I'm a trans lady who used to do reenacting/historical costuming before transitioning. Since I've transitioned, I've avoided it because I'm scared of looking wrong. This video helped me so much and has given me some confidence about venturing back into the hobby. Thank you!
I haven’t done reenactment due to health in awhile but still wear my 12C gowns albeit I add pockets now. I hope you’ve gotten back in because you deserve it.
I'm in your boat... I wanna do Victorian Costumes but I don't want to do it wrong. But the more i study, the more I realize that it was kind of free for all and like today, it was what you could afford. Lady Rebecca is wonderful to follow for confidence and tips ...
Honestly really really well said! I’m a man who has been doing historical interpretation since my childhood, and I always hate the idea of people feeling excluded from historical reenactment or costuming because of their body type. People have always had body differences! It’s all about the silhouette! And let’s be honest, EVERYONE looks great in a well made garment, regardless of your size.
Me: currently considering victorian costuming People: why would you consider victorian costuming everyone was skinny back then and I just don't want you to be disappointed Me: --thinks of queen victoria (the namesake of the time period) in 1860 onward--
Also my recommendation: how do you costume with weight loss/weight yoyoing in mind. Ive always been hefty but due to my illness im at my heaviest and will likely be losing weight once I can safely use a pool again after getting the vaccine. How can I start costuming now but be prepared for weight loss, I dont want to sew a corset just to find it doesn't fit me anymore at the end
@@evelynkrull5268 I have the same problem. The idea of spending the time effort and money on something that may not fit later keeps me from trying some of the things I would like to. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired!!! Not too mention the weight fluctuations
@@robintheparttimesewer6798 yes! Although from my understanding people in this time period should have tips and tricks because of the fact that they were susceptible to lean times and then better times, so bodies might have changed similarly!
@@evelynkrull5268 yes there’s so much lost in the “do it the usual way”. I’m sure that there was all sorts of tricks that have been lost to time though I’m sure we could eventually figure them out but the big question is do we want to.
It really depends on how much your weight yo-yoing causes your actual measurements to change. If it's only about an inch or so, it's pretty easy to just move your hooks and bars over. If it's more than that, you're probably going to have to go into your seams and do some actual alterations. As far as corsets go, leave yourself a big lacing gap, like 4" or maybe even a tiny bit more, and you should be able to get away with using the same corset at least for some time.
It's so amazing how in our era of embracing the freedom to do anything, we have so narrowly defined beauty. And you aren't supposed to use shaping garments. You are supposed to just be the shape.
I don't know about whether we're "supposed" to use shaping garments but I can tell you they are a "big thing" in Miami no matter what part of your body you want to reshape. There are stores here dedicated to only these garments.
Hi there! I'm a long time corset maker, very new to costuming. (I've had issues with size, race, and disability inclusivity in the costuming world that I'm gradually getting over by watching sweet people like you, Noelle, Cheney, Abby, Bernadette, etc) If you're anything like me, the reason your corsets could be riding up when you sit is very likely either 1) they're just a little too long (likely if they're also digging into your hips) or 2) the thinnest part of your body isn't your natural waist. I frequently have both issues since I'm short torsoed and have sort of a basketball belly lol The narrowest part of my torso is right under my breasts. My natural waist is one of the widest parts of my torso. So regular corset patterns don't work very well for me. Most corset patterns are drafted to have your natural waist be the narrowest part of your body. If that's not the reality on a given body, the corset waist will try to shift up or down to find whatever the narrowest part of the body actually is. I personally make my corsets for comfort and back support, rarely do I make a corset for a specific historical look, but I've given a lot of thought to how I'd do it. For my normal corset I just draft it so that the narrowest part of the corset is also the narrowest part of my body. I would do the same for historical costuming, but then add padding where needed and also draft the rest of the corset to whatever the desired shape was. Hope that makes sense. Basically, you want the smallest part of the corset to match the smallest part of your torso. If that messes with the desired look, correct it with padding, supports, etc. rather than the way the pattern is drafted and the fabric is cut. If your tummy is bigger than your underbust, but you draft corset patterns so that the waist is the smallest part, the corset will migrate as you move around. So, for a Victorian corset (very small waist compared to the rest of the body) I would start by using my normal corset pattern (smallest under the breasts, more room in the tummy) and do a mockup to start experimenting. I think my first draft I might try to take in the waist a bit, but I would for sure make sure that measurement stayed bigger than my under bust because the smallest part of the corset needs to be the same as the smallest part of my torso. If that still didn't get me the desired look, then I'd move to padding. Making the chest and hips bigger for a Victorian look, but allowing my corseted tummy to still be fairly large, allowing it to be more comfortable and not shift while moving. I also shorten my corset length regularly, or sometimes I only need to widen the hip area. Please let me know if you want any more ideas, help, etc. I'm happy to help but didn't want to leave an essay length comment lol
Thank you so much for your comment! I have a diastasis recti (thanks, kids!) and in 2012, fell and broke all 12 thoracic vertebrae (compression fx). My upper back (nearly 9 years later) still often feels like someone kicked me between my shoulder blades, which makes sewing and art more painful. I would love to hear more about your corset making!
