, but an extra layer of warmth is always welcome!

May i also add an option: leg warmers! It is very easy to knit a basic pair. I couldnt find long socks that fit me but leg warmers i could easily knit the right length. They are also easy to slide on and off when you go between inside and outside. Thanks for a very informative video!

Let me recommend alpaca socks. They will probably have other not natural fibers but they warm/cool because of the alpaca fibers and very soft. They are not cheap (I only buy one pair annually) but now have 5 pairs for cool weather months.

Linen is actually a cooling fabric, so I would suggest you give it a try during warmer weather. 😊

YT has officially read my mind! I just moved to a place that snows in winter and have been trying to figure out what to do as a person who always wears skirts and dresses without making a total fool of myself. Thank you!

The mittens are beautiful! And I love that you share your mistakes - making and fixing errors is a legitimate part of knitting and deserves equal billing with its other aspects.

My go to in Winter are leggings out of stretchy cotton sweat fabric. I make them myself so they fit like a glove. I wear short leggings against chafing in Summer, which is not ideal if it is really hot. I was already thinking about some sort of drawers instead. Might give it a try next year. Thanks for the inspiration.

These look amazing. I’m a big fan of slip shorts in the summer because I don’t mind stretchy clothes/synthetic fibers. But the idea of making my own under-layer for the winter is amazing! I’m getting tired of the basic leggings.

From someone who's always cold: I find a pair of woolen tights (they fit me well enough since they come in different sizes in Portugal) and a pair of opaque nylon tights over them works better than woolen tights and jeans (jeans are impossible to wear without woolen tights underneath in winter and I still get my knees cold). This combination with a knee-length or longer skirt of wool, fleece or similar fabric keep me perfectly warm even when I sit at the computer for freezingly long hours. Oh, and I don't wear just leggings in winter, I wear fleece leggings. It is a huge difference!

I've always had to wear bike shorts under my skirts to prevent chafing but bloomers would be fun to try. I overheat easily so I bought tall winter boots that go to just under my knee so I stay pretty warm. Then again I also sewed myself a winter coat that goes down to my knees so that really helps too. I could have made it shorter but I have to wait for buses and the length of the coat means I can sit on the bench even when it's freezing.

...god, this was fascinating. Like. For real. Why historical underwear is so engrossing I don't know, but this got to me. ❤❤❤

A call out for those fleece lined leggings that look like they have panty hose over them: they don’t come in a good size range from any brand I’ve ever found. I’m a size 10 and I couldn’t find anything over a size 6. I was able to find beige fleece lined leggings that are sort of my skin tone and I just wear black panty hose over the top. Just a tip for the comment section :)

I probably say something akin to this on every video you post, but I LOVE your content so so much! I care enough about fashion and sewing, of course, but you delve into the functionality of clothes as well in a way that really fascinates me. It’s extremely useful for my own world building projects, as well as simply incredibly interesting! It always gets me thinking about clothes in a way I wouldn’t otherwise, seeing as much of my wardrobe is one of several pairs of cargo pants and a tshirt. Though I don’t dress in similar styles to yours myself, your content kind of surpasses individual style to analyze the effective functions as clothing as a whole, in my eyes at least. I don’t know if any of what I said makes sense, but I just wanted to mention how much I love your channel and every video you make!! Edit (because I wrote this before watching the whole video, haha): The method for the prototype flannel pants waistband is ingenious! I’ve been looking into various waistband methods for a world building project of mine, and I never would have thought of that- you come up with sewing techniques I can’t find anywhere else, so I always learn something watching this channel.

1:54 "And let their mothers know that they had, indeed, failed at parenting" ROFL, glad to know that this trend's been going on for centuries. I remember my mother hating on fashionable shorts in the 2010s.

I made trousers with an inner layer of flannel and these trousers are the warmest I own haha Can absolutely recommend them

Perfectly timed video - I'm sitting here knitting myself some wool stockings as I watch. I've also been burned too much by "one size fits all". Either they are way too loose on my foot/ankle, or way too tight on my calves, so I figured I ought to just try making my own. I also have a linen bloomers-like garment that I find very useful on winter days when I want to prevent cold air updraft. I patterned them using a pants pattern I already liked the fit of. I sometimes wear them around the house like pajama pants. Very comfy!

