Getting Dressed for a ball circa 1866

[@kathyastrom1315]

When I was young, my favorite books were the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. There was so much wonderful description in it of various tasks that we don’t do anymore. Revisiting them today, my favorite thing is the repeated detailed depiction of dressmaking and sewing in the last two books. One great scene is when Laura and Ma are sewing her sister Mary’s new best dress for blind school. The conundrum is that they have heard rumors that hoop skirts might be coming back into fashion (it’s around 1882), but aren’t sure. So, they cheat the skirt’s size to give it enough fullness to accommodate hoops if necessary, but also to not be too voluminous if they didn’t come back.

[@MrsJuba2022]

I think it was bustles coming back not hoops! And I think it's in these happy golden years

[@Laura_G]

I loved those books!

[@MizzKittyBichon]

Oh my God! I loved the Little House books growing up and you just described one of my all-time favorite scenes! I think that "Little Town on the Prairie" and "These Happy Golden Years" were some of the best books from that series mainly because of all the fascinating and incredibly detailed descriptions about the fashions of Laura's day. I also really adored the fur cape and muff chapter from "On the Banks of Plum Creek."

[@kathyastrom1315]

There are so many great sewing scenes. Laura’s first paying job at age 14 is spending a month or two just sewing buttonholes for men’s shirts at a store in town that specialized in providing the clothes for all of the young single men pouring into this brand new town on the frontier. The owner’s wife sewed the shirts using the first sewing machine Laura had ever seen, but buttonholes were still only done by hand. The wife admitted, after seeing her work, that Laura was better at them than she was.

[@kathyastrom1315]

@@MizzKittyBichon Little Town is my favorite for both the fashions but also the various teenaged fads that sweep through the school. Just shows that things never change!

[@helenel4126]

I was just an extra in a movie set in the 1860s. Fortunately for me, dressers helped me get into the back-lacing corset, the crinoline, the over-petticoat and the different skirts, and bodices used in various scenes. Walking in those enormous skirts was a challenge - so was trying to sit in 21st century chairs while in Holding waiting to go on set. I told my fellow backgrounders about your channel (and your very helpful advice about how to negotiate the loo...)

[@theresajerger3335]

Absolutely nothing rustles like silk. You pay for that marvelous sound of money! ❤

[@kristenbartholomew4209]

All the fabric was so noisy. I was trying to imagine what a room full of women dressed like that would sound like.

[@DeannaGilbert616]

Taffeta is the best.

[@Loki-and-Thor]

It would be quite the susurration of fabric and genteel chatter.

[@EEsmalls]

​@Bonnie Scott ooo susseration is a new word for me, thank you!

[@MelDaltonMusic]

Rustle, rustle!

[@083purplecola]

Like wind in cottonwood trees

[@lutzi1145]

The dress might feel awkward due to its size but it wouldn’t look awkward at all without you mentioning it. In fact it looks very graceful and perfectly elegant, not too big.

[@querent15]

Anyone who could afford this ballgown would have had a lady’s maid. I am in awe of your dexterity to get into this on your own and the details of the gown itself.

[@Mej111]

My university (Vassar College) was started in the 1860s and a fun fact about the first building was that all the corridors were made extra wide to accommodate the women in this size hoop skirt! They would be able to walk past with enough space :)

[@carmichael2359]

P.S. someday I would love to see you do compared to fashions for what was acceptable for a mature lady to wear versus what was acceptable for a young lady to wear, say age 17-18. Especially 17th century through 19th century

[@carmichael2359]

I absolutely ADORE this! THIS was my favorite era! (I once studied History of Costume.) Where I attended college, there was one older building which was formerly Oxford Women's College, and they had to make the hallways twice as wide as other building, because it had to accommodate two young ladies walking abreast with giant hoop skirts on!

[@christineingram55]

The actual beauty of this dress came as you walked along and down the stairs.The different colours in the material shimmered as you walked.This must have been heavy to walk in ..I love this for the Cinderella in me lol, 🥰

[@evelynlauer2669]

Really saved on cleaning floors, raking leaves, etc.

[@ГалинаДеревянкина-о7л]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@nickw3867]

I see why we think of the Victorians as having un-naturally small waists: the skirt structure and bodice work together to create the illusion. This work truly is a masterpiece and I understand (a little) why they would wear such complex designs.

