Wanna learn about 500 years of bums and hips? ua-cam.com/video/aVHsIuNi8iQ/v-deo.html Also, a small works cited and links to all the images I used can be found here: bit.ly/500YearsRefs
As a man I found it quite interesting! The use of painting from the time to illustrate your points was well done. Your reason for doing the video was classic! I went through your past videos wondering if you had ever looked into Sport fashion/clothing. I work in a sports museum and we have a burgeoning collection of sports clothing. This includes a dress used circa 1914.
Abby... Bernadette... Please go search, "Beedle The Bardcore" on YT. The music you used Abby reminded me of this and Bernadette, you would enjoy it as well. The comments on the videos are 👌. 🤣 You won't be sorry. Love you ladies!
That also applies to the rule of serving certain wines at "room temperature" -- in most castles, that was frequently in the 40s or 50s (Fahrenheit). :-)
What I find most interesting about this research that you've done is that it shows that it was WOMEN who wanted to show off their cleavage, not men, who it seemed found it unpleasant if a woman showed too much or at too high of an angle.
I mean, there is a reason women were predominantly responsible for the free the nipple hashtag that was going about awhile ago. They may have been ugly, but gowns that just let your boobs be free sounds waaaaaaay better than the modern bra.
@@ellissardorian7834 It would be easier, but as far as I know, wealthy and upper class ladies (aka the ones setting fashion trends) didn't typically nurse their own kids. They had wet nurses to do it instead,
I feel better about my post-menopausal breasts moving south, now. So glad I live in an age where we can determine our own silhouette, albeit with full criticism of strangers on the internet. I am interested in ‘comfortable, posture enhancing corsets, though!
Lol. With all the euphemisms for ‘breasts’ she should be ok. Reminded me of a book from the ‘70’s (1970’s history lovers) titled “Titters”. It may be out of print but was a rofl look at women’s concerns from Clampax pontoon insertion to methods of bored housewives in the ‘50’s to off themselves and the drugs to save themselves, Sylvia Plath...
So I watched this in my living room while my 13 yr old was playing on his phone, his reactions and comment cracked me up the whole time, he kept asking but why mom, why are you watching this... I’m calling it a mom win that he even watched it at all, homeschool history lesson, plus, respect women and their bodies memo all in one. 😂
"We got some gabled hoods; we got some big sleeves; Anne Boleyn is living her best life. That is until she got a bit ahead of herself." Best part by far LMAO
And it’s also not nudity. Just a bit of skin, that apparently made some old man who can’t handle women at all or some robot that thinks any amount of skin=nude say “HOW DARE YOU HAVE A WOMANS BODY”
Amazing response to the person (or the algorithm) that claimed that your video included nudity. Ten years ago, a friend who is a researcher at a med school discovered that the new search algorithm would not allow her to look up papers on her topic (lactation research). Beneath the thick layer of humor is excellent research.
I remember one instance when the IT department of a pharmaceutical company banned the term "sex" from all internet searches done on the company's computers. That lasted for all of 10 minutes or so, because the company did research in contraception. Having "sex hormones" banned from scientific searches was somewhat counterproductive ...
@@leonie4696 I worked at a council in the UK where "tit" was banned. The only problem? I'm an ecologist and there are several species of tits (similar to North American chickadees) in the UK including coal tits, blue tits, long tailed tits and great tits. This caused quite a lot of unintended problems!
I would be really interested in a video about the different types of maternity and nursing corsets over time. Most of the articles I can find are full of misinformation and it would be refreshing to hear more of an expert's view on them!
I'm most impressed by the many different ways you've described the shape of breasts in technical but understandable ways. Silhouette is a key aspect of historical fashion, but it can be really tough to summarize in clear ways. I'm always a bit stuck on how much information is enough vs. too much. And breasts and sewing becomes an engineering discussion pretty quickly if you are a sewer, while the audience so often gets stuck in Beavis & Butthead mode. *sigh*
As someone who has spent the last two weeks researching (and plan to do a lot more) just to prove a point to someone spreading miss information about corsets, I REALLY appreciate the effort you've put into this!
Every time I go "oh let's just do a quick and easy video about this topic" it becomes this behemoth of images and research and it *always* happens around Mercury Retrograde and it *always* leaves me passed out on the floor when it's done. 😂 It's always worth it though. I really enjoyed making this video and the final result (and not just cause I feel like a cool youtuber with her 4k now lololol) ❤
@@AbbyCox Its always worth it! (Except maybe if your the poor friends who get random screenshots and links at three am 😂) I love knowing I'm not the only one too so I really enjoyed this video 💕
@@jessicaspeedie2434 if you haven't already, check out the highly educational vids by Bernadette Banner. She's done at least 3 talking about the topic, it could be 4.
@@jessicaspeedie2434 Bernadette is the gateway drug for costube. The best bit of 2020 for me was tumbling down this rabbit hole of delightful and informative (mostly) women
Abby, together with Bernadette and Karolina, got me interested in fashion history and I cannot be more grateful. I am always amazed by the amount of research behind each video, and this one is no exception. The demonetization was just laughable and you reacted in the best way possible! Thank you for your hard work Abby!
Karolina! I love her stuff too. Her video about what different decades of the "nineteenth century" fashoin actually looked like, where she hand draws each one while talking about it (apologizing about her "bad art" all the way) was fascinating. I'm also fond of the "Century of Real Beauty".
I love this. I own and operate a bra store and the number of times advertisements on social media have been canceled because of *gasp* women in bras is beyond frustrating.
Living in a society that overly sexualizes my mere existence, and tries to make me feel shame for showing my chest, you’re channel always makes me feel proud to be a woman💖 I needed this💖 Also, late 1800’s and early 1900’s!! Bless you for being a time that’s not only lovely for fashion, but also flattering for my low bust!! I feel so seen!💖
Pretty pastel please had a similar monetization issue. A try on haul. So she made the video again, but her male friend tried on everything. No monetization issues even tho he showed more skin due to him being taller.
Ridiculous. Just because women are women we can get ridiculed for showing “too much” skin (hi school dress codes!) while men can wear very little and even leave their chests bear and that’s perfectly fine.
I *despise* bras. Which is why one of my sewing goals is to make my own corset someday. Great video! I really appreciated the variety of synonyms for 'boobs' you found. 😂
@@angellover02171 They're just generally uncomfortable and I've never felt any kind of support from them since they basically shift around during the day. Corsets and stays just seem structurally superior in every way to me.
@@gisellemurasaki2399 are you sure you are wearing the right bra size? If I had to guess your bra is shifting around it sound a like your band is much to large. To get the same breast volume you would also have to go up in the cup. Basically your bras band size should about the same as your under bust measurement. So if someone's under bust is 31 inches and they are wearing a 38B the band would be way too big. I would suggest a 32 DD or 30E(uk). If you're interested in learning more the abrathatfits subreddit has great resources on the side bar and fitters that can help you find styles and brand that works best for you.
@@angellover02171 That is also what I thought before, so I did a lot of research on them a few years ago. But I've measured and compared bra types and brands and what I currently have is the correct size. While I will admit that it's the best bra I've ever had, I'm still not happy with it (I'm a very picky person :P). My conclusion was that the structure of bras is fundamentally flawed ; two straps of fabric and one underbust band can only do so much. Thank you for the resources 💗 I'm more than willing to take a look and I'll also probably try to sew a few different patterns on my own too.
Like, dear god, I didn't really realise the necklines were THAT low until seeing this video! The lady in that one painting is _definitely_ about to pop right out. XD Anybody who thinks older fashion automatically = more conservative because old fashioned...HA! (and during the Little Ice Age, wow...)
Abby, I have recently gained an interest in Eastern European folk clothing, it is incredibly beautiful. I especially love the head dresses. Unfortunately, my search for someone making them here on UA-cam failed. Everyone is so focused on fashion from the UK, France, and the early US, that no one even looks at the other styles. Maybe the embroidery is too much, but... in the historic sewing community people are starting to all do the same thing...corsets, crinolines, poofy skirts. It would be nice to see someone explore the Eastern European history.
Have you seen Pretty Shepherd on YT? She discusses about Hungarian folk costumes and folklore a lot (along with other topics). It seems to be a personal passion of hers and she is Hungarian (her videos are in English).
@YTistooannoying, why don’t you start your own UA-cam channel, since you’re so interested in Eastern European fashion? I’m sure others will share your passion.