I would be really interested in learning more about corsets. I'd really like something for everyday, non-athletic use that both gives me more comfortable support (I'm at least a J cup) and creates less underboob sweat and ick than all my various bras (sports to sleep, underwire to non) do. I'm really curious about corset (and chemise) type solutions.
@@kobaltkween A linen chemise is probably your best bet for under boob sweat. It's really not ideal to get sweat on your actual corset, that's one of the reasons to wear a chemise. I've spent most of my life wearing either corsets or a medical back brace and the thing that's helped most for me is having a layer of linen (not cotton, cotton just soaks up the sweat) underneath. There's lots of great info online about corsetry. Foundations Revealed is my go to, but there's also a fair amount of info on youtube. Most of the historical costuming channels have at least one video about corsets. Lucy's Corsetry is a channel that's specifically geared towards corsets, usually modern corsets. That might be helpful too. I don't think she's uploading regularly anymore, but she did a whole series a few years ago showing step by step how to make a corset... from pattern drafting to finished product. Back to under boob sweat for a sec... when I lived in the California heat it was pretty normal for me to change my under shirt at least a few times a day. The linen does a great job wicking the sweat away from your skin, but in extreme heat (115F) you can still start to feel gross pretty fast. A fresh base layer can help a lot with that.
As Eureka says "Proportionising!" Drag Queens are really good at creating a great silhouette regardless of overall size, as well. Edit: fixed garbage sentence structure.
The language choice was appreciated. What I a person feels self-conscious about can be anything. It's not a value judgement, it's not telling anyone not to feel how they do. It's not referring to any bodily configuration as a flaw. Because we all focus on different things to obsess about - regardless of whether current fashion depicts or embraces it, or ignores it entirely.
The nice thing about historical clothing is its about fashionable silhouette rather than a "fashionable body". Fashion changes and, as far as I know most of us live in our one body for life! 🤣 Foundation garments for everyone!
Preach!!!! I get so angry when I do historical events and overhear 'well, they didn't have bigger women back then' YES THEY DID! I own extant examples going all the way back to the 1800s.
Me, a 32 year old nervous to start making Victorian clothing for himself as a short, heavy transman This video just gave me the courage to make those clothes! I ordered my patterns today.
I’m not plus size fluctuates I related very much to the ‘it looks good on the fashion plate but will it it look good on me?’ As I’m trans and my comfort with femininity fluctuates wildly.
For my age - I've been several sizes larger and weighed more than my friends all my life - and until recently I've felt that the problem with buying off the rack is that when clothing is mass produced they don't seriously consider what are differences between many women (it will never be all) between a common size 10 and a size 18 woman. Thank God most of my clothes were "bespoke" by proffessional seamstress/designer grandmother and great aunt. Even if I felt I had to buy something while window shopping - until I was about 35 they were there to "fix it" for me. And a style I loved? They could come up with a perfect one and then make several more in cloth I choose. Those were the days! Sew away! You'll look great!!
Can you do a video on hats? I want those huge hats (like those Edwardian ones and most in your pictures) so much, but can never seem to find their patterns or buy them.... All I find are bonnets, cheap fedoras, or page boy hats... But I want those with the massive brims wider than my shoulders, like I am the rich widow at husband #3's funeral...
"... Rich widow on husband Nr. 3's funeral..." omg yes that's the aesthetic ❤️😂. Some advice on making such hats would be awesome! I really want some too! I really can wear all types of hats well, but am a little self conscious about this clothing item as for now. But still the day will come when I need those widow-hat lol!
