Dressing up in an English Court gown, Regency era

[@josephinedykstra3383]

The camp in this court gown delights me- it outdoes the early 1830s, so you know it's spectacular! It's also fascinating to compare this to your court mantua for the 1690s; the drapery and tall white Things on curled hair just... echo. It's so ossified and so desperately trying to incorporate Empire lines... I can't blame Bridgerton for Not, but I sort of wish they had

[@M.Datura]

"My maid has eloped. *Again.* She'll be back." is such a sentence. I love it. Also the front of those shoes are so cute. I'm not one for open backed shoes, or heels of this type, but the fronts look so comfortable and are so quietly elegant.

[@sava-smth]

They look so silly 🙏😭 queen Charlotte really had an entire court of jesters, god bless!

[@ludovica8221]

like a walking airing-cupboard! When I was a kid the airing cupboard did have a lot of voluminous white skirts, aprons and bloomers absolutely covered with cotton tape and rusty pins that I now realise were probably my granny and great granny's underwear, but that at the time seemed to be a cache of unused cotton for bandages, cleaning cloths and craft projects. As kids of the sixties we couldnt imagine people having to tie their clothes on.Now of course I wish they had been saved

[@estoops1592]

I honestly think it's rather cute. There's something dollish about it. Something like a little girl playing dress up.

[@Hannah-nl5qq]

You know how they used to make those dolls to cover toilet paper rolls? My grandmother had them. It looks like those lol

[@hrani]

It is quite horrendous, but surprisingly Elena makes it look a lot more dignified!

[@priorattire]

Yes, she did a great job

[@dianadeedy1025]

My goodness, you weren't kidding: it looks like an over-frosted cupcake!

[@ruremerjerpullche2150]

The court of St.James wasn't the only one in Europe that required outdated fashion during that period. I read that while the Prussian court embraced the French fashion early on (and young queen Luise was a kind of fashion icon), the royal court of Saxony required 18th century shilouettes including powdered wigs and faces into the 1820ies, and the old king, queen and courtiers struck a visiting ambassador from Berlin like ghosts from past.

[@StarchildMagic]

I always think of Regency era dresses as sleek and elegant. It's one of my favorite periods in women's fashion. Then I find out about this, which to me is neither sleek nor elegant lol. Sad that the fabric looked so odd in the video, I'm sure it looks much better in person. Amazing piece of fashion history. Thank you for posting!

[@richardsmith579]

There are lots of caricatures of the period making fun of these court clothes. Once queen charlotte died court dress followed normal day fashion.

[@annepatterson7245]

Anne de Bourgh from P and P really dodged a bullet being too unwell to be presented at court...

[@Tawadeb]

Love this

[@maudline]

But Lady Lucas did not 😅😅😅

[@ahouseofpomegranates4338]

i absolutely love the regency court gown so much. it's so utterly bizarre, trying to keep up with the modern style in some ways yet absolutely requiring the 18th century panniers. it's so beautiful in its ridiculousness that i just can't help but adore it. it's like so bad that it's good

[@WinryRockbellElric]

Finally, you get it. It mY have been atrocious, but it existed, and that’s beautiful in itself.

[@starthelotus3453]

I love it in a campy "so bad it's good" sort of way, though it's certainly a bit more flattering when the panniers aren't hiked up as high as they were in the fashion plates. Also, have you ever considered doing a French grand habit de cour from the 18th century?

[@ushere5791]

you're the only one who could look that beautiful in that style gown! the fabric is lovely, and the draping is rather pretty.

[@joshuadouglas2962]

Oh it's as, uh, special in the flesh as it is in the fashion plates. Thank you for bringing this fabulous monstrosity to life

[@MightyMezzo]

I have to wonder if ladies in the early years of Victoria’s reign snickered over these court dresses the way we snicker over 1970s fashions today.

[@ollie2596]

I won't lie, I love the garish camp those dresses have LOL. Lovely work on the construction of it!

[@M.Datura]

I love seeing how a single person can attempt to dress themselves in such an outfit, then again, if you were going to the royal court, I suspect help would have been available. Loved seeing just how narrow this actually is from the side. Lame is such a tricky fabric to film. It's even tricky to look at in the wrong light. People forget how expensive "shine" was before.