Na Zdorovie! Let's learn together. I have a handmade folk vest and cut lace shirt I bought while visiting Poland in 2001. I shall have to sit down and record what I see so we can reproduce such wonders.
It depends on what you mean by "Eastern Europe"... If it's Poland, there's more folk clothes than regions - nearly one hundred folk clothes (JUST in Poland), the most beautiful considered dresses from the region of Lowicz... links: ua-cam.com/video/b1rVT5GHi9U/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/Y5WVDNYJ1bQ/v-deo.html Ususally you'll get the YT channels in Polish, because people who still sew those clothes (yes, they are still being sewn AND worn for different occasions like weddings or church processions), don't usually speak English. There is a different style of folk clothes for Lithuania, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Chech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia and in tose countries styles will also vary depending on the region... And if the Lowicz region is considered, the headdress for weddings would also vary, just as stripe pattern and colours of the skirts and type and color of embroidery - those are tied to a village or town or a region and you can usually easily guess from the colors and patterns, where the person is from. The wedding headdress would be "czepiec slubny" in Polish if you're interested. Headdresses for maidens were different and married women and widows wore different ones. There is so many folk clothes just in Poland itself that it would be a nearly impossible task to gather all Eastern European folk clothes on just one UA-cam Channel... I can refer you to some sites and channels but they'll most probably be in mothertongues of every country. This is just about some of the Polish traditional clothes: www.polskatradycja.pl/folklor/stroje-ludowe.html
Abby, this post and similar posts help me a lot. I have (as soooo many others probably do) a body dysmorphia. Demonstrating 5 centuries of body fashions has somehow got into the part of my head where friends and family have said 'your body is fine, it's just not the current fashion'. And this one has finally hit me with a whalebone corset.
Yet another example of the double standard regarding women’s bodies. If a woman’s body is objectified to financially benefit a corporation, business or other usually male dominated entity, we call it marketing. When a woman is being independent, intelligent, powerful and dares to not sufficiently protect society from her body (forbid she inadvertently turn someone on ) she is punished with attempted shaming and diminishment of her power. Oh my, did all that come out of me. Just had to be said.
You need more likes! #truth And how come there are places where porn is allowed -like IG, FB, i'm sure there are even some YT channels that borderline porn/nudity....
I'm also reminded of the blogger The Lingerie Addict, who spoke of her blog being blocked by public wifi (like on commuter trains and so on) because it was deemed pornographic. Her blog, for the record, is *not* porn. It discusses lingerie from practical, aesthetic, historical, and social perspectives. She pointed out that to consider her blog pornographic says a lot about what people think of women's bodies. I remember being blocked at work from shopping a sale on Figleaves during my break at work because the website was simply labelled "lingerie and swimwear" (yes, and?). Bodies are not inherently sexual.
Did anyone else break out into song when the House of Holbein was mentioned? Come on you Six fans...you know you broke out your ruffs and started dancing. Baby Yoda and I, totes got down.
UA-cam having issue with boobies is the reason we can't talk about fashion histories and costumes from places like Southeast Asia (unless we're going to show stone carving all day long) where boobies had their freedom for centuries. So it's not just sexist imho -- it's racist.
@@ultrainstinct_god There's nothing wrong with women letting their big gals out, hanging loose. It only becomes 'not okay' when you live in colder climates or in societies where r@pes are rampant and make belief religions impose their versions of modesty
As a woman who nursed for five years, let me tell ya, strangers on the Internet (and irl tbh) DEFINITELY want women to know what they think about breasts being used as food dispensers. And y'know what? We don't! It's like, excuse me, unless you want this child to keep screaming, we're going to be exposing some stuff.
This was really, really interesting. Now I know why old ladies in Loony Toons were always depicted in dresses with the extended bust and the S-shaped waistline from the 1870s-80s. Young women at that time would have been old women at the time when Loony Toons was being made. This is pretty much another branch of Art History and Archeology, which are things I love. Thank you very much for the lessons!
I love watching these with my daughters. They're huge nerds and the history, passionate academic inquiry and fabulous fashion is keeping them hooked. I love that they are seeing fashion as a product of society, art and culture. When a body "ideal" is presented, they get that it will probably change in a few years.
I'm sorry it took a near demonetization to prompt this video, but it's a GREAT video. Really how can you go wrong. I also enjoyed searching the background of the portraits, because there's some weirdness going on in some of them.
Honestly, the history of women in science could be summarized as “&$%! all y’all - I’m doing this whether you like it or not”. Hooray for academic spite!
I had a kid two and a half years ago. I am still wearing nursing bras. No underwire, super relaxed support, I can sleep in these things. I've put on pre-pregnancy bras but they are soooo constricting on my ribcage in comparison that I hate it. 2020 braless phase is now a lifestyle.
I did that for a long time after stopping breastfeeding, very comfortable. I did stitch the drop down cups in place though, after a few accidents where 1 cup would drop down leading to a rather odd look.
Never went back to wired bras after carrying and feeding my first of 3. Shes 20 now. I will check the maternity beas in thrift shops as people seem to think you have to stop wearing them and they are usually in very good condition.
Anne Boleyn was living her best life........ until she got a little a head of herself!!! *dying of laughter over here*. That was a good one. But, seriously, they need to sort out their priorities!! We can go entire videos (which I love btw) talking about periods and stuff, but when boobies come in it is on the verge of being demonetized?!?! Like, seriously, people?!?! GO ABBY!!
I saw that video and I can’t imagine being offended. It showed far less than the bra commercials I see all over UA-cam... You are doing a great job! Keep up the good work!
I think one of my favourite things about that Holbein sketch of Thomas More's family (as I remember, there is a painting that is very similar to it, so I'm guessing the sketch was a draft version) is the simple fact that pretty much every woman has a realistically curved body. They haven't got completely flat stomachs, even allowing that his daughters must have only been in their twenties when the sketch was made, and the overall look is a fairly relaxed "family group" - much less formal than anything Henry VIII would have commissioned. By contrast, many of the portraits of the royal family at the time seem quite two-dimensional . . . but then, on the other hand, it probably wouldn't have been a great idea to show someone like Henry VIII in a more "realistic" light.
That whole opening with Colin as an internet troll is my favorite. "you know you really got them when they call you a dumbass." *ding* "they called me a dumbass." 😂🤣😂🤣
I'm always surprised that social media is accepting of quite violent video footage but FREAKS OUT when it comes to something as lovely as out pillowy puppies. Thanks for such a well researched video; really appreciate it.
Relating to makeup rather than costuming (though the wardrobe definitely helped to showcase a woman's chest), cosmetically 'enhancing' blue veins on your breasts in early modern England was a thing.Great video!
I enjoy historical fashion and the joke I share with myself over the changing silhouettes is, "How are we wearing our boobs this year?" Glad to know I'm not the only one.
The massive shifts in what counts as "modest" and what shapes are considered ideal are so fascinating! I suspect that there is just as much to say about the emphasis or de-emphasis of the butt throughout fashion history. But also I honestly did a double-take when you used a clip from the MBMBAM show! Entertainment worlds colliding!
Yes please, we need a followup vid covering the other side of the figure! There seems to have been just as much variation over time re. conceal vs flaunt shape, but I'm really curious to know whether this was quite as sexualised, given full fabric coverage throughout (in western societies anyway)?
As someone with fibromyalgia and dense breasts which are ahem large, I have pretty much given up on bras. If I had my sewing things (alas in storage) I’d make a new corset or two as they’re more comfortable but no more bras!
I have ME and fibro, so I had my 34Js made into a far less painful DD. I am also planning to make a custom support garment, as soon as I get my house remodel completed.
I joined the International Bra Free study in Oct. 2019 and I have noticed a lot less back pain since then. I have scoliosis and the strap pushes on the deepest part of my curve I agree a corset or stays would be more comfortable.
I love this video! As someone who has been blessed/cursed (it depends on the day!) with a larger chest, it was really interesting to see how bust lines have changed throughout history. I also completely agree with the idea that no one wants to wear a bra when they don't have too! I'm currently trying to work out if I can make anything for lunch with my limited supplies so I don't have to go out to the shop and have to get dressed properly!
Engaging to feed the algorithm, but it needs to be said that the amount of labour put into this was tremendous. Thank you for channeling the incoming negativity into something glorious. It's uplifting to see the next generation taking up the mantle of history. I was internally bemoaning the lack of historical women's diaries, when the happy thought occurred to me that THIS is a woman's diary today. My day was double blessed.
This was BRILLIANT! Thank you also for always including "bloopers." It makes me feel so much better about the "oopsies" when I make videos for my students (remote instruction hell...)
