The 1790s Fashion Revolution Freaked Men Out

[@labhrais6957]

I love you saying "This version of my body" I'll have to use that instead of all the things I say relating to my younger pre baby self.

[@sevensongs]

Came here to say this. I've watched Abby for YEARS and love the fact that she keeps projecting body change (up, down, in, out, whatever) as normal and not a positive or negative either way.

[@WhimsicalCrochet]

I saw this comment before starting the video & it convinced me that this was a pregnancy announcement 🤣😭 fr thought you meant she said “this version of my body” instead of “pregnancy body”🫠

[@AuthenticWe]

Yes the key is knowing change is coming, and welcome the fact that every version of yourself through the years is what makes your wisdom, never look back and say I want that again, you’ve already lived it, life wants you to experience more, hope y’all have a fantastic day. Ubuntu

[@Lani2442]

I changed the language I use about my body a few months ago. You can't go back. Babies or no babies, your body changes as you age due to hormones and metabolism and all manner of other things. We aren't less beautiful in all our iterations, just different. Your body, weight, and proportions aren't good or bad. They are completely neutral. The societal beauty expectations are the problem. I love how vulnerable and real Abby is with all of this right now.

[@mindychristensen8715]

Agreed!!! I am going to follow your awesome example!

[@makeminemonsters]

Ooh, I love the idea that the "looking pregnant" aspect of 1790s fashion had a transgressive, obliquely suggestive "I'm sexually active" coding that was a feature not a bug.

[@BunnyRabbit-b8c]

Hell yes

[@tashokukisune]

I love how it would have low key protected women pregnant out of wedlock. I have no idea if that was the intention, but I think it would have bought time.

[@LaimaAndGiltine]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@sianthesheep]

Can it even be a fashion trend if there isn’t a bitchy letter to the editor from some dude pissed that the style of garments they make aren’t the height of fashion anymore? It’s really interesting seeing you remake a garment for updated fashion - I know it was super common for almost every class apart from the really wealthy but its not something I have seen in practise before.

[@AbbyCox]

No, I don't think it can be a fashion trend unless there is a bitchy letter 🤣🤣 that's how we know it was here to stay 🤣 - i had a lot of fun remaking this gown too! Originally i was going to make a whole new gown, and i was so...bored (?) by the idea, that the moment I saw all the printed cotton gowns in the V&A I was like WAIT A MINUTE THIS SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD TIME! It was really fun picking it a part and figuring out how to put it back together in an efficient and economical way.

[@lenabreijer1311]

I remember all the twittering about mini skirts and how it would destroy the skin on our thighs because they were now exposed to the weather in winter. Our thighs would no longer be smooths and silky for men to touch!

[@dismurrart6648]

@@sianthesheep one of my friends found one of these once. It was a guy ranting about women's pants before that was even a thing we were doing. The tone was like a guy convinced we'd literally steal his pants specifically

[@peggedyourdad9560]

@@lenabreijer1311 I will still mention that exposed skin is vulnerable to UV damage from the sun so make sure you apply SPF to your exposed legs before going out if you're planning on being outside for more than 10 min. Back of the knees/legs is actually one of the top spots for skin tumors.

[@lenabreijer1311]

@@peggedyourdad9560 yes but we don't have good sunscreen. And they were more concerned about winter putting calluses on our skin. And trust me, you haven't lived until you have gotten a sun burn wearing fishnet stockings! I think it was the only time I tanned. Cute bloches of tiny diamonds on my legs all summer.

[@JustSaralius]

Remember in like 2008-ish when empire waist dresses and tops were trendy? As a skinny, flat-bellied teen, I was told I looked pregnant and "why do you want to look like you're pregnant?" and it wasn't girls or women saying those things...

[@charlibrown7745]

I love empire waist dresses and I assure you, you were adorable. I'm sorry you were spoken to so rudely. People are crazy.

[@sarahwoodward1652]

People are rude! Sorry about that. Luckily I was pregnant in 2008 and for the ONLY time in my life, fashion suited me 😂

[@MonikaSzustakiewicz-u2r]

This was such a calming, beautiful video to educate myself with whilst making dinner. Subscribed just now as I am officially hooked on your content ❤

[@Littlebeth5657]

Omg I loved those dresses and tops and got so many of those pregnancy comments. They were so comfy and I felt pretty but nothing destroys a 14 year olds self esteem like calling them pregnant

[@NvmTheJoy]

I was also in high school in '08 and my mom absolutely said I looked pregnant, too. *eyeroll*

[@megleland6320]

I'm betting many women in the 18thC were just as nervous as Abby was cutting into a handmade dress to re-work it. The stakes were very high.

[@merchantfan]

I really do wonder what kind of piece making methods they used to keep reusing fabric that long. I mean when you're sewing now you end up with so much scrap and it's hard to find an exact match to the old fabric. Though maybe for some of it they could just dye more fabric to match?

[@queenmotherhane4374]

@@merchantfanIn “Little Women,” Amy complains that when Meg had to replace the sleeves on her dress, they weren’t the right shade of blue!