[@dee-annegordon5959]

That skirt was amazing to see in motion. Sadly I don't think I have enough space in my home to even get dressed in a skirt/hoops like this, let alone move around in it. Loved the colour as well.

[@mikitta47]

You know what would make an amazing video .... you in all your period costumes from earliest to latest, passing the torch as if from mother to daughter :) Beatiful dress!

[@hattyburrow716]

Yes indeed

[@florencehollygibbons9300]

seconded!

[@marlowdevlin5401]

Its funny how it was first the farthingale then the pannier then the crinoline-Elliptical Crinoline then bustle then bustle pad then just layers of petticoat (mid to late 1500s-early 1960s)

[@DannyJane.]

The elliptical hoop is my personal favorite silhouette. It's so beautiful swishing behind you. However, you are so right about the WEIGHT. Don't try an energetic dance in the thing. Not only do you begin to sweat, but you'll tire too quickly. So no quadrilles in giant elliptical skirts no matter HOW lovely they are.

[@cynthiatolman326]

You are absolutely beautiful, imagine a roomful of ladies in similar gowns. I had a tiered skirt with a full hoop on my wedding gown that had the additional of a cathedral train. I wore my gown for several hours that day and I can honestly say, I LOVED it. I practiced wearing the hoop beforehand how to walk and sit in it, and except for one or two tricky moments it was wonderful. I felt like a queen.

[@astrothsknot]

17.17 when she looks up at the camera is such a lovely shot.

[@M.Datura]

"I feel like a ship." That actually explained so much of what it must've been like somehow! The slow motion, how much energy is needed to get it to move at all, and then how slowly it comes to a halt again. Pinpointed it so clearly it became easy to notice all of it.

[@eileenhildreth8355]

This gives me Gone With The Wind vibes..beautiful

[@wildfireintexas]

You are adorable and you and your dress are beautiful. This dress is much more complicated and there is much more fabric, or so it seems, than the dress from the 1430’s.

[@northstarsmith6798]

The Little House on the Prairie series talk quite a bit about corsets. There was a philosophy about them. And even young girls wore them. The book stated that it was all about posture. And Laura complained that she would get her hair caught in all the eyelets. When I was a young girl, my mother brought me a half skirt that she called a crinoline. It was made out of highly starched or highly sized organdy. It was as crispy as a piece of paper and it never lost that crispness. I remember trying to wear it under pleated skirt, and the results were quite comical.

[@TheKoolbraider]

What a gorgeous dress.

[@ladyalustriel1431]

I'm always impressed with how you can get yourself into all these layers by yourself. When you knelt down because of the weight to get your petticoat and skirt up I thought, "What a great idea!" Then the true struggle began lol. Absolutely beautiful, as always! Thank you for another great video!

[@kateg7298]

It keeps reminding me of those beautiful, opulent old theatre curtains.

[@MusgraveRitual]

In the beginning I was thinking - someone please help her, the skirt!!... it is eating her!! But in the end it was all worth it. So beautiful. I loved "lady is not for turning' quip.😊

[@camplife7698]

You are wearing my dream wedding gown that I wanted to wear except in white with a long veil. ❤ I've been married for 30 + year's so I guess my dress worked.😂 😢Still my dream though! 😍

[@sophiesnowflake1307]

This pink blush colour is absolutely beautiful on you!

[@christyb2912]

Gone with the wind vibes! beautiful

[@LunaLightbringer]

I cant even imagine how many times I would have fallen down stairs wearing these skirts, but you swept down them beautifully!❤

[@WhenYoureAlexa]

1866 Princess Peach is all I can think of! So pretty!!

[@josephinedykstra3383]

The gown is gorgeous! I think this is the first outfit you've mentioned was very difficult to move or dance in- even the robe de volante seemed more manageable!

[@karenwright9123]

Absolutely enchanting!, it all was about the vision of a tiny lady, in a beautiful gown that would catch the eyes of the gentlemen...balls were a spectacle of pomp and circumstance. As a teenager I loved that era in history,in the UK and the US,soaked it up through books and movies. I had some inspiration from some old fashion decor paintings like in Godey's Ladys Book...my Grandmother had some hanging in her home that had come from her mother,the frames were gilded. The ladies had one some really splendid gowns ,and I would sit in her parlor and admire!! I still love it!! You keep it alive.💖

[@vampiregirl123]

I love that dress. It's awesome that you made it.

