Outlander Costumes Part 1 - A (Season 1)

[@Costume_CO]

Correction: According to Gordon Kirkbright, up to 6 yds of double width tartan fabric would be used for the great kilt (not 3 as stated in the video). Sorry for the error.

[@adamwiggins9865]

Costume CO ... ok... yards used typically the depends on the size of the sett in the tartan.... in those days I believe it was dependent on what the wearers could afford.

[@Costume_CO]

Hey Adam, I'm referring to what they used in the show.

[@CrystalMouse1]

I'm actually Fraser clan so I actually squealed with glee when Jamie said he was a Fraser not a MacKenzie.

[@naomipask9956]

It is exciting when you hear that someone is from your clan. I am 5 generations removed from the last Scot born in my family tree but still get excited bout the McLeod's from Skye. I can recognise my clan tartan from all others and know that it not the "Loud McLeod" one. I would love to one day attend the McLeod Clan reunion.

[@ohifonlyx33]

"Here we see Jamie..." me: **nodding** mm-hmm 👀👀

[@constancewrigley560]

At long last! This is the video that I have been waiting for. I hope fans of the Outlander series get to watch this. It adds a whole new dimension to the Outlander-viewing experience.

[@Costume_CO]

+Constance Wrigley Thanks dear sister.

[@loveydovey802]

i'm glad you are doing outlander. sam looks so good in his plaid! looking forward to the women's clothes. that strange hip widener. other than the stuffing being good fire starter, why? i loved it when mrs. fitz saw claire's bra and claire says "it's from france".

[@Costume_CO]

Well, it's all about the silhouette. Starts in the court and then trickles down. Wide hips make the waist look very tiny.

[@mimirants7935]

I cannot believe you work so hard for each video. It's amazing.

[@Costume_CO]

That's so kind of you. Well, the Outlander fans have high expectations so I don't want to disappoint.

[@AysKuz]

Sweetie you´ve outdone yourself. This is amazing! I am aware of the amount of hard work that is this video and I want to thank you!

[@Costume_CO]

That means so much coming from you. 😃 You know hard work, of all people.

[@OneDayyRobotsWillCry]

Just to let you know that Scottish Gaelic is actually pronounced ‘gah-lick’ and it’s Irish that is prounonced ‘gay-lick’. Loved the video though 😁

[@Costume_CO]

+OneDayyRobotsWillCry Okay, thank you

[@naomipask9956]

The Irish refer to their language as either just Irish or Gaelige (pronounced gwelga). The Scottish language is pronounced Gallic.

[@thewanderer1598]

I’m Irish and welsh so I guess it’s fitting I say “gay-lick” lol

[@homesteadtotable2921]

This is the first video of yours I've watched, but I appreciate the detail of your work. Especially technical details pique my attention, such as the maximum width of a Highland loom, since I've started noticing, when researching weaving, that a lot of fabrics were rather narrow in much of the world until mechanization occurred. I'm noticing that in the past, when a width of fabric was limited, design elements were dictated far more by the dimensions of a material than I previously realized. As recently as the 20th Century, in the "flour sack dress", where it was a matter of pride for a woman to be a "one sack dress girl", as opposed to two sacks' worth of material, which meant one was "wasteful" (and girthy) in a time when thrift was valued. My ancestral clan has multiple variations of the same tartan design. There's the "modern red" in red and black with white detail for formal occasions, the "modern blue", usually rendered in a bright blue (can you imagine your spinster aunt up there in years in a blue polyester tartan pantsuit? I don't have to imagine, I have seen it! Woe be my eyes! lol) in the same pattern, plus a black and white design that seems to be mostly developed as a novelty item. In the older options, we see a version where he color could best be described as "weathered denim" (quite possibly dyed with woad) under "ancient blue", and "ancient red" that has taken on a more rust-red hue, probably because of the plant dyes originally available (madder?) and finally, I remember seeing a version without any black pigment, that was more of a cream and rusty brown and dark brown as the "ancient white" tartan. I remember reading that the Norse (Vikings) didn't actually have a pure black pigment dye, so their "black" was often a dark blue dye over dark brown/black sheep's wool, I wouldn't be surprised if my Scottish clan with Norman roots was also limited in their fabric dyes in the past due to their location and isolation from greater international trade.

[@meeeka]

Goodness, what is your clan tartan?

[@ShadeoftheEvening]

My best friend had a full Scottish wedding. Was bridesmaid!! It was wonderful. We had Haggis, blood sausage, etc. Bagpipes were my fave!!😄❤🌈great costumes!!💞

[@ShadeoftheEvening]

Had McDonald and Davis Tartans. Kilts and all for men and rose brooches for women. My husband has traced his McDonald lineage to Glencoe. My husband is Robert McDonald just like hers is!!