Great video- super useful from both a 'what year is this dress from?' standpoint and a 'so how did we squish the ladies to get X look'? I fully encourage more spite fueled dress history videos, such quality from you, as always.
Educated Rant is my favorite kind of rabbit hole! As a mom of three breastfed kiddos, I can’t help but wonder if having lower cut, minimal coverage was also useful for feeding all those babies. Granted, the “fashionable set” were more likely to use wet nurses, but the average women/child would need to access their milk jugs frequently, and the “freedom” at the top would allow for the change in fullness that happens throughout the day while lactating and nourishing little bellies. Also, shelf boobs make a great place to rest your snacks.
That was a fantastic video! I've always been especially fascinated by the supportive garments worn throughout history, in my quest for a comfortable support for my large, pendulous bosom. You putting so many references together in one video for comparison is great!
Abby, that was perfection. Thank you! (also, I learned last year that modern bras are 1000% more comfortable when not worn next to the skin - I wear a close fitting tank under mine now)
I’m surprised you were able to get this video out in such a short amount of time with as many hours of research it would’ve taken to come up with all of the euphemisms for breasts! Also I love the academics of this and I love your hard-core Snark! You’re the best Abby!
Came for the academic spite, stayed for the history of how boobs are never quite right until they've been reshaped by clothes. Clothes that are constantly changing... Every bit of this video was just fabulous! xo
True Nmy boobs are not semantical...ie. ones a B the other an A due to my hip being shorter....it caused one side of my body to be stunted. And when I am not wearing a bra my boobs are embarrassing....I have a hard time liking them.... .-. And some clothes just don't look right.
I love everything about this. The topic, the spite, the resignation, the sientific insight, the rage, exhaustion and fun and sisterhood. Thank you for pointing out the ridicule of fashion that we subject ourselves to thinking our bodies are wrong/right depending on the style of the decade we live in.
I saw the gowns of the children in your video and would be very interested in a separate video on the topic of children's and teenage clothing in the past.
I've had boobs since 4th or 5th grade. I'm also an Indigenous woman, so my body is seen as inherently sexual. I can't tell you how many normal photos of me in t shirts and stuff have been reported as "vulgar." 🙃🚨
OMFG 😢 So just being a normal human person in your normal human body is TOO SEXY for the gutter-brained misogynists to cope with. I rage for you sister 🤬 and work to a future where this shit isn't acceptable anymore.
@@rj3892 what is especially bonkers, IMO, is that features I've had my entire life that made me "unattractive," (such as boobs, small waist, hips, etc.) are now /trendy/ because non Black/non Indigenous women are getting artificially! Of course, some people are going to say we're being "misogynistic" and "plastic surgery shaming," and it's like, so feminism isn't for Black and Indigenous people and our bodies?! LMAOOOOO. BONKERS.
Omg I had the same issues growing up because I had boobs by the time I was in 5th grade and I’d get catcalled walking home even tho I wore big ass sweaters and frumpy jeans
Happy to hear that everyone has always loved boobs, and yet we're always told it's inappropriate to talk about them 😥 I did not know I needed this video but I thank you for the hard work that went into it. Much love
I'll say my own opinion, such as a teenager of more gentlemanly inclination. It is inappropriate to talk about them: Any man such that he is to provide compliment or otherwise comment on a woman's bust prior to intimate engagement so far as I have seen has been met with scorn by the proximity of women to hear the comment. Even this video she says was made out of spite for a man who so took it to describe the preference he has of ladies to which so surround him. So it is indeed inappropriate, least for men. Between women, I suspect it is less taboo from observation, though I find the entire social group of women rather sensitive to comments that may relate to attractiveness so it may not be the most prudent decision to talk about them as a matter of course. Regardless of all that, yes so far as I have observed everyone is rather found of female breasts, secondly despite this fondness please relegate their discussion to your intimate, because as a male it is like a minefield that type of conversation.
This was the best for spite, titaliciously educational thing ever made. Congratulations on being so chock-full, well rounded and fully supported in your....Um....argumentatatas. In all seriousness, and to come abreast of my point, this is going to be excellent info for people getting into historical costuming since brest position is always in question. I absolutely loved this.
It was such a wonderful moment when you saluted the camera with your mug, and at that same moment watching the video I was drinking tea, and had something to salute you with; felt amazing.
Thank you for the video! Ive been looking at investing in a set of stays so I don't have to buy a bra again. Looking at the shapes given for women's fashion for the bust line for the last 500 years is perfect for helping me decide what look I want. I so appreciate the video in general, and the amazing timing for me.
We have a flag pulley system between our houses so she knows when to launch the second content attack. ...we watched most of game of thrones together over the years, so we've been able to develop excellent battle strategies over the years...😂
I have no problem with modern bras. I have problems with modern bra sizing. Because bra sizing, just like everything else in current fashion, is arbitrary and not made to actually fit your individual body!
IMHO the comfort of a modern bra is fully dependent on the weight of one's breast tissue and overall size. The larger the bosom and ribcage, the more discomfort is felt. Also, the type of bra you wear does make a big difference. Anything with underwire is usually uncomfortable especially in larger sizes because they put boneing in on the sides and since I don't have a chemise to protect my skin, I get pinched and pushed... its very uncomfortable
I like going braless as much as the next lady, but there’s no way I’d actually leave my house without a bra 😅 they’re not that uncomfortable, and I’m lowkey kinda insecure about my girls’ natural shape…
Seeing all the art sources paired with so many quotes in this summary was AMAZING. I tend to fall in love with one era or another and learn about them in context of the fashions that came just before or after, but I've never really sat down to lay out such a long stretch of time. The specificity of the sources you found + 500 freakin years = top tier content. While the demonetization of you existing with a body is awful and absolutely should be called out, the spite-fueled research and compilation that came from it is brilliant.
I'm a simple man. Abby uploads, I hit 'like' Seriously though, outstanding as usual! I have zero interest in dress making but I love how much I learn from this channel and how gosh darn adorable you are teaching. 😁
I would love if you could do one of these in depth videos about children's clothing! My daughter wants me to make her a dress to go with mine, but what info I have been able to find is pretty vague. At what age do girls start wearing clothes more like there mothers and what are the appropriate undergarments??
This is a really late reply and I'm nowhere near an expert, but if she's old enough to ask for a dress, she's probably old enough to wear one. My understanding (again, very limited) is that kids largely wore the same things their elders wore, but more colorful, looser, and more decorated (for girls). If she's pre-puberty, my guess is that the corset would lack the boob-space of older women, but would over-all be the same. If she's entering or in puberty, perhaps advise she wait until her breats are fully grown so she doesn't outgrow the corset in a couple months. Also, you'll likely want to make the corset slightly oversized so it will fit her for a while, and I'd suggest a more durable fabric for the dress
axolirvin971 is right. Children were, for the most part, were dressed like tiny adults and treated as such. It is only in recent history that children are treated as children. You can see it in the paintings Abby showed that include children.
Being large chested from a young age really changes your perspective on clothing and bras as by the time I was starting high school I had pinned down the right cut the right size and the best clothing to wear for each bra for me personally at least I can’t go with a bra for long as it will start to hurt so I tend to wear something with at least a minimal amount of support
This is super excellent, well researched, and the delivery is just so much fun. I especially appreciate that you pointed out how ladies of different boobage looked in the fashions.
I am HERE for this content. As much as I know some people love their bras, PLEASE stop sleeping in them. They effect your lymphatic (the body's waste) system negatively and can effect your health if done long term.
Yes, ..but also the sweat between-, and under the breasts , can get you skininfection...and unsupported breasts can give you back-/neckpain and headackes
lol, i used to sleep in tight bras all through middle school and accidentally warped my ribcage. i don’t think it’s a risk for people with fully hardened ribs (aka not 12) but it really sucks to deal with now!
What a wonderful video! It was so interesting reading your letter, too. Your points about the demonitisation being very skewed in relation to male/female bodies is such an important, well, point. I'm also quietly chuckling at you choice of blouse (which is absolutely gorgeous, btw), because it's such a statement of "try to demonitise that, bish!" 😂👌
Thanks for your hard work! I did not know just how much the tata's have been up, down, and sideways through the years in the cause of fashion. Mostly they have been flaunted but in some ways diminished and hidden.
Naps and the bust shelf-I have often done this, especially at work on days I’m alone and exhausted. lol modern basketball foam cups hold me high enough that I can do this. (And I’m large enough that I never need extra push-up padding, it’s just the same thin foam all the way around.)
