Thanks for watching and a big thanks to Karolina! If you would like to support my art, and have the means to, please consider joining my Patreon for lots of fun additional perks: www.patreon.com/vbirchwood Additionally, I misspoke when I said rayon was marketed as a “wrinkle-free fabric,” that was nylon! 😂 Rayon was, however, often seen as “easier care.”

@secondjulia

Жыл бұрын

VERY stupid question here, but what is the garment on your head? I promise I'm watching the rest of the video, but I just stopped to google every form of "scarf hat/bonnet/historical hat/scarf/thing" I could imagine to no avail! I want one! :)

@amandavanderzee9716

Жыл бұрын

@@secondjulia The closest I could find was a rigolette, but I can't seem to find any knitting or crochet patterns. I'm obsessed with this little cap as well and started furiously googling! Hope Vasilisa can see this and maybe tell us where she found this lovely accessory!

Why is a dress - any dress - considered “dressed up”? A sundress on a warm day is literally the simplest thing I could possibly put on.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

It’s definitely very interesting why this is the case!

@stevezytveld6585

Жыл бұрын

When I was a kid in the 70's I defaulted to skirts because pants were too restrictive and made it harder to climb trees. It feels like somewhere in the 80's, once Laura Ashley took on steam, that dresses transitioned to 'fancy'. By the 90's I was wearing dresses only occasionally. When I'd wear skirts to my office job in the 00's I got allot of "why don't you wear pants" from the coworkers... Translation? You can't win. Wear what you want to wear. - Cathy (&, accidently, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown/Pimisi

@Aigra

Жыл бұрын

I find the "what are you dressed up for?" question kind of amusing, because in reality, sundresses are my lazy option. When I can't be bothered with thinking about putting an outfit together, a skirt that already comes with a matching top attached to it is just perfect. 😀

@itsmeheathermarie

Жыл бұрын

I've also wondered this! And as others have said, it is so much easier to throw on a dress than piece an outfit together.

@Lani2442

Жыл бұрын

I hate getting asked the question "What are you all dressed up for?" and the comment "Don't you look fancy!" Like, no. I'm not a decorative object. I dress how I want because it's comfy or makes me feel good. Sometimes that's a linen dress and sometimes it's a modern body con dress made out of some synthetic slinky material and sometimes it's a full 18th century inspired ankle length skirt.

The way I've always interpreted the historical vs. vintage divide is "If the people who originally wore it are still alive, it's vintage. If the people who originally wore it are all dead, it's historical." I consider 1920s to be more historical than vintage for that reason.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

I really like this!

@oliviaknight1123

Жыл бұрын

This is a great way of thinking of dates and eras, thank you for sharing your idea😊

Whenever I've thought about it, I've always defined the "eras" of fashion as: Retro: up to 50 years ago (so I'd consider clothing from 1970s to today as 'retro'); Vintage: 50-100 years ago (1920 - 1970); Historical: 100+ years ago (dawn of time 😅 to 1920). When I asked my brother put it, he said "retro is what was fashionable when we were kids, vintage is what was fashionable when our parents were kids, and historical is what was fashionable when our grandparents and older were kids.".

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing! I like the quote by your brother haha. I wonder how these definitions too will shift for people over time

@ailsadixon408

Жыл бұрын

I came on here to leave this exact comment!!!

@elven_grandma3138

Жыл бұрын

Yes! I am so confused by 2000s being 'vintage', it seems like retro doesn't get used any more?!

@MuseDisorder

Жыл бұрын

Yes, I agree 💯

@lauraoergel6003

Жыл бұрын

That's genius!

You'll see with a lot of the Black women who were vintage, and especially historical, dress that we'll receive a lot of comments that either liken us to colonisers, or people feel they must remind us that we would've been slaves or have no civil rights in that era, or (my personal favourite) that Black people wouldn't have had access to those things. All of which is obviously very upsetting and unnecessary. Not just because I'm obviously aware of the history, and clearly my style of dress doesn't actually imply a longing for colonisation, slavery, or apartheid, but just very frustrating that people can't/wont imagine Black women outside of their oppression. Like, damn, it is literally just a pretty 1890s dress and I feel good wearing it. Isn't that enough? Also it's very cheeky when these comments come from white people because it's notoriously difficult to find the same wealth of African fashion history as you see in Europe, and saying things like that any Black person is historical dress feels like an own-goal. Like I would love to wear precolonial Tsonga attire but your ancestors made sure to steal that information from me.