[@bilh3292]

Alternate theory for the belly pad trend: sneaking snacks into theaters.

[@jenniferpalmer5130]

Having snack pockets sew into your garments 😂

[@karowolkenschaufler7659]

YES. with the big side hoops and the massive pockets you could have in those gone... you need to find a new place for your stuff.

[@DimaRakesah]

🤣🤣🤣 Thanks for the laugh!

[@VeginMatt]

Eventually I'll start making my own dresses and skirts. When I do I'll make little pockets/slots along the hem for weights.... that will happen to be the right size to slip in mini snickers

[@timefoolery]

YOU WIN THE INTERNET!!! 😂😂😂😂

[@DarcyCarmen]

What I love the most about this, especially the part where Abby is talking about the stakes of cutting up the gown, is that literally EVERY sewer going back before the 1790s had this exact same conversation with themself (or their sister). “OMG, what if I screw it up and ruin it?” Also, every single sewer, regardless of the age, sewed it wrong and had a mini fit over the mistake. It’s such a common human thread (no pun).

[@IamRachelWalsh]

With love, sower*, seamstress*, tailor* ❤❤❤

[@jennifercourtemanche9793]

Thank you for showing that "first cut paralysis" is a thing across all skill and experience levels!

[@AllTheHappySquirrels]

OMG, I thought I was the only one!

[@kadybourn7143]

I so related to that moment! I wasn't remaking an existing garment, but for the past two weeks, I have been sewing an Edwardian ensemble from fabric in my stash that just barely was sufficient yardage. No room for error but plenty of room for terror.

[@jennifercourtemanche9793]

@@kadybourn7143 Oh that last line is great!

[@AReluctantSeamstress]

A great Lamaze breathing moment…

[@karowolkenschaufler7659]

and it's not just cutting into an existing garment. it's also cutting into expensive fabrics. I have it, my boss has it... it's a thing.

[@Miss_Kisa94]

On this episode of "men complaining about women having fun" we have example 37289

[@Coffeeismylifeblood]

😂😂😂

[@cmaden78]

😂❤

[@quokkakola1722]

So the belly pad was 1794’s version of the “tide pod challenge” which no one actually did but an entire generation was accused of doing.

[@lillyvalley415]

lol I thought I imagined that time. What a niche thing to remember!

[@ctsoundsy]

There were about 20k reported tide pod injuries between 2016 and 2020 though? Seems like a poor comparison

[@choryllis6646]

Except there were no immediate health repercussions for wearing a removable pad vs eating concentrated toxins.

[@warlorty]

You're right. No one (except for the 7,000+ cases reported by poison control in 2012 and 2013) ate tide pods.

[@michaeldomeier]

“I’m not procrastinating I’m being efficient.” Abby cox I need this as a sticker. 😂

[@BlinkiesNoGood]

Can I just appreciate the phrasing "this (new) version of my body"? As someone whose body has changed a lot in the last decade and a half for many reasons, I'm gonna try to reword my thinking like this to reduce self-shaming

[@FlagCutie]

"When the teasing stopped." makes me think of all the boomers going after the teens in the 90s and their ratty jeans and inevitably making the "did you pay full price for those" joke.

[@chrissihr1031]

My boomer dad had a complete mental meltdown once in the 90s because I packed a pair of jeans with holes in the knees to go to a friend’s house overnight and he thought I was sneaking around behind his back to wear them because I packed them in my overnight bag instead of trying to wear them out of the house where he could see them and tell me to go change. This is the moment I realized my dad’s generation was fully and completely insane and could not be reasoned with. So I just started keeping my fun clothes at my bestie’s house and he never had any idea what I wore in public again. 😂

[@The_Cloth_Surgeon]

And the babydoll complaints of the early 00s

[@niamhfox9559]

Rah-rah skirts from the 80's (think Cindy Lauper's look) or Peplums(sp?) being so hated in the late 90's!

[@seitanbeatsyourmeat666]

@@niamhfox9559I still love a nice peplum 😂

[@Aelffwynn]

​@chrissihr1031 I'm sorry your dad was so unhinged about your clothes. And probably other things. That's a tough thing to navigate as a kid. My mom was weird about a lot of things, but she wasn't controlling and paranoid like that. She even went to therapy and has gotten a lot better.

[@Sweetthang9]

My own flawed reaction to seeing a video like this in my feed: - "how interesting could watching someone sew be?" - *watches* - *is enthralled by both the relaxing visuals of someone sewing and the incredible story behind a trend that just shows that we never really change as society*

[@MissingRaptor]

Welcome to the club 😉

[@Terrelli9]

This whole open robe thing just solved my problem whenever I get engaged and need to find a wedding dress that fits my aesthetic. This changes everything! Thank you!

[@clueless_cutie]

It's really interesting how the "don't look pregnant" thing is back in full swing. I love the comfort of baby doll style dresses yet I avoid them because of the belly effect

[@jessa5388]

It's a nice time to be pregnant and avoiding expensive maternity dresses!