[@LPsDarkAngel]

This reminds me of southern belles. Every book and picture o have seen theu have these large dresses. I have always wanted to dress up as a southern lady. You are beautiful!

[@kotadawndragon]

I love the silhouette of the skirt. It's what all my ballgown dreams were made of when I was a child. I always wanted to either have a cape that flared dramatically behind me as I walked (a la Professor Snape) or to have a beautiful gown that just flowed down the stairs like that one does. 😍 My first thought when I saw the little lanterns with candles in them was that I could see how those types of skirts could be a fire hazard. It would be so easy to get close to one without even realizing it. Of course, you'd notice pretty quickly afterward.

[@JB-vd8bi]

There were a lot of injuries relating to gowns and fire!

[@priorattire]

that is a bit of a myth. most gowns that are flammable ( cotton) are not work in winter when you have a fire on. wool and silk is not easily flammable

[@marthabenner6528]

@@priorattire Fascinating.

[@marthabenner6528]

@@priorattire I wonder how much of what was attributed to crinoline fires was an actuality the spontaneous combustion of weighted fabrics. At least that's what it was on my mind when I watched the history of videos on both of those happenings.

[@kotadawndragon]

@@marthabenner6528 I remember Nicole Rudolph has a video about weighted silk. It was a really interesting topic.

[@kathyastrom1315]

In doing my family genealogy, I have discovered that my great great grandmother Carrie opened her own dressmaking shop when she left her husband in 1889. She even did well enough to hire assistants. It was a profession she returned to when she needed money in her moves across the country over the years.

[@theredrover3217]

Heck with the historical costume, would be a real show stopper at a ball these days 😍 and a better one than the show all and leave nothing to the imagination so prevalent now. 😏

[@roses1162]

watching you descend the staircase was absolutely breathtaking. I also really appreciate the "dressing down" portion of this, beautiful to see what goes into it all!

[@merelhoekstra7330]

The room is beautiful, romantic and chic decorated! And a very impressive dress; lovely colour, well done! 🎀👛💖

[@Thatgeekycanadian]

This is the first historical fashion era I first fell in love with all those years ago 🥰

[@mrs.anonymous6291]

The gown was simply breathtaking!!

[@CopenhagenDreaming]

"I feel like a ship" is possibly the most charming comment possible. But what a marvellous ship, eh? Also, I can't help thinking that your challenge in getting into the dress on your own HAS to be historically accurate, because surely there have been situations where women have had to manage on their own for any number of reasons. Not necessarily planned - but it is 99.9% likely to have happened to somebody!

[@grimkupid8478]

This look is absolutely stunning, I've always enjoyed the in depth history you provide with each outfit. Thank you for sharing this.

[@richellmcknight446]

That corset is STUNNING!!! I WANT one!😍

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

It’s a beautiful dress in a wonderful setting, especially in the room with the floral curtains and burgundy.

[@BacktheBlue60]

Well then. I am exhausted just imagining the workout from getting dressed. ❤

[@PotatoFaceMakeup]

That color is lovely on you. And while you don't seem to enjoy traipsing around in it (understandable!), I appreciate you doing it for those of us who find it fascinating.

[@krazyriti]

I love the pure chaos that entire set of skirts caused in this video! Nearly sentient they were

[@kandihenderson7226]

Omg I love that corset!!

[@ItsJustLisa]

That whole ensemble is gorgeous! Talk about “sweeping in the room”! This might be why women likely didn’t really need exercise regimens to get their workout. Hauling that skirt around was probably good for the core. 😁. And anything that wide would have been good for social distancing the last couple of years. There was a woman on Instagram who had a friend take pictures of her grocery shopping in 2020. She had a black, round hoop slip that she wore over her leggings and tops. She did get some funny looks, but people were definitely kept at a distance.

[@lruss5050]

They possibly didn’t have as clean a floor to lay the skirt on! It’s all so much fun to watch!❤

[@kimjohnson-ely2591]

Absolutely beautiful!!!! THE Talent you have for making it. The priveledge of being able to make and wear such beautiful clothing. What a blessing!!! I LOVE seeing the beautiful clothes you make being worn. 'Tis a shame they couldn't be worn more.

