Why Did Victorian Women Change Their Clothing 5 times a Day? | An Explanation

[@juliegale3863]

Adelaide - This was my Grandmother. So yes it means I am not far off of 90 myself. Father was born 1902 the last of 4 children. Grandfather was a moderately well known London architect and they lived in the country a trains ride from London. They had a maid of all work, a gardener and an ostler to see to the horse and carriage. But life was not easy, grandmother did much of the work like bottling fruit, washing and ironing and seeing to the children. But father remembers her in what he called Merry Widow style clothes. She pinned brushes under the back of the dress to pick up the mud and horse dirt, they were removed and washed. My father as a boy was dressed in a sailor suit and hat to be taken to the local town in the carriage to go shopping. Grandma saw me as a baby and I have a photo of her holding me, but she died soon after. I studied Historical Costume myself at Art School in the 50s and have remained interested all my life. A very good video and well made clothes.

[@yeetnama9094]

you are amazing ❤❤

[@icannotpretend5834]

thank you for sharing! really cool.

[@michellehitt1976]

Oh that's interesting. I'd love to hear some story's of their day to day lives.

[@twilfits]

Thanks for sharing your wonderful history

[@lillustpotion]

Thank you for sharing your history with us!

[@minastone155]

I love the little time anchoring bits-“when your mother was a girl” “when you got married”- it really helps with the timeline and humanizes the fashion as things worn by people instead of just pretty pictures

[@AdelaideBeemanWhite]

Oh good, that was my intention!

[@Shaurbox]

@@AdelaideBeemanWhite and also the wearing your mother-in-law's cameo!

[@AdelaideBeemanWhite]

@@Shaurbox - In real life the cameo belonged to my step-grandmother’s mother’s aunt, but I thought that was a bit too complicated for the video, so I simplified it. I like to think that it came from the Dowager 1896-Middle-Class-Housewife’s family, and that she gave it to her daughter-in-law as a wedding present.

[@HassassinCat]

Thats my favorite part!

[@janebaker4912]

I picked up on that too! 😍😍😍

[@Pour_La_Victoire]

This was hilarious! Are we really so different today though? I eat breakfast in my pajamas, change to office attire for an 8-hour gauntlet of zoom calls and excel wrangling, then change into comfy clothes to cook, clean, and relax at the end of the day, then back into a cozy robe or pajamas for one last round of KZbin binging before bed...

[@AnniCarlsson]

And if you go to the gym you change as well.

[@slaveNo-4028]

@Pour La Victorie "office attire for an 8-hour gauntlet of zoom calls and excel wrangling", I'm sorry if this is rude or weird to ask, but I'm really curious, what is your work / the name of your job? Because I'm still trying to find my way and this sounded great, I love excel (and I'd love home office via zoom calls lol)

[@Pour_La_Victoire]

@@slaveNo-4028 hello! I work in technology at a hedge fund, in a role focused on processes, organization, and collaboration tooling :) it's challenging and fast-paced, but also fun and rewarding!

[@blackraveness]

Only difference is that we can change clothes now in less than a minute.

[@SassyyjuicyMaria]

Try wearing actual office attire (tailored striped office lapel jacket, skirt, heels) and a night- gown);

[@ellenlau8883]

By God's mercy. Watching this just made me beyond grateful for my leggings and shirt. Not gonna lie, that silhouette was divine, but all those buttons and layers of cloth would kill me. Thanks for the wholesome content! 🤩

[@Liusila]

But this is only a rich lady. Imagine someone like Jennifer Lopez leaving the house too - given all the exercise, beauty procedures, all the extensions and hair removal needed constantly today, not to mention basic hair and makeup - does what we saw in the video really take longer? Not at all.

[@MegaPokemon1997]

@@jenzito45 That's the beauty of natural fibres. They breathe.

[@nicolepadilla866]

@@MegaPokemon1997not if you use 18 layers…. Plus you get a work out just putting on all the layers. This gas gotta take like 30 mins just to get dressed. Im. So glad i live today and not then. I would not be down to wear this many layers of clothes

[@unakiteearthfire8808]

@@MegaPokemon1997 And hold the warmth when worn in layers ;-) A undershirt/extra underlayer makes a difference. When going outside in the cold for longer time, right clothing is for me not only the right outerwear, but beginns with the right underwear.

[@xladyfayre]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought that, lol.

[@pola5195]

This one inspired me to actually do the household chores for today, I put on an apron and pretended I have to explain all the wonders of modern living to a victorian woman

[@AverageAmerican]

_"...explain all the wonders of modern living"_ translated to: show off all your robots

[@monicafiore20]

Love this!

[@valiaudet3415]

😅🤣😅🙃🙃😅🤣😂

[@nathbrow]

I thought I was the only one who did things like this 😂

[@alphaomega9626]

@@nathbrow You're both barking mad...

[@_mako]

modern men: women take so long to get ready! victorian women: hold my basket

[@estellaclifford2608]

😅

[@atomiclisa]

My grandma and most of the women in the town washed clothes on Mondays. They were hung up till almost dry then she'd usually roll them loosely and iron them the next day. Baking was done on Tuesdays or Wednesdays and Market days were Thursdays and Saturdays (the days the farmer's markets were held). Sweeping and trash burning was done on Fridays. If anyone burned trash on any other day they were considered an a-hole (it might have been even illegal) because the soot would get on things like laundry or if someone were painting.

[@kimberlysue862]

Reminds me of the vintage Days of The Week embroidery patterns…Wash Day, Iron Day, Sew Day, Market Day, etc.

[@CatherineSTodd]

I remember this weekly "calendar," now that you mention it! Thanks for the reminder of the "Good Ole Days!"

[@muffassa6739]

that's how we did it at our house

[@worldonfire6154]

Dunno how this is elsewhere, but here in Germany Wednesday and Saturday are still market days. They are held either in front of the local church or an a market square somewhere else in town. I'm doing my studies in a town where Cathedral Square and Market Square are separated. However you get from one to the other in about one or two minutes.

[@pattidrier9593]

For our household, wash Monday. Iron Tuesday. Mend Wednesday. And I forgot Thursday and Friday. Saturday was bake day. Had to have enough for the week.

[@kitsunelee007]

I just had a weird flashback to my childhood where i had "play clothes", school clothes, house clothes, "good clothes". I used to think it was an germ phobia of something but my Great-grandmother, Grandmother, and Mother were raised this way. My family made 99.9% of whatever was worn other then under garmets or super special occasions. I was blessed enough to have inherhited a closet of period clothing(damn me for being born waay taller and fuller is chest then all the previous women in my family).

[@katyachai1634]

I was raised like that too and still keep it that way (I'm 26). I can't imagine not changing to my house clothes when I get home because I just can't let myself sit anywhere except for a chair while wearing "outside" clothes. Also I have to change clothes if I go outside to throw out trash or pick up delivery because I wouldn't allow myself to wear the same clothes in the house after going outside.

[@tinapetrovicz9741]

I think it was less about germs and more about not wearing out or staining your good clothes. I remember my mother being aghast when I got grass stains on anything that wasn't my play clothes. Good clothes or Sunday best was only worn for church or visiting.

[@aatsista]

Same. I had the same drawers, labelled as such.

[@kitsunelee007]

@@tinapetrovicz9741personally it was a combination of hygiene, carefully extending the life of the clothing were the reasons.

[@pambrown8697]

I still call it play clothes...

[@g-bgcg]

My grandmother was part of that Victorian stereotype. She was only 8 years old when her parents sent her to work for another family. She had to clean, cook and do everything else that no one wanted to do in exchange for money being sent back home to her parents. This was in Europe. She ended up moving to the U.S. as a young adult with her husband. She had 7 kids (2 died as infants) My Dad was born as a first generation American. I cannot imagine being shipped to another family at such a young age to do hard work. Not to mention moving to a country where you don’t know the language. The Victorian era seemed so glamorous but when we dig a little deeper, we see how difficult it was for some people. Thank you for the video, I really enjoyed it.

[@MH-be6hr]

Privileged people have no idea about the heartache they caused and they want to scrub history clean of the pain and ugliness so they can continue living in their American paradise bubble world. 😒😔💔🇺🇸

[@fakeyamumba3445]

😢

[@CranBerry565]

Too cruel to use children for hard work 😓

[@KM-rm9kn]

I know a few people whose grandmothers were sold at the age of 7 to be maids of all work in the first half of the 20th century. They were white children in the United States. I appreciate Adelaide's mention of a 6-year-old Irish Maggie. I thought it was a genuine historical reference, although she says that it wasn't. It wasn't an uncommon practice.

