I made Victorian yoga pants!
I have always loved wide-leg pants, from just about any era of historical fashion. So of course, I had to sew an 1890s split skirt to try out what Victorian women wore as athletic pants. And then, because apparently working out in historical dress is just what I do, I did yoga in them to prove they’re functional athleticwear. (spoiler alert, they totally were.)
The history of thrifting : the Victorian way to fight fast fashion!
The Victorians loved thrift shopping, and it goes back a lot further than the Victorians! Time for a deep dive into the history of the secondhand clothes trade and its role in fashion history. As usual, a lot of the problems of the modern fashion industry (like low-quality fast fashion) are not as old as we think . . .
A “transformation” day bodice for a Victorian dress
I'm transforming a Victorian dress from a ball gown to a day dress by sewing a second Victorian dress bodice. Watch me make a Victorian dress bodice to finish off the outfit I’ve designed for Mirah Lapidoth, the heroine of the Victorian novel Daniel Deronda by George Eliot.
Sewing a Victorian evening gown skirt from 1865
Daniel Deronda by George Eliot is a remarkable work of Victorian literature, and the BBC's Daniel Deronda 2002 adaptation is a classic source of inspiration for historical costumers interested in Victorian dress. This Victorian skirt is the first part of making a Victorian gown for one of the characters.
Why Victorian etiquette about dresses is so ridiculous
The Victorians etiquette was complicated, right? Victorian etiquette rules meant the wrong dress was social death? Let's bust some Victorian dress myths, see why we think the Victorians changed clothes 10 times a day, and talk about why Victorian era rules of etiquette seemed so riduculous.
Historical Costume vs Catcalling : Feminist fashion trends men hated
"Fashion Trends Men Hate" isn't a new thing. Nor is street harassment or catcalling. Hoopskirts, hat pins, and more of these feminist historical fashion trends helped fight unwanted advances and catcalls by maintaining personal space, keeping men at a distance, symbolizing womens' power, and even LITERALLY STABBING men who grabbed women on the street.
Sewing Wonder for the Wondersmith
Making art with a chronic illness is hard, whether it's historical costuming and sewing, ceramics, cooking, or anything else. My dear friend the Wondersmith knows better than most what it's like to create while living with chronic pain.