Did Brassieres End the Corset?

[@smallishkae]

So the tired-old corset rhetoric we hear today is basically if someone in the future came across those ridiculous info-mercials and thought, “wow people in the early 21st century really had trouble cleaning...”.

[@jessicaclakley3691]

Oh wow, that’s brilliant mate lol

[@katarinatibai8396]

😁🤣😂👍

[@annavafeiadou4420]

EEEPIC

[@TheGabygael]

I mean ...

[@bobbiemooney2100]

My great aunt still was wearing her Edwardian corset until just before she died in 1949. I used to visit her when I was a child, and it was fascinating for me, because my mother wore the bra that was usual in the 40s and 50s, so I got an unasked for tutorial from my aunt about corsets were “better”, but that is another story.

[@katherinemorelle7115]

I’d be inclined to agree with your aunt.

[@pseudo.account]

Why is that a story for another time??? Tell us now!! LOL. What did your aunt think was better about her edwardian style corsets? Did you inherit them when she passed?

[@MioHasMoe]

I agree with your aunt. Corsets are so helpful for my bad posture pain lol!

[@TheEudaimonya]

Oh yeah, I love my corset! Great back support for when you're standing and leaning over to do stuff, like a long cooking project. It's also the most effective and comfortable shapewear I've ever worn. Spanx and related garments smooth me down but they also make my waist completely disappear, which I hate. And when my lower back tries to lock up on me I just wear my corset to give external support until the muscles relax. I've even slept in it. Those anti corset advertisers were full of it!

[@eviebraud1307]

@@TheEudaimonya I'm glad you found a good corset that works for you I'm looking to get one too

[@inerlogic]

100 years from now, future Nicole talking about re-creating spanx.....

[@IvoryValentine22]

If history is any indication shape wear will either be unheard of or back to something similar to corsets 😂

[@Love-and-Salt]

“So they used this really interesting material called spandex which was basically small strips of elastic woven into the cloth...we have nothing like this today so I’ll have to make do...”

[@button4631]

@@IvoryValentine22 yeah, spanx will be blamed for women's death and fainting lol

[@SarahBent]

It will be very hard to get the power mesh though, so future viewers will.be amazed at her dedication.

[@MsJPA79]

Don't forget the bustier. I wore one under my wedding dress with spanx control top pantyhose. Nothing hasn't really changed.

[@jaspersgrimoire]

The bra didn't kill the corset- Elastic did. They took the corset, made it elastic, and called it something else

[@pseudo.account]

Good point! Women weren't so much throwing off the oppressive yoke of corsets, as they were upgrading to a new technology! It's like when we went from using a house phone to a cell phone, lol.

[@mastersnet18]

Exactly, corsets turned into girdles

[@leonie4696]

I had to smile when you said "bust supporter isn't really an attractive name" - because that is exactly what we call the bra in German. The German word for brassiere is "Büstenhalter", which translates as "bust holder" or bust supporter. We usually shorten it to BH, just as English-speaking people usually say 'bra'.

[@idasvenning3892]

Yeah it’s the exact same in Swedish! The original word bysthållare (literally bust holder) is very rarely used nowadays, in favour of the short bh or the lengthened shortening (yes very necessary 😂) behå.

[@Wisia02-02]

It is similar in Polish - "biustonosz" could be translate into hm. "bust carrier" or something like that, and it comes from German. We use word "stanik" too and it comes from word "stan" that means upper part of dress/torso, but this word changed its meaning through decades, with changes in woman fashion (upper part of dress > bodice (?) > corset > bra).

[@TheGabygael]

Ironically enough that's also how we call it in French x)

[@anna_in_aotearoa3166]

It's so fun and interesting to see how names for the same items around the world! These "bosom holder" forms of naming the bra remind me very humorously of one Australian slang name for a bra, which is an "over-the-shoulder boulder-holder".... 😂

[@catherinerayburn100]

It could be worse with crude American of "over shoulder boulder holder" said mainly by what some might call "white trash".

[@sylviapesek5193]

Fascinating, as always, and such a delight to watch. I was born in 1946, and when I was a little girl, I would watch in awe as my grandmother would first don her teddies, then her "shimmy" (chemise), then her corset, and finally her bra (which she pronounced "bray"). She was born in Louisiana in 1880, lived until 1975, and probably wore all those undergarments until she was at least 90. I found it fascinating, and rather daunting!

[@LittleKitty22]

Why did she wear a bra AND a corset?

[@clarestebbing2901]

I love when you fall down a research rabbit hole. Alice would be proud.