@LixiaWinter

Жыл бұрын

The real question is - would they have acces to all the nice things or be smacked with sumptuary laws just as we peasants?

@Khensani

Жыл бұрын

@@LixiaWinter lmao! in precolonial South Africa (where I am from & live), it would depend on the tribes' class systems. A lot of the more nomadic groups didn't really have a strict class structure so everyone was free to dress as they pleased, but in places like Natal/Zululand, dress was an important part of displaying status and position. Also during colonisation, the Dutch did implement sumptuary laws but it's not clear If these extended towards indigenous people or any of the enslaved Malay people.

@ragnkja

Жыл бұрын

My ancestors in rural Norway wouldn’t have had much access to the latest Parisian fashions either, especially the fancy silk stuff. They’d have worn wool and linen, and follow local clothing customs that were sometimes very local indeed, at least in the details.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

I'm so sorry that people act like this and any hurt it's caused you ❤️ The part you write about people cannot/will not imagine Black women outside of their oppression really hits the nail on the head. I can't speak for Black folks of course, but from what I've seen amongst BIPOC in the community, wearing historical fashion is a great way to reclaim historical clothing styles of oppressors and it can be supremely empowering and even healing for some. It is 100% enough that you love pretty 1890s dress and feel good wearing it. That's all that should matter, and I think a lot of the other crap people say about "no civil rights" and such, is really just some form of internalised racism. And I totally hear you on white people making it incredibly difficult to wear precolonial Tsonga (and many other ethnic groups too) because of stealing and suppressing the information. It's enraging and I'm so, so sorry the world is like this. You make incredibly important points too, I think, for the way that potentially many BIPOC feel. I'm Tatar and my ancestors (recently) were colonised (and are still very much being colonised), and wearing European "upper class" fashions feels very empowering and shows how far my once very poor ancestors (who could only afford rags) have progressed. I'd love to be able to wear Tatar clothing more, but there's like literally 2 resources on the internet for it and they're not very all-encompassing, so it's yet again another ethnic group having their culture suppressed and stolen. Anyways, long story short, I'm so very sorry and I'm sending virtual hugs 💕

@geovannacampos6794

Жыл бұрын

in my country (Brazil) historical dressing and reenacting are not a thing, and when they happen there is still a portion of trauma since we abolished slavery late and there is still lots of racism in our society -- we mostly see "fancy" historical clothes (though inaccurate) in soap operas... with black actors usually as slaves. some years ago a girl made her 15th birthday party themed "colonial garden" and somebody had the "brilliant" (irony) idea of hiring black employees and dress them as slaves to wait at tables and take pictures lacing her corset. i am not a black person but learning about experiences such as yours make me very sad.

I feel like the biggest difference has to do with how much of a shift in thinking you have to do. With vintage, we share the basic layering concepts with a few differences, but generally a modern person (if handed all the items for one outfit) could figure out how to get dressed in vintage... Whereas with historical clothing you almost have to re-learn how to get dressed, how you are suppose to layer your clothing. Personally I'm caught between preferring the ease/convenience of modern garments and the utility of how clothes use to be layered. Every skirt just looks better with a petticoat of some kind (either flat or fluffy).

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

That’s a very good point! It definitely challenges the way we are used to “getting dressed” and going through life in general with historical fashion. Vintage is a lot more intuitive because it isn’t all that different from some of our modern styles.

@ragnkja

Жыл бұрын

The biggest difference there is probably whether the bust support is worn under or over the shift/chemise/slip/whatever you call it.

I totally get the isolation that you experience when wearing "different" clothing (from your friends). I still tried it, and funnily enough it encouraged 3 of my friends to also wear vintage/history-bounding clothes. We all have totally different styles, but we encourage each other and when we out together, it's viewed as one style of "fancy clothes" by others anyway. It's really been fun to explore different styles and clothes together in spite we all ended up in a different style :D

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

It’s lovely that you’re able to relate! And how wonderful that the four of you can appreciate your own unique but related styles together and have that source of community with one another 🥰

@MagpieRat

Жыл бұрын

I find that's another lovely aspect of the historical dress community - we all wear different styles, eras and cultures, but we're united in common passions, and that "otherness" that we experience from people in modern dress. I liked the references to the goth subculture, as I think that's honestly a very good parallel. I've had one foot in each group for decades, and there's definitely a uniting thread that binds goths together, even though we might have very different individual styles. I used to go out to goth clubs in corsets and trained skirts, alongside friends in frothy lolita petticoats, grungey band t-shirts, or UV reactive plastic dreadlocks - we didn't "match", but we were all part of the same subculture. I think that's why, in my experience at least, alternative subcultures are often full of really good-hearted people (once you get out of the gross teenage gatekeeping phase) - they're used to variation and individualism within a group, and it's all embraced and encouraged. There's so much acceptance and tolerance, because we're all used to being thought of as "other" by the majority. We don't expect our friends to be *exactly* like us in order for us to love them.