I will probably be doing a buckram hat video soon, though it won't be a large Edwardian type one. I do have a video on the one I made for the turquoise 1910s dress, though: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-voynGq6DFfU.html
My mom started costuming in the late 60s, and has always been interested, but hasn't had much time for it lately. Now retired, she has time to think about it again, and was asking me not long ago about my thoughts on the best shapes for plus sized people. I sent her the link for this video before I'd finished watching!
@@LadyRebeccaFashions it might work as a small segment in tandem with something on grading patterns (since we all know that inclusive sizing options, while growing, are still somewhat limited)?
@@alexismontez4230 That ruffle calculator has saved my life before, as there are NO patterns out there for anyone under 5' tall, and I need to scale down *everything* I sew to fit my hobbitish height! It's wonderful, and so is everything on Jennifer's blog!
Thank you so much for doing this series. I am plus sized and have been really hesitant to get into costuming even though it is what I have wanted to do for SOOOO long. I tend to get discouraged when it comes to my size and historical costumes...so I am just glad to have some costubers of the plus sized persuasion that I can watch and help motivate me! All of your stuff is so beautiful! So it gives me hope that I can do it too. Thank you!
Exactly my problem! I'm also basically new to sewing as well, so the worry about doing anything right at all and being really disillusioned with my size and my skills is really prominent.
I started costuming in my late teens when I joined a medieval reenactment group and I've always been plus sized. I initially took the modern fashion advice that long vertical lines make you look smaller so I tried baggy tent like tunics and thought later eras (as my group only allowed up to 1600 I was thinking Tudor/Elizabethan) would be A) too difficult because they involved corsetry and B) not right for my body. Then I decided to do it anyway and I loved it. I later worked out that actually I have 2 of the biggest positives that Tudor fashions are designed to emphasise, sloping shoulders and a significant hip spring, sure a big bust was not fashionable but it was largely compressed out of sight by the undergarments. I'm also really drawn to 1850s and I realised that this is designed to emphasise the same features plus boobs aren't as much of a drawback as in the Tudor era. For years I had loved these styles and never analysed why until I really looked at my body. So in summary look at yourself and your body, you're not just plus sized you're uniquely you, there's a particular way your body distributes fat and muscle and your own particular bone structure, maybe why you love the idea of wearing a certain style is because you actually are the right shape for that style. If you're not there's padding and optical illusion, but if you get to choose your own preferred era it will be easier and more confidence boosting to wear something that sends positive messages about your body rather than the messages we hear too much of nowadays about hiding 'flaws'.
Hi, Rebecca: I have found that much like the Victorian corsets that I have made in the past, the patterns including plates tend to run short waisted, even for a women all of 5' 5 1/2" tall. When, I first started out as a living historian, I made a Victorian corset to wear to encampments. I took all of my measurements, to ensure that it would fit correctly and it still ended up being too short waisted on me and it kept riding up and digging into my hips. Another female reenactor suggested extending the corset down, starting at the bottom of my floating ribs to the mid point of the ball joint of the hip. Another issue, I experienced being a plus sized gal was that my bust line was compressed and lifted. She explained to me that, because I am plus sized; I have more to contend with width wise and this was the reason, for why my end stays weren't lining up in the middle of the saddle; of my back. My fellow reenactor suggested putting gussets in the bust line and this should help to line up the end stays and my Victorian corset should be more comfortable to wear. I made a second Victorian corset to wear to events, after making the adjustments on it; I was very happy with the results. I plan on making a set of 18th century stays, in the near future and will be using the advice given to me by this reenactor years ago. I will have to figure out, where I should put the gussets at; because 18th century stays aren't like Victorian corsets, as you are aware of. It will be interesting to figure this project out and I will have to do some research before attempting this project to figure out where would be the best place to put gussets into an 18th century set of stays. Currently, I use Jill Salens historical corset making guide, which I purchased off from Amazon and which provides me with great tips for making corsets from various periods of time. I will list a link below to this guide, for you to see-my best always, l looking forward seeing more blogs in the near future. www.amazon.com/Corsets-Historical-Techniques-Jill-Salen/dp/0896762610/?_encoding=UTF8&ref_=MRAI_RECOMMENDATIONS&pd_rd_w=q6Asp&pf_rd_p=628ad867-e4cb-4254-8a25-a0998a3bb8ea&pf_rd_r=N84F4YVWTY28YV3SV8PG&pd_rd_r=a8350c1c-9864-42aa-a9b9-d1190dfba6af&pd_rd_wg=dUt68
I think that is one of the fit issues I have with 18th c stays, is that they wouldn't have had gussets at all, and corsets with gussets just fit better! I would be interested in hearing how your gusseted stays turn out - it's definitely an interesting idea!