[@thephoenix3674]

Indeed :)

[@lisahodges8299]

It was very strange seeing my grandmother's foundation garments worn by someone from this century; she did not wear more modern garments. The steelmaker who called twice a year to make her clothes made her bras too. The only difference is that she had pink brocade underwear. Birdy

[@nblmqst1167]

My grandmother was born in 1900, and I also find it strange.

[@pseudo.account]

Steelmaker? Were corset makers called steelmakers?

[@lisahodges8299]

Predictive text.. Oh dear sorry, I meant dressmaker. Birdy

[@MahHairChronicles]

@@lisahodges8299 "Steelmaker" makes for a very interesting story though....

[@marthaschwartz5031]

In case anyone is wondering, the bra in France is called a soutien-gorge (chest/bust support).

[@jea7362]

Other fun fact: in Québec, it is commonly called a brassière. So the term is used in some french-speaking parts, probably because the US is just across the border haha

[@ragnkja]

@@jea7362 And because so much of the same country speaks English.

[@zoui976]

Well in France we have both soutien-gorge and brassière but there is a difference between them: a brassière a sports bra and everythong else is a soutien-gorge...

[@johannageisel5390]

In German it's "Büstenhalter", short "BH" (pronounced Beh-hah), which translates to "bust holder".

[@marthaschwartz5031]

@@johannageisel5390 "Bust holder" is so accurate and also funny.

[@katiejo911]

Corset cover goes to bra, Corset goes to girdle. May have said this before but my Irish grandmother wore a corset every day until they put her in the nursing home in the late 1970s. It really helped her back when she was milking cows.

[@wingthorn]

The corset certainly persisted well into the 1960s, at least in Montreal. On my way to class, I passed a corsetiere's shop that showed corsets, usually in that odd shade of pinkish tan called "nude", in their modestly small windows. And this wasn't an odd remnant in an obscure neighbourhood. This was on a main fashionable street, right next door to Holt Renfrew, which was, and still is, a high-end shop.

[@indigohalf]

I think of the 1910s and 20s as the "Cambrian explosion" of women's supportive garments. The underbust corset left an ecological niche that was filled by a profusion of new forms!

[@pseudo.account]

Ahahaha I love the analogy

[@TechKnowCat]

what i want to know is, why we stopped wearing a chemise under the brassieres? we need to bring that back ...or maybe i need to stop wearing cheap bras lol

[@NicoleRudolph]

I think it's because as the corset dropped, we needed something under that. But we also needed something OVER the brassiere so that it wouldn't show through sheer outer layers. Hence the slip became the full body garment, but as a mid layer. The chemise just protected agains the corset or girdle and eventually became shorts (knickers, etc) and then more fitted underwear. I really need to do a video on that garments transition at some point!

[@fridabafverfeldt2008]

@@NicoleRudolph yes, that would make a really interesting video. please do!

[@angellover02171]

Why do you feel you need a chemise? Is it the underwire?

[@coolthinghere6853]

@@angellover02171 they probably mean the cheaper synthetic fabrics the bras are made of, they usually arent very breathable 😩 but seams not being finished enough to prevent itching could be another point too

[@bridgetthewench]

@@coolthinghere6853 Itchy bra seams are the bane of my existence. And they happen in even more expensive bras sometimes!

[@myriamd3152]

I have never made historical garments, but the more I look at videos etc, the more I want to. And underthings are what appeal to me the most (maybe because I find modern ones so uncomfortable). This one appeared in my pinterest a few days ago, and you seem to say it is as comfortable as I thought it would be. I will try my hand at this. Thank you very much

[@katherinemorelle7115]

Go for it!

[@kathrynehiersche1817]

good luck!

[@janicela9863]

Oh my gosh! Almost drooling when I saw that Fairy Brassiere. It is so beautiful and functional. Why, oh why do we have bras made of synthetic materials when we could have this incredible bra that would breathe? Thank you for sharing this bit of history and your impeccable sewing skills. My eyes and patience would no longer be up to create a masterpiece such as this 👏

[@krysil1221]

As a woman with a considerable amount of acreage upstairs it's always required considerable support. I absolutely hate underwire bras so perhaps making one more like what you have made might be the ticket to being more comfortable. At the very least I'll have something pretty to wear which, sadly, I don't often find now.

[@devinbaggs7542]

This is like an "overwire" bra :D

[@bobbibuttons8730]

I’m exactly the same Krystal. This may be worth making.

[@ayjamay]

See you and I only like underwire bras everything else makes me feel floppy 😂

[@button4631]

I've always found the old cross your heart soft cup bras to be more supportive than underwires which often leave wounds on my chub.