I think we often forget or underestimate just how big of a change the war meant on every aspect of society. The 1920's is a mark for SO many things, it really feels like an obvious divide for the way people see the world. I think what's also a factor is how a lot of the modern conveniences that are part of our everyday lives were either created, popularized or cemented then; phones, cinema, radio, and loads of others, so it doesn't feel *as distant* to us, especially when lots of us have/had relatives, grandparents who were alive then and who lived it. There's a certain proximity there. There's a reason why it's called "the brief 20th century" AND why it's seen as having effectively started in 1914, not 1901. I don't know what we're going to think of it 50 years from now, but today it certainly feels relevant to the distinction of vintage vs. historical.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Definitely feels relevant today! It'll be interesting to see how these definitions shift in the future.

I'm bed-/housebound. If I ever get well enough to go outside (and sew my own clothing), I'd definitely go out in historical fashion. I'm so beyond caring what others think, I just want to live!

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

That’s a wonderful attitude to have, as what other people think so often says more about them than the person they’re judging! ❤️

As a goth who also loves historical fashion, when we go out on the street we also attrat a lot of attention, however it can be negative attention, since people don't realy see us as classy or elegant. And yes, most of us are actually cheerful people 😂 And despite the clothing not being the focus of the gothic subculture (the music is), some section of it is really inspired by historical fashion, mostly victorian. I'm saving up money to have a 1880s ensemble made for me. Love the video ❤️

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

I’ve noticed that so much with goth, that many different goth styles can be extremely historical, and many historical styles vice versa work perfect for goth (1840s would probably be a good example or any mournings clothes really haha). I’m sorry that people can be so negative about being goth! It’s a shame that people can be quick to judge and not keep an open mind when seeing “alternative” styles. Thanks so much for watching and I’m glad you enjoyed the video ❤️

"Let the girl wear her bonnet!" is a whole vibe hahaha, what a lovely video Vasi! it's such an interesting conversation

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Hahaha thank you Lilja! 🥰 I think there needs to be “let the girl wear her bonnet” merch 😂

@LiljaHusmo

Жыл бұрын

@@VBirchwood that'll be your next business venture, merch 😂

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Oh god, not another business venture 😂🥲

@LiljaHusmo

Жыл бұрын

@@VBirchwood you have to collect business ventures like Pokémon it's the only way 😂

@LixiaWinter

Жыл бұрын

But only if it's a bonnet(or edwardian style sash) 🤣

The "letting people what they wear and have nothing to do with any personal views" hits rather close to home. I've adopted quite a bit of 1890's - 1900's historybounding in my daily wardrobe with the skirt(s) and underlayers being reconstructed regional folkwear. I love it, the swooshy skirts make me happy! Child-me would've thought I was the most beautiful princess ever. Plus having massive pockets means I don't need to take a bag with me most of the time, a tie-on pocket , is all that I need! * ____ * Sneaking snacks in my pockets whilst at work (museum) is awesome XD Whilst I've gotten used to the looks and whatnot, I do get, (semi-often) named slurs when walking down the street. Those slurs are mostly used as reference to those who are christian reformed (and VERY religious). I'm agnostic at best and don't believe in a god despite growing up in a small catholic town. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that I live in a rural area with lots of small villages, which includes the mindset of "what people don't know they don't always want to be around/associate with." As sad as it is. Things are slowly changing but it will probably take another 10 years before dressing-outside-the-norm is somewhat accepted :(

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Hahaha your clothes sound amazing! And they clearly bring you so much joy, which is what matters 💕 I’m so sorry about the slurs though. It’s definitely going to take some time for things to shift, but I hold hope that people can become more open minded and less judgemental.