This helps me so much! As a plus size woman and currently designing my wedding dress, a lot of these tips give me new ideas and more confidence. Can't wait to see more in this series!
Thank you! I’ve been wanting to incorporate more historical influence into my drag and since I make all my own costumes and patterns this was very helpful advice
Yup, I helped my big brother pick out a pirate hat and rejected the first dozen on proportion alone - they weren't wide enough for his very broad shoulders and would've looked all wrong on him. The one we finally settled on was shoulder to shoulder in wide and looks fabulous! Proportion matters! Cheers doll!
Hello it would be good to have further details on how petticoats changed in shape and size to fit under the gowns. As you say they are super important but much rarer to actually see examples.
You would like the book "corsets and crinolines" by Nora Waugh. It's freely available online as a pdf, and has a lot of illustrations of the changing undergarments and how they create the silhouettes. www.reenactor.ru/ARH/PDF/Waugh.pdf
I am not myself a plus-sized person but I love to see your channel and see the positivity and inclusivity of all body shapes and sizes. Thank you so much for your videos.
Hi Rebecca, I think this video is very helpful for anyone, not only plus size women! Even though I am not plus size, I’m not slender or skinny either and getting the right silhouette is difficult for me too. I love the way you explain everything, you have such a friendly way about you that makes it just lovely to watch your videos. No wonder you now have +10k subscribers! Congratulations!
Stays riding up - not that I ever really had that problem (I have a large bust-waist difference and my ribs are somewhat conical anyway), but what prevents my breasts sinking onto the stays (because they are not perky in any capacity) are half-moon pads put under the breast (I saw Mariah Pattie do it and it does make a difference for me) - and in my mind, that could help with riding up, too, as long as you have some bust (which you do). Intentionally making them more conical would help riding up, but I have no clue how it would affect comfort on someone with a straighter ribcage :/
Awesome video Rebecca, it's so lovely to see women that look like me in a "historical" setting. I think I might have a go at the Edwardian era at some point because I love lace and the layering really appeals. My only problem is corseting, because of a health condition I find anything more fitted that shapeware super uncomfortable on one side of my waist. I'm sure I can come up with something. Now I have the "mission impossible" theme going through my head, only with plus size sewing women weilding tape measure's, shears, and floofing fabric in the air!!
THANK YOU!!! For seriously taking in consideration of those who are plus size. It's so discouraging to see so many non-plus size "Would I look good in that?" "Oh no, I can't pull that off" "It wouldn't come in my size" and so forth.
I used to make Tudor / Elizabethan gowns but I can't wear them for everyday. If I could get away with full historically accurate dress everyday I would. I have been making all my clothes myself for the last few years for daily wear in a combination of vintage styles but I have also been borrowing elements from regency such as empire lines, and am planning on doing a spenser if I can find a style that will work with large upper arms. I also do knitwear. I would love to see more on plus size regency especially how to target issues like large upper arms, large bust, round tummys etc. FYI I self draft all my patterns / design knitwear so do not need patterns just ideas on how to "make it work ". Also more on regency stays would be awesome. Thanks- you are doing an awesome job and your costumes are truly inspiring.
I will be honest, I found this video bc I have been really struggling with the idea of costumes bc I never feel like I have the right body. But I've binged your channel for a few weeks now, and this has really helped me to 'silence the Bruno' saying I would look stupid. You're amazing. Thank you again.
Miss Rebecca! Thank you so much for this video! I make historical dress and I do a lot of fundraisers for my groups. I'm getting ready to start another raffle. We sell the tickets to make money for our historical groups and I make it for free to help our group. The last time I tried to sell the tickets, I didn't sell many and decided to wait until this spring. One thing that the ladies worry about is that they are a little fluffier than they used to be and think they would not look good in a historical dress. You have given me the insight in how to help them think that they will look beautiful no matter! I do so appreciate it! Please take care!