I do prefer pants when it gets really cold but I realized that a lined trouser was magnitudes warmer than, say, jeans, or basically anything that was a single layer. So I started looking for second hand lined wool trousers with a full lining to have for cold weather with the added benefit that it looks more polished. But the knickers-style base layer makes lots of sense and would work under a loose trouser too! Two brands that might be worth looking into for those who like a natural fiber and a smaller company - Zkano Socks are a family owned sock mill in Alabama who do a nice selection of cotton and wool socks from US grown and dyed organic cotton. I like that they are keeping a skill set alive in an area that used to be the "sock capital of the world." The other is Duckworth, who make clothing out of Montana grown wool (including some 100% wool leggings) for base layers and outerwear.

Loved your timelines. I love longer skirts as well. I feel they are much more comfortable and warmer than pants. My skirts are about 3" from the floor. I wear women's seemless trouser socks from Lands End. They go to my knees and stay up all year on their own, and are not binding at all.

Bloomers are the move. I've been wearing them for years, courtesy of lolita fashion. I wear them with all skirts in the winter along with some sort of petticoat, chemise, or slip. I dress like that in the dead of winter and I don't feel anything. edit: That deck is gorgeous!

I wear black merino thermal knit leggings under my skirts which helps me keep warm 😃

As a nomad I often rotate between two pairs of pants/skirts and find in the winter the skirts are actually the warmest, with more comfortable layers & I’ll add, they are much warmer and private for wilderness peeing🌲 🤫 I just fell I love with your page! This video was so random, popped up as I’m researching hand sewing clothing, then as I watch I’m like “ohh she got fed up with commercial clothing too?!” “Ohh she also wants to have that one reliable ‘do it all’ outfit? And skirts are the best! For deep winter I like wool leggings with med height socks with a cotton skirt and a suede skirt 👌 but this I’ll give a try!

Very interesting! Fleece-lined leggings with boots have been a game changer for me. Been able to change out socks is key and since I don't have to wash them as often, a couple of pairs are plenty. I do love the idea of bloomers, but I wonder if they would stick to my skirt? I guess one could still use a half slip in between. I will definitely try making some linen drawers for early spring as I am always cold and it's hard when you want to stop wearing boots but your legs get cold.

This gives me great ideas. Thanks. I'm in northern Minnesota, so I really have to fight cold in mid winter. For my personal preferences in fit and comfort, I've got a gray pair of merino base layer pants that I can wear like leggings for casual and put under rayon blend sweater tights for added warmth and style. I'm also working on thicker slips that will act more like a petticoat would have, but that is a work in progress project. I did make a pair of looser leggings from a thick cotton sweatshirting, but they are more of a partly successful experiment. They're too sloppy for me to feel like wearing them out of the house.

I would definitely say those Etsy images gave me huge dropshipping vibes and would send up a flag for them having any wool content. Also, I think you may have answered my skirt preference questions as I usually wear boxers but something longer in the winter would be great

Finally somebody is touching the topic of wearing skirts or dresses in winter time! If you look at the world's traditional clothing of indigenous peoples, you can notice how women of Saami people in Nordic countries wear dresses with length about till mid-calf. Similarly are dressed indigenous women of Khanty and Mansi people in Siberia. They all are traditionally reindeer herders, hunters, fishermen and gatherers. And they live in places where winters can be cold as heck. And then there are Sakha (Yakut) people, where winter AVERAGE temperature is about -40`C. Yakut women wear dresses as well. Of course, on top of dresses there are long coats, which are sometimes made out of reindeer fur - the warmest fur around. As for men - they wear shirts, which are in length almost until knees and usually gathered by belts. Look at how are dressed traditionally indigenous peoples in some of the most remote and cold corners in the world and you'll get the ideas.

Been wearing flannel bloomers in the Winter for the past three Winters now... BEST choice ever! They're pretty comfy and amazing. Based off of a 1900's split crotch drawer pattern. Pretty good *nodnod* drawstring on the first pair I made and they work. And then pair them with a short, above the knee shift/chemise... **Chef's kiss** 💋 perfection for winter wear! Was able to shovel snow and outlast my kiddos outside. Amazing. And was able to be out and walk snowdogs on -20°F windy weather **nodnod**

Always love your videos! I wear a lot of long wool skirts in the winter, usually with long wool socks, on super cold days: wool long-underwear shorts and a silk petticoat made from a thrifted duvet, or on less chilly days, some athletic shorts, and a linen petticoat.