[@frida507]

Very happy to not live in those times.

[@wordwoman9900]

We're really not all that different now. I get up, change into my scrubs, go to work, come home, change OUT of my scrubs and into cozy home clothes, probably change again if I need to go to the store or something, and would also need a specialized outfit if I were going to a party or planning to work out. The Victorian wardrobe only seems weird to us because of the relative complexity and time required, but we still have functional costume changes today.

[@ideljenny]

I go to work in my pj's, change there to scrubs and after I go home in my pj's again. If I go to the gym first I'll change into my gymclothes there, shower at the gym and go home in my pj's again.

[@wordwoman9900]

@@ideljenny I blame my mom for not being comfortable wearing PJs out of the house, and a chronic illness that left me nearly bedridden for a few years with my discomfort wearing PJs at any time other than bedtime. I'm quietly jealous of people who basically just live in their PJs. I'm joining y'all sideways by buying soft t-shirts and a set of "exclusively for home" uber comfy scrub pants to lounge around in. They're BASICALLY PJs, but I still change before bed anyway. Oh well.

[@augustusgloopfangirl8751]

@@wordwoman9900 Sorry to pry Nand, by all means, please decline the offer if it is too invasive but I too have a chronic illness that also left me nearly bedridden for a few years. It is a very isolating experience and I have always wanted to talk to others in a similar position. Would you mind if kept in touch? maybe by email or something? Hope you are doing much better now x

[@michellebloch8970]

On my days off I am mostly in my pjs. I actually put off going to the store or running errands because it requires me to put actual clothes on. I would never have survived in Victorian times 😬

[@cynthiaclark8050]

@@michellebloch8970 You would have because you'd have to do specific chores and tasks without Amazon, Uber, Task Rabbit etc or your world would fall down around you...just like it will soon with the coming crash/depression.

[@kimiweintraub1866]

How did I end up here?! Who knows but so glad I did! The effort that went into this video and the women of the time are just unbelievable!!!! Loved every minute “your brother is dead STOP” hahahaha I’m obsessed

[@katerrinah5442]

And the reveal that the maid is 6yo 😬😂

[@sandralee8945]

that produced a loud laugh myself !!

[@AimlessAmy]

Exactly what I was thinking

[@user-gl9lv1yx4l]

I'm in the same predicament, well stated. I'm impressed too. thanks

[@travelingfoolcatperson4700]

I never know where I'll end up when I go down video rabbit holes at night, but I've found a lot of interesting ones.

[@lancelot1953]

Hi Adelaide - thank you for such informative videos. I was raised by my grand-mother (born 1889, died at 102 years of age). My grand-mother was a college graduate but according to local customs, had to get married "... cause that was the purpose of a woman to raise a family..." The community married her to a farmer of the same age. Despite being raised on a farm, riding horses, doing farming chores, I never saw my grand-mother wearing pants or shorts. She always wore a skirt or a dress, with or w/o an apron for house/garden work. She made her own clothes (and mine). I am amazed on all the work that older generations did without the niceties that we enjoy. Thank you for sharing part of our history with younger generations, Ciao, L

[@withmyhandsdream]

This was so fun and informative. I pity the husband trying to put all the 27 children in bed alone! In Finland the hats symbolised upper class. The working class people wore square scarves that were folded diagonally and tied under the chin. My grandma, who was a farm wife, still wore a scarf until she died. I think she only tool hers off to sleep and to wash. Hats became more common in cities and then the countryfolk were gossiping about those folks that moved to the city and came back wearing a hat!

[@AdelaideBeemanWhite]

That’s so interesting!

[@annasolovyeva1013]

Yes, old Russian Empire tradition.

[@ThundermansThunder]

Here in the United States, my mother and sisters and many women that we knew wore similar scarves when going outside to protect their hair from being mussed. I guess they must have quickly faded from fashionable favor in the early 1970's because the most of the younger women suddenly stopped wearing them. These days, it is truly a novelty to see a woman wearing a scarf on her head, though there have always been niche uses for them.

[@galolito]

Working class women in the USA wore headscarves in the fall and winter instead of hats or stocking caps until the mid sixties.

[@ThundermansThunder]

@@galolito They lingered in fashion a little longer in southern Florida around Ft. Lauderdale and Miami in the first half of the 1970's, even among the young wealthy. It gets surprisingly cold in the winter, so their use makes sense. For most of the year when it was hot, women wore the lighter weight chiffon scarves. Just seemed strange how suddenly it dwindled to almost nothing, but fashion is known to be strange in many ways, so I guess it is par for the course.

[@vickicali]

This is absolutely awesome. I know we are all thinking how ridiculous it is to take this long to get dressed, but we sometimes spend just as long or more to do our makeup and hair when going out. We have decided to focus more time on that than clothing. Everything changes and stays the same. So appreciate your content and using the word "monobosom." 🤣

[@CampingforCool41]

I fail at both eras, I barely spend time doing either lol

[@vickicali]

@@CampingforCool41 I think you are better off for it. It's a lot of time wasted on societal pressure.

[@patriciaseybold7396]

Yes, indeed. It’s fascinating to me where we, through time, put our emphasis as women.

[@vickicali]

@@patriciaseybold7396 I wonder what changes are coming in the next 100 years!

[@mikoto7693]

@@CampingforCool41 I fail at both too, don’t worry. I wear practical clothing with no makeup or or anything done with my hair other than keeping it clean and brushing it. All in all it takes about fifteen minutes to go from getting out of bed to being ready to get out the door. Usually though it’s closer to twenty minutes. But there are other things I’d need to do such as feeding the cats and whatnot.so really I’m spending about half an hour.

[@platedlizard]

honestly the modern equivalent would be changing out of your PJs into your athletic wear for a morning workout if you have one, then changing into work clothes, whatever those are for your profession, and then changing into more casual clothing (or athletic wear for an evening workout) for after work, before changing into you PJs once again for bedtime. I usually change about three or four times a day, personally. And of course we have specialized clothing as well, swimsuits and cycling clothing might look different today, but they still exist. Motor cyclists have their own special gear, and I've got an entire wardrobe of outdoor clothing for multiday hikes and camping.

[@LilyUnicorn]

I sleep naked and all i wear around the house is a robe.....i dont need all those clothes

[@omayrasdemesne]

@@andreakhaid agreed. I have my work clothes. As soon as I get home, I have house clothes. And since I'm a slob, I usually have to change into another pair of pajamas for bed.

[@gwirgalon3758]

The difference being that that takes a minute to 3 minutes max for each, and you are comfortable (except for the work shoes possibly) and in healthy material, not destroying your body, rib cage, internal organs and possibilitiy of a safe childbirthing procedure,....what the corsets destroyed -- not to mention the lack of oxygen to the brain. I have worn those corsets, and then had to run ....nope.

[@lisbetsoda4874]

Yes, but it took so much longer to change with all the complicated clothes.

[@mortisrat]

@@gwirgalon3758 Modern clothes also come with hairstyle changes and make-up time which did not exist back then, making change time about the same in many cases. Modern clothes are often made of plastic, so not really a healthy material. Corsets are not uncomfortable or restrictive unless you tight-lace, and many corsets had only cording and had no boning at all. I wear these clothes often and am perfectly comfortable and able to run if I need to. So long as a corset is properly shaped and properly fitted to you they're OK. Saying corsets were crushingly tight because it's possible (albeit not recommended) to tight-lace is like saying shoes are bad for you because 7" stripper heels exist. Modern clothes are certainly more comfortable if you're lounging around or wearing slobby gear, but when dressed up I'm just as comfortable in Victorian clothes as modern clothes, sometimes more so.

[@suzannakoizumi8605]

My father was born in 1892 and was one of five children. They lived in Brooklyn and my Grandfather worked for a haberdashery with Jane Fonda's grandfather. I remember my father and Grandmother were always so well dressed. Impeccable. And after my father died, my mother remarked that she never in all their years of marriage had to pick up one sock or any clothes that he dropped on the floor. Today is Veterans' Day. My father fought in all seven major European battles in WW One. The trenches were awful. Thank God we won.

[@Sparrow-lh9qk]

So, most of the time, even watching a funny video, I just chuckle a bit. But then I heard "Irish Maggie does her best, but she's only six years old," and I laughed so hard I woke up my actual six-year-old. Oh, man. Thank you so much for that laugh. I truly needed it.

[@oooh19]

know what? adults underestimate kids. kids are way smarter and more capable than we realize at times.