I'm not a plus sized woman, but I still stuck around for the whole video because you're just such a joy to watch! Your explanations are really clear, and your enthusiasm for your subject matter comes across in your presentation and makes your audience excited about it, too! On the subject of the fashions, I would argue that 1880s hair isn't flattering on anyone, regardless of their size. So much artificial frizz!
THANK YOU! This is the content I'm here for. This video is what I need! (I swear I've commented this exact thing before). To be honest, I've used your posts as a measure of, "Will this era garment potentially look okay on me?" before. Thank you Rebecca for compiling it together! Thank you for all of the advice!
I have so many different era's that I love, but my absolute favorite is The Regency Era. I feel like the style of clothing works best for my body. So, I would love to see a video going into that era in more depth.
Thank you, I loved this. I've been getting into 1890s fashions recently from watching a (1990s) British show called Bramwell. As a plus-size woman with large upper arms, those leg-o-mutton sleeves would be perfect! Also, they often wore belts in that era - but with a corset to smooth out your torso even a plus-size woman can wear a belt firmly around her waist. Meanwhile I've been working on 1910s under garments so I will probably try a dress (or skirt and shirtwaist) from that era first.
This video is so timely for me! I’ve just ventured into the 1880s and made my first mock-up of a corset last night...which was a disaster. I just took an historical pattern and stretched it out to my waist measure to comical results. The bust was so big on the sides that my arms would constantly be held out at 45°! Seeing some of your pictures helped me see where I can adjust and change the fit of the garment (with judicious padding) so I can still get the correct proportion *and* have it fit me well. Thank you so much!
Great video with a lot of helpful tips and tricks! :) When you mentioned the big hair-small waist fact I immediately thought to The Nanny's (I love this tv show, I grew up with it) motto "the bigger the hair the smaller the hips" 😂
Very helpful, thank you! I’m about to start on an 18th century history bounding outfit- consisting of a short jacket (similar in shape to the ones of Outlander s1) and petticoats (though with the rounder styles of the 1770s and 1780s. To make it wearable to every day, I’m going for plain, neutral coloured fabrics (beige, brown, blues). So that’s my first project of the year. I don’t go to events, so I prefer to sew for my every day wardrobe. But I still want fairly accurate silhouettes. And the idea is to use my curves to my advantage, rather than feeling self conscious about them, as I do in modern clothing.
It’s so true that historical styles are just so much more flattering in many cases! I’m not plus sized, more midsize, but I definitely have a lot of curves and find that Victorian clothes often just look so much better than modern style s
Thank you so much for this video. I mentioned watching a lot of historical sewing youtubers to my mom (because she's the one who taught me to sew and is very talented) and she immediately said she could never do it because she would never look good, even when I showed her your Instagram. It made me so sad when she talked about it. You must have read my mind because here you are posting this the literal next day. You are an inspiration and a beacon of hope for plus size women. Seriously thank you. ❤ your channel deserves a million subscribers, and I have no doubt you will someday.
I accidentally came across your video and it made me so happy and emotional! I thought I could never carry off historical clothes. You gave me HOPE! I’ve loved historical costumes my whole life and have watched period dramas basically my whole life. I also loved seeing the paintings and photographs you shared!
Love this video!! ❤ You're so awesome for giving us plus sized ladies the knowledge that we don't have to be afraid of historical costuming. Thank you!!!!
What a wonderful idea for a series!! I have always enjoyed that you show your work trials and tribulations with fitting. I really enjoy the lesson even though I don’t have the same fitting issues you do. I’m short just over 5 foot so I never have to add length for me. My daughter is a different problem she is short as well but is long in the torso and short of leg. I once took a fitting course at the local community college. The teacher said in all the years she had been teaching (30+) she had only found one person who had all the pattern measurements and they measured her four times before anyone believed!! I would love more on proportion and silhouettes. Actually I have enjoyed everything you have done so just keep doing whatever amuses you and I am sure I will learn something too!!!
Really useful video. Practical tips on the proportions and how to achieve this is something we need more of! Would there be any chance of looking into working class women's silhouettes and how to pull them off as a plus size person?
working class women had the same silhouettes as upper class women. They just used different materials and usually less detailing and fabric. It was easy to keep up with the fashionable silhouette by reshaping existing clothes to be more fashionable
I was presuming there would be some differences, especially at the poorer end of working class. I doubt the sleeves would have been quite so indulgent when resources were tight.