[@katherinemorelle7115]

@@button4631 yes! I’m currently wearing a cross your heart longline bra. It’s the only bra I wear (other than this, I wear corsets). It not only supports my AU G cups (that’s an H or I in US cups, I think), but it also supports my upper back instead of hurting it. The only draw back for me is that it only goes to the waist, and therefore doesn’t support my lower back like a corset would. But it is my far the most comfortable and supportive bra I’ve ever owned (and I’ve owned many). There’s boning in the side front to keep it all nice and straight, but there are no underwires. Still fare more supportive than any underwire that has ever existed.

[@asilverfoxintasmania9940]

ohh so nice to know it wasn't a man that invented the bra. That never made sense to me that we went from corsets straight to a bra and it did away with the corset. That it transitioned into a girdle makes so much more sense. The other slightly distressing thing is that even today we are still buying garments to try and make our selves fit the "ideal" silhouette....

[@LadyArtemis13]

This is all the research I wanted to know but not actually do 😂 Thank you for your service. I'm making a ribbon corset right now!

[@bunhelsingslegacy3549]

My mother in-law (married in the late 50 I think) was told she "needed a corset now that she was married" so she got one at the department store, and wore it once, and then it lived in the closet till she eventually threw it out. Found that out this Xmas when I told her I was exploring a half-corset sports bra thing because "This is like, so comfy" is something I have never once said about a bra. Ever. Best I've managed is "this is probably tolerable for its purpose and then GET IT OFF ME." Turns out I really don't like anything touching my chest under my boobs. And I've never been terribly large so they held themselves up just fine without support... and now that ... uh, age + gravity, I'm finding "things I don't like touching my chest" includes my boobs... Which is why I'm working on a mockup of the top half (waist up) of an "athletic corset". Thanks to your research I'll be experimenting with the placing of the boning in my attempts, because one of the purposes I feel I need a bra is for martial arts because I have a noticeable amount of breast tissue wrapping around my ribcage under my armpit and that really hurts when somone kneels on it when they're pinning me, so I typically wear an underwire bra to keep the girls aimed in front. Oddly, I don't mind a well-fitted underwire at all, it's the tight band underneath holding the bra from slipping up over my boobs that I mind... sometimes even free-range boobies need a little bit of support!

[@raraavis7782]

I'm the same. Bra bands annoy the heck out of me. I don't know, how people put up with wearing them all day. I wear a soft, microfiber bralette, if I have to...and preferably not even that. I'm super sensitive, when it comes to clothing anyway, though. Nothing tight or restricting is tolerable for more than 2-3 hours for me. Sighs.

[@majsmarken118]

I only wear a bra to work or going out. Bra is the first thing I get rid of when I’m home 😀😀

[@queenmcroyal6186]

This sounds very familiar😅 in my own experiments i have found that diagonal boning works wonders! I never understood the purpose of underwires but having boning run sort of from armpit height down to center front is both comfortable and supportive to keep the ladies from moving sideways!! If you want an example maybe you can search for 1790s linnen jumps (I know it roams around on pinterest and instagram) just to see the direction of the boning bc I'm not sure my explanation makes it clear😂😂 i was so surprised about having support without restricting my ribcage with an elastic even though the fabric isn't stretchy at all!

[@HiNinqi]

Please post your progress! I definitely share an interest in this endeavor but dont have a sewing machine to do any attempts. Mine has been stolen twice now...

[@bunhelsingslegacy3549]

@@HiNinqi I actually put the thing together at the end of 2022 out of two layers of linen using an antique hand crank machine, but I could have hand-sewn it, I would have just made three layers instead of two and made the boning channels between two inner layers instead of stitching separate channels. Mocked it up with cotton twill Ikea curtains, reversed the slant on the sideboob bone on one side and found it held things up front and centre better that way so I switched the other side... mockup is comfortable for about an hour then starts pinching my lower ribs so I need to open it up at the bottom a bit and maybe relocate the bones that hit the very sides of my ribcage cause I found a tiny bruise after I'd had it on, though I may well have done that to myself trying to adjust it. For the record, my mockup from Ikea curtains was all hand sewn together and the hem from the curtain made PERFECT mockup boning chanels that I could just base in place till I was happy with the placement. Or thought I was, it's still a work in progress but at least an almost wearable one! I might try making a lightly boned lace up vest from the pattern I wound up with, but the linen one has a zipper.

[@DuarneArt]

History lessons with Nicole! Yay. What I really appreciate is that you flash pictures of the articles you referenced for your video essay, but you don't just read them- you interpret them. Thanks for being an intelligent youtuber and scholar.