Just an FYI--St. Louis was the 4th largest city in the US in 1894. People sometimes forget that it was once a very large and important city at the center of westward expansion. This is meant to be informative, not snarky.
as an artist and art historian I found your video very interesting. I am also a re-enctor of several period and I always cringe a little when several ladies (and gentlemen )are not quite dressed period. We just smile and carry on.
It's interesting to think about how so many people have gotten used to wearing no bra during the pandemic. Will this change beauty standards when everything clears up? Will we be entering a new fashion trend/era of no bras (or barely any)? I consider myself medium-sized in the bust and even before I would go out with no bra. Now I feel like bras are becoming less required by society and more optional just because we all understand that the majority of the time these days is spent free chested. Just something to ponder :)
COMFORT REIGNS SUPREME 2021!! I've been pondering this too and have talked to my friends about it quite a bit! The consensus seems to be that those who have bigger busts are still wearing a bra or similar garment for comfort and support when necessary. Those who have small busts like me are only wearing bralettes or nothing from now on. Regardless of size we seem to agree that wires and pads and itchy lace and all that bullshit is a thing of the past. I've stopped even caring if my nipples are slightly visible bc they're just nipples!! EVERY HUMAN BEING has them 🙄 Special occasion maybe MAYBE you can convince me to wear a bra to make my dress fit better. But at that point I'd rather just wear a corset and get waist definition too.
So I haven’t worked since a little before the world ended, but I do go to the market, etc. I am a full C or scant D 60 year old woman. I add my age so you can visualize the (ahem) the drop (droop) positioning of my breasts on my chest (more like stomach). Now here’s the important part- I have not worn a bra since the last day at work. Not once. Not in summer with light weight fabrics. Not in winter with wonderful knits and wools. What’s more, I do not intend to ever wear a bra again. Not if I get a job. Not if I don’t. Ever. There has to be at least one bright bit to this god awful pandemic. And for me, it’s the end of the bra.
I envy you the freedom of your party pillows. The only thing I've given up since the pandemic is makeup. I still go to work, but don't bother with anything that's just going to hide under a mask all day.
I'd be surprised if there isn't a shift. We haven't been hit particularly hard by the 'rona, where I am, but people are still dressing for comfort rather than style ... and I've lately noticed even *style* is involving a more comfy look. Lipstick and foundation sales dropped significantly, while skincare products had an upswing. I'd love to see a report of the change (if any) in under garment sales.
A Wild McElroy Appears! I basically started screaming because my two internet obsessions (CosTube and everything McElroy) have been combined. I shall now die happy.
This was so fun. I love that you are straight forward about detailing the boobs location, etc. It is the detail we need to get things right - but often have to swim through soooooooo much fog to reach.
Great video! I do wonder how/if "common" or "lower class" women's garments differed from those who could afford to sit for portraits, especially from the 1500s - 1700s. That would make another interesting video.
I just want to say thank you! I stumbled across your channel through the corset rabbit hole. I'm not even sure why UA-cam was showing me corset videos. Anyway, you have inspired me to clean up and organize my sewing room so I can get back to sewing. You've even inspired me to get back into sewing clothes. For years I was only making quilts but now I want to make some tops because I'm just not finding what I want in stores. Thank you so much for sharing all that you do.
What made this video... The use of Tutti Frutti Summer Love by Gunther, and "badapadabada Tits"! Also the exhaustive amount of research that went into this opus of tatas. Bravo Abby, bravo!
This was AMAZING. Thank you. I'm actually in the middle of trying to figure out what kinds of silhouette I want to wear in my daily life and the biggest issue is boobs! This was actually helpful in thinking about what kinds of bras I should be looking for.
Good humored spite! Yes! Thank you for this! This morning, one of my videos--a recording of a traditional Irish tune from the 1700's of all things--got flagged for copyright infringement. I fully appreciate your ability to take a frustrating situation and turn it into something wonderful. I learned a lot from this video!
Wanna learn about 500 years of bums and hips? ua-cam.com/video/aVHsIuNi8iQ/v-deo.html
Also, a small works cited and links to all the images I used can be found here: bit.ly/500YearsRefs
Are we just going to overlook Bernadette Banner in a past life. Wow. 25:34 looks like her twin. Great vid very informative. love it.
As a man I found it quite interesting! The use of painting from the time to illustrate your points was well done. Your reason for doing the video was classic!
I went through your past videos wondering if you had ever looked into Sport fashion/clothing. I work in a sports museum and we have a burgeoning collection of sports clothing. This includes a dress used circa 1914.
What I wanna learn is where you got that beautiful mock neck maroon top! 😍
@@marcuswardle3180 0
You, you little Coxer you!
ACADEMIC SPITE IS MY FAVORITE FLAVOR OF SALT 🔥🧂
You know sh* has gotten real when Bernadette busts out the all caps
Well said.
I just love the comments you leave on the videos of other costubers. They are all just very "chef's kiss"
Bernadette bringing it and I'm here for it 🔥
Abby... Bernadette...
Please go search, "Beedle The Bardcore" on YT.
The music you used Abby reminded me of this and Bernadette, you would enjoy it as well. The comments on the videos are 👌. 🤣
You won't be sorry.
Love you ladies!
Thank you for exposing yourself to a toxic amount of ta-tas. 500 years? You’re a true martyr. How are you still alive to tell the tale?
Tatas are never toxic.
Jammin' out to some sweet Hildy Tunes kept me alive. 😎
IT IS SHE. OUR PATRON SAINT.
Omg you have been blessed!
I don't understand how tits are toxic?
"they demonitized me for boobs, so I made a whole video about boobs"
BWAAAHHHAAAHHHAAAA!!!
Alpha Chad move
100% agree.
My heroine!
Rebel!!!
"Because castles be drafty" is a phrase I need to incorporate into everyday life
That also applies to the rule of serving certain wines at "room temperature" -- in most castles, that was frequently in the 40s or 50s (Fahrenheit). :-)
Dey do be drafty doe
@@JeSuisDeTexas lol
@@JeSuisDeTexas True
So basically...boobs: they’ve always been here and some people need to get over it.
I,d like to over some of those!!!
very much exactly that
DAMN FUCKING PREACH IT AngryOtter! CLEAVAGE AND BOOBS ALL DAY EVERY DAY AND UNCENSORED!
What I find most interesting about this research that you've done is that it shows that it was WOMEN who wanted to show off their cleavage, not men, who it seemed found it unpleasant if a woman showed too much or at too high of an angle.
That makes sense if you think about it because a low neckline would make breastfeeding WAY easier
I mean, there is a reason women were predominantly responsible for the free the nipple hashtag that was going about awhile ago. They may have been ugly, but gowns that just let your boobs be free sounds waaaaaaay better than the modern bra.
@@ellissardorian7834 Yeah just whip a tit out the neckline and let the kid go for it, no having to fiddle with your shirt or whatever!
@@ellissardorian7834 It would be easier, but as far as I know, wealthy and upper class ladies (aka the ones setting fashion trends) didn't typically nurse their own kids. They had wet nurses to do it instead,
There is an old Grooks poem:
Corinna's lovely evening dress,
Shows her charms to an excess,
And makes a fellow lust for less.
Piet Hein
genuinly, hearing people talk about boobs and history makes me feel so much more confident that my boobs look fine
As you should!
Seeing statues of Aphrodite and how far apart hers were made me so happy because that's where mine naturally sit
Me too!
I feel better about my post-menopausal breasts moving south, now. So glad I live in an age where we can determine our own silhouette, albeit with full criticism of strangers on the internet. I am interested in ‘comfortable, posture enhancing corsets, though!
All boobs are good boobs !
So afraid that the algorithm is going to attack this one as well with so many mentions of boobs. This was really informative!
My Stays vs. Corset video has done *really* well, so I'm not *too* worried. 😉
@@AbbyCox It cheers me to know that video has done well! You deserve it Abby ❤️
Lol. With all the euphemisms for ‘breasts’ she should be ok. Reminded me of a book from the ‘70’s (1970’s history lovers) titled “Titters”. It may be out of print but was a rofl look at women’s concerns from Clampax pontoon insertion to methods of bored housewives in the ‘50’s to off themselves and the drugs to save themselves, Sylvia Plath...
@@rhondacrosswhite8048 I'd love to find a copy
@@Oddlyspecific-z6s I googled it and there are copies still out there. Abe Books and eBay. This book was hilarious.
