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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!!
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.
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!
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.
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!
@@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'.
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 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.
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: ua-cam.com/video/voynGq6DFfU/v-deo.html
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.
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!
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'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!
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.
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!!
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 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.
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.
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" 😂
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 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!
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
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! :)
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, 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!
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 😍😍
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!
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.
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!!!
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.
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!
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
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!
10,000 is not enough subscribers, you should have more! Here's to 50,000 or more this time next year. :o) I always look forward to your videos, particularly the long ones, as they are always enjoyable. My favourite dress of yours is the teal 1910's dress, it is soooo beautiful.
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 UA-cam back into the inclusive place that it used to be at its conception.
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.
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!!!!
I like so many other comments am so grateful for this video. I want to get into historical costuming but feel like I haven’t started because I’m afraid that I’m not going to look “right” for the era or it may open up more feelings of insecurity. But seeing how right you look in each of these eras relieved so much of my worries. I also love your choice of words. “Things you may be self conscious about” both is not perpetuating the idea we have flaws but acknowledging the fact that it’s still ok to have things we are self conscious about as everyone at every size does. I look so forward to your continued series on these topics! I would love some stuff on grading up (or drafting if that’s in your wheelhouse) of historical corsetry to maintain the important shapes! Thank you so much!!!
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
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 :/
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!
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.
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!
Great video. I think it's especially challenging for short women and short women such as myself with short legs proportionately to our bodies. One thing which you kind of touch on is how to adapt the proportions to each individual body--I can help with raising the waist slightly which elongates my legs, for instance. But it is difficult when you don't have height to help balance things out.
That's very true, and I don't have the experience to really speak on balancing it that way. I would think maybe being judicious with your trims would help your legs potentially look longer.
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 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!
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.
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 :)
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!
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
I just live your content. It's nice to see someone that's really close to my body shape, I am a tall plus size and I love victorian fashions. I just learned to sew a few months ago and recently finished a corset and a Victorian walking suit
Your enthousiasm about 1830s clothing is so good to witness ! Also, thank you so sooo much for videos like this one, the world needs more of them. MOAR ! 💕
I Rebecca, I have always loved watching your channel and am happy that you take the time to talk to us plus size girls. I have never really had an issue with confidence when it came historical costumes although I’m plus sized and a dark skinned black girl. I have always worn what ever l liked but I will admit that I am scared at trying 1930s Little Bow Peep styled dresses.😂 I need courage but I will keep it mind for a project some time. My favorite eras are 1780s, 1840s 1860-70s I actually like natural form styles and 1940s and 1950s fashion.
The UA-cam algorithm bought me here and I'm so glad it did. What a fantastic video?! So informative, easy to watch and fun. Subscribed....thank you!!💗🙌
This was really interesting! I don't do costuming or dress in costume but I like vintage-inspired outfits and sometimes feel like they don't look 'right' on me. This helped me think about what eras might work best for my particular proportions and ways to make certain silhouettes work in flattering ways for me
y'all, say with me: *historical fashion for all bodies!!!*
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!
Thank you so much! You can absolutely do historical costuming again!
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.
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
This is a great, helpful post! As an ambulatory wheelchair user, I appreciate the sitting helps too.
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.
@@brigidscaldron Maybe someday I'll start a youtube channel, but in the meantime I'd be happy to do my best to answer specific questions :)
@@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.
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.
Yeah, I really think it's a shame. There is far more pressure put on women's bodies now than there was in the past.
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.
YASSS! Truly masters of physical disguise.
I cannot tell you how many times I heard that sound bite in my head while watching this video.
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.
Best description ever of the fashion of the 1830s: they look goofy on everyone!
It's so true! :)
"Why would anyone want to look goofy on purpose?" Says me, who lived through the 1960's, 70's and 80's and dressed accordingly - LOL!
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!
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!!
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.
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!
It's amazing how these gowns are way more flattering than modern clothes.
So true!
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.
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!
@@LadyRebeccaFashions I will definitely let you know once, I'm finished with my stays project, it has been nice chatting with you and happy blogging.
So definitely going to need one on the math and methodology involved in replicating fashion plates. Yup. Please!
I might go more in depth in that in the future! Though really, it's basically just that simple solve for x type equation!