[@mei8511]

I've only ever seen illustrations of regency era court dress when other historical fashion creators would talk about it, but this is the first time I'm actually seeing anyone recreate the outfit! My opinion on this specific era of court attire has not changed- it still looks very off with the extremely high waistline paired with the hoops and panniers required for appearing in court. It reminds me of those barbie cakes where there would be a doll stuck into a dome shaped cake that served as the skirt. Still, I'm very glad that to finally see someone recreating the infamous regency court dress, even with how absurd it looks (Edit: A quick search has shown me that there are actually a handful of other creators who have recreated this style of attire, but this video happens to be the first one I came across)

[@gemmaswain2251]

Looks a bit like a fancy tent. I loved the pockets.

[@chrysanthemum8233]

It reminds me a bit of the very silly Barbie doll dome cake you'd get for a 5-year old's birthday. I mean, you did a great job with it but there's not really a way to make it NOT look like the top half of a woman stuck into an oversized cupcake with too much icing.

[@maggiebrinkley4760]

Oh my word, Queen Charlotte had appalling taste! Kudos to you for making and wearing this extraordinary gown. Of course, at court amongst women wearing similar outfits it wouldn't look so blatant. Isn't fashion fascinating?!

[@lenkaiqus9844]

That gown is so utterly ridiculous - I've never wanted to try on anything more in my entire life!

[@bettanysapothecary]

😂😂😂

[@ColleenMarble]

When someone enjoys historical costuming, they can find something interesting about every era, even if it's not something they personally would like to recreate or wear. I agree with you that this is a really strange silhouette, but I loved seeing it come to life in three dimensions instead of just being a fashion plate. Thanks for sharing!! And to the naysayers - that fabric, trim and silhouette, like everything Prior Attire uses in her projects, is based on research and is clearly the appropriate choice for such a gown. Also, it's expensive. Like, really really expensive. Saying it's cheap or it looks cheap shows your ignorance, so maybe think before you type.

[@pricklypear7516]

I haven't read a single naysaying comment, but I wouldn't flatter them with my attention -- much less repeat their petty complaints -- if I had.

[@CopenhagenDreaming]

I mean, the lamé sort of DOES look cheap! But so would lamé woven with actual precious metal, because that's just the nature of that fabric! It was a fabric meant to be shiny, and while I personally don't like the look of it that's neither here nor there in terms of historical accuracy and what should be used for this particular dress. So I love that this dress embraces the shiny brashness of the style. There are so many examples of the Austen-esque muslin dress, and it's probably healthy to see that those dresses existed next to something VERY different.

[@starthelotus3453]

@@CopenhagenDreaming Unfortunately, nowadays people associate shininess with cheap plastic-based fabric, with the expensive couture brands and such that people associate with high status and wealth most often doing bland matte garments for their ready-to-wear lines.

[@KandiGram]

Bridgerton could never. 💅🏻 Really wish tv/movies would embrace the "weird" stuff of the past.

[@alessiacavalleri7833]

I fear it would consume too much of the budget 😢

[@CopenhagenDreaming]

It's ridiculous and all sorts of weird - but you gotta love that the style existed at all! And... Well, it's perhaps understandable that it's a style that usually doesn't feature in "sexy" regency dramas.

[@qienna6677]

Is the echo playing games with the audio? I refreshed the video hoping it was just a loading issue.

[@kotadawndragon]

That’s such an unusual silhouette. Interestingly enough, it doesn’t look quite as silly as the fashion plate made it look. At least, no more so than the 1740s gowns. I loved the red silk. It was absolutely beautiful. Also, did you get a new microphone? I was able to hear you very clearly, but there was some weirdness going on in the background noise. Maybe I was just hearing people moving around.

[@simplystreeptacular]

Yeah, something seems off about the audio on this one. Normally I never have a problem understanding her but this time I did and I'm not sure why.

[@randomhellspawn1444]

I love them so much and one day hope to make one though I must arguably start sewing first! 😅

[@LaneBrenna33]

Always wondered why they didn’t just stick with the 18th century lower waist as well, if the panniers were mandatory - even if outdated, surely it would’ve been more flattering and made more sense than whatever … this … is? but I loved seeing this strange creation come to life here!

[@alegnalavieenrose8120]

Because Queen Charlotte loved this silhouette and she made the rules. Queen C was extra for sure 😊.

[@TheExvangelicalCat]

-Me sneaking food into the movie theater

[@americaneclectic]

Oh, it’s like Mother Bon-Bon from the Nutcracker.