[@thetimelesscostumemaker1266]

This was a wonderful and informative video. I dress vintage (1940's - 1950's) most days and I too change clothes a few times a day. Robe in the morning for breakfast, housedress for cleaning, and a nice dress for running errands. It goes to show how we haven't changed as much over the years as people would like to think.

[@jemillafrancis4148]

this is the most realistic looking I've seen

[@Arkelk2010]

@The Timeless Costume Maker. I think the clothes from post-WWII until the early 1960s overall showed the best combination of flattering and practical. The exceptions are sports clothing. I'm barely in my 60s, and miss the care people took when they went out in public, male and female.

[@WholeHeartily]

I’m pretty modern! I change from a nightgown to gym sweats, then shower and change to work clothes or appropriate errand clothes, then shower when I get home and change into lounge clothes or “going out” clothes depending on what my boyfriend has planned.

[@andriaduncan5032]

@@Arkelk2010 I'm 61, and though I definitely remember the hippie days (my mom wore micro-minis, bell-bottoms, and beehive hair), I also well recall the white gloves and special hats for Easter Sunday -- there's even an old photo of me, somewhere, wearing those white gloves, when I was maybe 7 or 8, with a gorgeous brown dress that I truly loved - my hair was brown then, and so was my last name!

[@mspennywhistle]

This is both very informative and HILARIOUS 😂 I hope Irish Maggie and the 27 children are doing well

[@AdelaideBeemanWhite]

Irish Maggie just turned 7. She was given a full 15 minutes off as a birthday present. 2 more children have gone missing, bringing the total down to 25.

[@6743aman]

Hi 👍🔥🤩

[@LillaIgelkotten]

@@AdelaideBeemanWhite Irish Maggie must be the ripe old age of 8 now! Is she still as good?

[@kimhaughton3771]

@@AdelaideBeemanWhite 🤣🤣🤣

[@SA_.377]

@@AdelaideBeemanWhite 🤣🤣🤣

[@MegaMama61]

My grandfather was the youngest of 22 children, all single births! Seriously, my great grandmother was the british equivalent of “Irish Maggie” who wore the same dress all the time, but a succession of aprons, worn one on top of the other. A sacking apron on top for clearing the grates, scrubbing the floors and etc. under that the housework apron, for dusting, sweeping etc, anther one for kitchen prep and taking food deliveries at the kitchen door. Finally the neat white apron for answering the door to visitors! I used to use “Granny’s Aprons” as a maths project with my first grade classes!

[@fjdoucet1465]

Same! My grandfather was the youngest of 23. He was born in Montréal, where very a high birth was treasured until the 1960s.

[@speedymcweeniemom8556]

I have no idea how the algorithm decided to randomly put this video in my recommended videos but I thoroughly enjoyed it! Thanks for the fun historic glimpse into the dress habits of our ancestors. ❤

[@l.g.4075]

Same!!

[@willardroad]

HOLY HECK!!! I had no idea women went through this, back then. I actually appreciate the putting on and taking off sequences, because they show us an approximation of the real difficulties. I also find it hilarious that you lounge around in various outfits, while there's a whole bunch of modern stuff in the background like the electric piano. Equal parts Snark and historical accuracy, combined to make a really great video. Thanks for the effort!

[@kj7653]

Yes, the amount of time it took to change clothes was unbelievable. I, too, was caught up in the irony of modern furnishings with old fashioned dresses.

[@angelastahl626]

It wasn’t lost on me that women back then added padding to mimic “curves” (bust, hips, bum), but people who have those curves for real today are considered fat. Good grief, I guess society has always been ridiculous.

[@user-ii4zf5iq3t]

Women plump in certain places inferred fertility.

[@zadasorrell7191]

You said we could skip the getting dressed scenes, but I couldn't look away. It's just too much! We take lessons for things less complicated than putting on that day dress!

[@savvygood]

I’m a middle class house wife and I have several outfits I wear a day. A sturdy house outfit for cleaning, work out clothes, a nice outfit for picking up the kids and talking to other moms, back into the cleaning outfit! Then a pajama set.

[@fjdoucet1465]

Basically the same.

[@KlaudiaShaefferr]

Very interesting, and changing process is not boring. It shows how much energy and patience those ladies must had had to deal with all the corsets, covers, underskirts etc

[@mariewheeler6522]

I'm totally exhausted just watching this. My routine: Shower, hair and make-up, jeans or pants, blouse or t shirt. Worn all day until bedtime.

[@aussiejubes]

And it shows me that if I'd have been able to afford it, I would have employed someone to dress me so it was quicker lol

[@finallythere100]

I used to wonder why women don't pass out like in the days of old. This is why...

[@finallythere100]

She could have literally worn NOTHING under that frumpy brown dress, she would have been MUCH cooler and more comfortable, and NO ONE would have bee the wiser!

[@dropkickmurphy4114]

@@finallythere100 But a "lady" of her social standing would never DREAM of such a "vulgar" (common) practice among those less well-off in society!!

[@elizharber3564]

So fun! Thank you for all of you creativity. Underarm shields and waist tapes - two things I’ve not seen other you-tubers mention.

[@AdelaideBeemanWhite]

They are very important!

[@anascarlet]

I second this! I had no idea they existed 😳 Well, I was especially surprised by the underarm shields. I think I other KZbinrs would always wear a longer sleeve on their chemise

[@SirenaSpades]

Underarm shields are still useful, especially with silk garments.

[@doeeyes2]

Yes I too noticed the underarmm shields

[@ChandraBrooks]

This was a fun way of not only seeing into the mechanics of Victorian costuming, but also to learn more about daily life. Thank you

[@AdelaideBeemanWhite]

You’re very welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

[@boojay111]

My great grandmother had 22 children! Only two died and they were two boys who were killed in WW1 fighting in France. A story was that if my family walked out of a certain factory it would close down! Thanks so much for the video. I studied costume and costume history, what a faff!!!

[@susanmccormick6022]

I do reenactments & adore the clothes.But wool is scratchy & heavy when wet.And my hoop has a maddening habit of falling down!

[@xutherrot]

...22 😳

[@melodiemefret1013]

You must have a lot of cousins.

[@CrazyBookLady]

I love how you placed each outfit into context and explained the practicality that the outfits could serve. Thanks including the wardrobe changes. I love to see how different outfits can come together.

[@mrscsstorytimeonline4343]

As some others have said, I was struck by how similar we really are today, I’ll wake up in my pyjamas, change into my robe, have coffee, change into my work out clothes, come home shower, change into my home casual clothes, if I have to go out I’ll put on my nicer ‘shopping’ clothes, when I come home I change back into my comfy clothes, then change again after dinner into my pyjamas again. So I’m probably doing even more dress changes then in the video. Of course the difference is mine take a couple of minutes, but I’d argue I’m doing way more washing 😅

[@hege4318]

Same! But instead of usi g a lot of time changing I spend the time in the bathroom on my phone, so I probably use same amount of time changing clothes 😅🤣🙈

[@ProudKansan08]

lol! I don't think I changed as much as you did. Every morning, took a shower, got dressed, went to work, came home, stayed in same clothes, fixed dinner, ate dinner, took them off, took another shower, went to bed. When I went out to a wedding or something, dressed up, went to the event and came home, usually staying in my outfit because it was only an hour or two before I went to bed anyway, so didn't change.

[@G-grandma_Army]

My favorite dress is the working dress. This was so interesting, especially considering my great grandmother and great grandfather lived during this time and I knew them very well. My kids, both in there mid 40s even knew my great grandmother. It’s just fascinating to think about how much the world changed in her lifetime and also in my lifetime.

[@heidi1224]

Wow. That brings back memories of my grandmother. She was born in 1881, and there were pictures of her as a very young woman. She had her hair in a Gibson Girl hairdo, and she wore a high neck blouse, with the pintucks in the front, the legolamb sleeves, with the corset and the petticoats under a skirt that flared in the back. Of course, she also had the shoes that button up. They had a black manservant, who had just stayed doing what he did, even after he was emancipated. He was just part of the family. My mom called him "Uncle Theodore". Nanny still wore a corset when I was a little girl. And the black special occasion dress with the lace collar. One day she went wild, and bought a bright red hat, though, lol. The world went from horse and buggy to the men on the moon in her lifetime.

[@lyndavonkanel8603]

My grandmother, who had a large part in raising me, was born in 1891. Her mother must have worn the middle or working class clothes. It was a pleasure to watch your video! It helped me to visualize their lives and feel close, rather than remote, to my great grandmother. Thank you!