[@terryech9110]

I grew up in the south in the 1950’s and there was a woman who called herself a corset maker. Perhaps still supplying some of the ladies born in the late 1800’s who were comfortable in their old familiar supportive corsets.

[@LiterarySnob]

As a very large busted old lady, I would think there would be the ladies that still wanted their favorite corset. As we cling to our favorite bra styles now. I have a feeling that the first one could work for large busted ladies. I was so in awe of your beautiful sewing! All was pressed and it shows off your meticulous to stitching!

[@lady_sir_knight3713]

Absolutely, if you look through the comments you can see several people sharing stories about older relatives who hung onto their Edwardian corsets.

[@katherinemorelle7115]

Maria at Sew Through Time made a 19teens brassiere that does an excellent job supporting a larger bust. Even jumping up and down, there was not a single jiggle. It was very impressive.

[@jennypaxton8159]

I found a 1950s(?) bullet bra at a thrift store. A welcome addition to my collection of historical stuff!

[@lesliehuhl]

Wish I still had my mom's!

[@ebelskivers123]

As a music historian I come to historical dress KZbin half the time just to hear the research aspects! And I mean the clothes are spectacular too😉! 💚

[@logandodson1484]

You know someone is passionate about a subject when they are excited to learn that everything they thought they knew about something was wrong (because it means they have a new opportunity to do more research lol). Loved your video.

[@daxxydog5777]

My father said his mother wore a corset until the day she died in 1948.

[@foxyember]

The snuggle time moment, in the end, was super sweet.

[@ladyslippergrove]

My grandmother wore a corset all her adult life until the mid-1950s. She was a very hard working woman. She said that she had never had a backache in her life.

[@LindaUrsin]

Over here in Scandinavia, it's called a breast holder :) BH for short. That Fairy bra looks like something much more comfortable to wear in summer than modern ones, which don't breathe at all. Being a larger size (very large according to modern sizing) the second one wouldn't work for me without boning, as everything would migrate to a point in the middle :D (Sports bras do that)

[@deborahduthie4519]

The look it gave was a, what my Grandmother called Matronly. Very correct for the period. Well done Nicole👏🏼

[@learikosontcuit7129]

If anyone is interested Brassiere in French in a cupless bra that teens wear when we start having breast but not enough te wear an actual bra. And lucky adults with small or firm breast are now going back to it because it might be healthier for the body. So it does look similar to these 1910 bust support thingy.

[@BethAge95]

yeah, i totally love those! gives a little bit of support, but is not as tight as a sports bra and way more comfy than sth with cups and/or hooks in the back

[@learikosontcuit7129]

@@BethAge95 for me they add too little support to move around but I like that they prevent the underboob sweat situation so I wear them at home 💜

[@mandarinadreux9572]

yeah, I only wear brassiere type tops or really loose sports bras now. But I do have smallish boobs (I don't even know what cup size they would translate to, maybe 70B or something), and they would hold in place naturally (although they do kind of hang lol). But it does give you a very different silhouette! Very boyish. I like the thought of it just being a vintage silhouette :) the early brassieres look so pretty. it's also a more natural silhouette. I've talked to boys who had a hard time finding naked women attractive because their natural breasts looked so different from what is accentuated with modern bras...

[@infamoussphere7228]

haha, I call them "fake bras"! I'm only a b, I mostly wear them to prevent nipple chafing.

[@Udontkno7]

practice bras!

[@mackenziew]

I’m so glad this passes the all important bounce test

[@kayta84]

Love when rabbit hole grabs people. I learn so much😊

[@MisSiszY]

Fascinating. Also amazing that quite a simple, comfortable, construction does such a great job. Also did you ever think youd be uploading videos of yourself in underwear for strangers on the Internet? 😂 (I often think about the warnings received in the early days of the internet and how many of those are now normal 😂 summoning strangers to get in their car, talking to strangers all over the place and people often times sharing their exact locations all over the place. )

[@astra1653]

Yeah, they both definitely surprised me too! I wasn't expecting as much bust support... more like a wish and a prayer, but nope, they came through in the baggage department. Nice! And I love the little snippet at the end where your pupper comes up and says, "Mama, quit talking to the furniture, it's time for snuggles." 💕 So sweet! ❤

[@ascdancer]

This was so incredibly interesting! I might give that first one a try for my ownself! 😊

[@therustysquirrel7760]

I love watching your videos, so much information and detail. I also love the vibe of your format, so in keeping with the vintage feel. Your voice and presentation are so soothing and enjoyable to watch. Thanks you for presenting such quality content for us to enjoy. A special thanks for the videos on mid nineteen teens items!!!! I adore the 1915-1919 era of clothing; it is vintage yet can be very easily worn today. So thank you for including this time period on your channel, not many on KZbin currently do. I hope you include more from this time period in future, especially armistice style blouses, I want a closet full of them in all colors and collar styles, so stinking cute!!!