[@saccharinesilk]

honestly i think this silhouette is underrated, the empire waist with voluminous skirt is fantastic, i wish we saw them later with the round crinoline i prefer

[@sthomson06]

I dont hate this style but as a short waisted lady i feel like the skirt would start at my neck!

[@bettanysapothecary]

I’m also short waisted - so much so that when I made my Regency day dress the high waist was pretty much AT my waist! 😂 but it’s very comfortable, although I made an apron style opening which is ridiculous and no wonder it fell out of popularity! I’ll make a more normal style one day.

[@francescampell2640]

You are the only person I've seen so far who really can carry it off!

[@priorattire]

Well, my friend Eleanor can do it even better !

[@rosebroady6618]

Surprisingly it works. Its not an elegant silhouette but it definitely looks rich and regal. Also it shows why maids were needed. Im impressed how much each layer changed the look. Not something id like to wear though

[@bhavens9149]

The regency court gown makes me think of something my mom used to say about dresses she didn't like "A tent maker would have made a better job of it." In this case i think Queen Charlotte was just trying to make everyone miserable. The colors in that dress are rather nice tho. and the sleeves are rather nice. that's me trying to look on the bright side. :)

[@i.b.640]

"My husband is crazy, so YOU don't get a good time!"

[@margaretfry3043]

It’s like a floating tent

[@vernaharris181]

Queen Charlotte had a wonderful sense of humor…unfortunately, I love the overdone, draped fabrics but my favorite era is the mid-1860-1880. I’d love to see a court dress of that era…I’ve read the criteria of dresses and it is fascinating. Plus, my family said a court dress was passed down through our American family but was lost in a house fire.

[@debbralehrman5957]

It's something alright. Thanks for sharing. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@croitoriafaraformule]

Splendid gown, but all the layers feel a little claustrophobic. I am happy to admire only Congratulations for your splendid work

[@sheriroberts2954]

An interesting garment or garments to be sure! I do like the sleeves! I would love a fancy gown from silk lame....perhaps a different colour. I also like the draping, for persons with some "extra bits and bumps" it might camouflage them.

[@AlexandraKormos]

Thank you so much for this lovely video; i enjoyed every second of it! 🥰🤩❤

[@saraquill]

This train needs a Merlin on it.

[@1One2Three5Eight13]

It's interesting just how much the big feather actually improves the look. I guess it helps balance it or something. I'm not going to say it's a style I'm fond of over all, but I do like the oval hoops more than the circular ones. And there's other eras that also look ridiculous to me. I feel like the amount of practice required to wear something like that (and to not look ridiculous) must have had a gatekeeping function, whether or not that was the intent.

[@kohakuaiko]

It makes you look like a rose cupcake covered in luster dust. Too fancy to be delicious 😂

[@MelMc-rk2pg]

I was thinking the whole time that this was the inspiration for the doll cake.

[@kohakuaiko]

@@MelMc-rk2pg 😂🤣😂🤣 you're not wrong

[@akechijubeimitsuhide]

At least it can hide the "consequences" if a maiden had an affair XD no one will notice under all that.

[@EnglishVirgo]

Is my brain shorting out or do parts keep being weird with the audio and making the words unable to understand?

[@priorattire]

Was fine when I was previewing it? If tricky, simply put the caps on!

[@EnglishVirgo]

@@priorattire I did but the captions didn't know either. I only mentioned it because the captions couldn't help me.

[@Rosy12]

The audio is not good.

[@MayYourGodGoWithYou]

I wondered as well BUT KZbin has been making the sound on a number of videos sound off like this all day so it might be a Google/KZbin issue rather than prior attire issue.

[@WaysideArtist]

I always thought the ladies in the fashion prints looked like cupcakes!

[@sooziemc1514]

So mamy layers! I wonder how many debutantes tripped over their trains.

[@Cenedra-o9c]

It's amazing to see this "thing" used in the royal court compared to the sleek ans much simpler dress used outside court (i have in mind the ones used in any jane austen book (and movie))

[@WinryRockbellElric]

It looks much like metallic pleather. An atrocity, but a beautifully educational one. Thank you for your work ❤

[@Crosshill]

something about the technical scuff enhances the ridiculousness of the gown, i feel

[@astrothsknot]

Lady Izabela's maid has eloped with her court dress, so she must borrow something from Lady Elena to be presented to the Queen.