[@lyndavonkanel8603]

@@80sCanadian Ahhh, that's lovely. I liked your comment, Thanks for making it! My Grandmother was the center of my world and I wished I'd asked her more questions about her early life. We don't think of that when we're young. Like you and your aunt, memories of her are precious and I was blessed to have as much time with her as I did.

[@sharonnewton4374]

I am 74 and my grandmother lived in a very small town in the middle of Texas. I remember that she always put on make up, a hat and gloves to go into town which was only a few blocks away. It seemed so curious to me at the time. My how customs change over time. Sometimes now in the cities, I have even seen people go to Walmart at night in their pajamas!!!!!!

[@julijakeit]

people don't have standards anymore and don't care about reputation, I had to take long distance commute in summer with sweaty people wearing flip flops! It was so bad some people left to wait for other trains, how do I know, I was among one of them and we were furious such dirty individuals were allowed to ruin the trip for many.

[@doeeyes2]

Ugh in College (2007-2010) I saw so many girls show up to class in pajamas and ugg boots, hair barely combed. I went to a catholic highschool where we wore kilts, vests and knee highs so I was quite surprised hoe underdressed people were.

[@taralohman6492]

I’ve seen them at Walmart in pajamas during the day

[@cleocatra9324]

Usually ill fitting dirty or stained pajamas and bunny slippers or ugly ass crocs with socks

[@alady4real598]

I was raised in the 60's (1960's) and we "dressed" to go places... doctor's office, downtown, and of course church. We had "school clothes" usually one or two of the same outfits all week. and the play clothes which were immediately put on once home from school. I still dress "nice" when I go somewhere and often get comments (and some compliments) about being nicely dressed.

[@NerdySillyGirl]

The vaccum! 😂 I love the video, and I laughed a lot. Seriously however, after a few months researching historical clothing, you get to understand they did things like us most of the time. Tea gown after waking up and before going to bed = loungewear Fashionable gown for outside = what people consider normal clothes (some jeans and t-shirt for a lot of people) House dress = old comfortable clothes to do chores And then it doesn't seem so far fetched.

[@AGOTHWEDNESDAYT.V]

Hilarious. Great personality she has and the newspaper segment bout airplanes for the future, and the letter was funny. 🤣Great detail and explaiing everything 👏 👌 💯

[@DharaGrace]

The same concepts of reasons to change clothes today as then, but much less elaborate. In the A.M. I throw on a bathrobe. I'd go crazy with all the little ties and frills on a tea dress. Not to mention the whole corset routine. 😉

[@jenniferharris1280]

@Lina S this results in us having to wash all of our clothes more often. the layers meant that the clothes that touch the skin were the only ones to be laundered frequently. the outer layers stayed mostly clean (apart from travel and hemlines). One thing she didn't note was the black ruffle on the hem of the work dress. So practical to not show dirt, be easily replaced if damaged, and hence support less frequent laundering = increased longevity of the clothes.

[@deborahlaird4141]

@@jenniferharris1280 we also have lots of pollution in the air so need to wash our clothes often. Also our skirts are usually much shorter than they wore in those days.

[@bernadetteortiz747]

All I can say is those poor women. All those layers

[@meganmccarthy8114]

All the best parts of a BBC period drama, and none of the contrived plot twists. Loved every minute, thank you so much for sharing all the little getting-dressed details! That plaid workdress especially stole my heart. Would love info on whether you sew your garments and if so what patterns you use, or, if not, where you source them. Thank you!!!

[@AdelaideBeemanWhite]

I sew them. The patterns are generally from Truly Victorian or from Patterns of Time on Etsy.

[@marelinem541]

@@AdelaideBeemanWhite Oh my ... The 'going to market dress' was amazing. You must be an incredible seamstress.

[@kasday369]

@@AdelaideBeemanWhite WOW!!! I'm beyond impressed!!!

[@grumpy_poo]

@@AdelaideBeemanWhite so very skilled. Imagine, all that was sewn probably on an old Singer machine back in the day. I have a 1923 singer hand cranked machine and I do wonder what tales it could tell.... it still works

[@TricksterWicked]

No idea why KZbin wanted me to watch this, but I'm glad it did. This was fascinating and well presented. I like seeing how each of these outfits go together, and what purpose each served. Your humor is engaging and the anecdotes you threw in were helpful for developing context. Thanks for sharing something you're obviously passionate about!

[@MB-xe8bb]

KZbin knows you better than you know yourself.

[@katherinespezia4609]

"Having reached its apotheosis in both form and function, fashion has no reason ever to change again." Mood.

[@6743aman]

Hi 🙏🔥🔥

[@jms9057]

Me as I sit in jeggings and a t-shirt.

[@NobuxD]

As I pull out my favorite pair of leggings...

[@joylox]

Me whenever I sew something new. I want to keep things lasting longer and if something fits, I'll wear it.

[@tiffanydelgado342]

Omg my family was a legit stereotype 😂 My 11th great grandmother actually had 25 children, 21 of whom lived well into adulthood and my 10th great grandmother had 20 children, of whom 18 lived well into adulthood. Idk how either of them did it; it had to have been an absolutely wild house lol

[@Draggonny]

You must have good genes for your ancestors to have survived so many births and for so many of the children to have survived to adulthood. Pregnancy and birth still come with risks even with all our modern medicine.

[@middi6]

Damn.

[@janmcwilliams5998]

Wow!

[@roseygirl1777]

I will be seventy in March, born in 1953, there were 10 kids in my family and 12 in my ex-husband's family. We only had two, seems with each generation the number goes down drastically. In this generation some couples are deciding not to have any children at all. When I was a child birth control was rarely used and most families had farms; the extra kids helped with the farming. In my home the boys did the out side chores and the girls did the inside chores.

[@jenniferharris1280]

It was 100% the norm for the older children to do housework and chores. The burden wasn't all on the mother. I mean, taking care of multiple young children without modern conveniences whilst ALWAYS heavily pregnant sounds like torture to me. It was a LOT of work, I'm not pretending it wasn't. but after the first few kids, you have help. Young children can and did help with dishes. Older children look after younger children and do more of the heavier work (like laundry). and if you have 25 kids, after the first 5 or 6 it's really just a formula, as they come along they bump the older kids into the next level of responsibility. Then the older ones get married; our ancestors would NEVER have had to care for 20 kids at one time. Unless they had all twins, which is another level of nightmarish. ;)

[@bpe9578]

I love your 'Censored' sign. I'm glad that you are keeping even your dressing section historically accurate. Love your morning paper commentaries. I also love your choice of music and your telegram. 😊🌺🌺

[@suziebrokken5749]

This is fascinating.... I almost had a panic attack while watching the buttoning of the going out dress...The thought of being trapped in an outfit was daunting...❣️

[@getreadynow647]

Same here. It was just too much. I'm so glad times have changed

[@kjmav10135]

Well, that was fun! I’m 62, and when I was a little girl, I remember playing with my great grandmother’s darning eggs and button hooks, and looking at-but not touching-her 4-inch-long hat pins. I still have my grandfather’s collar box full of celluloid collars. Times sure have changed. Dressing, so much easier!

[@llamasugar5478]

I’m 57, and I have similar memories of visits to my great- and great-great-aunts. It makes me sad that, with clothing so much easier to don and so much more accessible, so many people seem to take no thought for what they wear. _Walmart shoppers & airplane passengers, I’m looking at you_

[@ElleS572]

@@llamasugar5478 comfort over appearance.

[@lauracook8203]

I also am 62 & I remember the darning egg! Ours was a brown wooden one that I thought looked like a wooden chicken leg. Our apartment building had a washer with a ringer & the sink had a washboard. My grandpa was born in 1898 & quite the fancy dresser. He wore garters for his socks, cuff links, coordinating hankies in breast pocket, pocket watch, tie bar & always a fedora with his suit. Oh, can't forget the suspenders & pinky ring!

[@graceandglory1948]

I have darning eggs. I am 74. Bought them new to learn how to save more money. Easy to use.😊

[@graceandglory1948]

@@lauracook8203 My mother used that type of washer when I was young. She used a washing board as well.

[@kathilisi3019]

6yo Irish Maggie killed me! 😆 And the fact that you even included a disclaimer that people didn't have 27 children and didn't employ 6 year olds made me consider other extreme stereotypes that some people believe about the era, that should also come with a disclaimer. (But people did sometimes have 12 children and employ 12 year olds, so it was only a slight exaggeration!)

[@naowright9308]

My husband is 49 and there were 13 children in his family. I am 34 and there were 16 children in my family. So some people still have large families they just don't necessarily employ children they send them to school.