@@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)?
If you need a rundown asap, this ( historicalsewing.com/ruffle-calculations-for-height-differences ) is a good illustration of the concept
@@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.
Remember, plus sized women existed back then too. Queen Victoria herself was plus sized.
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'.
Thank you so much! You absolutely can do it too!
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 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.
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 imagine she has a new companion with her too. 😄
Costuming drama has got a series of costuming resources and there are some hat patterns linked in her most recent one x
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: ua-cam.com/video/voynGq6DFfU/v-deo.html
@@LadyRebeccaFashions OH I didn't see that tutorial there. Thank you so much ❤️
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.
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! And good luck on your wedding dress - that's so exciting!
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.
Thank you so much! I will be sure to talk about those when I do my Regency video coming soon.
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 so much! And yep, you're totally right about that 1880s hair. How was that ever a thing? lol
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.
Go for it!
That's so awesome! Good luck on your projects! :)
@@evanunderwood7116 Thank you for the tips! I have asthma so I can't wear binders, but I'm stubborn enough to make it work
@@LadyRebeccaFashions I'm excited! I've been sharing this video with my best friend and we're both plotting awesome clothes together now!
@@karinland8533 Indeed I will!
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.
All bodies are good bodies and thank you for making this to let us larger folks know we belong in anything we choose to wear ❤ .
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!!
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!!
...and thank you so much! Now *I* have the Mission Impossible theme playing in MY head! Now all we need is an enterprising person to make the video!
@@annbrookens945 my pleasure ;-) pretty cool eh. Now I wonder who could make a video like that..........
"There were women of all shapes and sizes that lived through every era." YUP
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.
Thank you so much! That means a lot. :)
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.
Thank you!
I really appreciate this video. Also, I LOVE that mint green wrap 19-teens dress!
Thank you!
finally, someone covering plus size, thank you
Just wanted to say: I'm designing a character who is a chic curvy gal in 1861 and your channel has been suuuuuuuch a helpful resource
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!
I'm glad it was helpful! I hope you're able to fix your corset!
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" 😂
Hahah! Yes!
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.
Aww, how cool! I'm so glad you found me on here. We love going out to exhibits like that. :)
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!
Aww, thank you so much! You can absolutely carry off historical clothing! :)
Hello how are you doing 😊😊😊😊😊
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
Ooh, I love that idea. I can definitely cover that in a future video!
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! :)
Thank you so much!
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.
That one will be coming soon! :)
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!
Thanks! I'm glad it was helpful! :)
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 😍😍
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!
Thank you so much! I'm so glad it was helpful. And good luck on your Edwardian project!
I appreciate this video. Also, I love this sailor collar look.
Thank you!
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.
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!!!
Thank you so much! :)
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.
THANK YOU SO MUCH....FINALLY....MANY BLESSINGS UPON YOU A BILLION TIMES FOLD!😍
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!
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
That sounds like so much fun! :)
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!
I’ve definitely been struggling with this for the past few weeks, and focusing on proportion definitely feels like the way forward! Thanks!
Hi, I think you are a great advocate for size inclusiveness, and don't ever change, thank you for being your beautiful self
Thank you so much!
Thank you so much for this video!
Thanks! I'm glad it was helpful!
This was so informative! I’d love to see something like this for the 20th century decades.
Great video! I am an 18/20 size and I feared I would look terrible in these designs. Thank you for showing me that I can look good as well.
10,000 is not enough subscribers, you should have more! Here's to 50,000 or more this time next year. :o) I always look forward to your videos, particularly the long ones, as they are always enjoyable. My favourite dress of yours is the teal 1910's dress, it is soooo beautiful.
Aww, thank you so much! :)
@Kath Moller I just watched the latest one that Rebecca posted a couple of days ago, and she's now at 12.5k.
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 UA-cam back into the inclusive place that it used to be at its conception.
Aw, thank you so much! :)
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.
That sounds great! Good luck on your outfit!
That picture of you in a princess slip is so cute, absolute goals hahaha
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!!!!
Thank you so much!
I normally go for 1940’s styles but I’m attempting 1890’s and 1900’s styles this year. Thank you for the confidence boost!