[@TheGrangerChronicles]

Gorgeous and informative video as usual! I love binge watching this series, especially before cracking onto a new outfit myself! ♥ But oh my god these comments?? If you mention it's not a favoured look in history, the floodgates open for the nasty lurkers who aren't able to articulate themselves well on the internet, thinking it's open season on the dress. I reckon they would have been banned from court for these comments lmao. I don't think these people know how much fabric costs, definitely didn't hear that all of this was silk and cotton, and don't know how much youtube compresses the visuals of the pretty fabrics!

[@Ms-NonSequitur]

I gotta say I'm not entirely mad at the bodice with the train

[@fluffylovers303]

It's hideous. I love it. 😅

[@pauljensen5699]

The wholesale merger of my most desirable style of fashion with my least desirable fashion style, the outcome is not desirable to my tastes. But, I must thank you for doing this, I always wondered what it looked like outside of a 200+ year old fashion plate. On the upside, you now have the ultimate Halloween fashion costume! 🎃👻🎃

[@priorattire]

I don’t, it sold really fast!

[@pauljensen5699]

@@priorattire Now someone else has the historical correct Halloween costume! 😁

[@SamLizziesmom]

Oh my word! I can see why Court women had ladies-in-waiting. It's a beautiful dress.

[@suzybabyyeah]

I am trying to make a positive comment about the shape of the gown...erm... I love potatoes

[@alegnalavieenrose8120]

It’s so extra that I love this silhouette. Bizarre & opulent. I really kind of agree with Queen C.

[@LadyDragonbane]

I love those English courtgowns! They're so silly and cute

[@sandrasmrrelaxation]

It's less ugly than I excepted. in the drawings it always looks really huge and disproportionate but it's nice.

[@usdutchkitty]

Yes, in person it looks much more palatable than the drawings. I mean, they look like you need a sign saying "wide load" behind you but this? Much better to imagine. Still wouldn't wear it to save my life. Yeah, I would not want to marry someone who would have to go to court. No, thank you.

[@vbrown6445]

I often times roll my eyes at period shows that forget that women wore hats, gloves, chemises, stays, hair up, etc. But I do not blame Brigerton at all for using French court dress instead of Regency England court dress. That silhouette is laughable and ponderous (thanks a lot, Queen Charlotte!). They would make for great costumes in a comedy though.

[@nadinehackman2358]

It’s a costume from a scene in the ballet The Nutcracker! The “mom” danced by a male, enters on stage and releases a brood of children from under her dress!

[@dorothywillis1]

@@nadinehackman2358 “Mother Ginger.”

[@maudline]

I would have loved seeing the Featheringtons wear it though 😂

[@Chillitz]

when i think regency this is not what i think of! i have never seen this type of silhouette before!

[@frugalhousewife9878]

Wow - that silhouette - man, I hate it. The fabric is absolutely gorgeous and I love the draped skirt!

[@Eloraurora]

I forget his name, but an American ambassador wrote admiringly about these crazy dresses. Something like 'each lady rising out of a gilded battlement, or one of silvery texture.' Lady Rebecca Fashions read it in one of her videos.

[@dot8605]

Definitely a monstrosity, but a very good history lesson. Thank you for showing it and educating us.❤

[@peneljsmith]

Funny thing happened when you were starting to finish up the look. There was an ad about scary Halloween costumes! This would make a great Halloween costume! 🤣

[@lesaschmidt7668]

I have wanted to make a gown like this since about 2020 when I found an image during a lockdown boredom research rabbit hole. I love the odd and unusual in historical fashion.

[@monikahasch7441]

Really not the most flattering silhouette in history..looks a bit as if the tailor for a rokoko gown was drunk ..😂😂😂

[@sylviawright8995]

Rococo!

[@helenel4126]

How ever did you endure making this - this thing! It’s interesting to see the actual garment instead of just the pictures in fashion books. Kudos to you, however, for your amazing sewist skills!

[@murkydepths181]

Absolutely beautiful ☺

[@georginaturner1237]

Wow theres a whole lot going on there! Very fancy but i definitely prefer the simpler regency dresses. 😊

[@spokenme08]

That’s a look. I’m not sure what type but it’s definitely a look.

[@kohakuaiko]

So, Does the maid keep eloping with the same footman or do they jilt her and she has to find another? Or does her father keep shooting them making her a very young and very merry widow?