[@ruthanastacia]

I was quite skinny in my younger years, but I still had a little belly. So, my high-waisted sun dresses from the late 1970s and most of my dresses from the 1990s made me look a little pregnant. I didn't care, though. I liked the style. Those dropped-waisted from the 1980s I avoided like the plague, though. They made my little tummy look awful, and they did my short stature no favors, proportions-wise.

[@ruthanastacia]

Now that I am 60, the high-waisted style is kinder to my post-menopause belly!

[@FrogsForBreakfast]

Forget age and shape. It's really hot around here and empire waists are breezy and wonderful.

[@spooniesarah]

From the start of your video I was like I'll bet the prego belly trend was just the awkward time when dress waistlines were ascending and ladies had to remake their existing clothes. Like how gathering fabric at the garment's waist adds bulk? But also, any garment which is fitted under the bust, but otherwise flowy.... any belly that's not completely flat will be on display.

[@LondonLite02]

It's wild to think of people gossiping about these crazy fashions while the events of the revolution are just happening in the background!

[@retrogradepink]

Yeah, just like modern times!

[@adaddinsane]

Have you seen the world recently?

[@lenoralee9553]

I think it's a coping mechanism.

[@Ciara_Turner]

Never thought I'd hear the phrase skibbidi toilet during a discussion of 1790s fashion lol

[@AbbyCox]

It might have been cringey af but I made myself laugh lol

[@jungtothehuimang]

It took me by shock

[@MadamoftheCatHouse]

That's the first time I'm hearing it in my life.

[@Lisa312414]

​@MadamoftheCatHouse consider yourself lucky! I have teenagers, and a day doesn't go by that I don't hear the term!! 😂😂😂😂

[@valerieodonnell6764]

I loved this part because kids have always been kids, people have always been people. Trends be trending, whether they make sense or not.

[@OwnYourDance]

Honestly, I think a lot of women are complimented throughout their pregnancy. The pregnant belly is celebrated! The problem is societies expectation of that same body after the pregnancy, since people expect it to time travel to 'before'.

[@lisa34478]

💯 agree. So much easier to dress to flatter a pregnant belly than a post-baby belly. Fashion doesn’t really make space for post-baby shape.

[@brittanybowen2504]

So this explains why I’ve always hated those empire waist tops from the early/mid 2000s. I always thought they looked so cute on others but made me look pregnant.

[@stillhere1425]

The dresses still exist. "Flattering Empire waist" HA!

[@stephanieclauser881]

Omg the babydoll tops! Every time I wore one I cringed at my reflection and would usually change before I went anywhere

[@dutchik5107]

​@@stillhere1425 I have one! That's like almost fully empire. But it is a wrap evening dress. So it is very flowy yet heav! And the ties do make it so the waist is a little singed just not as much as most other dresses. It was kinda expensive and definetly not for daily wear. It's too fancy for thar

[@The_Cloth_Surgeon]

7:43 I can just imagine Timothy Stay complaining his wife and daughters wanting to look pregnant/ 4 months gone, and I can just imagine what the wife and daughter were thinking The Stay Dude: they want to look pregnant! Wife and eldest daughters, ah actually this look is just of the fashion? 8 year old daughter look at my big puffy skirt! It’s so puffy, did you see me slouching… that’s right you didn’t!!!! , it’s impossible to see me slouching in my big puffy skirt! Look it goes spinny! 🤣

[@PokhrajRoy.]

0:33 I mean, looking like you had tuberculosis used to be considered fashionable once upon a time and now people have specialised pens to draw freckles on their faces. ‘Distressed’ is the new aesthetic. Anything is possible.

[@ashextraordinaire]

Do not get me started on the fake freckles. I was teased my entire childhood (in the 80s) for having freckles on my nose and cheeks, and I was *pissed* that rubbing lemon juice all over them did not, in fact, make them disappear. Now they're a fashion statement!

[@naolucillerandom5280]

​@@ashextraordinaire lol me with my eyebrows. I'm telling you, a life of bullying for not plucking or shaving or waxing them, then 2015 rolls around and it's all "omg I love your eyebrows, I have to fill in mine" 😂

[@ashextraordinaire]

@@naolucillerandom5280 IT'S INSANE

[@wednes3day]

Your traits have been or will be in fashion and out of fashion sometime (like high hairlines in certain parts of the middle ages)

[@ruthanastacia]

Remember "heroin chic" in the 1990s? Ugh!

[@Rosy.Cusson]

Thanks for clarifying at the beginning that it wasn't an announcement. I don't consider it any of my business, but the title did make me curious.