So I watched this in my living room while my 13 yr old was playing on his phone, his reactions and comment cracked me up the whole time, he kept asking but why mom, why are you watching this...
I’m calling it a mom win that he even watched it at all, homeschool history lesson, plus, respect women and their bodies memo all in one. 😂
"We got some gabled hoods; we got some big sleeves; Anne Boleyn is living her best life. That is until she got a bit ahead of herself."
Best part by far LMAO
Great video! Extensive research, well played with wit and sarcasm. The comments were equally funny! Thanks
That and the swollen tick chic made me laugh out loud…thankfully no one else is home rn
YT: you showed cleavage. Demonetize.
Abby: hold my stays and corsets and bras and bralettes...
👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻
Abby: *stares in **_Did you demonetize Nikki Minaj? I thought so_** English*
I love that you sent off that missive to the UA-cams. I’m sick of them demonitizing female creators’ video for nudity when it’s just your body.
Not to mention it rarely IS nudity...
And it’s also not nudity. Just a bit of skin, that apparently made some old man who can’t handle women at all or some robot that thinks any amount of skin=nude say “HOW DARE YOU HAVE A WOMANS BODY”
Not to mention all the very monetized music videos where ladies are shaking it--but for corporate content. :P
Plus, she is NOT NAKED. Clearly UA-cam does not know the definition of nudity.
Exactly! They deleted all the videos of my Johnson from my channel just for showing my body. Go figure?
Amazing response to the person (or the algorithm) that claimed that your video included nudity. Ten years ago, a friend who is a researcher at a med school discovered that the new search algorithm would not allow her to look up papers on her topic (lactation research).
Beneath the thick layer of humor is excellent research.
I remember one instance when the IT department of a pharmaceutical company banned the term "sex" from all internet searches done on the company's computers. That lasted for all of 10 minutes or so, because the company did research in contraception. Having "sex hormones" banned from scientific searches was somewhat counterproductive ...
@@leonie4696 I worked at a council in the UK where "tit" was banned. The only problem? I'm an ecologist and there are several species of tits (similar to North American chickadees) in the UK including coal tits, blue tits, long tailed tits and great tits. This caused quite a lot of unintended problems!
I would be really interested in a video about the different types of maternity and nursing corsets over time. Most of the articles I can find are full of misinformation and it would be refreshing to hear more of an expert's view on them!
This is a video I watched on this a few months ago. Very informative!
ua-cam.com/video/D-88plYTyAs/v-deo.html
This would be really fascinating to learn about!
+
Yes! I am very interested in understanding how it was done.
Love that idea!
I'm most impressed by the many different ways you've described the shape of breasts in technical but understandable ways. Silhouette is a key aspect of historical fashion, but it can be really tough to summarize in clear ways. I'm always a bit stuck on how much information is enough vs. too much. And breasts and sewing becomes an engineering discussion pretty quickly if you are a sewer, while the audience so often gets stuck in Beavis & Butthead mode. *sigh*
As someone who has spent the last two weeks researching (and plan to do a lot more) just to prove a point to someone spreading miss information about corsets, I REALLY appreciate the effort you've put into this!
Every time I go "oh let's just do a quick and easy video about this topic" it becomes this behemoth of images and research and it *always* happens around Mercury Retrograde and it *always* leaves me passed out on the floor when it's done. 😂 It's always worth it though. I really enjoyed making this video and the final result (and not just cause I feel like a cool youtuber with her 4k now lololol) ❤
@@AbbyCox Its always worth it! (Except maybe if your the poor friends who get random screenshots and links at three am 😂) I love knowing I'm not the only one too so I really enjoyed this video 💕
@@jessicaspeedie2434 if you haven't already, check out the highly educational vids by Bernadette Banner. She's done at least 3 talking about the topic, it could be 4.
@@jenniferb585 Bernadette's channel is literally the thing that got me back into sewing and lead me to Abby and all the other amazing costumers!
@@jessicaspeedie2434 Bernadette is the gateway drug for costube. The best bit of 2020 for me was tumbling down this rabbit hole of delightful and informative (mostly) women
I admire your restraint in not breaking out "titillating" until the very end.
Abby, together with Bernadette and Karolina, got me interested in fashion history and I cannot be more grateful. I am always amazed by the amount of research behind each video, and this one is no exception. The demonetization was just laughable and you reacted in the best way possible! Thank you for your hard work Abby!
Karolina! I love her stuff too. Her video about what different decades of the "nineteenth century" fashoin actually looked like, where she hand draws each one while talking about it (apologizing about her "bad art" all the way) was fascinating. I'm also fond of the "Century of Real Beauty".
Me too!! They're so great!
yes!!!
I love this. I own and operate a bra store and the number of times advertisements on social media have been canceled because of *gasp* women in bras is beyond frustrating.
Living in a society that overly sexualizes my mere existence, and tries to make me feel shame for showing my chest, you’re channel always makes me feel proud to be a woman💖 I needed this💖
Also, late 1800’s and early 1900’s!! Bless you for being a time that’s not only lovely for fashion, but also flattering for my low bust!! I feel so seen!💖
Pretty pastel please had a similar monetization issue. A try on haul. So she made the video again, but her male friend tried on everything. No monetization issues even tho he showed more skin due to him being taller.
Aaaaaaaarghhhh!
Ridiculous. Just because women are women we can get ridiculed for showing “too much” skin (hi school dress codes!) while men can wear very little and even leave their chests bear and that’s perfectly fine.
Ridiculous
Both ladies had hilarious spiteful reactions. Women are hella funny in response to their own oppression. Women are hella funny period.
I *despise* bras. Which is why one of my sewing goals is to make my own corset someday. Great video! I really appreciated the variety of synonyms for 'boobs' you found. 😂
What do you hate about bras?
@@angellover02171 They're just generally uncomfortable and I've never felt any kind of support from them since they basically shift around during the day. Corsets and stays just seem structurally superior in every way to me.
@@gisellemurasaki2399 are you sure you are wearing the right bra size? If I had to guess your bra is shifting around it sound a like your band is much to large. To get the same breast volume you would also have to go up in the cup. Basically your bras band size should about the same as your under bust measurement. So if someone's under bust is 31 inches and they are wearing a 38B the band would be way too big. I would suggest a 32 DD or 30E(uk).
If you're interested in learning more the abrathatfits subreddit has great resources on the side bar and fitters that can help you find styles and brand that works best for you.
@@angellover02171 That is also what I thought before, so I did a lot of research on them a few years ago. But I've measured and compared bra types and brands and what I currently have is the correct size. While I will admit that it's the best bra I've ever had, I'm still not happy with it (I'm a very picky person :P). My conclusion was that the structure of bras is fundamentally flawed ; two straps of fabric and one underbust band can only do so much. Thank you for the resources 💗 I'm more than willing to take a look and I'll also probably try to sew a few different patterns on my own too.
@@gisellemurasaki2399 as an intermediate and not as a replacement for corsets, have you considered longline bras?
I don't like the fashion of the 1600s but having such a low neckline is kind of a power move I have to admit 😉
And no central heating! In Europe! Takes a hardy individual with a devotion to fashion!
The fact that it mostly occurred during the coldest part of the “Little Ice Age” too I just-
Like, dear god, I didn't really realise the necklines were THAT low until seeing this video! The lady in that one painting is _definitely_ about to pop right out. XD Anybody who thinks older fashion automatically = more conservative because old fashioned...HA!
(and during the Little Ice Age, wow...)
I totally agree!
I don't feel no power , but i do feel uncomfortable and exposed .😐😌
Abby, I have recently gained an interest in Eastern European folk clothing, it is incredibly beautiful. I especially love the head dresses. Unfortunately, my search for someone making them here on UA-cam failed. Everyone is so focused on fashion from the UK, France, and the early US, that no one even looks at the other styles. Maybe the embroidery is too much, but... in the historic sewing community people are starting to all do the same thing...corsets, crinolines, poofy skirts. It would be nice to see someone explore the Eastern European history.
Have you seen Pretty Shepherd on YT? She discusses about Hungarian folk costumes and folklore a lot (along with other topics). It seems to be a personal passion of hers and she is Hungarian (her videos are in English).
@YTistooannoying, why don’t you start your own UA-cam channel, since you’re so interested in Eastern European fashion? I’m sure others will share your passion.
Na Zdorovie! Let's learn together. I have a handmade folk vest and cut lace shirt I bought while visiting Poland in 2001. I shall have to sit down and record what I see so we can reproduce such wonders.