I've been wearing my historical drawers under anything that is long enough for a while now and it's so nice! Including in the summer! The linen really helps with temperature regulation. I'm definitely interested in the the bloomer pattern! Thank you! 💜

When I was a kid (the 60s) we’d wear pajama bottoms as an extra layer in the winter. Under pants. I don’t recall wearing skirts in the winter very often.

One year we had a random snow day (not common in our area) and I was plenty warm with a lined, gauzy maxi skirt and my flannel pajama pants underneath! I love wearing flannel pajama pants under maxi skirts in the winter now. It’s like wearing pajamas, but nobody knows…

I love how you made so many of these! I also make mine and always wear them under all my dresses. I add pockets to mine for extra storage.

this video came just in time.. I honestly want to mostly wear skirts and dress this year so this will be helpful :) Thank you

Yes, bloomers under skirts are great. Been doing it since 2012 or so. I have worn my midi-length denim skirts with 2 petticoats and cotton flannel bloomers, tights, and knee high boots in sub- zero temps. Was perfectly warm. Cotton bloomers in the summer. Petticoats as temperature requires.

Make a flannel petticoat. It will keep you warm.

This is a wonderful idea! I wear tiered denim skirts all year, ankle length. I had some flannel petticoats made for winter. I have a set of merino underwear for winter, top and bottom. The bottoms are like leggings. And I bought a nice wool cape for outdoors. But I think I need to try this. And I need a long wool skirt again. Gotta like someone that sews on a Red Eye treadle!

Thankyou for making this video, it’s great. I’m in my late 50’s and want to enjoy feeling feminine and modest these days, so I have been making some midi length linen skirts and experimenting with my wardrobe to make this change. I really like your waistband ideas, as I’m trying to keep it very simple, but because I’m petite with curves I like to try to keep the bulkiness down and that includes leggings and underskirts underneath to keep warm. Great to read all the comments with other likeminded ladies 🎉😊

I totally feel you on the "one size" fits no one! I have a very similar body size and shape to you, with almost child size feet. This is why I learned how to sew, but also to knit. I can make toe up socks that fit my feet and legs to be comfortable and fitted to my proportions. Is it an extreme solution? Perhaps, but I really enjoy it, and it gives me something to take along and work on during any down time I may have when out and about.

I live in Norway, in the deep forests in the east. I use 2 skirts, wool over cotton. Wool long johns(no synthetic in my wardrobe) , compression stockings (you find them in all kinds of colours) and knitted wool socks or stockings if it really cold. This keeps me warm all winter. I prefer long skirts during summer, there’s nothing as hot as sun at your skin. A thin long cotton dress with sleeves are cooler than shorts and t-shirts, or what they call a dress, but is actually a tube clinging to your skin. Guess how the people survived during summer back in the days? They kept the sun off their skin.

What a great video, Mariah. I've been undergoing a similar experiment, myself, so having your results to look at is very helpful. And I have been known to wear pajama pants under a heavy wool skirt in the winter!

This is the first video I've seen from you and I just have to say, WOW. I love your style, how concise but detailed you are, instantly subscribed. Can't wait to see more! :)

This is so great! It gives me some ideas to try. I have to share what works for me, living in northern Canada (the Yukon territory, subarctic climate). First, long underwear or thermal leggings!! Any colour/looseness, because on top of this you're going to layer long (knee- to thigh-high) wool socks in your preferred colour, or, my recent preference, thick high-quality wool leg warmers!! Leg warmers are, to me, superior, because quality wool garments are expensive and leg warmers circumvent the longevity problem inherent to wool socks, ei. The soles wear through. In addition, because they are not on your sweaty feet, and they are layered over long underwear/thermal leggings and not direct on your leg skin, leg warmers can be worn many days in a row, requiring fewer pairs in your wardrobe. They are also thicker than any tights and allow different socks to be worn as needed (and also hide the socks when layered over). Also, both tall socks and leg warmers stay up very well when layered over your base fabric of choice. Obviously over this you want your wool skirts, perhaps petticoats, etc. If the skirt fabric is clinging to the fabric on the legs, a simple rayon slip skirt, as can be found in most thrift stores, can provide separation to let the skirts move naturally. I also sewed a full length slip from cotton flannelette for warmth. My future goal is to knit or sew thermal shorts to keep my upper thighs/midsection insulated. I love the idea of integrating some flannel bloomers into this system. I am passionate about this topic and could probably start a blog about it haha. My partner and I both dress vintage-inspired but live in a cabin in the rural Canadian north, so the practical piece is vital. For long underwear/thermal leggings: Smartwool, Icebreaker, Mountain Equipment Co-Op, Green Rose Clothing (Etsy). Your outdoor store of choice may have cheaper options under "Base Layers." Tall socks and leg warmers are all over Etsy at a variety of price points.