[@kitdubhran2968]

This was super interesting! So cool to note that bras did not kill the corset. Also looks like something I might be able to make myself. I might try this out.

[@bobbibuttons8730]

I love the way you pronounce brassiere Nicole. It’s so different from how we pronounce it here in Scotland My grandmother who was born in 1890 always referred to her girdle as her corset or her stays lol. She lived in a small village who would not be at the forefront of fashion

[@paisley293]

You should have 370K subscribers very soon. :) You do such precise, lovely work.

[@maywenearedhel]

I'm so interested in making my own bras. I hate lycra and elastic fabrics because I need a lot of support for a 34 E sized bust.

[@india1422]

I’ve made some of my own bras. Beautiful fabrics and patterns out there

[@pseudo.account]

Oof, and those 34E bras are probably pretty expensive too, I would imagine you have to get those from specialty stores.

[@lady_sir_knight3713]

_cries in 30G_

[@pseudo.account]

@@lady_sir_knight3713 😭 what hath god wrought upon your poor soul

[@lady_sir_knight3713]

@@pseudo.account and yet i am much better off than my poor 24H friend. sub-28 bands just aren't made above b cups. only children are that small, doncha know.

[@terrijuanette486]

Today, we use Spandex (Spanx), a very strong elastic material. It does a similar job to a corset or girdle. For me, I don't think the results are as attractive. it makes the body appear slimmer, smoother but not necessarily 'shapelier'. Corsets were about a 'shape'. Most women did not cinch in their corsets. Instead, corsets were used to define the waist, bust and hips so that a particular shape (hour glass) was achieved which accomplished 2 things: it made the waist appear smaller than it actually was and, because of the boning or stays, it smoothed over the natural 'fatty' areas we all tend to have, added padding where it was needed and created a smooth curvy figure. Women padded the bust (and the hip area and buttocks if needed) to make the waist 'appear' smaller by visual comparison. A normal or even bigger than normal waist can appear small if you pad a couple inches to your upper torso in strategic areas (and hips if necessary), smooth everything and well-define the waist, your waist will appear small and give a 'pleasing' effect.

[@mama_mahar]

I haven't even made it past the three minute mark because I'm SO DISTRACTED by Nicole's gorgeous sweater. I keep pausing the video to see if I can decipher the lace pattern and whatnot. 😂

[@susanna3295]

The history of undergarments is always interesting and they both do look comfy!

[@dandeliondew]

Love the little comfort dance at the end :)

[@peterjackson6228]

Really enjoy these videos. I'll admit right now, Bridgerton got me asking myself "when did clothing get so complicated?" and here I am... anyway... while I really enjoy watching your videos, I've found that I enjoy listening to them just as much while commuting on the train and walking to work. I like that you describe the rabbit-holes to you find yourself going down in the quest for research; I've come to think that this is a good thing, in that, if something is interesting enough, it definetly worth going down those routes to learn more. Really great channel! Please keep doing what you do!

[@VtorHunter]

I made a brassier for my 1910s motoring outfit and Foundations Revealed entry this year. I used Wearing History's pattern because it happened to be my size and it is so comfy!

[@MissMagic]

I love the idea of the bra being not just comfortable (what!) but also size adjustable. If only I had the patience for such tiny hems!

This might interest someone: In French bras were (or are) called soutien or soutien-gorge, and the word soutien went with the garment to many places as they were importing either the clothing or the patterns to make them locally. Also, in many occasions French designers travelled or even established themselves abroad, so naturally they used their own terminology in French. In some Spanish speaking countries the term soutien was translated to sostén, both meaning the same (support). In other countries they used the original word without changes.

[@playdohgolem2832]

You truly have some of the best historical costuming videos on youtube! Always a joy to see you've uploaded something new. I'll definitely need to make this one of my next projects.

[@EmeraldVideosNL]

Can I just say what a nice touch the wig is. Everytime you wear it with period outfits instantly makes the picture complete!

[@michelleneumann2413]

That was both interesting and enlightening! I would love for you to show us the construction of the blouse you are wearing with the high waisted navy skirt. I am desirous of the Safari type Out of Africa fashions to come back. They did in the early 80s with the cotton blouses that fit closer to the body, buttoned in the front with pointed collars and large puffy sleeves that narrowed to the wrist. I had several of those blouses, and I LOVED them.