It depends on what you mean by "Eastern Europe"... If it's Poland, there's more folk clothes than regions - nearly one hundred folk clothes (JUST in Poland), the most beautiful considered dresses from the region of Lowicz...
links:
ua-cam.com/video/b1rVT5GHi9U/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/Y5WVDNYJ1bQ/v-deo.html
Ususally you'll get the YT channels in Polish, because people who still sew those clothes (yes, they are still being sewn AND worn for different occasions like weddings or church processions), don't usually speak English. There is a different style of folk clothes for Lithuania, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Chech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia and in tose countries styles will also vary depending on the region...
And if the Lowicz region is considered, the headdress for weddings would also vary, just as stripe pattern and colours of the skirts and type and color of embroidery - those are tied to a village or town or a region and you can usually easily guess from the colors and patterns, where the person is from. The wedding headdress would be "czepiec slubny" in Polish if you're interested. Headdresses for maidens were different and married women and widows wore different ones. There is so many folk clothes just in Poland itself that it would be a nearly impossible task to gather all Eastern European folk clothes on just one UA-cam Channel... I can refer you to some sites and channels but they'll most probably be in mothertongues of every country.
This is just about some of the Polish traditional clothes:
www.polskatradycja.pl/folklor/stroje-ludowe.html
Iirc V. Birchwood has some videos on the subject
Abby, this post and similar posts help me a lot. I have (as soooo many others probably do) a body dysmorphia. Demonstrating 5 centuries of body fashions has somehow got into the part of my head where friends and family have said 'your body is fine, it's just not the current fashion'.
And this one has finally hit me with a whalebone corset.
Yet another example of the double standard regarding women’s bodies. If a woman’s body is objectified to financially benefit a corporation, business or other usually male dominated entity, we call it marketing. When a woman is being independent, intelligent, powerful and dares to not sufficiently protect society from her body (forbid she inadvertently turn someone on ) she is punished with attempted shaming and diminishment of her power. Oh my, did all that come out of me. Just had to be said.
There are ads on UA-cam that show more of the breast and body than that video showed.
Preach it, girl!
You need more likes! #truth
And how come there are places where porn is allowed -like IG, FB, i'm sure there are even some YT channels that borderline porn/nudity....
Well spoken!
I'm also reminded of the blogger The Lingerie Addict, who spoke of her blog being blocked by public wifi (like on commuter trains and so on) because it was deemed pornographic. Her blog, for the record, is *not* porn. It discusses lingerie from practical, aesthetic, historical, and social perspectives. She pointed out that to consider her blog pornographic says a lot about what people think of women's bodies. I remember being blocked at work from shopping a sale on Figleaves during my break at work because the website was simply labelled "lingerie and swimwear" (yes, and?). Bodies are not inherently sexual.
Did anyone else break out into song when the House of Holbein was mentioned? Come on you Six fans...you know you broke out your ruffs and started dancing. Baby Yoda and I, totes got down.
The inner theatre kid in me is feeling very disappointed in herself...
YAAAAAAAS 🥳
*air horn sounds*
Anne Boleyn living her best life
UA-cam having issue with boobies is the reason we can't talk about fashion histories and costumes from places like Southeast Asia (unless we're going to show stone carving all day long) where boobies had their freedom for centuries. So it's not just sexist imho -- it's racist.
And most importantly- it's anti educational
Just because they did it then dosent make it okay now ok!, i would rather put on stays than bra .
@@ultrainstinct_god There's nothing wrong with women letting their big gals out, hanging loose. It only becomes 'not okay' when you live in colder climates or in societies where r@pes are rampant and make belief religions impose their versions of modesty
@@adflix424 MEH
@@adflix424 I dont particularly agree maybe breast but i hate how my niples look so no .
As a woman who nursed for five years, let me tell ya, strangers on the Internet (and irl tbh) DEFINITELY want women to know what they think about breasts being used as food dispensers. And y'know what? We don't! It's like, excuse me, unless you want this child to keep screaming, we're going to be exposing some stuff.
This was really, really interesting. Now I know why old ladies in Loony Toons were always depicted in dresses with the extended bust and the S-shaped waistline from the 1870s-80s. Young women at that time would have been old women at the time when Loony Toons was being made. This is pretty much another branch of Art History and Archeology, which are things I love. Thank you very much for the lessons!
So many euphemisms for breasts! That must have been hours of research on its own. Your research, as always is exceptional! Thanks Abby.
I love watching these with my daughters. They're huge nerds and the history, passionate academic inquiry and fabulous fashion is keeping them hooked. I love that they are seeing fashion as a product of society, art and culture. When a body "ideal" is presented, they get that it will probably change in a few years.
Sounds wonderful! Now I have to get my mom hooked to this fashion history side of yt!
I'm sorry it took a near demonetization to prompt this video, but it's a GREAT video.
Really how can you go wrong.
I also enjoyed searching the background of the portraits, because there's some weirdness going on in some of them.
Oops, I read demonitization as demonization. Kinda the same thing tho
Love how you film this with a neckline up to your ears 🤣 thanks for sticking it to the man!!
I love it when smart people vent. I'm sharing this everywhere.
Honestly, the history of women in science could be summarized as “&$%! all y’all - I’m doing this whether you like it or not”. Hooray for academic spite!
Hooray for academic spite!! Hip hip!
I had a kid two and a half years ago. I am still wearing nursing bras. No underwire, super relaxed support, I can sleep in these things. I've put on pre-pregnancy bras but they are soooo constricting on my ribcage in comparison that I hate it. 2020 braless phase is now a lifestyle.
I did that for a long time after stopping breastfeeding, very comfortable. I did stitch the drop down cups in place though, after a few accidents where 1 cup would drop down leading to a rather odd look.
Never went back to wired bras after carrying and feeding my first of 3. Shes 20 now. I will check the maternity beas in thrift shops as people seem to think you have to stop wearing them and they are usually in very good condition.
Anne Boleyn was living her best life........ until she got a little a head of herself!!! *dying of laughter over here*. That was a good one. But, seriously, they need to sort out their priorities!! We can go entire videos (which I love btw) talking about periods and stuff, but when boobies come in it is on the verge of being demonetized?!?! Like, seriously, people?!?! GO ABBY!!
Question is .. was it a reference to SIX
So freaky that I read this comment by chance at the exact same time that she said it
I saw that video and I can’t imagine being offended. It showed far less than the bra commercials I see all over UA-cam...
You are doing a great job! Keep up the good work!
I think one of my favourite things about that Holbein sketch of Thomas More's family (as I remember, there is a painting that is very similar to it, so I'm guessing the sketch was a draft version) is the simple fact that pretty much every woman has a realistically curved body. They haven't got completely flat stomachs, even allowing that his daughters must have only been in their twenties when the sketch was made, and the overall look is a fairly relaxed "family group" - much less formal than anything Henry VIII would have commissioned. By contrast, many of the portraits of the royal family at the time seem quite two-dimensional . . . but then, on the other hand, it probably wouldn't have been a great idea to show someone like Henry VIII in a more "realistic" light.
I love the inclusion of the What We Do in the Shadows clip.
That whole opening with Colin as an internet troll is my favorite. "you know you really got them when they call you a dumbass." *ding* "they called me a dumbass." 😂🤣😂🤣
I'm always surprised that social media is accepting of quite violent video footage but FREAKS OUT when it comes to something as lovely as out pillowy puppies. Thanks for such a well researched video; really appreciate it.
Relating to makeup rather than costuming (though the wardrobe definitely helped to showcase a woman's chest), cosmetically 'enhancing' blue veins on your breasts in early modern England was a thing.Great video!
I enjoy historical fashion and the joke I share with myself over the changing silhouettes is, "How are we wearing our boobs this year?" Glad to know I'm not the only one.
THIS is the kind of TOP SHELF content we costumers come for! I thank you, from the core of my bosom. KEEP UP the good work!
The massive shifts in what counts as "modest" and what shapes are considered ideal are so fascinating! I suspect that there is just as much to say about the emphasis or de-emphasis of the butt throughout fashion history.
But also I honestly did a double-take when you used a clip from the MBMBAM show! Entertainment worlds colliding!
Yes please, we need a followup vid covering the other side of the figure! There seems to have been just as much variation over time re. conceal vs flaunt shape, but I'm really curious to know whether this was quite as sexualised, given full fabric coverage throughout (in western societies anyway)?
I think she made another video about hips and booties.