Ha! I also made myself Winter-Drawers, but I made them out of Thick Jersey. Now my problem in Winter isn't to keep warm (I also have self-knitted Knee-Socks), but not to get a Heatstroke the moment I enter a Shop, Restaurant and so on.... Everything now is way to warm.

I’ve been dealing with this issue as well and I love seeing your take on it! I might put bloomers on my to do list!

As always, thanks for a lot of interesting things to think about, and the chicken update! Being short-waisted with no hips to speak of (men's pants fit me well) I'm intrigued by your flat front, gathered sides idea and may have to play with that next time I make something with an elastic waist. I use all kinds of things to add a bit of volume to my hips but right now the most flattering loungewear I have is the sweatpants I'm wearing right now becuase the pockets are in JUST the right place to let me pretend I have hips! I've been experimenting with homemade warm clothing for a few years and have been wearing medieval style rectangles and gores flannel house dresses cut to "as long as I can have without tripping on it" for a few years, but when I sit down I get cold shins because my socks (I have several dozen pairs of many-times darned acrylic and wool work socks I wear for everything, worn over cotton sweat socks) are just the right length when I'm standing in the dresses but too short when I sit. So I tried a floor length pleated wooly plaid (turned out to be acrylic) skirt, but it trips me on stairs and grabs onto everything I pass by so it's not really practical and I only wear it when it's so cold out that my house's heating can't keep up. I did try wearing all of my winter getup out once, but floor length skirts are really cumbersome in a car, trying to keep the hems out of the wet footwell trays was... annoying. But it sure was warm, even with my bare legs underneath and it being -20C out (-5F) and windy so the wind chill had it feel closer to -30C (-22F). Much as I'd love to make historybounding my permanent thing, my job requires me to be actve, outdoors and messy, so I'm going to continue wearing my homemade polarfleece sweaters when I shovel snow because I can usually gauge just the right weight and the correct outer layers to keep me warm without having me sweat... and my storebought work pants are going to keep getting patched and repaired until there's noting structural left to work with then I'm going to hope I can find well fitting replacements at the store for multiple reasons... 1) I am not confident in my fitting abilities to be able to do better than the men's department on trousers, 2) I feel bad getting paint and caulking and sealants all over something I worked hard to make, and 3) because this brand I got a dozen pairs from 15 years ago is no longer in business. ALL their pants fit me well, the men's cargo pants are perfect for my shape and their women's pants were often elasticized fabric, had real pockets and were cut low, "hiphugger" pants actually fit me well as proper trousers. And for winter around the house I often wear yoga pants or polarfleece pj pants (I have a weakness for silly patterns like neon unicorns and santa skulls) and when I leave the house I just put the work pants on over the pj pants so it's like I'm wearing long johns. If they were a reasonable colour I could probably wear them under my dresses but polarfleece under flannel dress has historically been a shocking experience as my house is pretty dry in winter and the rabbit does NOT appreciate getting a charged noserub. Gonna be inspired by you and try the cotton PJ pants I have somewhere under the housedress next time I wear one, and if that works, well I can copy that pattern easily and I do have several kinds of flannel in my stash... and I'll have to haul out the cotton waffle long johns to try under the dresses too, I just don't usually wear those under my work pants because wet cotton is awful. Linen's an interesting idea but I've found in my previous expeiments wearing a linen shift shirt under my polarfleece when out shovelling snow when it's really cold and windy that if a breeze makes it underneath my outer winter jacket (which is not form fitting becuase I need to move), the fabric gets COLD against my skin, same problem I used to have with wearing jeans with no lining when it's cold, when I wore jeans as winter work pants, I had long johns under them all winter. If I'm going to wear linen, it needs to either be summer or it needs to keep constant contact with my skin, no bagginess anywhere.

I use a combination of cotton fleece tights/stockings (with feet), leggings with socks, and slips/half-slips.