@Ava0117

Жыл бұрын

I too can relate! Though I have not fully adopted 1890s-1900s history bounding quite yet (as I still need to make my garments haha), I still plan too. I also come from a small conservative town and I know that when I do eventually start wearing my history bounding clothes, I will also probably get some strange looks. The thought of it is a bit scary, but at the end of the day, I just remind myself that I want to wear historical clothes because it makes me happy. And sacrificing something that makes me happy, all because someone didn’t approve, or thought of me as strange, is not something that I’m willing to do. This is a hobby and an interest that I think is pretty awesome, and there is a great community that surrounds it. So I think, as long as I’m not hurting anyone with what I choose to wear (which I don’t know how one could possibly do that anyway haha) then I will wear what I want with no apologies. As Karolina said ‘life is to short’ to not do what you want to do:)

@naolucillerandom5280

7 ай бұрын

That's one of the eras I'm interested in. I have a simple historybounding outfit for it, and every time I put it on my family makes fun of me and says I look like a cheese seller 😑

This conversation brings up great points! I love how you mention how the community tends to prefer posh clothing instead of the working class clothing -- which is more representative of how historic people actually dressed. Taking a look at antique working-class clothing tells such a human story! Thank you for sharing, V!

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thank you, Jediah! It really is funny how much elite clothing is represented in the community, yet the vast majority of people wore working class clothing. I think this has to do with what we have in museums as often historical dressmakers take inspiration from museum pieces, and museums lack workwear.

@BattleAxe1345

Жыл бұрын

This is a pretty good observation and one I am aware and in tune with for my wearing of such fashion. I on occasion wear late-18th century fashions that are sort of something you'd see on a male who is middling or working class in rural England. It is a style that I feel more better in than elite fashions.

I'm so glad you're showing talking to others in this community. I wear a lot of Medieval clothing, but the skirts are mid-calf, so everyone wants to know where I got them. I get away with wearing Viking smocks and shifts with tabards and aprons because they are mid-calf. I did have a good friend who dressed in 50's nerd clothes because he was REBELLING against the hippie look. People just thought he was a nerd, but it was actually a form of rebellion. :D I have the same problem with people wanting to chose rayon and polyester because they don't like wrinkles. I love the wrinkles! When I was a child we wore girdles. I always wore stockings because I had back issues and couldn't wear panty hose. Fun video!!

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Hahaha I love all of this! Wrinkles can be beautiful honestly, and it shows how “normal” clothes don’t need to be perfect and wrinkle-free. Thanks so much for watching and I’m glad you enjoyed the collab 🥰

For historical vs vintage, I immediately thought of 1920s too due to the visible number of layers in the clothing. After 1920s, it visually seems that many of the layers were dropped, compared to petticoats, bustles, crinolines, clothing silhouette became a lot more simple. I know this isn't actually accurate, and people still wore layers like that in 30s, 50s, etc, but just visually it seems to me the distinction is the obvious layers. I only know because I'm comfortable wearing post 1920s clothing outside, and it just feels "vintage", but only wear a bustle at home, since I know it's too far removed from the modern silhoutte of clothing that it will attract too much attention. Therefore it seems to be more "historic" If it's a pre-1920s style, but "vintage" If it's an older style, but still close to modern

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Very good points! It’s frustrating that wearing something like a bustle can garner so much attention. I mean I get why because it’s different and humans are intrinsically curious, but I think too there must be a way to be in society where people can remain curious but also respect boundaries and treat eachother respectfully (I.e. asking to take a photo rather than just taking one). I hope this type of respect becomes more of a commonality!

@kassiopeia5565

Жыл бұрын

@@VBirchwood Beautifully said! There is so much joy in intricate clothing:)

@annasolovyeva1013

Жыл бұрын

@@VBirchwood yes. Historical is either the eras of corsets and stays and cage structures (bustle, crinoline, panniers, hoops) under the skirts or before that. Vintage clothing is what came after WWI or II, without all that stuff, it's what your grandmother could just hand to you, and before the present 20 y.o. circle of fashion (10 y.o. clothing is just last season).

A generally accepted industry standard is that items made between 20 years ago and 100 years ago are considered "vintage" if they clearly reflect the styles and trends of the era they represent. Items 100 years old or more are considered antique.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Definitely! But I wonder how this will shift as time progresses too. Will vintage eventually become historical or will it remain vintage?