@@pixiestyxmusic yeah, the fabric was more limited of course, they didn't have trails for example. They did have big sleeves, when it was fashionable, not as big as the rich people, but the basics of the silhouettes were the same across social class
Thank you! And yeah, as Karolina mentioned, for working poor in particular, it would be the fashionable silhouettes, but done in cheaper materials, with less fabric volume (like, not those huge sleeves of the mid-1890s), and also, hand-me-downs or second hand clothing was very popular.
@@pixiestyxmusic I've seen dated photos of working class people in rural areas, and they didn't have big sleeves or really, any fashionable detail in their clothing - they'd be of no use to them. In general, fashion attitudes 100 years ago were probably similar to ours: urban people tended to follow fashion more closely, especially if they had disposable income.
You really have a talent to choose/make nice clothing for plus size ladies. You always look so nice and put together with what you're wearing. And your costumes are sooooo beautiful! Many plus size people resort to wearing baggy clothes (which I totally understand, because these are comfortable), but IMHO one looks better with tighter fitting clothes and a flattering cut and silhouette. This video was very helpful, particularly the part about retaining the proportions of shapes, decorations and accessoires to the garment. Thank you for this! :)
Lady Rebecca, you look absolutely fabulous in every style! Yes, yes, YES! Plus size ladies can look gorgeous in any style. The right underpinnings are vital to achieving the right silhouette, regardless of size, but the most important thing for ANY style is confidence. If you've put the work into the research and getting the proportions right, stand straight and hold your head high, you will instantly look even more amazing 😍😍
This video was recommend after I watched a Dandy Wellington video. You looked familiar, then it clicked. I saw you in costume at the Victorian Radicals exhibition at the Seattle Art Museum. I asked to take your picture in the cafe. Seeing you and your friends in costume there was a wonderful extra touch to a great exhibition. Thank you for being there.
I've been doing 18th century for quite a number of years, ever since my son and his now wife wanted an 18th century wedding at one of our favorite local living history events. I have a BFA in Fashion Design and have been sewing garments since I was 12-ish -- when you're 5'6" tall when you're 12, you have to do something or you wind up wearing clothes that would look better on your mother. I made all the clothes for the wedding, including the men's suits. Anyway, I just want to say that my fully boned stays do the same thing yours do -- ride up when I sit down. They do it less when I'm thinner than when I'm heavier, and the reason seems perfectly sensible to me. Think about it -- when you sit, your torso essentially gets shorter, because your thighs are giving your belly less room. There is still the same volume of you, but now it's compressed, so it becomes wider. The stays follow the path of least resistance, and squeeze upward into your armpits. I cannot think of any way to stop this that would be wearable, or would even work. Keep up the good stuff!
Was this one take? I wasn't paying close attention for the first portion but the energy in this is outstanding and queued me into watching closer. Great tips and the proportion tip is easily forgotten.
Plus size, unlikely to ever make or wear costumes, but loving this content 😆 I love the way you talk about plus size bodies, I feel like people always do two extremes - either it’s LOVE YOUR BODY NO MATTER WHAT AND NEVER FEEL SELF-CONSCIOUS ABOUT ANY PART OF IT, or HERE’S HOW TO LOOK LIKE A SIZE 6 WHEN YOU’RE REALLY A SIZE 16!!! You strike a perfect balance. Thank you!!
I’ve always been interested in historical costuming but I just never had the confidence or the drive. This year I’m learning to sew my own clothes and I can finally be confident in my own body wearing anything and I thank you for the inspiration!
Every size matters :) I'm not into strict reenactment, more like "take inspirations" (especially from XIX century) and this vlog helps me a lot! Thank You for being here
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this video! I am not plus size but I am... oddly shaped, and this has given me the confidence to consider trying eras I previously thought would be unattainable for me!
I clipped my stays at the pelvis line and allowed the un stayed fabric to fall over my hips. Also, before closing the front stays in, i sat in the stays and trimmed the stays to fit and not lift the says, leaving the longest personalized stays in the center only. The shape made by the stays followed my own shape and comfort. I am not a small woman, but short waisted and busty. I am very comfortable as a senior citizen in my personally fitted stays. The project of making them might be the most complex challenge I’ve done, but so much fun.