[@staceykersting705]

As the oldest of 4 kids, I was 'employed' by my mom from the age of 4...always helping with chores and changing babies. can't imagine a 5 yr old dealing with diaper pins these days!.

[@ernestinemaloy8680]

I have a long time friend in indy who has been married to the same man since 1986 and has...wait for it..ELEVEN CHILDREN...most of them grown now with families of their own...all God fearing law-abiding people...she raised those kids right....

[@keithfrost1190]

My Grandmother had 15 children. The first at 18 and the last at 48. She died in 1966 at the age of 93.

[@kathilisi3019]

I know some people still have families that big, but it was a lot more common a century ago. In my own family there were a few people (like my grandfather's grandaunt, or my great-great-grandmother) who had 12-16 children and died from complications with their last pregnancy (at which point their husbands immediately married again and had another 2-3 children). I just picked 12 children as a likely average, and 12 as a likely age of employment, although some children started working at a younger age.

[@bunnymad5049]

Wow! You're just ready for the market and I'm exhausted already. LOL. Nicely presented!

[@annalisasteinnes]

"Irish Maggie does her best, but she's only 6 years old..." That part really got me 😂 But honestly, I sometimes change several times a day for practical purposes, for example, if I'm going to do some gardening or grimy housework, I'll put on some older clothes I don't mind getting dirty. I also like to put on something more comfortable when I get back from work, and then into pajamas right before bed (though sometimes I'll just go straight to the pajamas). The main difference seems to be that it takes me about 2 minutes to change rather than 5+.

[@lindseyb1980]

Honestly, dead. Go Irish Maggie

[@singerofdreams4963]

This was something I was going to add to mine but edited for length. My mom has 7 or 8 different levels of "appropriate" dress and changes for each level with a rare crossover that could work... bedtime which works from evening ablution to after breakfast, housework (once it has holes or is threadbare goes in the tag bag and she has no actual t-shirts), home casual (receiving the public at home,) shopping casual, office, lunch or dinner out outfit, evening out and then Sunday. 😵‍💫😓 Despite being brought up with this I've whittled it back to bedtime t- shirt (usually worn with last casual outfit on previous day), casual once the household is active and possible receiving the public, "would be in my mother's rag bag" for grungy/ painting, etc activities, office/ church, and finally dressy/ church. (I am a musician and perform so for me that last is like a costume.) Now my adult son is whittled back to grunge/ bed and work/dress suit and shirt. So shameless! 😆 With working at home and during Covid lock down I bet some only changed once every day or 2. 😯 We definitely have fewer boundaries and expectations of our clothes as time passes now.

[@qwkimball]

My grandmother left home to work as a full time, live-in "mother's helper" when she was 8 years old. Evart, Michigan, 1900. My father began working full time at the age of 12, in 1944.

[@smokiana226]

Irish Maggie definitely took me out 😅 very funny and informative

[@LixiaWinter]

Have you ever thought about making historical comedy skirts? Your sarcastic jokes and non chalant delivery had me in stitched! Plush fishie accompanied by two whole lemons is now forever in my heart

[@AdelaideBeemanWhite]

It does sound fun, when I get the time.

[@GG-ub5vz]

as someone who struggles with not having enough hours in the day, i think id simply go insane over the amount of "wasted" time on clothing changes 😭

[@verybarebones]

Its ok, this wouldnt be for you and me, this is for the kardashians of the era.

[@sandralee8945]

in our present time I think we waste so much More time doing seemingly 'important' things- because things are speeded up with so called modern conveniences - but in reality we cram our life full of unnecessary drama that puts the emphasis on accomplishing a million things before collapsing in bed. Back then they still had 24 hours in a day, but was filled with a social routine and much protocol and tradition. I find it fascinating and would love to interview women from that era to find out what they thought of us running around 'doing' a bunch of stuff

[@MOONSUN4Life]

This was a fascinating video, both highly education and entertaining! Thank you for leaving in the getting-dressed parts, they not only gave us a rare glimpse into how the various pieces of an outfit were put on, but it gave me a whole new appreciation for my own clothes and how easy they are to put on in comparison. The humorous bits were also a nice touch, especially those about the phone and plane being impossible, but airships from Mars were a plausible thing. Science? Never heard of that!

[@19683]

Marconi is wireless - not phone I believe but radio.

[@robinbirdj743]

27 children, lol.

[@HosCreates]

Very informative and it made sense ! we have modern clothes for: work, the gym, for going to parties, church , the "club" etc it's honestly no different just a bit less layering

[@maryhill5877]

This was so entertaining. I liked her jumping right into the the video and forgoing a boring prolog. I wouldn't have the patience to dress myself like that today, but how intriguing were these fashions! One part I did not like was the high volume of the music. It was annoying. I had to turn it down then quickly up to hear her speak. She is so pretty and made a good model for the attire. I'm glad for the comfort of today's fashions, yet I would love to wear the Victorian look with today's comfort. What a delightful treat this was for me.

[@marybethjohnson3305]

I admit, I LOVED the music! ragtime and Scott Joplin are favorites of mine. but I may be older that many other viewers (73). loved the video! well done!

[@Flamsterette]

The music was fine for me.

[@diaryofadressmaker]

That telegraph killed me 😂You are hilarious! "your brother is dead STOP"

[@6743aman]

Hi 😊👋👋 I am arpit

[@patriciaseybold7396]

Oh my goodness, what a delight this was to watch. You did an excellent job in clearly explaining each and every part of the video. My grandmother died at 106, and used to tell me about the clothing of her time. I am almost 70, and there's a part of me that wishes we could go back to people trying to look tidy when then went out. Thank you so much for your very hard work on this. Just wonderful.

[@trojanette8345]

I have watched many, many historical costume videos. However, yours was the 1st one I ever saw in which someone actually owned and used a button eye closing stick. I knew they once existed however, no one whose videos I've seen has ever actually USED one. 2 Q's: Besides a money holder hanging watch and I believe a (metal) flint for fire-starting what other 'tools' would be on a woman's chatelaine? How were cloths stored, either in your late Victorian or early Edwardian period....were they folded and laid flat or did they hang them some sort of way? Just curious. Something, I'd like to throw in there (from my late gr-grandmother: 1887 - 1991) as to the reasoning for frequent changing was the fact that, for example, when women were coming back and forth into and out of the home changing ones clothing was seen as a necessity after encountering, dirt, dust, grime, hay, (horse) droppings, and even steam from steam trains. A decent and proper women just didn't wear the same clothes inside that she recently wore outside. One other necessity was the practice of changing one's clothes just before dinner. I can tell you that one of my gr-grandmother's last surviving nephews -- himself, almost a centenarian strictly adhered to this rule for he and his own family. To this day neither he, nor any of his grown children will sit at the dinner table w/o FIRST going upstairs to change. ☺

[@pseudo.account]

The question about clothing storage is an EXCELLENT one, did they have hangers st that point or did everything need to be folded into a chest or a dresser? I am also curious about what is on that chatelaine! Please share 🙏

[@bilindalaw-morley161]

Thank you. I was thinking that cleanliness was a possible changing reason. Middle class women certainly couldn't loop their skirts up to avoid dust n mud. Changing clothes would let Irish Maggie brush or water spray the skirts etc before stains set in. Maybe "glowing" has made the underarms a little damp. Better to freshen the fabric or change dress shields (did they exist then? Under arm pads to soak the sweat...I mean glow. Horses sweat, gentlemen perspire and ladies glow) Also, my guess for the chatelaine would include the key to the tea caddy, maybe the linen cupboard and liquor cupboard, and possibly even a jewel case?

[@bilindalaw-morley161]

@@pseudo.account Lizzie Borden info says there were wall hooks, often in a separate cupboard away from the bedroom. Out of season gear might be in a camphor wood chest or cupboard that common sense says might rarely be opened, so that moths or dust had no chance to enter.

[@jenniferharris1280]

@@pseudo.account I know that hooks on the wall were used to hang clothes at some point. It would keep them fresher than going into a drawer, presumably. As for the chatelaine, it was used in place of a handbag; one would keep keys, along with the money and timepiece shown here, as well as probably a handkerchief. Whatever one might need while out and about, or even at home, depending on the circumstance.

[@moonbabyprime]

@@bilindalaw-morley161 I think I saw a version of dress shields on the chemise. The strings across her upper arms looked like the were there to stabilize the in the underarms. I have often wondered why dress shields were not standard. My mother, a secretary in the 1950 - 1960s, always wore them to work under her silk blouses, wool dresses and evening dresses.