[@michelleg7]

Ahahahah I love this, Thanks for showing this its spectacular! This is the real court fashion not what Bridgerton shows. I know Queen Charlotte hated anything French and so French court fashion was an absolute no. I felt bad for the women who had to go court looking like that. I love seeing this real style shown.

[@paulinetrivago.7540]

Im gonna say something brave yet controversial, i think this fashion is actually pretty. For me, its kinda like the 1830s and the french farthingale fashions, its so wrong its right, especially earlier in this fashion when you still had some space between the breasts and flare of the panniers where a waist can be seen. Later on it comes out directly under the bust

[@PeacefulGardenLife]

I agree, horrible! I’ll take 3 in different colours 😊 🙋🏻‍♀️ Just thought you should know that the sound in the video seems to be a bit off occasionally and it can be a tad difficult to understand.

[@LauraRogers-xu1fi]

Love the material you chose!

[@karenwright9123]

Really over the top,like circus tent Big Top. You look fine in anything,but the design is just not flattering to anyone. The fabric was a lovely color and rustled nicely. Really good to see you again. You are looking well and happy.

[@roselienchen9886]

Wow!! So interesting and educational! A frown upon affair, these regency court gowns, I‘ve had heard about it before. Thanks❤

[@johnlgasper2348]

I just love all your videos

[@AalemPenah]

An unpopular opinion I know, but I love this! It's so extra!

[@daisukidatotoro]

It's a lot of look. Bizarre, but I don't hate it. Consider it about as practical as modern "high fashion art pieces."

[@sharonsmith583]

That lame fabric is amazing! Didn't know they had it back then!

[@thebanditking8502]

this doesn’t look weird to me at all, probably because i’m always looking at historical clothing

[@ItsJustLisa]

I can’t help but wonder how many times the ladies had their trains stepped on because of the ridiculous lengths.

[@kirstenpaff8946]

Looking at you sitting in that gown made me wonder, how far apart did people have to sit at the dinner table when wearing gowns like this? Obviously, the hoops are flexible, but it would be really awkward for anyone sitting next to the lady to be constantly poked by her hoops.

[@kellysouter4381]

No chance for a private conversation at dinner, you'd need to shout over the distance.

[@jonesnori]

I wonder if they wore different dresses at dinner? The non-Court dresses in that era were slim.

[@starthelotus3453]

@@jonesnori The concept of multiple different styles of gown for evening events (normal evening, ball, opera, dinner) was only becoming a thing around the time these were worn, with evening dress as a whole being a very loose concept in the 18th century. For a formal court presentation, these would be worn for dinner, but otherwise they'd just wear a typical evening gown.

[@PadmeP]

Next time your maid elopes, I'd be happy to stand in.

[@Wakeupgrandowl]

You know, the undergarment arrangement was so ridiculous and unflattering that I really didn’t know how this gown was going to come together at all, and yet it did! There’s something to be said about intention. They intended the shape, ridiculous or not, and so they made it work. It doesn’t look half bad, in the end. Though the we know it could look better had they dropped the panniers.

[@martagasowska6772]

Someone being presented at the court would have at least one maid to help them in and out of this.... construction is a nicest word I can think of XD

[@rosekopelowitz5069]

That's really ... Something ... As if I'm any kind of fashion icon in my leggings and sweats 😅

[@KatechivonRuskamafia]

Am I the only one who love those? :D

[@edessapop8017]

That outfit actually looks sorta cute

[@inkenhafner7187]

You and Queen Charlotte.

[@samanthaknudson3084]

When you say "pin it", are you using straight stick pins that would be sharp? What a beautiful fan at the end. Beautiful work, as usual. ☺

[@priorattire]

Straight pins!

[@thumbwitch4607]

You can see why good dressers were so necessary!

[@gothmamasylvia462]

Izabela, if I ever have you make me a dress, it will NOT be this style! Clown outfit is right!

[@Wendy_Carter]

Wow, this channel is so interesting!! What fascinating dresses and undergarments! 😮 This one here looks especially difficult to put on and wear. 😏 Do you sew these yourself? If so: awesome job! 👍🏻😍🏆

[@Ithilwen22]

I call them cupcake gowns 😆

[@MsKarpalo]

You actually wearing it looked less ridicilous than the fashion pictures.

[@EvaFG1962]

Holy moly