I like so many other comments am so grateful for this video. I want to get into historical costuming but feel like I haven’t started because I’m afraid that I’m not going to look “right” for the era or it may open up more feelings of insecurity. But seeing how right you look in each of these eras relieved so much of my worries. I also love your choice of words. “Things you may be self conscious about” both is not perpetuating the idea we have flaws but acknowledging the fact that it’s still ok to have things we are self conscious about as everyone at every size does. I look so forward to your continued series on these topics! I would love some stuff on grading up (or drafting if that’s in your wheelhouse) of historical corsetry to maintain the important shapes! Thank you so much!!!
Thank you! Please don't let any worries stop you from doing historical costuming. And I will try to cover corset patterns in a future video!
I can see this being one of your most watched videos! So informative 😊
Thank you! I sure hope so! :)
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
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 :/
Hmm, I might have to give the pads a try, since that's an easy fix.
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!
Awesome! Good luck on your project!
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.
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!
Aww, thank you very much! I'm glad the video was helpful!
Thanks for reminding me that I'm beautiful. Love your amazing work.
Great video. I think it's especially challenging for short women and short women such as myself with short legs proportionately to our bodies. One thing which you kind of touch on is how to adapt the proportions to each individual body--I can help with raising the waist slightly which elongates my legs, for instance. But it is difficult when you don't have height to help balance things out.
That's very true, and I don't have the experience to really speak on balancing it that way. I would think maybe being judicious with your trims would help your legs potentially look longer.
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.
WONDERFUL!!! THANK YOU!!!! I often feeel that we Rubinesque Ladies are very overlooked.!!
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!
THANK YOU explaining proportions!!!
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.
Love the green Victorian dress! You look great!
Thank you! This video is just what I needed! :)
Have you looked into medievial styles as well? Been thinking of getting a dress, but have no idea which style looks best for plus size...
I have to admit, I am personally not a fan of medieval styles, so haven't tried to venture that way. I like structure! lol
I understand what you mean :)
What an informative video! I loved it!
You did a fantastic job of explaining each era. Thank you! God bless you.
Glad it was helpful!
What a fun video! You're a very joyful presenter
Thank you! :)
Hello how are you doing 😊😊😊😊
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 :)
Wonderfully goofy! That is the most accurately I have ever heard the 1830's described.
Very helpful, thank you. And thanks for telling us how many petticoats as well :P
Thanks! I'm glad it was helpful!
This video is so wonderfully refreshing! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and for your infectious smile.
Very clear and allowed a better understanding of the differences and sameness of eras. Great video for all. Thanks. I appreciate your hair comments.
Thanks! I'm glad it was helpful!
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!
Thank you!
Congratulations on the 10k! I am not plus sized but still found this very informative. Thanks 😊
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Your joy is absolutely contagious! Love your channel and all your tips. 😃
Thank you so much!
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
I just live your content. It's nice to see someone that's really close to my body shape, I am a tall plus size and I love victorian fashions. I just learned to sew a few months ago and recently finished a corset and a Victorian walking suit
Thank you so much!
Your enthousiasm about 1830s clothing is so good to witness ! Also, thank you so sooo much for videos like this one, the world needs more of them. MOAR ! 💕
Thank you! The 1830's are just so fun! :)
I Rebecca, I have always loved watching your channel and am happy that you take the time to talk to us plus size girls. I have never really had an issue with confidence when it came historical costumes although I’m plus sized and a dark skinned black girl. I have always worn what ever l liked but I will admit that I am scared at trying 1930s Little Bow Peep styled dresses.😂 I need courage but I will keep it mind for a project some time. My favorite eras are 1780s, 1840s 1860-70s I actually like natural form styles and 1940s and 1950s fashion.
Fantastic and informative. Thank you so much. Keep safe and well. ❤️ Lynne
The UA-cam algorithm bought me here and I'm so glad it did. What a fantastic video?! So informative, easy to watch and fun. Subscribed....thank you!!💗🙌
Thank you so much! And welcome!
This was really interesting! I don't do costuming or dress in costume but I like vintage-inspired outfits and sometimes feel like they don't look 'right' on me. This helped me think about what eras might work best for my particular proportions and ways to make certain silhouettes work in flattering ways for me
I love your enthusiasm. It’s infectious
Thank you!