I volunteer at my local history center and love it when we get into historic fashions. you helped me feel less worried about how I look when I try on the clothes from the local history center. a huge thank you for showing me that a curvy gale can look just as fashionable in 1890's clothes. my local history does programs throughout the year so I spend a lot of time in costume
Commented before getting to the very end because I was excited (lol). I really want to make an Edwardian outfit this year! My hair is too short but luckily you did that wig video.
Thanks for reminding me that I'm beautiful. Love your amazing work.
3 года назад
This is so fantastic, and I'm sure will be encouraging to many!! I so often hear "I can't wear X period because I'm too big" and the next time I do I'm sending them this video!
Ah! This totally solidifies my need to replicate a full Edwardian outfit. I've gained a lot of weight (health stuff/quarantine didn't help) and have been so self-conscious of my plumper body but having always loved the Edwardian time period and hearing that you almost NEED a curvier body to achieve the desired look, it is encouraging. I already wear an Edwardian-style corset and a hip/bum pad but a full on outfit would be awesome as a confidence booster.
Please cover proportioning with corsets and other patterns? I have curves, but I tend to have a larger bust or larger hips than most patterns, never do the two fit into the same pattern. For example, do I buy the pattern that fits my bust, and take in the rest, or buy the one that fits my hips and figure out how to enlarge the bust? I love your attitude and openness about your size and shape. I also love to see the vulnerability you show about the parts of your body that you really don't like. Not even those who are closer to the fashion plates in size are willing to be that vulnerable. You are more and more one of my favorite costubers, and I am so grateful for all you do.
Thank you so much! I will definitely be addressing some of the patterning issues in a few weeks in a video I'm working on, but just to address part of that question for now, it kind of depends on the pattern manufacturer. For example, redthreaded I think tells you to go off bust measurement (though I don't want to swear to that), and companies like Truly Victorian will literally have you draw lines between the pattern sizes, which is why I always recommend multi-size patterns.
Thankyou for this. My sister and I are currently designing her wedding dress after giving up finding something that works for her. You have been a big help with that process.
I'm thinking of attempting a corset for myself for the first time this year and I'd love to see a video about fitting a plus size corset on oneself. I'm very short and very rotund, but my waist pulls in quite a bit then sharply goes out to very full hips. For a long time I've been put off making myself anything that deals with this section of my body, opting instead for dresses that cinch and fall just below the bust. It'd be nice to have a better idea how to manage this.
If you also need some major bust support, I was directed to check out the ballerina corset from: marietheresaandlumieres instagram.com/marietheresaandlumieres/ Don't be turned off just seeing it on her, there are images of people with more rotund bodies who have made that one, and it's very promising. I'm a huge fan of the bust shaping - it's a very contemporary aesthetic.
Can I say it? Oh yes, of course I can! You are ADORABLE! AH! I can't get over how sweet and bubbly and warm you are! I feel like you're giving me a big hug through just your voice alone! Your makeup also adds to that feeling, too! Please keep being you! We need to make RU-vid back into the inclusive place that it used to be at its conception.
WAIT!!! stop....a princess what?... huh well there goes my week. to the stash!!! i love that everytime i watch this channel i end up with a new project. thanks rebecca!
I absolutely ADORE the edwardian period clothing and I am hoping to make some edwardian inspired walking skirts for the first time, and some edwardian blouses
Lovely overview. I think we all need to be reminded that plus size or full figure women existed throughout time and wore fashionable clothes and looked good. I haven't looked to see what larger women in the 1920s did, other than Aunt Prudence in Miss Fisher tv show.
What a wonderful review of the different decades as it relates to a fuller form. Im not a sewist, Im very impressed with all the looks that you created. So pretty!
I don't want to do any historic costuming myself, but I do want to learn to make my own clothes. As a short, plus sized woman who was a DDD as a "normal" sized teen, I just want clothes that flatter and fit. This is exactly the kind of information about proportion and silhouette I've been looking for. Add in information about shapes (for instance, what different bust lines do to your proportions, curved vs straight lines, etc.), and you've got fashion advice everyone can use in any era. More please!