[@isabelbelanger5047]

I found the underarm deodorant pads very interesting because, although I was born in 1950, one of my classmates in high school used them. As a free hippy 70's spirit I hated the feel of them but had lots of underarm perspiration and tried them out - until my Godmother turned me on to Mitchum. I had no idea these were so old. Fab video full of real life history.

[@coolcpa3321]

My older sister was born in 1957 and I was 1963. Each year, my late grandmother (1905-2000) would gift 15 dress shields that she'd made to me (and my mom & sis). In spite of deodorant, I'd wear them under most of my clothes; particularly dry clean only, hand wash sweaters and my best dresses/blouses. It meant that clothes were never stained, could be gently washed/cleaned and later handed down or donated in excellent condition. I now make my own and still use them under cashmere and wool sweaters and all silk. They save time and money.

[@planegoodmusic]

I came to the comments to ask what those armpit things were? I didn’t notice them being put on. Are they attached to anything? How comfortable are they? They seem like a practical idea along with the apron of course to maintain and extend the life of the garment. Curious why they went out of favor.

[@coolcpa3321]

@@planegoodmusic Most couture and high end clothing that I've purchased will have dress/garment shields attached. They're quite easy to make and wear and they help avoid embarrassing sweat stains. I tend to make a new, dedicated set each time I invest in cashmere or silk, but also rotate many that simply stay in place with a bit of elastic. There are numerous configurations to suit most clothing. A quick internet search should reveal plenty of solutions (ready made and make your own). ☺

[@OvcharkaShepherd]

Loved the piece and look forward to more. I live in a stone house built in 1871 and dress in period clothes for tours and parties.

[@dorothywillis1]

You make some good points. People hear something about the past and just repeat what they hear without thinking. Maybe rich women changed five times a day, but not my grandma and great-grandma. I knew my grandma, born in 1883, well and she told me a lot of things. You are right about the "house dress" for in the morning. "Get your work done up in the morning," was the saying. And in our family a lot more of the work was done by the women of the family. They did have a maid, but the maid was usually pretty incompetent. My grandma never forgot the maid who emptied the leftover tea out the window all over my grandma's new blouse! She had made it of white lawn with pin tucks and insertion and it was beautiful. When it was done she dampened it and ironed it and hung it on the line to let the dampness thoroughly dry. And the maid threw the tea all over it! Grandma had no confidence in servants. After housework, etc. in the morning grandma (and great-grandma, b. 1867) got cleaned up and put on afternoon clothes. If they were not going out, these would not be elaborate gowns, but nice enough to receive a friend if they dropped in. By the time my grandma was grown, about 1900, there was a telephone and groceries were ordered by phone and delivered, so there was no need of a market basket with your good clothes. If you went out shopping or paying calls you changed back into the house dress to cook dinner and unless there was company coming you stayed in that dress until bedtime. Something you don't mention is a "combing jacket." I still have one of these made by my grandma. It is made of a strip of light toweling. A slit is cut and an opening for the neck to make something to throw over the shoulders after one is dressed while you comb your hair. That way any hairs that fall, fall on the combing jacket and not your clothes. The one I have is finished around the edges with pretty crochet work. I hope you find all this interesting, as I found your video!

[@dorothywillis1]

@@KrisD007 Is that supposed to be sarcasm? Back then only the poorest households didn't have "hired help." The machines that do much of the work around the house now didn't exist then. Instead the work was done by human hands and if you could afford to you hired people. Being a maid-of-all-work was an entry-level job for young women at a time when there were not many job options for women. Of course there were competent maids. But as anyone knows who has tried to find "help," the problem was to find one.

[@dorothywillis1]

@@KrisD007 Why do you use quotation marks on "machines"? I'm sorry to hear your great-grandparents were not able to afford to hire help. Where did they live? Slavery has not existed in the USA since 1865

[@rosalie4797]

@@dorothywillis1 , you might want to re-examine that. Slavery might have been outlawed, but attitudes and the way people were treated didn't change.

[@dorothywillis1]

@@rosalie4797 No, I deal in facts. And I resent your insinuation that my family treated any servants they might have had badly. You can say what you will, but my participation is at an end.

[@Aztec339]

You were well off compared to the situation my ancestors grew up in. I guess they would be called peasants. Maybe they were the hired help. 😊😊

[@jooliespoolie5574]

My Nanna was Clarice Adelaide, she sadly passed in 1999. She still wore a corset, bloomers, stockings attached to the corset, underskirt, full slip for bust & down to mid thigh, underskirt/petticoat. Only in the summer heat would she consider taking off anything.

[@heloisahodierna7699]

A lot of people will laugh at that but, to be honest, a lot of modern day heavy duty 'shapewear' isn't any better and I have no idea why women have gone back to it. I'm sure some of the really heavy duty, reinforced elastaned stuff must be far worse to get in and out of, rather like getting medieval armour on and some of it is so ugly.

[@kathymcel]

Wow. Must have been exhausting as she got older

[@OliveDNorth]

No way. What a fabulous woman.

[@jooliespoolie5574]

@@kathymcel She did the same everyday until she was 90yrs old, without fail. She was rather sprightly before she got sick and then she struggled. However, knowing how she felt without them, I would help her the last few months. She’d say, “I’d be mortified if I had an accident and I was not ‘proper’ underneath.” Bless, even now, I miss her so much.

[@jooliespoolie5574]

@@OliveDNorth Thank you so much.☺️ Yes, she was an incredible woman, and my best friend. She was kind, empathetic, loving, compassionate and incredibly funny. For a woman who, in her own words said, “I like to be ‘proper’ underneath.” (Always cracked me up) she had an extremely saucy sense of humour.🥰

[@candelabra7764]

What a darling video. I'd like to say getting ready has gotten easier over the years but at least for me, all that time poured into dressing and redressing has been redirected into hair, make-up and skincare routines. It's that comfort in feeling in control over one's appearance through manicuring.

[@edl6398]

If anyone didn’t know that the 27 children wasn’t a joke, well…great video. Things definitely moved slower. Even in my day with pantyhose, big hair, makeup, slips, etc., it was just what you did but in retrospect, it was a lot of work.

[@dropkickmurphy4114]

My word! The EFFORT that went into dressing each day! (Then again, many women today spend voluminous sums of time primping and preparing today.) This is really neat to see! The customs of the day, AND your DELIGHT in the era, then teaching others about something of which many of us know very little. VERY cool! Thank you so much for all the work you put into making this!

[@maggiedoor6093]

I guess that's why calling cards were necessary ( setting up appointments, or inviting others), certain days were for having visitors. You wouldn't want a visitor to arrive while you were in your housecleaning outfit.

[@Pedgo1986]

It was also practical, there was no central heating many houses were cold and damp having many layers was necessary to stay warm + underwear wasn't really a thing you would need completely undress to get to them use pot and laboriously dress again.

[@mortisrat]

I wear these types of clothes quite a lot. Once you get used to putting them on it's actually quite speedy. Hair has to be worn up, and so is quick to do once you have your style memorised. There is no nail polish, no make up and little jewellery. No handbag, so no need to change it over to co-ordinate. I find that if I'm going for anything other than extremely casual dress, that the Victorian clothes take me less time these days.

[@mortisrat]

@@Pedgo1986 Underwear was absolutely a thing worn by women from about the 1850's onward. The underwear was crotchless, and so there is no need to undress to use the 'pot'. It's actually a lot quicker and easier than going in a pair of tights (as an example of commonly worn modern clothing).

[@ProudKansan08]

When I was in college, there were these two girls who would get up probably at 5 or 6 in the morning and would spend hours on their hair. One had long hair almost like Farrah Fawcett and the other one had short hair and the one with the short hair would have a hand mirror and a pick and would one by one fix pieces of her back hair one by one so each side overlapped piece by piece and then they finished it all off with a can of hairspray. My friends and I used to refer to them as the Hairspray Queens. There was only 5 sinks in the bathroom dorm and they occupied 2 of them until probably 8:30 before heading for class, so it was kind of hard for the rest of us to get ready for class.

[@JCSAXON]

My first instinctive guess for an answer to your headlining question is “failed escape”. Second would be “bramble under the bell”

[@kanashiiookami6537]

Definitely the same today. I've always had pajamas, work/house/yard clothes, town clothes, and clothes I throw on when someone pops up and I need to look presentable for visiting. I don't change into each of these every single day (because the life of an introvert means visiting is rare) but I have very specific outfits for very specific times.

[@nanasrealm]

Wow I'm honestly fascinated by the vacuum. I had no idea they were that old. I guess I just assumed they were invented around the 1940s/50s

[@michellecornum5856]

Definitely NOT a labor saving device.