@JoycieBanacheck

Жыл бұрын

Whatever happened to retro? I've been into old clothes from all time periods since childhood and I always thought of pre 1920s as antique, 20-60s as vintage and 70s-80s (and now 90s) as retro. It really bugs me when you see people on depop selling high street clothes from 2000s or 2010s as vintage. It removes all meaning from the word and devalues actual vintage pieces.

Ladies, this was excellent! As someone who started collecting/wearing vintage (mainly 1940 to 1960) at age 14, around 1974, this really was a pleasure to watch as to why and how we do this. I had many, many fabulous "old" pieces (many gifted to me from family and now gifted to others) that I wore for decades, some for 40 years! OMG, the construction of '40s and '50s gaberdine suits, to die for! And the cashmere and beaded sweaters were some of my favs as well. I also had gobs of jewelry, hats, a couple of furs. I would dress "my mood." I don't think I ever really got a negative response to my get-ups. I didn't always wear vintage but I generally wore at least a piece. People often asked if I was a model. LOL, at 5'-4". I had an indescribable affinity to a certain time in the past and a general love of fashion and self-adornment that I satisfied with my wardrobe in "everyday life." Admittedly, the '40s and '50s were not as far back yonder then as they are now. No matter. I adore seeing you young women continuing this. It truly is a historical endeavor outside of fashion. It speaks to how we lived as a people at a certain place in time. It's also fun and life enrichening. And what could possibly be wrong with that? Go, girls!

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much KB! How wonderful that you’ve collected vintage for years 😊 do you still have a collection now?

@kb3716

Жыл бұрын

@@VBirchwood I was sidelined by RA. It seemed such a waste to pack things away in a chest so I gifted almost everything except for a few "misfit toys" to one friend's daughter and another's granddaughter. It was fun to hear their spin on how they'd style items. Have to admit I was even a little bit envious. Ha! But I'm the antique now. My enjoyment comes from watching others continue with endeavor. I discovered you through Karolina whom I've followed for a good while. I'm so happy you two collaborated. Good stuff!

I think of natural fiber as more of a luxury because it's hard to find 100% cotton or 100% linen (even to find linen is awesome) and wool! I mean it's all acrylic or has a small percentage of wool. The few items I have made in cotton (linen on the way and hopefully wool and silk in next year) I prefer now because it is so breathable and I dislike wearing my other fast fashion. I made these wide leg pants a few years ago out of muslin cotton (that's what JoAnn's called it) and I wore them outside in the heat wave and was hot but comfortable

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Definitely they can be a luxury, especially when synthetics can be far more affordable and not to mention accessible. I’m glad synthetics exist so that people of all incomes can enjoy crafts like sewing and make things for themselves. They definitely have their place in the world as well. This is part of why I love deadstock so much though. So many natural fibre options for very cheap, and so if you have a skin sensitivity or some other reason why you can’t work with synthetics, it doesn’t end up having to cost an arm and a leg just to make your own clothing. Those muslin pants sound really lovely and airy!

@jessicabey275

Жыл бұрын

@@VBirchwood all the deadstock I have found with out paying a ton in shipping are pricey i think or they dont have a don't know what the textile is made from.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Have you checked out Fabric Mart at all? You might find some good deals there 😊

@jessicabey275

Жыл бұрын

@@VBirchwood it sounds familiar, I'll look right now

@jessicabey275

Жыл бұрын

@@VBirchwood I looked up fabric mart and I got a store in Pennsylvania, is that the one?

This was great! When I made my first historical thing (a walking skirt) I made the decision to make it calf length specifically because "what will people think if I'm wearing a full length skirt around" and looking back I'm just like....why did I care about that...

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much! That’s the thing though. I think intrinsically a lot of us fear rejection, and going against what society deems is “acceptable” subconsciously can feel like rejection, until we’re able to take a step back and realise that there are so many ways to be a part of something beautiful without having to “fit in” 😊

@cherylf7333

Жыл бұрын

@@VBirchwood Yes definitely! watching you gives me inspiration though and it's been really nice!

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Awww thank you so much!

I think the shift between historical and vintage, for me, is also around the 1920s-1930s, and it's due to a few factors: First, especially in women's clothing, the underpinnings go through a significant change towards what we still consider "modern" underwear. Second, the 20s-30s era is one of the very significant shifts in dress, where I still can barely believe that 1910s and 1920s dresses are only one decade apart! And third there's a shift in materials around the 30s (or shortly after), where non-natural fabrics and blends came into use (though I'll admit I think the actual "broad use" of poly fabrics came a bit later still)

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing your thoughts about it! 🥰

Normal everyday modern clothes are at best plain,at worst utilitarian. Someone dressed in stylish structured and well made clothing will obviously draw more comment than someone in jeans and a t-shirt. Its a shame style has almost taken a backseat to the point where its unusual.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Utilitarian and plain clothing as well have their place and can be great for so many things, but certainly I wish the world wouldn’t judge or look down upon those who like to wear “unusual” styles or who like to dress up, especially since this was completely normal just 50-60 years ago.