[@lorekeepermeerah]

'The 90's were wild' made me cackle. I wish more people would talk about periods in history with such passion and like, *interesting* language haha. Lovely video as always, Abby ^^

[@Tailfeather-Studio]

Literally snorted at the alpha male podcast/cybertruck comment 😂

[@erinnyren5564]

Right?!😂 Oh, and maybe don’t accost women…”pregnant” women at that! 😳

[@TheSerpentinePodcast]

Oh man I agree hahaha also I’m sure he probably would’ve had his own alpha male podcast😂

[@michp571]

Erm are we forgetting she had her breasts out? Like… to mistake her for a pregnant prostitute… he ain’t wrong… like? As a woman myself, even today woman at least cover their nipples, & they generally dress more lewd than woman back then but are not mistaken for prostitutes… 1) culture is taken into account given historical markers 2) having completely bare breasts being seen as lewd is still taboo… So I get she’s trying to be feminist & pander to what woman want to hear but as a fellow woman… I think it’s a bit of a dog whistle which ignores public decency… which, when you are in public exposing private parts, there are children in public spaces so it’s really predatory to flash these parts publicly. So I don’t care if she claims “podcast bro,” ok funny but not funny haha, funny weird…

[@alosialee]

You know, I saw my first cybertruck in the wild with my younger daughter and we both cackled out loud at it. 😂😂😂

[@suzannekowal6121]

@@erinnyren5564😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@A_Amazi]

I love that you also mention what (besides fashion) was going on in the world during the timeframe. It really helps to paint the whole picture. 💜

[@jennylafleur]

What a delightful romp in my favorite fashion transition moment! The 1780s into the 1790s are so wild and wacky!

[@AbbyCox]

IT'S SO GOOD!! 😭😭😭

[@ruthanastacia]

I like that fashion period, too!

[@Noblebird02]

1791 is a year that messes with my head? Could you wear a chemise a la Reine to the opera?

[@fitandhappy42]

This reminds me of the assumptions people have made about the Arnolfini portrait, in which the woman appears pregnant but is just wearing a style of dress that has a fashionable over abundance of fabric at the front. (Aside, but I had to google to make sure I had the title of the painting right and had completely forgotten the husband is wearing a big Jamiroqui hat).

[@karlahovde]

I was thinking she'd cover that portrait/ dress style too!

[@jessicaarntzen582]

I might be projecting, but it almost sounds like fat shaming. Like these guys had no idea that things got squished in stays. Then, when women stoped wearing them, men lost there friggin' minds that flat tummies weren't the only shape.

[@codename495]

I imagine any man who had a wife or lover knew perfectly well what was being squashed by stays.

[@jasminv8653]

​@@codename495 the wealthier men in western europe? Not necessarily too aware. Lady's maids helping the madame dress and wash herself and they do the deed every once in a while in the dark fully clad in night gowns and whatnot. Easy to fool himself into thinking she's actually stays-shaped whenever upright. But everyone else working and living in cramped quarters, already not wearing stays, rather jumps or even plain kirtles still? Yeah. They knew. But these gender and fashion related moral panics are always upper crust discussions in the 18th century.

[@Rosa-kd2cl]

I think many of them didn’t know what women’s bodies naturally looked like. 😂

[@ruthanastacia]

I'm sure that is part of it. I also think that women wearing comfortable clothes that were also stylish made men uneasy at that time. Women were wearing rather hampering clothing up to that point.

[@gorgo4910]

She’s literally wearing stays.

[@GothCookie]

To me, empire waistlines are SO gorgeous and graceful!

[@wanderingspark]

Most people today have no idea how much you can alter your silhouette with just a bunch of gathered fabric; I'm sure that was true of men in the 1790s. I made a circa 1640 English common woman's outfit, similar to Wenceslaus Hollar's kitchen maid. Several people thought I had to be wearing a bum roll under it, but it was just a lot of thick fabric cartridge pleated at the waist.

[@lokasen9417]

The pad on the belly sounds like a great way to keep the belly warm in winter and during tough period cramps tbh ! Could there have been historical evidence of using any form of padding for that around that period ? It wouldn't be advertised in millinery since that would be done with regular bum pads or DIYed in other ways. Maybe it's just my cramps speaking lmao idk

[@noaccount2494]

I have zero proof of this. But I could imagine an under layer apron being hidden away or a giant tie on pocket, and you can slide a warmed object in or out for such purpose.

[@FrogsForBreakfast]

I hear the Aztecs used chihuahuas as belly warmers. I can confirm that it works. The little bit of weight feels great for my cramps too 😂

[@Nirrrina]

If you had a belly pad there you could slip warmed rocks in there for the warmth. I agree a Chihuahua sized animal ie 5:36 e my cats does feel really good with cramps.

[@katherinec2759]

9:00 Okay, story time. I was 9 when my youngest sister was born. My mom would go shopping for maternity clothes, and the store had these pads that you could wear in the fitting room, so that you could see what a shirt would look like on you at 6 or 9 months pregnant. So you didn't have to only buy clothes for right now, you could buy ahead also. The place where they were hanging looked a lot like the wall in the cartoon. I was OBSESSED with putting those on to see what I would look like pregnant. I think it was more because I wanted to be just like my mom than from a fascination with fashion or anything, but I was constantly trying to put those on and see. (And now, of course, I'm due with my second any day, and I don't have to imagine. But the cartoon brought back memories for me.)