[@ajrwilde14]

Haggis and blood sausage are from the North of England

[@becsocsci621]

I adore Outlander!! It’s such a beautiful show.

[@Costume_CO]

Thanks for commenting Bec!

[@mimirants7935]

Finally!!!! Hallelujah. I just love this show soooo much, and I love the styling. Claire's wedding dress was so beautiful. The sleeves...ugh, I wanted to die. Can't wait for you to review Claire's Paris wardrobe. And I really cannot believe people got so butthurt about Reign.

[@Costume_CO]

Thanks's Mimi! Claire's costumes will be covered in Part 3. I'm working on it now.

[@louisalasseur2721]

I love all of you videos!! Thank you so much. I was wondering if you would ever do a video about Downton Abby costumes. I know the show is over and not as current as other things you have done but I would be so interested in what you have to say about the amazing costumes. Thanks again for all of the insights into the great costumes of a lot of movies and shows we love!

[@Costume_CO]

Hi Louisa! Thank you for your lovely comment. I've thought about doing Mary's costumes. I've only just finished season 3! I'm always behind on shows. I've just finished season 2 of Outlander. Haha! So, I'll probably never be as current as other KZbinrs.

[@Dancinfanz]

Oh god I've been waiting for this one. Im so glad you decided to cover this show .

[@Costume_CO]

Thanks Dancinfanz!

[@floki2605]

I'm very happy that you also pointed out the historical inaccuracies, as not many KZbinrs who also talk about costumes do 🙂👍

[@Costume_CO]

Thanks Violetta. I had a lot of help on this. :)

[@tiinaaksberg8673]

I'm so glad I discovered this channel. I love Outlander, GoT and Vikings... Can't wait for more of historical series. :)

[@Costume_CO]

Thanks so much Sammm! Once GOTs is done, I will get into some new content. 😁

[@helloemma]

The amount of research you do for your videos is so impressive and very appreciated. Great job!

[@Costume_CO]

+HelloEmma! Thank you!

[@kimquinn7728]

Hello from Massachusetts! This is my first time viewing your video and am enjoying it so much. One coat I fell in love with, so much, was Dougal's fantastic coat. Especially in the scenes where he takes Claire to the spring to test her honesty after he rescues her from BJ Randal's evilness in the episode The Garrison Commander. That coat...maybe it was simply Graham McTavish investing it but it is a powerful, masculine coat and I would truly enjoy knowing more about it. Thanks for your hard work!

[@Costume_CO]

Hi Kim, let me check. It's been a while. 😊

[@debbieboring3422]

Thank you I all ways wonder about the accuracy of period costume in TV and Movies.

[@Costume_CO]

Thanks Debbie!

[@tamila7381]

WOW thank you for all your hard work in being so thorough. I love this!

[@Costume_CO]

Thanks Pami!

[@ErinBerlintop10]

Thank you for this!! One of my absolute favorite series...great job! Would love to see you do a costume study of Peaky Blinders 😉.

[@Costume_CO]

Thank you! I just saw Peaky Blinders pop up on Netflix. I think that the embroisery artist is the same as Game of Thrones.

[@ErinBerlintop10]

Costume CO It is...Michele Carragher -- exquisite work for sure!!

[@oatmilktea90]

The amount of research you put into making this video is impressive! I just stumbled across this and I'll make sure to watch your other videos as well!

[@Costume_CO]

Thank you so much!

[@tatianamelendez490]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! *flails around making pterodactyl noises* THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!! All of it was so interesting. Didn't even realize there were such glaring inaccuracies, although I did suspect a bit with the leather. I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE OTHER VIDEOS!!!!

[@Costume_CO]

You're the best! 💟💟💟💟

[@tatianamelendez490]

Costume CO No, you're the best!!! 💕💖💗💝

[@tatianamelendez490]

Hey girl! I'm thinking of designing costumes for a Puerto Rican play called "Los soles truncos" (The Truncated Suns) by René Marqués as a personal project and I was wondering if you knew where I could find good research pictures of 1890s and 1910s fashion. It's ok if their not necessarily 100% Puerto Rican, cause the characters were very proud of their European heritage. So far I've tried Google and the V&A museum, both the website and the pics that I took when I visited, but I'd like your recomendation. Thanks.