[@makslargu5799]

The original kinds of vacuum were so big they were drawn by horse and cart and was a service you’d pay for like a chimney sweep

[@AdelaideBeemanWhite]

I believe the vacuum was *technically* invented in the 1870s. From the 1890s to the 1920s you saw the advent of hand pump ones like the one in the video. The one in the video dates from 1913.

[@stanlygirl5951]

@@AdelaideBeemanWhite Definitely Edwardian and later. I didn't know they were affordable to the Middleclass Family, though. I'd thought they'd be for the Gentry and higher.

[@mena94x3]

@@michellecornum5856 - Well, you gotta start somewhere. 😄

[@janineashcraft8339]

I can't imagine wearing so many "layers" of clothing, it seems like it would be stifling and so very uncomfortable. 😱 Just discovered your Channel, LOVE this !!!

[@nisa3612]

I'm feeling suffocated already just seeing all those layers, lol

[@blowitoutyourcunt7675]

My regular day wear consists of long wide gypsy skirts that I regularly wear a cotton petticoat underneath, in fall and winter I pair them with Merino wool sweaters and it's rare that I'm ever cold or too hot (brassiere and undershirt/camisole also lol). Wearing clothing made out of natural materials really is a game changer with wearing so many layers! You just can't do the same thing with modern fast fashion because it's all made out of plastic and you'd suffocate, dehydrate and be at the mercy of those layers and the weather. All this in Texas! In the summer I keep the skirts and petticoats because they're not hot at all but I'll ditch the wool sweater and Skip around in my camisoles which is very unvictorian of me. In the Summers I very much Flex Gypsy but Winters are for Victorian dress : ) Few years ago I came to the conclusion that there was no point in having all this costume clothing around me if I didn't actually wear it more than twice a year and I've never been happier with that choice despite all the layers! Cheers doll!

[@raebeingreal2170]

@@blowitoutyourcunt7675 Thank you for the information but we also have to take into consideration different climates and the individuals body disposition where heat is concerned. What maybe comfortable for you may not be the same for another. It's wonderful that you're able to enjoy dressing this way.

[@janineashcraft8339]

@@blowitoutyourcunt7675 Wow...I always heard that people in the middle east, for example, where temperatures reach extremes must wear many layers to keep them cool, but I never looked into it further just thought they looked so hot. Lol. Thank you so much for sharing your insight, I'm going to definitely be thinking about the clothes I obtain from now on. 😘

[@RubyofTrinity]

Those of us of a Certain Age (80s kids) remember dressing up slightly to go to school, and then having to change into "play clothes" upon returning home. Also dressing up for church was A Thing until the 2000s when we all switched to Business Casual. One still gets changed several times a day- one would not go to yoga and then the office in the same attire, after all!

[@catherineball5071]

I was born in 1986 and went to school in the 90s. My mum made us change into play clothes as soon as we arrived home from school. I don't do this with my own kids and my mum just cannot understand why.

[@jmack129]

We sure all did switch to business casual didn’t we 😂 That’s why I love living in NYC. People tend to dress with more intention here 🙏🏾💯

[@TreScotts1Fan]

This video was absolute perfection. Well done. My family thinks I am thoroughly crazy for as many times as I burst out laughing in my headphones, to what they could not hear. Bravo. Great work on the outfits too. You deserve a drink and a rest.

[@AdelaideBeemanWhite]

🛌

[@elbauldegonzalo3435]

I wasn't expecting to see the mercerized cotton dress!! It looks just perfect 😍 and, by the way, I had never heard of bust pads before (I have seen and made bust improvers and bustle pads though), I will research about that

[@AdelaideBeemanWhite]

I considered not showing it, it’s a bit of a spoiler, but it works so perfectly in that part of this video but I couldn’t resist it.

[@impalamama7302]

It was common to sew rows of ruffles on the corset cover to make the bust appear larger when dressed. The bum roll essentially dpes same thing to make waist appear smaller. Thus the "fashionable" silhouette was achieved....

[@msshellm8154]

@@AdelaideBeemanWhite if you don't show 'everything' then we won't understand the full extent of the transformation ie the period equivalent of a push-up bra. Very glad you did include it, and VERY glad the algorithm tossed this video into my feed. I've subscribed!

[@LadyCoyKoi]

I actually change my clothing 3 times, sometimes 4 if I am gardening. Not that different as in the past. It truly is about practicality and function. For me, it is work cloth, then home cloth, if gardening than I change to older clothing, and then take a bath to wear p-js to go to bed. This makes it easier and better to regulate routines and have schedules managed through clothing. It truly helps those of us with ASD and other cognitive/intellectual related disabilities/disorders be more organized with routines and schedules. It also does make clothing last longer if each set is given a task of their own. It also does helps if modern clothing were made well and with sturdy materials. Having under shirts and layers also helps. Thank you so much for your video. I love how you explain the layers of each outfit for each occasion. It is such a lost art, and it is always nice to find younger generations take an interest in how people did things back then. Thank you again.

[@tabbyteacup9847]

Me too! Work clothes in the morning. Clean clothes after work and a onsie after dinner (I cant believe I just admitted that last bit lol). Much easier to change outfits with modern clothing though.

[@chinamukbang8783]

but the different is that the clothes before are more difficult to wear rather than now even you change in 10 kind of clothes now is more easy😂

[@darcyoldenburg8968]

The vacuum cleaner omg 😳 a spray funky contraption LoL 🤣

[@adriannehubbard3452]

FYI my great grandpa was the oldest of 23 children. On another note keep in mind deodorant was not really what it is today. No air conditioning, coolers, or electric fans. Airing out layers of clothing helped keep you and your clothing fresh. Many women didn’t have more than a handful of complete outfits. Also, laundry “day” could take 2-3 depending on soaking, weather, ironing, etc. I’m glad she touched on the fashion moving more slowly compared to today. Also glad she touched on accessories. They were more affordable and if done properly-they could change the entire look of the exact same dress. (Still practiced today by people who are both fashion and money savvy)

[@KB-ke3fi]

Thank goodness for oil and gas that took us all out of that...but the libs want to send us all back to the dark, stinky ages of misery and sadness and disease.

[@Crosshill]

im just gonna keep in mind that the time it takes to change clothes, however buggersome the closures may be, has nothing on the time it takes to wash them later. i dont remember what year this was, but i heard that a noble household might have a laundry cycle take a week to complete if they needed spot treatment, repair, delicate washing, bleaching, starching, ironing etc. so you would always want to compartmentalize the dirtying of your clothes

[@AstromancyfromDawncerise]

This is lovely

[@6julieann]

Yes, volume of music is so awful that I couldn’t actually enjoy the show.

[@kathileedean3851]

Good vid. I read a lot of period novels. I’d be greatly interested in the changing for upper class dining and going to balls, teas, musicales and paying calls.

[@here_we_go_again2571]

Dress shields, armpit/sweat pads are still in use by many women in our era. Some things are a good idea and stick around. That 1850's dress with the lace is lovely.

[@dianemarrah3504]

I wore dress shields in the fifties and sixties since I sweat a lot. I laughed When I saw them in the videos!

[@Cricket2731]

@@dianemarrah3504, I can remember my Mom wearing dress shields starting in the late 1960's. One of my HS teachers in the 70's used to wear them, too.

[@granmabern5283]

Where can we buy dress shields now???

[@karyannfontaine8757]

I have an iron, just like the one shown, from my grandmother who was born in the late 1870s. She gave birth to my father when she was in her mid 40s. When I was a teenager, I heated that iron on the stove and did all my ironing with it. Thought it was one of the coolest things ever, and no getting burned by steam. Really enjoyed this.

[@DawnOldham]

Well done! That’s the fun of history- the “why” behind what we see in old pictures. Thank you for such a great video.

[@Hoejfeld]

Great video! You mentiend the airships, and I just listend to a podcast where they talk about these sightinings - "It's Probably (not) Aliens!" with their episode "Did Martians help fight the spanish?" from the 4th of oktober 2022

[@helenamcginty4920]

My mum, born 1920 recalled watching her working class grandmother put on her petticoats. They had to be put on in the right order. She worried she would never remember the order when she grew up. Grandma also wore drawers not knickers. Essentially 2 lace trimmed tubes of cotton pulled together at the top with a drawer string.

[@ThatMooodyCow]

5 outfit changes sounds ridiculous, until I count out how many times I change in a day and realise it's *6 times* 1) Birthday suit to comfy clothes 2) Comfy clothes to work clothes 3) Work clothes to gym clothes, to go gym 4) Gym clothes to work/clean clothes (to take public transport back home) 5) Work clothes to comfy clothes 6) Comfy clothes to birthday suit

[@persikosaft]

@Jadden Couture 1933 Your birthday suit is what you wore when you were born, ie nothing.