[@Matilda-y]

Wow that’s fascinating. I’ve never seen the like.

[@edie-bleubird6812]

Yes mamas and papas in the uk had these in 2010 when id just had my eldest! Such a good idea for a store selling maternity clothes.

[@bethflynn4278]

When I worked in the bridal shop, there were pregnant brides and bridesmaids. We had baby bumps in different sizes so the women could buy dresses that would fit the m atthe time the wedding.

[@katherinec2759]

@@bethflynn4278 Ooh, that's smart!

[@katerinajoan257]

This was so enjoyable, thank you :). I also feel I need to add: there was never a time in my life where I was more hit on than when I was pregnant.

[@AbbyCox]

💀

[@anastasiya8314]

Omg same here!!!! I was about to comment that and then saw this 😂😂😂 and it was by many attractive men too which was even more shocking to me lol

[@katerinajoan257]

@@anastasiya8314 right??

[@malwads1836]

It's because it's like a billboard advertising your fertility.🌞👍🏻

[@nesxya]

Also men are relieved that they can't accidentally knock up a woman because she is already knocked up. They think of it as risk free sex. 😂

[@meghanmcgowan7748]

singing "Peeeeeterrrr Diiiiiiklaaaaage" to your dog is so real lol, if you don't constantly sing nonsense to your dog are you even a dog owner

[@kathmorgan3429]

They are just calling natural unstayed women fat. Same as they do now as soon as we breathe out.

[@leahkennedy3549]

yeah i mean, i look pregnant in an empire-waisted gown without a corset just cuz I've got a not-pregnant belly

[@clevm002]

Abby I cannot pin point what you have done with your videos recently but they are killing it recently - the way they are shot, the pacing, the scripts - just really good !!

[@neeag4112]

Wait, men once understood for a moment in time that women's fashion was not about them?!

[@AbbyCox]

Men when women kept wearing this new gown style: 👁️👄👁️

[@mononoke813]

Alas, the poor fellows quickly forgot the lesson and thus proceeded to continue to be unequivocally douchy *le sigh*

[@Bizoza9]

Fashion has never been about men. It's always been about women peacocking for one another. The vast and overwhelming majority of men couldn't care less about fashion.

[@LittleImpaler]

A man is allowed to have an opinion on stupid fashion trend. This was no different when men complain about women's skirts being too wide or corsets are too tight.

[@ultimateskillchain]

I am so glad you addressed the "omg is Abby pregnant" thing early on, because as the intro went on a bit I was assuming the comments were going to be full of that question! As always, a wonderfully amusing and informative video :) and I'm so glad you can wear that gown again, because I've always thought it looked lovely on you. And now it still does! It's so funny to me that at one point, petticoats had to be held up by shoulder straps 😂 it's giving "grandpa with high pants and suspenders" and I love it.

[@CallmeRynn84]

I was getting antsy wondering how much fabric was left..... I'm glad you put that update in!

[@AbbyCox]

Yeah I couldn’t find a place where it flowed in the main body of the video so I decided the very end like a marvel movie would work. 🤣

[@bsd7013]

the phrase “this version of my body” kinda changed my life for the better ngl

[@tanakaryuunosuke2641]

I really enjoyed the sewing content together with the research

[@AbbyCox]

Oh that's great to hear! I'm having a lot of fun with this new style, it's a lot more pre-production and filming work, but it's so much more enjoyable to edit and I also think a better video in the end. So I'm really glad to hear folks are enjoying it! ❤️

[@tanakaryuunosuke2641]

@@AbbyCox it's certainly worth all the effort!!

[@jazzeecat]

I second that. I loved the mix of sewing project and discussion of research. this was a beautiful video to watch. I really enjoyed. thanks!

[@debcarroll8192]

Your gathers in that petticoat are impeccable!

[@cb9825]

Finally, a fashion trend I would fit in with no effort!😂 no belly pads needed, I have some natural padding there 🤣

[@CryogenicFire]

Welp! I just learned that boobs were once called "the Merry Thought"; the more you know I guess 🤷🤣 Seriously though, I loved this video Abby. I love when you go off on merry tangents (No pun intended!).

[@persephoneee3743]

I misheard it as "the married thought" 😂

[@ItsJustLisa]

I’ll have to use that term on my husband. I’m sure he’ll agree. He’s all about “the merry thoughts”.

[@Ninnisha]

I thought I heard "Mary's thought" and I thought it was religious lol.

[@TheLifeProvided]

Was it belly pads?! Or was it the fact that with a higher waist, didn't need the corset support that previous dressed needed..... And they just realized women weren't as small as they thought.... 😅😂 (They were calling us fat.😂) Loved watching you transform fabric like a butterfly. And with such interesting information! Great video!!

[@katharinedonnelly8343]

Could/should the belly-pad (whether it existed or not) be added to the list of things in women's fashion that takes up space that the patriarchy freaks out over? (See: sleeve supports, crinolines, paniers, etc.) 'Cause gods forbid women take up physical space and start demanding *gasp* equality and equity!