[@jennreeder9237]

I love the clothing styles in Out of Africa, as well!

[@kjtherrick4031]

Thank you for this very timely vlog! I was actually wondering when bras "replaced" corsets, especially because the corsets in the early 20th century were looking more like girdles, which it turns out: they became! Nice to know what seems to make sense generally equates to what was/is! I also like the idea of a comfortable bra. This was a very worthwhile rabbit hole to venture into!

[@heatherbottoms5813]

Thank you for showing the fiddley bits. There is so much detail about making a garment that no one shows.....

[@dianeshiffer364]

Oh my gracious... I just spent 25 of my very valuable morning minutes watching this and I have ZERO REGRETS! The support/undergarment transition of the first half of the 20th century is one of my obsessions with the corselette being of particular interest. I have several large size corselettes in my collection and some of them are a marvel! My dream is to make a 1930s style one in my own size for daily wear.

[@venetiancat]

ou7r videos are wonderfully informative andf makes my Inner Nerd so happy, always look forward to watching them! I want to hang out with you

[@bluexroses414]

I love that you upload on Sundays because I get to make myself a Sunday brunch and sit down and watch a nice long discussion of bras.

[@Baker-m9y]

Thanks. Really good presentation. Something to add... WWI material moratorium put many corset companies out of business and some went into weapons manufacturing. Also invention of auto made driving in a corset very hard.

[@stephc6545]

Really interesting, I was thinking of trying to make my own underwear despite being a novice, and this looks like a good place to start!

[@nannasbraindump6343]

I love how slow your sewingmachine can run. It sounds really satisfying💚

[@simorasimora6460]

On the most machines you can control the speed by a screw in the pedal or on the machine :)

[@annabeinglazy5580]

The "no corsets because they already Had the ideal shape" Thing reminds me a Bit of the current bralette craze. In theory, im all for bralettes. Theyre comfy, theyre affordable, yadiyadiyada. In practice, im a large chested woman. Not super large, but large enough that wearing bralettes outside is Not comfortable for me. It feels like, If theyre tight enough, they squeeze by chest flat, If theyre Not that tight, walking becomes uncomfortable because nothing stays in place. I cant bend and If i do i literally have to stuff myself Back into the bralette (have fun doing that in Public). For a day on the Couch, a bralette sounds great. For actually doing Things, i want a decent underwire bra. The people advertising bralettes seem to be the small chested women that dont really need a bra, or already have a nice Natural shape. For me it feels like companies are Just looking to lower the Material costs and making me feel insecure about wanting an underwire bra because These days apparently theyre straight from hell

[@cincocats320]

I love rabbit holes! In my search for a perfect bra, I have been contemplating adjusting a corset cover pattern. Good to know I'm on the right track and will achieve what I want for a mid teens silouette. Thanks for great research links too.

[@TheAgeofFabulous]

Where did the word “Girdle” come from? That’s what I want to know because it always sounded like “griddle” to me and why would anyone to griddle your middle?

[@NicoleRudolph]

Old English "Gyrdan" meaning to put a belt around your middle, fasten, bind, etc. Hence "gird your loins" means to tie your clothing up around your waist so it's out of the way! Girdle was regularly also used for belts and sashes during the early 20th c.

[@amiejo]

I like to think that a clever feminist suggested girdle to evoke the “gird your loins” sentiment to encourage other women at the time to take on the patriarchy!

[@amai5493]

In german the word "gürtel" means belt and it is very similar pronounced like girdle maybe the terms are related. And it seems they have also a similar meaning

[@inerlogic]

"Griddle your middle" The middle is where the bacon comes from.... everyone loves bacon!

[@raraavis7782]

@@amai5493 They are indeed. The root word is the indogermanic 'gherdh', which means 'enclosure' (like the wall around a garden, for example).

[@ZipZipInkspot]

So appreciated the careful research: it would make an excellent article for one of the dress journals. Your test garment was cut and fitted so well...loved seeing the silhouette come alive.

[@MichaelMcGrathPhotographer]

It's gorgeous on you and I'd say the support feels really good and snug.

[@robinhahnsopran]

This is fascinating! And your passion for this subject is so infectious. I could like this video over and over.

[@anniemoon350]

I am well-endowed, and starting to get back problems. Historical stays look so comfy, as they are supporting my back, and the shoulder straps wouldn't be pinching an already pinched nerve. I have a pattern, but haven't made any yet. Have some other projects to finish up. Also, would like some linen waist length chemises. Thanks for letting me vent!

[@serenacolavincenzo6989]

Wow, thank you. This video was very informative. I've always wanted to know what was the style of underwear at the turn of the century and in the pre-war era. The way you tell and explain everything is top notch!