That's funny, I also thought of going for a 1870s hairstyle with the 1880s silhouette! They work so well together :) I tend to prefer the 1880s clothing because it's easier to wear on a -historybounding- daily basis, as the skirt is easier to shorten. But it's true that those bangs are not necesseraly flattering on everybody! I don't know if I can be qualified a plus size (though i've never been skinny either), but that video is very helpful to me. I can only imagine how good it must feel to larger women to finally have somebody say to them "you can wear any era you like". We know it in theory, but having somebody saying it is gamechanger. One thing that is most frustrating, especially when you don't have much money, is having to buy an entire wardrobe again just because you've gained a few pounds. That has always happened to me with modern clothing. Personnaly, I am very much drawn to the 18th century, because I find a lot of adjustability in the clothing of this era, that makes dealing with a fluctuating weight easier. Drawtrings petticoats, stomacher underneath stays (and even gowns or jackets) .. I also love the trick of adding extra seam allowance when you're making new clothes, just in case you gain weight in the future, so you can release a little bit more fabric to accomodate your added width. Money saving! Love your channel, I hope it'll grow even more. You have such a joyful and enthusiastic vibe. I like hearing you talk about your favorite eras. You are a very elegant lady and honestly don't need the 1830s to look like a doll :) Sorry if my english isn't perfect, I'm french :)
Thank You :) your channel is so encouraging. I really have problems finding patterns for my size and am too new to sewing to alter the difficult parts with confidence.
Granted it depends on what you need to alter but if you can find a pattern that fits your biggest part you can do it! You just have to make a mock up (old sheets are great for this) then slowly seam out problems. Do this slowly (like a 1/8 inch from all seams) to get the fit. If you need to shorten or lengthen the torso there are tons of videos easy to hard. Big things to remember is if this adjustment needs to happen above or below the waist if it’s above it won’t work to add below and will just frustrate you. It sounds complicated but it’s not really just take it step by step. Also remember you are working with a sheet that is no longer fit for the bed what’s the worst that can happen? Your out some time but the answer is really nothing bad. The sheet still won’t work on a bed, you will learn about fitting, your body and patterns. You don’t even have to show it or share it with anyone. I look back on some of my projects and shutter wondering what I was thinking but then I remember I was learning. And over all it worked just not in a way I would do it now. The best thing about sewing is that there is no one right way to do any of it. So enjoy the process even when you are cursing cause sleeves and zippers can be evil!!!
@@robintheparttimesewer6798 Thank you for taking the time to answer :) much appreciated. Being a beginner is often difficult, but I find the costuming community particularly sweet and helpful.
@@Frello2 no problem I don’t have a lot of people I can talk sewing with so it’s fun. You will surprised how much you learn just playing with samples. Like if you want button holes or a machine satin stitch. Test it on a scrap play with tension and stabilizer till you get the look you’re going for. It takes a bit of practice but you will get there in the end
I agree with Robin - learning how to alter patterns is all about trial and error. After a few times, you'll kind of see what sort of things you typically need to do to every pattern to get them to fit right, and it gets much easier!
oh my gosh! thank you so much for making a series. I messaged you on insta about how to get started and this is giving me even more awesome info. Could you maybe talk about mobility in these clothes? with a hoop skirt it seems like it would be hard to sit down in.
it's very easy to sit down with hoop skirt! the hoops get compressed when you sit and you don't have to worry about it. They are connected with unstructured tapes. Someone on youtube costuming world made a video about it, but I can't remember who, but she showed how she could sat down with it completely normally
As Karolina said, it's pretty easy to sit in a hoop skirt. @asta.darling did a quick little reel in November on instagram showing how to sit. But let me know if there's other mobility questions you have, too.
This video is so helpful! I have a vague character/story idea and was wondering how to go about the design to make it fit the setting well while giving the character a chance to be radiant and confident! The best part about this video is the advice on approaching it from shapes rather than sizes. Going for a silhouette is a much easier starting point for luxurious designs than zeroing in on a general style idea, and the visual examples help a great deal with rewiring my brain a bit to map different dress parts onto different spots of the body. Thank you so much for this, and also for the presentation! Listening to you is absolutely delightful and your love for the craft is felt in every time your eyes light up as you realize you get to talk about another favorite thing of yours! It's infectious enthusiasm and I hope your craft will make you this happy forever!