[@arwengrune]

Scraps at the end: Makes sense, as back then, they wouldn't have any scraps of the gown either, and so any alterations whould have used the gown or less of it. 👗 Great vid! Super dress! Need more regency gown sewing!!!!!

[@DrinkYourNailPolish]

I would so fit into that trend b/c I carry all my weight in my midsection- so I look permanently pregnant.

[@janathompson1204]

Same!

[@blueocean43]

Same, I have some serious bloating issues, and it looks super comfortable for that.

[@dismurrart6648]

I feel seen by this comment

[@JustAshley9685]

Omg same 😭 I was born in the wrong era 😂

[@MissMellyDi]

SAME

[@marikotrue3488]

I never knew about this trend. Absolutely wild that for at least a few years in the 18th century you could be unmarried and pregnant with "the permission" of fashion, well at least until your due date. Love extra material, possible projects: pockets, belt, corset, head wrap, bag? BTW, I appreciated the disclaimer. Anyone's physical condition is NONE of my business but I did think that this video was going in a certain direction🙄.

[@mheinzle]

Oooh. That‘s your „viral video“ gown, right? Also, I actually came here to say the same thing as the other commenters: I love you saying „this version of my body“. And I‘ve been using that phrase ever since and I‘m much more accepting of this body now than I ever was before. So thanks!

[@jukthewise8776]

Loved this, the doggie smooches, the frankness, the closing song... You are a sassy lady! We sassy ladies need to unite! 🙂

[@dismurrart6648]

I love the skibidi toilet mention. I love looking at ways people are identical across time anf culture. One of my favorites is that i saw a list of 700 year old dog names and one was baby. Kids have been silly since prehistory.

[@serephita]

This video was hilarious, I love the references to older clickbait (let's be honest, we haven't evolved that much considering "(insert name) was here" has been found as writing in caves) - and a nice reminder that no, we do not dress for the male gaze. Brava. Also hearing you break out into T Swift at the end had me laughing so hard my cat looked at me like he thought I was dying. Thank you for that!

[@duceagle6625]

I've recently seen someone sum up people in the past vs. today beautifully: "They were just as smart then as we are now, We are just as stupid now as they were then"

[@kimberleylow7221]

Can creators tell _when_ someone hits the like button? 'Cause, it was immediately upon the non-pregnancy announcement. Well, if unfortunately necessarily, played. I wonder if remaking gowns was less stressful when there were multiple people in a household who could make use of the fabric. Someone's 14-year old sister may have ended up with a much nicer dress than she'd anticipated.

[@rachelbentley9533]

women: hey look it's my organs in my body men: women are literally padding to look pregnant! women: that's literally just my organs...

[@ArtByEmilyHare]

Our organs don’t sit outside in our bellies. Not all women have a belly (I do) but this idea that the belly pouch is to protect our organs or our organs are why we have a belly is not true.

[@janibii_608]

@@ArtByEmilyHarethe whole “protecting organs” thing is coming from a good place but I think it misses the point. Because there are people who do just have extra fat on their belly, and that’s okay.

[@wednes3day]

​@@janibii_608and folks without/with less of it also still have organs

[@Wonderlandish]

@@ArtByEmilyHaresome uteruses and stomachs do, though! Endo and PCOS are more common than expected, and some of us just have bigger organs, either by shape and/or tendency to inflammation. But you’re right on the vibe that we should just accept that some people will store fat, some won’t, we can have pouches and it should be no big deal ✨

[@FullStyleInc]

I just love how the women of the 1790s didn't let the men take this from them. 💯 Like they stood on business, paid them no mind & said we will not let this go. And meant that. 🔥 In time where you know heads were rolling, that they had that bit of power. I love that for them!! ❤

[@blancabt]

I love the way you discuss feminism and capitalism through what patriarchy considers a frivolous topic -fashion. Or worse! _Women's_ fashion!

[@pamelaanderson4685]

1965 and 1966 there was the rage of empire dresses, baby doll dresses and tent dresses which we sewed in home economics classes, made with granny prints, checked fabric, paisley prints and MOD prints. The first time I saw myself wearing one in a family photo I thought "oh no I look pregnant!" and I never wore them again. From then on it was hip huggers and crop tops as the bare midriff was the new fashion. For school it was mini skirts and po-boy sweaters with knee high boots, but my favorite was a real leather jumper that was body hugging over a black knit turtleneck and tights.

[@queenmotherhane4374]

I made an empire waist granny dress in home ec in 1966!

[@MariettePeeters]

The underbreath singing of Dinklage, Peter Dinklage into your dog’s head was everything!! 😂❤

[@sonipitts]

I mean...he's why so many of us actually watch that hot mess, tbh. 😆

[@SunnySunshineField]

❤😊

[@sweetlorikeet]

I really love how this shows how extremely doable it was to re-work old dresses into the new fashions.

[@eliciacheney84]

Thank you for exploring a fashion trend that has puzzled me for a long time! Also, the matching bright red lipstick and earrings are so cute!