[@priorattire]

Thank you- but it is not a privilege at all. I worked hard for 25 to be able to do this. It is well earned and not bestowed

[@n.d.324]

That shot from above was absolutely stunning!

[@Muck006]

9:20 "Plain dresses give room for different accessories to CHANGE THE DRESS" is something that women these days have forgotten, because a lot of modern fashion is ... a) using a lot of prints and flamboyant colours AND b) non-standardised shapes / cuts ... which will result in "top a" NOT working with "bottom b" due to the cut alone. This is part of the reason for the giant amount of clothes women sometimes have. Having a handful "standardised dresses" that all work with the same accessories, would be more sensible and save a lot of space.

[@tessat338]

Wow! You can see why ladies would wear something like this when they were a house guest. It would be a nuisance to try to travel any distance in a dress like that and one would need a bit of help to get into and out of it. That color is lovely on your complexation. A friend of mine who worked as a costumer at the Folger Shakespeare theatre had Victorian dresses with cords running the length of the skirt that could draw the lower hem up like a shade on a cord to shorten the skirt length for dancing and then letting the length down for sitting or standing.

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

This makes me appreciate my modern, nearly weightless, pull-on silk midi skirts (elastic waists).

[@tictactoe325]

What an extraordinary amount of fabric in that dress. An eye watering amount. It’s a beautiful dress.

[@ericagraham733]

Absolutely gorgeous coming down the stairs ❤

[@cathiwim]

Nothing beats the rustle of silk!

[@Herr_Flick_of_ze_Gestapo]

the chaise-longue and the big mirror are GORGEOUS!

[@neatodude3339]

Queen of historical fashion!

[@yuantheblue]

The sound of the fabric as you swished around was fantastic! :)

[@BacktheBlue60]

You did a beautiful job making that dress. And I love your personality 😊😊😊😊😊

[@susannem3526]

This is the most beautiful shape imaginable! A big heffalump of a dress. But so pretty.

[@KimchiDog]

The most princessy moment I've seen, ever - you, walking down the stairs, the huge gown rustling in all that luxe, lovely pink 💖

[@Julie-gc3mk]

The pleats at the bottom are wonderful. Beautiful.

[@gadgetgirl02]

I wonder now much static electricity all that wonderful silk is picking up from the carpet!

[@priorattire]

None. Natural silk has a much higher electricity resistance than cotton or wool. This lessens a bit when wet. Faux silks however are a different story

[@d.virgallito3490]

Loved the shot over her coming down the stairs, AWESOME!

[@borbalaequestrian1315]

Lovely!! I posted this on our Annual Civil War ball website and some commented that long gloves weren't in style again until later. Maybe you could do a video regarding women's glove style and lengths through the years? Or maybe did popular length styles differ depending on country?

[@janefuller3715]

That color is breathtaking.. everything..breathtaking 🎉

[@magicskyway]

"A modesty petticoat...in case you topple over." From experience (haha), I can say that this is really good advice.

[@asterismos5451]

Does this really happen much? I'd imagine you'd be grateful for your forethought when it did happen but I can't see you'd fall over much more with a crinoline on than without one unless it's just thanks to wearing high heels and not being able to see exactly where you step?

[@magicskyway]

@@asterismos5451 the petticoat under the hoop crinoline provides extra coverage if you take a tumble while dancing (it’s a ballgown). It happens; you collide with other dancers, you lose a shoe, you or your partner step on your hem by accident…. You end up on your butt and everyone can see your drawers.

[@asterismos5451]

@@magicskyway Ah OK got it. That does make sense, I guess I don't have to deal with hem/dancing issues in my day-to-day.

[@magicskyway]

@@asterismos5451 Yeah, most people aren't going to be doing a fast polka around a ballroom in a big ol' dress. :)

[@veronikavolhejnova5036]

It's enormous, but it's soooo beautiful, and becomes you wonderfully. And besides, a lady could at least be sure that nobody steps on her foot in such a skirt (except probably her partner).

[@pilotgal6191]

Wow! Layers and layers but the result is stunning! Gorgeous!