As someone with fibromyalgia and dense breasts which are ahem large, I have pretty much given up on bras. If I had my sewing things (alas in storage) I’d make a new corset or two as they’re more comfortable but no more bras!
Try dome dort of stays. The weight of the breast gets even better distributed than in a corset 🙂
@@MrsYasha1984 I would still need access to the things in storage.
I have ME and fibro, so I had my 34Js made into a far less painful DD. I am also planning to make a custom support garment, as soon as I get my house remodel completed.
@@___LC___ is that a comment on the cost of having a custom support garment made or your time free to sew one?
I joined the International Bra Free study in Oct. 2019 and I have noticed a lot less back pain since then. I have scoliosis and the strap pushes on the deepest part of my curve I agree a corset or stays would be more comfortable.
I love this video! As someone who has been blessed/cursed (it depends on the day!) with a larger chest, it was really interesting to see how bust lines have changed throughout history.
I also completely agree with the idea that no one wants to wear a bra when they don't have too! I'm currently trying to work out if I can make anything for lunch with my limited supplies so I don't have to go out to the shop and have to get dressed properly!
Lol same! Going to the grocery store is an *event* now and I have to prepare myself for the adventure. 😂
Engaging to feed the algorithm, but it needs to be said that the amount of labour put into this was tremendous. Thank you for channeling the incoming negativity into something glorious. It's uplifting to see the next generation taking up the mantle of history. I was internally bemoaning the lack of historical women's diaries, when the happy thought occurred to me that THIS is a woman's diary today. My day was double blessed.
This was BRILLIANT! Thank you also for always including "bloopers." It makes me feel so much better about the "oopsies" when I make videos for my students (remote instruction hell...)
Great video- super useful from both a 'what year is this dress from?' standpoint and a 'so how did we squish the ladies to get X look'? I fully encourage more spite fueled dress history videos, such quality from you, as always.
I love me some historical portrait "nip slips".
Educated Rant is my favorite kind of rabbit hole! As a mom of three breastfed kiddos, I can’t help but wonder if having lower cut, minimal coverage was also useful for feeding all those babies. Granted, the “fashionable set” were more likely to use wet nurses, but the average women/child would need to access their milk jugs frequently, and the “freedom” at the top would allow for the change in fullness that happens throughout the day while lactating and nourishing little bellies.
Also, shelf boobs make a great place to rest your snacks.
That's a good point. I think it would at the very least be a factor.
@@mirjanbouma the snack point, right?
@@amiejo what else could I possibly be talking about? 😁
I can actually hold a mug on mine. Seriously, I’ve rested my coffee there.
That was a fantastic video! I've always been especially fascinated by the supportive garments worn throughout history, in my quest for a comfortable support for my large, pendulous bosom. You putting so many references together in one video for comparison is great!
Have you considered surgery?
Abby, that was perfection. Thank you!
(also, I learned last year that modern bras are 1000% more comfortable when not worn next to the skin - I wear a close fitting tank under mine now)
Yes! I appreciate your saltiness at the policing of women's bodies. Especially buxom ladies. Also, this is impeccably researched and I love that.
I’m surprised you were able to get this video out in such a short amount of time with as many hours of research it would’ve taken to come up with all of the euphemisms for breasts!
Also I love the academics of this and I love your hard-core Snark! You’re the best Abby!
Snarcasm for the win!
And she didn't even use "fun bags" or "sweater puppies".
Came for the academic spite, stayed for the history of how boobs are never quite right until they've been reshaped by clothes. Clothes that are constantly changing...
Every bit of this video was just fabulous! xo
True Nmy boobs are not semantical...ie. ones a B the other an A due to my hip being shorter....it caused one side of my body to be stunted. And when I am not wearing a bra my boobs are embarrassing....I have a hard time liking them.... .-. And some clothes just don't look right.
I love everything about this. The topic, the spite, the resignation, the sientific insight, the rage, exhaustion and fun and sisterhood. Thank you for pointing out the ridicule of fashion that we subject ourselves to thinking our bodies are wrong/right depending on the style of the decade we live in.
I saw the gowns of the children in your video and would be very interested in a separate video on the topic of children's and teenage clothing in the past.
Well that video was so hilarious the 30 minutes just flew past.
I've had boobs since 4th or 5th grade. I'm also an Indigenous woman, so my body is seen as inherently sexual. I can't tell you how many normal photos of me in t shirts and stuff have been reported as "vulgar." 🙃🚨
OMFG 😢 So just being a normal human person in your normal human body is TOO SEXY for the gutter-brained misogynists to cope with. I rage for you sister 🤬 and work to a future where this shit isn't acceptable anymore.
Same, smh
@@rj3892 what is especially bonkers, IMO, is that features I've had my entire life that made me "unattractive," (such as boobs, small waist, hips, etc.) are now /trendy/ because non Black/non Indigenous women are getting artificially! Of course, some people are going to say we're being "misogynistic" and "plastic surgery shaming," and it's like, so feminism isn't for Black and Indigenous people and our bodies?! LMAOOOOO. BONKERS.
Humblebraggy
Omg I had the same issues growing up because I had boobs by the time I was in 5th grade and I’d get catcalled walking home even tho I wore big ass sweaters and frumpy jeans
This video is amazing and the surprise Griffin is *chef kiss*
My daughter's whole mind exploded when the McElboys came onscreen!
Happy to hear that everyone has always loved boobs, and yet we're always told it's inappropriate to talk about them 😥
I did not know I needed this video but I thank you for the hard work that went into it. Much love
I'll say my own opinion, such as a teenager of more gentlemanly inclination. It is inappropriate to talk about them:
Any man such that he is to provide compliment or otherwise comment on a woman's bust prior to intimate engagement so far as I have seen has been met with scorn by the proximity of women to hear the comment.
Even this video she says was made out of spite for a man who so took it to describe the preference he has of ladies to which so surround him.
So it is indeed inappropriate, least for men. Between women, I suspect it is less taboo from observation, though I find the entire social group of women rather sensitive to comments that may relate to attractiveness so it may not be the most prudent decision to talk about them as a matter of course.
Regardless of all that, yes so far as I have observed everyone is rather found of female breasts, secondly despite this fondness please relegate their discussion to your intimate, because as a male it is like a minefield that type of conversation.
This was the best for spite, titaliciously educational thing ever made. Congratulations on being so chock-full, well rounded and fully supported in your....Um....argumentatatas.
In all seriousness, and to come abreast of my point, this is going to be excellent info for people getting into historical costuming since brest position is always in question.
I absolutely loved this.
Bemused spite inspires amazing historical content.
Thanks to you, now I'm profoundly grateful to be living in the golden bralette age.
This was fascinating! And as a life long Girl Scout, I'm totally nerding out over the portrait of Juliette Gordon Low at 23:24!
It was such a wonderful moment when you saluted the camera with your mug, and at that same moment watching the video I was drinking tea, and had something to salute you with; felt amazing.
Thank you for the video! Ive been looking at investing in a set of stays so I don't have to buy a bra again. Looking at the shapes given for women's fashion for the bust line for the last 500 years is perfect for helping me decide what look I want. I so appreciate the video in general, and the amazing timing for me.
This means that within an hour I can expect a video from nicole
Also, am I the only person who doesn't mind modern bras???
We have a flag pulley system between our houses so she knows when to launch the second content attack. ...we watched most of game of thrones together over the years, so we've been able to develop excellent battle strategies over the years...😂
I have no problem with modern bras. I have problems with modern bra sizing. Because bra sizing, just like everything else in current fashion, is arbitrary and not made to actually fit your individual body!
IMHO the comfort of a modern bra is fully dependent on the weight of one's breast tissue and overall size. The larger the bosom and ribcage, the more discomfort is felt. Also, the type of bra you wear does make a big difference. Anything with underwire is usually uncomfortable especially in larger sizes because they put boneing in on the sides and since I don't have a chemise to protect my skin, I get pinched and pushed... its very uncomfortable
I rarely wear underwire. I do, however, wear bras. All day, every day.
I like going braless as much as the next lady, but there’s no way I’d actually leave my house without a bra 😅 they’re not that uncomfortable, and I’m lowkey kinda insecure about my girls’ natural shape…
Seeing all the art sources paired with so many quotes in this summary was AMAZING. I tend to fall in love with one era or another and learn about them in context of the fashions that came just before or after, but I've never really sat down to lay out such a long stretch of time. The specificity of the sources you found + 500 freakin years = top tier content. While the demonetization of you existing with a body is awful and absolutely should be called out, the spite-fueled research and compilation that came from it is brilliant.