[@moldovanca]

Finally! A trend for the version of my body that I’ve had since I carried my first (too bad I’m 300 years too late, but oh well). I’m pregnant with my second now and I’ll think of this each time I unapologetically pump the bump! Thanks Abby!

[@doobat708]

That blue dress is so cool, looks super wearable in all sorts of situations, great colour, no notes. Watching you do this made me think about all the people throughout the centuries who refashioned and remade their older gowns to work for new fashions or new fits. This style of gown seems so much more foriving and adjustable to changing shapes than the super fitted style, I hope you get much more wear out of it for much longer!

[@AuthenticWe]

Been secretly watching your awesomeness for a few years now, can we stop and say, I see your glow up gurl, this new relaxing lifestyle is working for you, myself I weighed in at 198.8 pounds this morning marking my 201.4 pound loss , it’s the country life and living simply it’s changed everything

[@Sarakatbee]

I figured there was a little “easier to run for our lives” that made this style appealing as well for some of the nobility, plus France’s economy being a bit up in the air and it being practical to have fashion that required less materials.

[@peglamphier4745]

That's funny!

[@amyrobertson6075]

This is my absolute favorite style of your videos!!! History lesson, with a delightful bit of feminist sass, plus sewing and a pretty reveal at the end.. Just perfect!!

[@latronqui]

Watching this as I modify my palazzo pants to fit my pregnant belly 😄

[@symphony_in_plaid4592]

meanwhile I expected to be showing by now because I have a really short torso and I’m not even close 😂

[@symphony_in_plaid4592]

meanwhile I expected to be showing by now because I have a really short torso but I’m not even close 😂

[@latronqui]

@@symphony_in_plaid4592 eventually it will show ;)

[@timefoolery]

My costuming professor would’ve loved this bit about how men reacted to the Empire style! The basic design of the gowns were meant to resemble the way clothes were shown on the Roman and Greek statues of the Classical period, but all I could think when I played Josephine in Napoleon’s Barber onstage, wearing a very French patriotic Empire-style gown was that it made my butt look big and my front kinda pregnant 😂 But I will say it was a very light and comfortable garment. After hundreds of petticoats over wide panniers with interchangeable sleeves, I bet the women who copied Josephine Bonaparte’s style were grateful for the simplicity of it.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

0:11 Gonna tell my kids this was Helena Bonham Carter in ‘Howard’s End’

[@jujubesification]

I love getting to know these things about people in history. It turns the past from "this person beat that person" to people who really lived as complex human beings.

[@tjs114]

At 11:05, how many hours were you on the phone to Nicole hyping yourself up? When you guys lived near each other, she seemed to be your sewing Agony Aunt (points to those that remember that term.)

[@annahappen7036]

"Auntie agony"

[@eldritchyarnbeing3295]

so youre telling me my endometriosis wouldve made me haute couture? at least back then i couldve fashionably been in excruciating pain💅🏼

[@melindawolfUS]

Dr's finally found this year (2024) that endo is caused by a bacteria! You can clear up the infection with antibiotics and colloidal silver :) Be well again my sisters!

[@colbyreader]

My niece (8) is surrounded by very young moms all the time because their family is very Mormon. She’s always asking women why they aren’t pregnant and telling them god has babies for them. She often pretends she’s pregnant and cares for her little sister as if she was her own. She has no idea how any of this actually works and it scares me because I know how fast men take advantage of that, especially in religious groups. All this to say; yes I can very well imagine 8 year olds dressing pregnant and even competing with little dolls.

[@akinaneon-xz6oj]

Seems like that's by design. If she only sees one type of woman, she's going to want to be that type of woman.

[@astreaward6651]

You channeling Jimmy from his episode critiquing "Vikings" costumes with the "peter dinklage, peter dinklage..." was just *chef's kiss*

[@elfieblue3175]

That revelation that you had net fabric GAIN... I will take that with me to work today and giggle randomly throughout. Thank you.

[@sharondowling8896]

The end result is GORGEOUS! You are amazing- your handwork blows me away! And I love the historical receipts- great research is very much appreciated! This " version of" yourself is beautiful, by the way!❤❤❤

[@Moonlily23]

I swear, ever time I see this dress, I'm always just so enamored by this fabric. I'm sure it's a long discontinued Burnley and Trowbridge or the like, But I can always dream 😍

[@KSMephisto]

This definitely reads like the 1790s version of a man asking if a woman is sick when she just isn't wearing makeup. Like they are so used to seeing women in stays that they don't understand that women's stomachs aren't always naturally flat when they aren't pregnant.

[@TheStarsOnTheHorizon]

As a fellow stay-wear (I dress in 1770s clothing for work), its all gotta go somewhere. I have more of a pooch in my stays because my fat is redistributed to under the waistline. My coworkers and I get inappropriate comments all the time about being pregnant or are we wearing padding, or how many petticoats are we wearing etc. I can only imagine that shorter stays would make that even more pronounced.

[@mildlycornfield]

I was cheering you on out loud to make that cut!