[@Costume_CO]

Hi Tatiana! That sounds awesome. My absolute go to place is the Met in New York. They have their entire collection on-line and lots of costumes in the era that you're looking for. Here's the link: www.metmuseum.org/

[@tatianamelendez490]

You are gloriously beautiful, thank you! Also, if you need a break from your videos, look for and read the play and accompanying short story, The Purification in Christ Street. They're masterpieces of Puerto Rican literature.

[@thetillerwiller4696]

the droughlander is tough on me

[@whatmabeldid1782]

So excited to see you doing outlander!

[@Costume_CO]

Thanks Mabel!

[@rebeccathistle5874]

I always check the accuracy of costumes

[@ShadeoftheEvening]

Oh I'm seeing all kinds of stuff. AWESOME!!

[@aaaacarolina]

I've been waiting for this one!! So happy it's here now😁

[@Costume_CO]

Carol Pereira Thanks Carol!

[@smspl-il5wg]

Great VIdeo. So happy you are doing Outlander.

[@Costume_CO]

Thanks you!

[@naturallyrach1447]

I really appreciate the work you have put into this.

[@Costume_CO]

Thank you for your kind words.

[@debunkdagain]

Loved this episodes! However, the background wallpaper makes it difficult to see some of the photos? If I had a suggestion, it would be to add photo borders or make the background a solid... I wanna see all the fabric patterns you share!

[@Costume_CO]

Thanks for the feedback! I don't do borders - just don't have the time - but I will adjust the wallpaper on future videos. (part B is in the can)

[@debunkdagain]

Costume CO no worries... Just glad for this series! Yay! Thank you!

[@Costume_CO]

Thanks, I do appreciate it. 😀

[@trojanette8345]

Q: Did you ever do an, in-depth costume analysis of Outlander Season for the Frasers time in Paris? If you did could you point out which one it is. Thanks.

[@Costume_CO]

No not yet!

[@ShadeoftheEvening]

Just watched u live stream with Robert. AWESOME!! My phone is dying but I'll b back!! Terrific job!!💖🌻

[@Costume_CO]

Hi Kerri, thanks so much for stopping by. It was so much fun to don the livestream.

[@me4getz]

where did you find the thistle damask art in the background of your video?

[@Costume_CO]

Here it is! www.fabricsandpapers.com/3497-thistle-wallpaper

[@Terinka14]

omg this Made me so happy :-)

[@Costume_CO]

Yay!

[@AmyLSchulte]

So interesting. Very well done.

[@Costume_CO]

Thank you!

[@IamD0wJ0nes]

Another great video!!!

[@Costume_CO]

Thanks! Hopefully have some time to look at Black panther once I'm done!

[@patriciaoneill5758]

I haven't watched this show yet though I was mildly admonished by a Scots lady for enquiring why the nurse travelled back in time to meet a nobleman's son rather than somebody more humble. She said "Outlander" had done wonders for Scots tourism. Just my silly sense of humour I suppose. By the way, there is nothing wrong in saying "Reign" is historically inaccurate because well - it was historically inaccurate. I've liked some shows/films which haven't always been 100% correct in my time (I may have said that commenting on another video). Why would people take offence at a difference of opinion? For instance, I didn't warm to "Penny Dreadful" (things about the occult freak me out somewhat) but I don't tell people who liked it they were silly to do so. And yes, as mimi says you do put much work into your videos.

[@Costume_CO]

Patricia O'Neill Thanks Patricia for your lovely comment! Yes Outlander has helped tourism immensely. FYI Jamie is not a nobleman but he is a Laird to a humble estate with some family connections. More importantly though, he's an outlaw and a traitor to the British crown.

[@thetillerwiller4696]

Patricia O'Neill you should watch the show but I will say that there are some sex scenes and really sad scenes. Especially in season 2. You have been warned 😂😂

[@RichardDCook]

Two things about the Outlander tartans: 1) The colour-scheme, which is called "reproduction colours" or "weathered colours", didn't exist until the 1940s. It was loosely based on a fragment of tartan that was dug up at that time. It's unclear if the tartan was originally woven in such colours, or if the brownish tones were a result of being buried in the peat soil. 2) The overall tartan design is a near-exact copy of the MacKay tartan. Google "weathered MacKay" and you will see that it's nearly identical to the right-hand tartan of the three Outlander tartans you show. In "weathered" or "reproduction" colours black stays black, blue is changed to grey, and green is changed to brown.

[@Costume_CO]

I'm just going by what Gordon said. He is the designer of the tartan.