[@sweetlorikeet]

@Jadden_Couture_1933 The implication is that she sleeps naked instead of wearing nightwear.

[@MizuSky]

@Jadden Couture 1933 they saying they sleep nude

[@justadogonachair6197]

Well technically if we consider a change as going from one set of clothes to another, then you're still doing 5 changes, but taking a break to sleep during one of them.

[@idkman6496]

@Jadden Couture 1933 They do but you obviously don’t

[@poppylove3673]

I love your channel! ❤ How did ladies handle the layers of cloths during hot weather and no air conditioning? You were so fun to watch change into all your outfits! If school had been this fun, I would have liked it much better!

[@nell3753]

&& especially hot states:. AZ. FL,. Etc...

[@rachelclark6393]

The layers helped. No one had air conditioning, or even motorized fans. So the base layer was sturdier, plainer, and soaked up all the sweat and grime your body produced. They got washed much more frequently than the outer dress. Plus, people were strict about their materials and the weights involved. Summer clothes were usually lighter fabrics and depending on the time period and fashion they might be a little looser or something. Given they couldn't climate control summer heat reaches an equilibrium point where you have to acknowledge there's no removing more clothes. They weren't unreasonably miserable considering that.

[@gaylelizabeth]

From what my mom explained from what her grandmother and great grandmother told her and my mom herself remembers in the big country family homes the drapes were drawn during the day with the top windows open to let out the hot air and nighttime the drapes may have been opened or closed with the windows open to let the cool night air in . This helped at least in the home too 💝

[@kellystewart4830]

I'm sure it was tedious making this video but I really loved it! Examining the everyday lives of regular people is my favorite aspect of history, and this was an interesting window into the lives of Victorian women and such a fun video. Thanks for making it! ❤

[@AdelaideBeemanWhite]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@lorrainemarcketta3011]

I have a photo of my great-grandmother wearing a "best" dress (quite dark in the photo, so I think it might be black). Her dress features the 'new' more modern sleeve, and I know the year was 1902. This was a great presentation -- the '27 children' comment made me laugh out loud!

[@ittybittykittymama7582]

I have a photo of my great grandmother and one of her older daughter, each of them dressed in their finest dresses and hats. These photographs are among my most cherished possessions, though sadly, I have no one to pass them down to when I pass away. Perhaps I will leave them to someone who loves such clothing.

[@saltywench]

That was utterly exhausting. But you looked fabulous. That plaid day dress was particularly fantastic. It was matched perfectly. Plaids are so difficult to sew with. Thank you for such an interesting video!

[@maryriley6163]

Delightfully interesting to see how a Victorian age housewife donned the appropriate clothes for what she was about to do. Beautiful clothes! I bet it was hot in warm weather. The clothes must have taken a long time to make and a lot of sewing. I always wished I could wear long skirts but I’m 4 ft 10 inches tall. I don’t “sweep” into a room…I “bustle” into a room. Thank you so much for this enlightening demonstration. I’m happy that I can do the shopping in a shirt and capri pants with sneakers, but not much style there. I love the ragtime music, too.

[@laineymcd4074]

Queen Victoria was only a couple of inches taller than you at 5' and she commanded a presence.

[@tiasara5967]

You are a riot! The fish….! Beautiful work.

[@DianaSnodgrass0701]

I'm so glad I was born in the 1950s. I'm naturally lazy, and wouldn't want to go through all that! Fascinating information. Thank you.

[@STARRYEYED_]

So your around 72 years old? Wow! I'm sorry is this sounds rude but, Ma'am your fascinating! Mind telling me about what being a kid in the 50's were like?

[@brendakabanda2181]

I don't think you would even see as hard work. If you are raised a certain way, that is what you know. You just get on with it.

[@crazyflowerlady1060]

My not lazy, but I couldn't wear those restive clothing. I have trouble with long sleeves; gotta roll them up. lol

[@linr8260]

This was interesting and hilarious, but honestly I might have been heavily distracted by that gorgeous chatelaine. Like. Boy. (Also the decoration on the fancy dress, whew). Really like the references to parents or childhood etc, it really does help place the context of someone's life better than just reading the names of decades

[@AdelaideBeemanWhite]

Thanks! The chatelaine dates to 1888. The trim on the dress is also antique; it dates to 1910.

[@bluefaery1865]

It has the key to allow you to go to the restroom.🗝🤣🤣🗝

[@christinecarter6836]

Very informative and very entertaining too, you have a wonderfully dry sense of humour and your account of a typical day (and the funny details) make the dresses come alive. Many thanks for the work you've put in to making the video, bravo

[@squash6497]

The bit about leg-of-mutton sleeves reminds me of the Skinny Jeans Purists

[@angryhistoryguy5657]

You do a great job of illustrating that people had to actually lived in these clothes, and so their clothing reflected what they needed to do over the course of the day.

[@silver5515]

My grandma does this still. Comfortable clothes in the mornings. Changing to going out clothes for whenever going past the gates. Having older, more worn clothes for chores and gardening. Changing into clean clothes in the afternoon when chores are done. Then changing to comfortable clothes in the evening after proper visiting hours, before going to bed in a nightgown. Then there are special clothing, like fancy clothing for sunday church or celebration, clothes for sports and even car pants. Car pants are used on long car drives, and have permanent knee bends after prolonged sitting, but needs to otherwise be of a going out condition. Having all these different clothes makes clothes last longer. Going out clothes need to be clean and without visible wear. If you got a permanent stain or had to make a visible mend, the clothing could still be worn, but only at home. Once an item was more mended or stained, it could still be worn for chores, as it would become dirty regardless. Some relaxing clothes also gets used for chores, as long as it's not dirty chores. This does not mean she washes 3-4 outfits everyday. Going out clothes gets carefully spot cleaned and aired, before being returned to the closet. Other clothes probably also gets spot cleaned and aired, and reused later that day or week.

[@rl2oo8]

My daughter thought I was silly when I said I need to change into travel clothes

[@michellehitt1976]

Your grandma sounds like a very smart lady

[@waterlily2743]

Until the day he died my grandfather never left the bedroom unless he was shaved, showered, and dressed for work. I can still remember how he smelled walking out of the bedroom every morning. It was a mix of Old Spice and Auto Shop that never left him.

[@marybethjohnson3305]

don't we all do this now? I know I do.

[@holleysdotcom]

Your dinner choice had me in stitches, and the reasons for Irish Maggie's shortcomings earned you a new sub! Loved it!

[@deoyx]

So it's like having sweats on in the morning, putting jeans on to go out, maybe changing into an old shirt when you do chores, and if you have time wearing sweats again before you go to bed. Lovely information, loved the dresses, and thank you for showing us actually getting into them.

[@elainebryant1124]

This was absolutely fabulous! I live in a beautiful 1890’s mansion (now an Inn). I often think about the original Mistress of this house. Her morning dressing routine VS mine. Thank you. This was wonderful!

[@meloc3922]

Loved this! So interesting to know the many ‘parts’ to a Victorian ladies attire. They must have been exhausted by the time they were ready for action. Thank you so much for showing us.

[@trudicole3520]

Your mercerised cotton dress looks terrific it turned out really well

[@BlueNote74]

You have been nothing short of fantastic!!. I loved watching all of your outfit changes and especially adored the deeper historical explanation at the end. Will be following you for more as I love all things vintage!!! You are really top notch.

[@mayaserrella1572]

This is the first time I’ve ever heard/seen someone mention that dresses were made of cotton!! Finally!!! Thank you.

[@6743aman]

Good morning

[@joydixon3440]

I thought all clothes and men clothes were made of cotton

[@Rose-jz6sx]

@@joydixon3440 or linen or wool, and silk and fur if you were wealthy.

[@robyns4096]

I loved this video. It's the 1st time I've seen your channel. This has been fascinating. I'm so glad you decided to show the full dressing for the day sequences. I've always wondered how a woman would fare in our Texas 100o+ heat with all those layers. Not well, I imagine! Lucy Worsley would be proud of you.

[@monicarazniewski7172]

😂 love your comedic nuances, and love that you’re sharing your knowledge here! And yes, nothing would be the same without your mother in law’s cameo

[@AdelaideBeemanWhite]

Thanks so much!!

[@sunnymeb]

How am I just now finding you?! Love your sense of humor. How were you NOT sweating 🥵 those clothing changes looked acrobatic!