[@xXOpenYourHeart759Xx]

I have always romanticized big skirts but years ago at prom, I learned how tricky it is to move around in. My skirt was very stiff and heavy so it was a bit demobilizing. But I looked and felt fabulous so I suppose that's just part of the fun:)

[@UYTRELLO]

The 1860s are my favourite years for women's fashion since I was a child. I drawed and drawed dancing ladies... Your rendition of this fashion for a ball is just superb!, a pleasure to look at in awe!

[@WaiferThyme]

That dress is stunning!❤

[@gilliandrysdale5306]

I was a bit worried when you were twirling around with those real candles in the holders but beautiful gown. ❤🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@marthabenner6528]

Do you often see candle holders that aren't on tables or attached to the wall? Not being snarky, I'm genuinely curious.

[@gilliandrysdale5306]

@@marthabenner6528 sorry I don’t know what else to call them unless containers with candles in them they were the glass lantern things on the floor when she did her twirl in the ballroom

[@CraftQueenJr]

Wow. This is an absolutely massive crinoline- I’ve not seen anyone do this big and fancy of one before, usually it’s the more practical and cheaper notch smaller that people do. Which makes sense, as they were more common in period and generally are a lot easier to deal with. But seeing the full on thing is certainly something.

[@Paikesetudruk]

Well, the floor was very clean all the time 😊 How they kept those dresses clean. The skirt part must been pretty dirty.

[@amberneillboaz849]

I'd be interested to learn how one would store these garments! A closet tour would be lovely!

[@LisaG442]

I have read that of woman of modest means would cover an older (perhaps worn or mended) skirt with illusion to hide wear and tear and create a fresh look for a gown as illusion was very cheap. Trimmings and ribbon were very inexpensive also to change up the look. The sheer size of the skirt would make owning a lot of them hard to store I think even for the wealthy so repurposing them was common, and every woman knew how to sew no matter their status.

[@catherinecurtis2865]

WOW!!! Mama Mia, this is beautiful! But then, I am grateful that I can shlep around in jeans and t-shirts...

[@songindarkness]

Beautiful but voluminous 😂 no wonder the rich ladies needed a team of maids! Thank you for another fascinating video and wonderful outfit to show us.

[@BeckyB11]

Beautiful! Large, yes. Once donned, One certainly knew One was "dressed"!

[@annapijanska407]

I love how the room coloring matches your dress! And the corset too, with those pink channels

[@hazel8071]

That pink silk is so beautiful! It really goes well with your hair color and the tailoring is perfect.

[@cherylvanepps66]

So lovely! Did I hear you say 15 meters of silk? Oh my!

[@Branwhin]

Hello from Canada, Isabella! You and Lucas cut such dashing figures in your lovely attire. I am SO going to order a corset from you when I can, And most likely a gorgeous outfit also! All the best.

[@madcatlady2679]

Absolutely beautiful! Oh to go back in time and wear such gorgeous clothes. Thank you, you are just so talented.

[@jayneterry8701]

Soo pretty 😍 and so is that bed with the valance. The colour was beautiful in the bed room but I guess the lighting in the hall was true and I didn't like it as much as not for my colouring. No matter your always amazing and married to a good film maker ❤ 🇨🇦

[@Maria.R]

Without helper it's a very hard to wear it. You are the hero ☺️🙋👏🙏

[@because78...9]

THE BACK IF THAT SKIRT IS JUST HEAVENLY…

[@Michaelneiss]

that much fabric would have made four regency gowns at least!

[@lindaallen9721]

This reminds me of Little Women and Meg and Jo going to balls at the Laurences, as well as Meg going to Sallie Gardiners.

[@debbralehrman5957]

I am just old enough I remember wearing a crinoline slip to grade school. Thankfully thanks to Jackie Kennedy and the 60's culture that stopped. It would poke me all. day long. But this is a different style. It looks very beautiful and lovely on you. A Merry Christmas to you both.👼🌟🎶

[@jessied8585]

Such beauty, such work. Amazing!

[@lindakirk698]

That's fabulous. I would love to have the opportunity to wear one like this.

[@sandrayuen9497]

Beautiful! Absolutely beautiful! You are very talented. Thanks!

[@kaylabostic9705]

I love this dress so much! It reminds me of Queen Victoria’s dress from the Christmas painting!