I Made an 1890s Bathing Costume! A Historical Bathing Suit

I am anything if not stubborn, so despite the fact that the leaves are changing and everyone is onto pumpkin spice everything and sweater weather, here is my late Victorian/early Edwardian bathing costume that I made over the summer.
Pattern used: Folkwear #253
Materials used:
Cotton Twill Fabric- 5 yards
Cotton Twill Tape - 8 yards
Coutil - scraps
Bias tape - 2 yards
Image sources:
commons.wikime...
commons.wikime...
forgotten-ny.c...
vestatilleys.t...
www.flickr.com...
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murdochmysteri...
Murdoch Mysteries Screencaps Copyright Shaftesbury Films
Images used under the Copyright Act of Canada - Fair Dealing
For behind the scenes, geekery and tea, find me on Instagram @the_halfling_seamstress
Business inquiries: [e-mail]
Music from Epidemic Sound
Counting the Days - Cody High
Mrs Detective - Claude Signet
Dressed to Impress - Claude Signet
Insidious Mice - Arthur Benson
In The Books - Raymond Grouse
Trans Siberian Express - Luella Gren
April Will Be Cold - Francis Wells
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[@hervescellier6943]

I love when the wet cotton bathing suit inflates and the sleeves make balloons in the water

[@sewwithmsjones1196]

I have always loved this Folkwear pattern. It looks adorable on you...that is, I hope you were going for adorable!

[@HalflingSeamstress]

Thank you so much, I was definitely going for adorable!

[@brendaescalon2175]

Beautiful

[@juniperjr2017]

The bathing costume turned out so well! How fun 😊

[@HalflingSeamstress]

Thank you!

[@elainebye9090]

Just perfect! I admire how much payou have with all the fiddly steps. But the end result seems worthy of your effort. Great job!

[@HalflingSeamstress]

Thank you! The riddle steps can be both frustrating but so satisfying!

[@janetyaegel7811]

Saw wool bathing suit belonging to Mrs. Thomas Edison while visiting site of their home in Florida. She had black and white trim on it. The exhibit said was found in closet just where she left it before organization put it on display with her ointment+slippers

[@christenaeriksen]

Your bathing costume turned out great! It's amazing that the women used to wear their hose in the water!

[@helenmoore8743]

In the Murdoch Mysteries, Dr. Ogden mentioned they were wool stockings. I couldn't imagine wearing wool stockings but in true Dr. Ogden style, she took off her stockings, showing bare legs, before going into the water. 🙂

[@HalflingSeamstress]

And it was rather scandalous lol! I figured it would be a fitting Julia homage to not worry about stockings 😀

[@HalflingSeamstress]

Thank you! I know the hose at the time were a bit lighter weight for swimming, but I still wouldn't be a fan.

[@karinbaird2499]

Wow this is a beautiful bathing suit 😍

[@HalflingSeamstress]

Thank you! 😊

[@WaterNai]

Congratulations! I’m so pleased for you on crossing the 1k threshold. This bathing costume is charming. Scandalous though it might be, I quite like it without the skirt.

[@HalflingSeamstress]

Thank you! I’m so please with how it turned out!

[@michelleblount1336]

It's to pretty to swim in you did a fab job well done.

[@HalflingSeamstress]

Thank you!

[@Charlotte13118]

Bifurcated is totally such a great word 💖😆 This is such a cool project! It turned out so cute!!! Great job! 👍

[@HalflingSeamstress]

Thank you!! 😊

[@janetyaegel7811]

❤ Love your video! Visited Sanibel Islands Historical Village yrs ago. Have photo of actual women in your bathing suits, however had black stockings and hats on!

[@cozyaboutbooks]

Now I also need similar bathing costume. I am rather slim but I still feel uncomfortable in modern bathsuits. Amazing work ;)

[@Coastalwoolwashing]

Ok you are just too cute in your lake frolicking!

[@isabellaferretti7279]

Lovely bathing suit, you look fantastic!

[@ReadProse]

Ah! I hate the feel of wool against skin too, but love the look.

[@messingfuchs]

Congratulations on this lovely late summer project and 1k followers, dear Lydia :) greetings from Luisa (who recently got a vintage singer 48k as her new sewing friend!)

[@HalflingSeamstress]

Thank you so much! That sounds like a delightful new sewing friend, have fun!

[@rachelphelps6347]

I love it!!!

[@EntrepreneurRameshMondal]

Nice video!

[@coalsparks]

I remember doing that fully clothed swim test! (That’s when I finally parsed that you too are a Canuck!). This outfit looks super comfy. Was it terribly heavy when wet? Did the wet fabric feel unpleasant? Were the buttons a struggle when it was wet? I have so many questions! I cannot get over how legit it looks!

[@HalflingSeamstress]

Thank you so much! It was super comfy, and I didn't notice it being that heavy once wet. No more so than wearing capris and a shirt to go swimming, although the skirt did add a little more drag in the water. The wet fabric was surprisingly not icky, although once it reached that clammy, half dried stage I was not a fan. The buttons were a little finicky when wet, but overall not too bad.

[@hannah_finearts]

I also hate modern bathing suits, so if I would like to go near water outside ever, that would be a fun alternative... But why are you wearing your shoes in the water? Nice cookie jar btw (I have the same) It's bigger on the Inside.... 😇

[@HalflingSeamstress]

Traditionally Victorian women would wear wool stockings and shoes when they went bathing - I decided to be a scandalous rebel and leave the stockings behind, but keep the shoes since I hate the feel of squicky lake sand lol

[@hannah_finearts]

@@HalflingSeamstress hahahaha, you little rebel :O))))