I've preferred skirts in winter for decades, and I've lived near Lake Ontario and in the mountains of Colorado. I would cut off the sleeves of wool sweaters, and layer those on tights that have the crotch cut open a bit for air circulation. I put put the sleeves on my legs with the wider shoulder part of the sleeve first. I'd have wider sleeves for my upper thighs, and narrower sleeves for lower legs - if needed. (Sort of like leg warmers.) I'd keep my knees unencumbered by additional fabric for ease of movement. I also use those sleeves on my arms if necessary. I love cold weather, but don't like to be cold. I also like to have freedom of movement in my outdoor activities. I hike, downhill ski, and cross-country ski very comfortably in this garb! These layers can be modified to be warmer or less warm, depending on the current weather conditions. I also cut off the leg part of socks, and put them on my wrists. I have about 50 pairs of wrist warmer socks in all colors. I'm old and slender, and my wrists of feel the cold first. There's no bad weather, just bad clothes!

Inspiring and informative video. Well worth the wait. I don’t normally wear skirts but have been thinking about trying longer skirts, putting pretty but warm drawers underneath is an idea I like rather than itchy leggings 😊. I love your sewing setup, going to rethink my sewing/craft room setup once I get it decluttered. Your chickens are adorable 🥰 I miss having them. Future goals😊

As someone with tiny feet ( a US 5 - 6) and ditto for hands (their size is a factor when buying smartphones) ONE SIZE FITS ALL FOR GLOVES AND SOCKS SHOULD DDIIIEIEEEE

I'm so glad you found a work around to wear skirts in the winter. I live in the Rocky Mountains and let me tell you I am so glad I have a long torso so I can just get a decent pair of thick cotton tights that fit. Those and a couple petticoats under a thick lined wool skirt keep me warm all winter when I am out and about. (I'm like 5'7" am my skirts average 34 so that's probably helping to XD).

Been considering an approach like this. Thank you for sharing the journey! The info was super helpful!

This is very interesting to see. I've been wearing fleece lined leggings under skirts for years and they are pretty nice for the most part except for the static but recently I have been wanting a natural fiber option. A few years ago i made flannel bloomers and they are very nice but too short and my knees get cold. So i definitely like this sort of option better and i would probably make quite a few so i had cute options to work with my wardrobe. Peeking bloomers can be so cute too!

I remember having pants with buttonholed elastic. Theoretically, you could attach 2 buttonholes, and feed that kind of elastic through. And when the elastic fails eventually, just pull a different one through

I really liked your video. Thank you. I also loved the dress you had in the corner of the room. It's beautiful. I wanted to share an idea that I thought of when watching you thread the elastic. Get a long, straight fondue skewer without the fork or a thin, flat shishkabab skewer. I have a few of them that goes on the bbq and won't be missed. They are about 12 inches long and are pretty much non-stick. Round off the end so it doesn't poke through your material. Push it through the channel.. then you can just tape the elastic to it and pull it back through. Another thing you can do is drill a series of holes near the end, making it one longer opening. The elastic can be either just 'threaded' through, taped or wrapped with a rubber band around it. This would work for other things that need to be channeled as well. Personally.. I think I'm going to try the flat skewer with the long hole. Again.. thanks for the video.

the main thing to aim for in winter is just, layers. they can be from synthetic fibres or thin fabrics but just getting those little insulating pockets of warm air does a ton for keeping warm! same principle as in a puffer jacket. i mostly wear trousers but in winter i have a pair of long johns/thermal underwear underneath and it works like a charm. swedish west coast winters can be rough.

Yay for cozy bloomers!

Slip style shorts for under skirts in the summer was a game changer for me. It get's triple digits where I live, I don't ever feel hotter wearing that little extra bit under my skirts or dresses. As for winter, I wear bike shorts or leggings, but it doesn't get that cold here for warmer alternatives.

I so love your videos, you inspire my thinking. Thank you and Happy New Year!

I've taken to wearing dresses more in recent years, but the leggings/tights cause some sensory discomfort. It wasn't until I found some very loose, vintage corduroy pants with a slightly elastic leg cuff that I realized I even COULD be warm in the winter. Since then, I've taken to wearing pants under my dresses. It's tricky to get the hem/pant fullness/pant length/shoe height all nicely wrangled, but it's so much more comfortable and allows me to wear dresses and other layers without sacrificing personal comfort needs :)