[@charlarp]

They turned out beautifully! I would love to explore this because I can’t wear underwire bras but I really need the support and lift as I am well endowed. Great video as usual! Thank you!

[@katherinemorelle7115]

You might find the video Maria at Sew Through Time did really interesting- she made a 19teens brassiere that fully supports her larger bust- even jumping up and down there wasn’t even a single jiggle! It was quite impressive.

[@ks.kyokudonanshun]

Thank you for showing the intimate part of dress in the 1900s. This was very interesting to me! It definately showed that misterious silhouette!

[@medicalherbalist2216]

We are down the same rabbit hole! I've been reading and trawling 1910's underwear styles and making for some months now. I'm trying to rationalise all the items that I want to make too. Love your video - as ever. Such a wonderful mix of information, analysis and doing. Thank you.

[@erinrabideau3691]

Gorgeous makes! The cutest doggo everrrrr!

[@jemima2879]

I have been going down this rabbit hole myself as I keep making 19teens clothing for my wardrobe. So many variations at the time as they figured it out

[@teacheraprilrogers]

As always Nicole and Abby make my Sundays a happy place. This is a video I wanted and I am so excited to see it. I am fascinated by mens and womens under garments. My students are always asking about underwear no matter the historical time period. My knowledge is now much more expanded.

[@makeda6530]

Love a good rabbit hole. Oh that fairy health brassiere actually is absolutely adorable!

[@eighsapiens3195]

Thank you!!! I've been arguing this (in my head and with friends) for so long. Stay...corset...girdle...spanx

[@KattGothica]

Thank you so much for the Rabbit wholes I love them. And that fairy Brassiere looks so pretty and it has me wondering how the fit would be on a bigger Busted girl like me.

[@NicoleRudolph]

I am very curious too! I did find that the lace was the "weak" spot and gave a little more than the cotton with fleshy areas. So, I'd really recommend either a solid fabric OR better yet, maybe one of those cotton insertion laces that's embroidered or a cluny lace that's stronger. I do think that the key point was the boning channel that ran vertically over the bust and that can also be done in any style of the era and would be very successful.

[@bridgetthewench]

I'm definitely interested as well, it looks so comfy!

[@roxiepoe9586]

First bra, age 10, 1966. In 1968 I started 'junior high' at age 12 - and I wore a girdle! It was the means by which I held up my stockings- all nice girls wore stockings as all girls wore skirts/dresses. At Christmas that year I got a garter belt and shed the girdle with delight! The only problem then, was keeping the garter belt up! One day it lost it's grip and down it went. There is no event that still gives me the shudders like the memory of garter belt and stockings around my ankles in the hall of Lincoln Junior High. That summer I discovered panty hose and never looked back. :)

[@argusfleibeit1165]

I'm about your age. Did you ever deal with the "garter belt and sanitary pad belt at the same time" problem? What a fiasco. Trying to get in and out of gym clothes, or having to walk home with that. One time I ended up with the pad all the way shifted up over my behind. Were we ever grateful for panty hose and tampons-- YES.

[@lenabreijer1311]

Yes. This so much! Girdle or "corset" to hold up the stockings. And those nasty all cotton pointy bra with only 2 inches of elastic at the back that had to be replaced every few months and straps with no give.

[@marywebb9127]

I have never had that problem. Your garter belt must have been too big. I have had those stupid plastic garter clips come loose that they make most out of. I will never use plastic garter clips again only metal.

[@vivijd14]

Fun fact: french Canadians and Québécois do use the word « brassière » for bra, (as well as « soutien-gorge »)!

[@fishinwidow35]

Yes, the French-Canadians in Maine do for sure

[@Alex-Sews]

In a delightful flip of history... back in the 90's, before there were as many options available to the historical costumer... my mom used the plastic boning from one of my grandmother's old girdles to make a pair of 1830's stays for a friend. It worked like a charm! And I think that's why I never really believed there was a "death" to corsets as a garment people wore. Because obviously, they just... changed.

[@stephaniebeaty8709]

Really interesting! I could totally see this as a museum talk.

[@NicoleRudolph]

A not small part of me would thoroughly enjoy doing an entire academic conference presentation on this in my underwear.

[@becauseimafan]

@@NicoleRudolph 😂😂

[@VeretenoVids]

@@NicoleRudolph Go for it! It certainly wouldn't be the most outrageous thing I've ever seen at an academic conference.