[@RichardDCook]

Google "weathered MacKay" under "images" to see that tartan, and you can decide for yourself how much designing occurred with the Outlander tartans. They are virtually identical in design and colour, so much so that I find coincidence inconceivable. The "reproduction" colour-scheme seen in the Outlander tartans was invented by the weaver D C Dalgliesh in the late 1940s, therefore anachronistic to Outlander by over 200 years . D C Dalgliesh, who started weaving in 1947, states that their "reproduction" line was based on "a tartan fragment dug up from Culloden Moor" in 1946. (There has been considerable doubt cast on this claim, and the motive was probably marketing a new line of tartan.) The thing is, we have plenty of evidence showing what mid-18th century tartans looked like: pieces of tartan, costumes, paintings of people wearing tartan, and the records of the firm Wilsons of Bannockburn who were weaving tartans in the 1750s. The tartans we see in these sources simply don't look like the Dalgliesh "reproduction/weathered" colour-scheme. Nearly all 18th century tartans had a scarlet basis or had a dark green and dark blue basis. Of course the job of a Hollywood costume designer isn't to be a museum, but rather to make a beautiful film! It's obvious that the Art Director of Outlander decided on a muted earth-tone palette, and the DC Dalgliesh-invented "reproduction/weathered") tartans perfectly fit that palette. Actual 18th century tartans didn't; they are far too colourful for what was needed for Outlander. The earth-toned "reproduction" tartans fit our modern concept of what "ancient" Scots would wear rather than the evidence of what they actually did wear. Anyone who has seen large numbers of mid-18th century tartans will be struck by the oddness of the Outlander people wearing mid-20th century tartan.

[@sunshinesilverarrow5292]

Thank you, great video. Hugs & sunshine ☀️N

[@Costume_CO]

Thank you Sunshine ☀!

[@remarkable937]

I also read from the Outlander team that through their research, there weren't any official colors associated with the different clans and that is a recent thing....is this true?

[@Costume_CO]

Yes, that's absolutely true!

[@TheFiown]

So ,, all the tartan in Outlander is not even from Scotland ?? why ? too expensive ??? this reminds me of Braveheart which was filmed in ,,, IRELAND !!! no Wonder the economy in Scotland is so bad ,,,

[@Costume_CO]

Stephanie Murray Hi Stephanie, no it is all milled in Selkirk Scotland by Ingles Buchan. It was only designed in Canada by Gordon Kirkbright who set up the contract for Starz. Terry Dresbach also uses local materials and craftspeople. Gordon tells me that before Outlander that demand for tartan fabric had dwindled but with the show its actually increased the demand once again.

[@aaronlefay]

I knew you could do it 😄👍.

[@Costume_CO]

Thanks Aaron!

[@IonIsFalling7217]

It's a pity I fracking HATED this show because I lOVED the costumes.

[@Costume_CO]

Oh really? Sorry that you didn't enjoy it. 😁

[@TampaZeke]

As with "plaid" being pronounced "played", "brooch" is pronounced "brooch" in Scotland, not "broach" as in the States.

[@Costume_CO]

Thanks Markus, but plaid has a different meaning in the US than it does in Scotland, while a brooch is a brooch.

[@ffotograffydd]

I’m not sure I understand the criticism of the subdued colours, the people wearing them were basically outlaws hiding from the British Army, they would have chosen colours that blended in with their environment, not colours that would have made them stand out. There are plenty of bright colours used in Outlander costumes, just not for the characters that were trying to hide away and evade capture!

[@Costume_CO]

Well, this is really old but I think Brenna was speaking about the tartan fabric colours being inaccurate. Not a criticism per say, more just pointing that out.

[@ffotograffydd]

@@Costume_CO I’m not sure they were inaccurate, in the 18th century brighter colours were certainly used, but also many local natural dyes were used, so browns and greens would have also been common. If the men concerned were looking for colours to camouflage them rather than being concerned with a more fashionable appearance then they’d have chosen accordingly. Tom Langhorne has done a lot of research into highland dress at the time and has actually done a video on his KZbin Channel - Fandabi Dozi - about the use of tartan as camouflage.

[@Costume_CO]

I am going to defer to Brenna. That's why I brought her into the video because this is her expertise.

[@ffotograffydd]

@@Costume_CO Fair enough, but it’s unlikely that outlaws evading the British Army were running around the mountains and forests of the Highlands in brightly coloured tartans, they’d have stood out like a sore thumb. It’s all about context.

[@eiszapfenkobold]

Found it very hard to watch. Ridiculous soap opera script and sketchy clothes choices sometimes.

[@Costume_CO]

Well, y'know, one man's Shakespeare is another man's Peyton Place. 😉

[@eiszapfenkobold]

hahaha right