Emancipating themselves sounds so much more refined than nip slip! Thanks for a well researched journey through the boobs of history.
"Ladies snowy bosoms™️"
Sounds like something my husband would say about mine. Lol! He's the best.
but hes your husband, thats a different matter as a gy creeping on every women he comes pass . . .
I'm a simple man. Abby uploads, I hit 'like'
Seriously though, outstanding as usual! I have zero interest in dress making but I love how much I learn from this channel and how gosh darn adorable you are teaching. 😁
The commentary on the 1600s reminds me of Nell Gwyn's introduction in the film "Stage Beauty": "I'd shake your hand but my t*t would fall out".
I would love if you could do one of these in depth videos about children's clothing! My daughter wants me to make her a dress to go with mine, but what info I have been able to find is pretty vague. At what age do girls start wearing clothes more like there mothers and what are the appropriate undergarments??
This is a really late reply and I'm nowhere near an expert, but if she's old enough to ask for a dress, she's probably old enough to wear one. My understanding (again, very limited) is that kids largely wore the same things their elders wore, but more colorful, looser, and more decorated (for girls). If she's pre-puberty, my guess is that the corset would lack the boob-space of older women, but would over-all be the same. If she's entering or in puberty, perhaps advise she wait until her breats are fully grown so she doesn't outgrow the corset in a couple months.
Also, you'll likely want to make the corset slightly oversized so it will fit her for a while, and I'd suggest a more durable fabric for the dress
axolirvin971 is right. Children were, for the most part, were dressed like tiny adults and treated as such. It is only in recent history that children are treated as children. You can see it in the paintings Abby showed that include children.
So....1600s people would not be shocked and appalled at 2000s fashion then? Lol
1600s to 2020s: "WHERE ARE YOUR BOOBIES?! WE NEED TO SEE MORE LADIES GET WITH THE PROGRAM!" 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Except legs!!!!
Maybe because women wear trouser like things, but not because of cleavages in display!
Only the shoddiness of our fabrics would offend.
@@mirjanbouma we wear essentially hosiery but then modesty cover our bosoms. They would be quite befuddled.
Being large chested from a young age really changes your perspective on clothing and bras as by the time I was starting high school I had pinned down the right cut the right size and the best clothing to wear for each bra for me personally at least I can’t go with a bra for long as it will start to hurt so I tend to wear something with at least a minimal amount of support
This is super excellent, well researched, and the delivery is just so much fun.
I especially appreciate that you pointed out how ladies of different boobage looked in the fashions.
Thank you for your time and consideration making this video - it's fascinating seeing how standards of modesty have changed over time.
I am HERE for this content. As much as I know some people love their bras, PLEASE stop sleeping in them. They effect your lymphatic (the body's waste) system negatively and can effect your health if done long term.
Yes, ..but also the sweat between-, and under the breasts , can get you skininfection...and unsupported breasts can give you back-/neckpain and headackes
That's been disproven.
lol, i used to sleep in tight bras all through middle school and accidentally warped my ribcage. i don’t think it’s a risk for people with fully hardened ribs (aka not 12) but it really sucks to deal with now!
What a wonderful video!
It was so interesting reading your letter, too. Your points about the demonitisation being very skewed in relation to male/female bodies is such an important, well, point.
I'm also quietly chuckling at you choice of blouse (which is absolutely gorgeous, btw), because it's such a statement of "try to demonitise that, bish!" 😂👌
I noticed the choice of blouse, too, and laughed in approval. 🤣🤣🤣👍👍👍
Thanks for your hard work! I did not know just how much the tata's have been up, down, and sideways through the years in the cause of fashion. Mostly they have been flaunted but in some ways diminished and hidden.
The juxtaposition of the illustrations with the décolletage pop music is basically genius and cracks me up each time.
Naps and the bust shelf-I have often done this, especially at work on days I’m alone and exhausted. lol modern basketball foam cups hold me high enough that I can do this. (And I’m large enough that I never need extra push-up padding, it’s just the same thin foam all the way around.)
Just an FYI--St. Louis was the 4th largest city in the US in 1894. People sometimes forget that it was once a very large and important city at the center of westward expansion. This is meant to be informative, not snarky.
Hello from Tipperary, Ireland. My 81 year old mum and I really enjoyed your humour and knowledge. Good on ya missus!
as an artist and art historian I found your video very interesting. I am also a re-enctor of several period and I always cringe a little when several ladies (and gentlemen )are not quite dressed period. We just smile and carry on.
It's interesting to think about how so many people have gotten used to wearing no bra during the pandemic. Will this change beauty standards when everything clears up? Will we be entering a new fashion trend/era of no bras (or barely any)?
I consider myself medium-sized in the bust and even before I would go out with no bra. Now I feel like bras are becoming less required by society and more optional just because we all understand that the majority of the time these days is spent free chested. Just something to ponder :)
COMFORT REIGNS SUPREME 2021!!
I've been pondering this too and have talked to my friends about it quite a bit! The consensus seems to be that those who have bigger busts are still wearing a bra or similar garment for comfort and support when necessary. Those who have small busts like me are only wearing bralettes or nothing from now on. Regardless of size we seem to agree that wires and pads and itchy lace and all that bullshit is a thing of the past. I've stopped even caring if my nipples are slightly visible bc they're just nipples!! EVERY HUMAN BEING has them 🙄
Special occasion maybe MAYBE you can convince me to wear a bra to make my dress fit better. But at that point I'd rather just wear a corset and get waist definition too.
So I haven’t worked since a little before the world ended, but I do go to the market, etc. I am a full C or scant D 60 year old woman. I add my age so you can visualize the (ahem) the drop (droop) positioning of my breasts on my chest (more like stomach). Now here’s the important part- I have not worn a bra since the last day at work. Not once. Not in summer with light weight fabrics. Not in winter with wonderful knits and wools. What’s more, I do not intend to ever wear a bra again. Not if I get a job. Not if I don’t. Ever. There has to be at least one bright bit to this god awful pandemic. And for me, it’s the end of the bra.
I envy you the freedom of your party pillows. The only thing I've given up since the pandemic is makeup. I still go to work, but don't bother with anything that's just going to hide under a mask all day.
I'd be surprised if there isn't a shift. We haven't been hit particularly hard by the 'rona, where I am, but people are still dressing for comfort rather than style ... and I've lately noticed even *style* is involving a more comfy look.
Lipstick and foundation sales dropped significantly, while skincare products had an upswing. I'd love to see a report of the change (if any) in under garment sales.
Some need a firm type of clothing,to control the boobs , to have free use of the arms😉
A Wild McElroy Appears! I basically started screaming because my two internet obsessions (CosTube and everything McElroy) have been combined. I shall now die happy.
This was so fun. I love that you are straight forward about detailing the boobs location, etc. It is the detail we need to get things right - but often have to swim through soooooooo much fog to reach.
Great video! I do wonder how/if "common" or "lower class" women's garments differed from those who could afford to sit for portraits, especially from the 1500s - 1700s. That would make another interesting video.
I just want to say thank you! I stumbled across your channel through the corset rabbit hole. I'm not even sure why UA-cam was showing me corset videos. Anyway, you have inspired me to clean up and organize my sewing room so I can get back to sewing. You've even inspired me to get back into sewing clothes. For years I was only making quilts but now I want to make some tops because I'm just not finding what I want in stores. Thank you so much for sharing all that you do.
What made this video... The use of Tutti Frutti Summer Love by Gunther, and "badapadabada Tits"! Also the exhaustive amount of research that went into this opus of tatas. Bravo Abby, bravo!
That's hilarious and angering! Social media is now the "moral" compass and the "morality" police. 🤣🤣🤣
UA-cam has ads that show more than Abby showed. Thinking of a particular perfume ad that has two models in skimpy, white swimwear.
This was AMAZING. Thank you. I'm actually in the middle of trying to figure out what kinds of silhouette I want to wear in my daily life and the biggest issue is boobs! This was actually helpful in thinking about what kinds of bras I should be looking for.
Good humored spite! Yes! Thank you for this! This morning, one of my videos--a recording of a traditional Irish tune from the 1700's of all things--got flagged for copyright infringement. I fully appreciate your ability to take a frustrating situation and turn it into something wonderful. I learned a lot from this video!
Little brother: "What are you watching?"
Me: "A video about *old underwear.* It wouldn't interest you."
Academic research fueled by spite is just so good.
Spite is such an underestimated motivator.