[@miashinbrot8388]

Looking at the illustrations, I find myself with two questions. First, at what point -- and why -- did magazines and advertisements start showing models smiling so widely all their teeth show? These illustrations seem to all have unsmiling or slightly smiling women in them. Second, what did they mean, in many of the advertisements, when they said their brassieres were "hygienic"? Did that mean washable? Not showing sweat? Clean when sold? Or what?

[@thaismcrc]

I always wondered whether there was a conceptual distinction between corsets, girdles and more modern shapewear. I think it makes a lot of sense to view them as different approaches to basically similar goals (i.e., making clothes look the way they're supposed to in any given period). And yay for the surprise dog at the end. What's his name?

[@cassiesews]

that brazierre/corset looks amazing!

[@Korina42]

Thanks KZbin's amazing algorithm, and thanks Nicole for making this video. I fell down a rabbit hole, starting with wanting to dress like a hobbit, which diverted to stays and corsets, and then I realized I've *never* had a comfortable bra (my ladies are slightly hefty and torpedo-shaped, completely unlike what the clothing industry prefers), and so short stays and wrapped stays, and then here. I had long wondered about the origin of the girdle, just never enough to research it, so thank you for doing all the hard work for me. :-)

[@LadyVineXIII]

I need both those bras in a size 38 J please. Seriously, I struggle to find a modern bra with enough cup and those look so comfy and supportive. Even bras made for 'plus sizes' seem to skimp on the cup and I spend half the day putting myself back in them.

[@fridabafverfeldt2008]

i feel like I always learn so much from your videos, thank you!

[@saphirephoenix1173]

The dark hair and make up suits your face very well! You look lovely and I very much enjoyed the detail that you gave about the garments and your reconstruction.

[@Devanrealness]

This was great! I've always loved undergarment history. 💕

[@guineverecassidy4855]

Beautiful bras but come on... OMG! Totally cute puppy love 😍

[@pseudo.account]

Can you cover the transition from this style of brassiere to the ones with individual molded cups? Was that also a gradual process?

[@cherimolina2121]

I remember fiddles very well. The kind with the clasps to hold up nylons. Was like a skirt..no crotch, as rarely were pants worn. Only dresses and skirts.

[@michellecornum5856]

Ah, yes, it's bad when the rabbit hole makes a turn. I love this! It wasn't born and it didn't die! I always felt weird putting an elastic cincher on under my 1920's dress. I guess I shouldn't. Thank you.

[@debe8890]

My grandmother wore a vest, which is basically a women's version of a sleevless t-shirt. She was born in 1884 and died in 1981 (96 years) and she tucked this vest into her panties which looked similar to men's boxers. When I was a teen in the 1960's my sister's and I thought this was hilarious.

[@pseudo.account]

Was her vest supportive in any way? Was it tight to support the breasts, or loose like a slip?

[@amethystanne4586]

I don’t remember what my maternal grandmother(1890-1974) wore on the top. She did wear a slip, and underpants like what your grandmother did - similar to loose above-knee pajama pants. She sewed all her clothing except for her stockings(Sears&Roebuck catalog ). She made her slips and underpants, pieced out from the not-worn-out sections of the white flat sheets that were too worn to be used on the beds in the home.

[@marywebb9127]

Deb E The underwear that you say looked like men's boxers are called tap pants. I wear them over my garter belts and girdles.

[@amethystanne4586]

@@marywebb9127 ..... when I was in Middle school and early high school years(1966-1970), I would put on my garter belt and stockings first, and wear the underwear on top. It was way easier to use the rest room.

[@marywebb9127]

@@amethystanne4586 That's what I meant and worded it wrong. I fixed it.

[@vixenwinter7963]

This was such a wonderful and educational video, thank you for taking us through this journey. Very fun and informative.

[@canucknancy4257]

Those look great! Thanks for sharing.

[@thetimelesscostumemaker1266]

These look so comfortable. As a large chested woman I hate the skinny straps on most modern bras. They cut into my shoulders something awful. These would definitely be great options to help with this issue, I think.

[@SuperNovaSirius]

Amazing and super educational. Thank you for sharing.

[@Pouick]

Woaaaah! Thank you so much! I'm in the process of creating a 1914ish wardrobe for a LARP im doing in October and I ordered the pattern for an under bust corset, but I am on the well-endowed category, and I was really worried how all of this could possibly work. I may or may not climbing in the desert and go horseback riding. This is a life saver! YT suggested your video at the perfect time! :) PS: Greetings from Switzerland. ;)

[@kekjo611]

Kismet!! I am currently going down a rabbit hole trying to recreate the appropriate undergarments for my 1920s recreation. Slightly earlier than what I need, but it definitely is confirming some things for me and steering me in the right direction. Thank you!!!