[@katherineburtt2502]

When you first mentioned that the trend started during the French Revolution I was like “Yeah of course, so they don’t get beheaded.” But then the further it went on it just reminded me more and more of men complaining when high waisted jeans first started coming back into fashion. I wouldn’t be surprised if some guys thought that women were putting tummy padding under their jeans 😅

[@silentlyjudgingyou]

To be fair I hate the high waisted pants as well. It's been years since I could find something I didn't have to fold the waist band down twice to be comfortable.

[@katherineburtt2502]

@@silentlyjudgingyou I would love if we could have pants that fit everyone’s preferences in stores. I have a long torso so I personally love the high waisted stuff. But I still get annoyed thinking about all the teenage boys that complained that they make girls’ butts looks bad and tummies look bigger.

[@silentlyjudgingyou]

@@katherineburtt2502 I am a short person with a short torso and I can't breathe in those properly unless I fold them down the lack of choice is terrible. thing is I remember men whining about proper waist lines as well before they vanished that's just what men do

[@dennisahlarson1584]

I have a big butt and love high-waisted jeans because they properly cover my butt and I can safely reach up or bend down without exposing my crack. I hated the low rider and hip hugger jeans that were all the rage in my teen years. My butt always felt like it was peeking out when I moved. I wore long shirts or tunics to ensure coverage. I remember complaining while shoppong for jeans, about how all of them were designed for women with 10 inch butts and how us big butted women were being left out of the fashion trend. 😂

[@queenmotherhane4374]

@@silentlyjudgingyouSames. In the ‘60s, I was overjoyed when hip huggers came into style because my jeans didn’t cut into my ribcage any more!

[@terriwilliams4938]

And...this also reminds me of the trend in the early 90's (when I was pregnant with my oldest children) of the looser, more high-waisted Laura Ashley dresses. I wore them thanks to a good friend who was a seamstress who loaned me a few because I could not afford them and wasn't a confident sewer yet.

[@annesheridan6081]

Thankyou for this! I have sewn for many years, but the first cut always called for courage, no matter how much preparation had been done before. Once cut, there is no going back! I really believed it was me...! So grateful, thankyou!

[@monikatomaszuk6079]

I love this video! As sb who is struggling with eating problems and whose body shape keeps fluctuating, I really appreciate you showing us that A) it's not just me! and B) yes, people often had trouble with dresses not fitting or styles changing, and they had to re-do their clothing, and that it's NORMAL. And it was nice to see you having fun with your experiment. So thank you for this video, I loved this. :)

[@Skye_Writer]

You are SO much braver than me. When I've no longer fit into period pieces I made, I sold them off. I always kept the scraps thinking, "One day, if I ever have to re-tailor this, I can." But when it came down to it, I was so scared of messing it up that I would just sell the dress and make a new one. Only 3-1/2 mins in, and I am on edge FOR you, Abby...

[@csil31]

Loved your analysis on this topic and OMG how stressful it must be to cut a handsewn finished garment to start another project!!! Proud of you 🥲 Loved the hair ribbon in the finished look at the end, it suits your current haircut so well!

[@delbelcoure]

Perfect timing! I have just started a deep dive into Regency fashion ( i know enough to know it was different things in England, France and the United States, but not enough to know what to call them). Love that you did a whole video on a micro moment in history

[@AniMerDol]

At 7:31 when you wiggled your fingertips together, i suddenly got Corrine of Threadbanger vibes.

[@anxiety4daysmusingmedic891]

This might be one of my favorite videos of yours! It was lovely to watch you create something new and more usable ❤

[@naomi.j.m.]

I love how it turned out, and this was really interesting to learn about! Side note, the blue dress in the beginning was really cute!

[@taradid409]

When you mentioned all the daughters wanting to look pregnant I started laughing. Then I also wondered there was a point where we had to hide their pregnancies and now they're not even pregnant but showing something off.

[@KgrK13]

This was really cool to watch! I’m loving that my prep work for portraying Mrs. Jennings in “Sense & Sensibility” led me back to one of my favorite historical fashion experts - Abby Cox!

[@ftortorici]

Geeze I panic sometimes just cutting fabric to makes something to wear. I applaud you. Fyi, i learned about the vanguard when my husband bought me my first video game right after we got married 14 years ago. And the fabric you reworked it beautiful. Nice work.

[@HosCreates]

Its funny because in the Renaissance the Arnolfini Portrait makes it look like the bride is pregnant because of the draping

[@Peachcreekmedia]

Her attention to detail is incredible! The craft being executed at the masters level is amazing.

[@TheGPFilmMaker]

Such a good video (as always)! 1790s is truly one of my favorite decades. The dresses are just so cute and breezy and feminine.

[@mackennaj]

Yes! A dress refashion video! I have been waiting for one of these! AND the 1790s!!!! Abby how did you know what my heart so greatly desired!

[@RorysSpoonieDiaries-fh2gk]

Never clicked on a video so fast. Unrelated, I ADORE your hair like this Abby!