@annasolovyeva1013

Жыл бұрын

@@VBirchwood yes. Even today's fancier clothing are yesterday's utilitarian clothing like the trenchcoat (it's military field uniform).

@astateofserenity1022

Жыл бұрын

@@annasolovyeva1013 oh no. Don’t let our sweat pants get fancy😂

@annasolovyeva1013

Жыл бұрын

Fancy sweatpants already existed 20 yrs ago. They were called juicy couture, velvet and bedazzled ones

There’s definitely something about dressing how you feel best represents yourself. I dressed up for Ren Faire and it was the most I’ve felt like myself in a long time. It made me want to dress like that everyday.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

You totally should! (If it's possible). There's so much going on in the world right now that it can feel like such a welcome relief to have a style of clothing that really makes you feel like yourself 😊

@theardentarcher

Жыл бұрын

@@VBirchwood I think I will! I’ve already started building my handmade history bounding wardrobe. It’s a blast!

I'm an engineer, and I'm just now delving into making and wearing historical things. My coworkers are a little surprised by how much I know about sewing, and intrigued by the physics of the things I try to describe. I love living in a blue bubble lol

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Hahaha that’s awesome! 🥰

This was such an interesting conversation! A fair few years ago now, I got two Edwardian-inspired tops (as in, they were more slim-lined & in polyester with poly lace) - & I then decided to remake them in natural fabrics, when they got a little snug- & like Bernadette’s tea-dress adventures, it’s quite the rabbit-hole to go down...

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! 😊 It definitely is such a rabbit hole lol. And there’s always just another style or detail to discover around the corner!

I typically prefer corsets over girdles. I've found being a bigger woman that the corset really helps with keeping a structured look without displaying rolls, bumps exc. I also like how corsets help with my bad posture from sewing and reading 😅. With girdles it always seems to roll down when bending or doesn't smooth out the shape as well as the corset , but that's just my experience. 😊 Thank you for this collab, it's so neat to hear you guys on the topic❤

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing your own experience with both! I’m really glad you loved the collab 🥰

I feel that the 1920s-1980s is a fashion era within itself, which needs to named. During this time dresses were still the norm for females, and from the 1990s onwards the default has been trousers and tops, with dresses falling out of fashion.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

That’s a very good point!

@fjdoucet1465

Жыл бұрын

Hmm, not sure I would include the 80s or even 70s in that. When I was a kid in the 80s a lot of girls wore skirts, but an equal number wore pants. And jeans were quite popular among girls in the 70s as well.

@jasmineflowers3583

Жыл бұрын

@@fjdoucet1465 I would agree that girls and teenagers would have worn pants. But more so that the adult female population would be wearing dresses at large, whereas nowadays wearing a dress casually is the exception to the rule of pants/leggings/jeans

@fjdoucet1465

Жыл бұрын

@@jasmineflowers3583 True!

@fjdoucet1465

Жыл бұрын

@@jasmineflowers3583 Although I would say that this was more there case in the 1970s. I do recall many adult women wearing pants in the 80s, even middle-aged women.

Yes to all of this. When I was in high school ages ago (1998-2002), I got really into vintage fashion. I bought vintage sewing patterns on eBay (back when you could find them for $2!), and made my own clothes. I bought vintage hats and wore them as well. But I was literally the ONLY person I knew who did this. Without the internet communities (this was the MySpace only era 😅) and as an introvert, the constant commentary from strangers wore me down. I finally gave up vintage dressing in college because I was just so tired of being alone. It was always a really discouraging memory. In the last year or so, I’ve discovered the amazing communities on KZread and Instagram of folks who do what I always wanted to do. It’s been incredibly reaffirming of my own history and I’m very slowly starting to sew for my (extremely different) body from vintage patterns again. I don’t know if I can reclaim the courage of youth to go all in again, but I’m enjoying even the little baby steps. 💕

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

The little baby steps matter so much too and are still little forms of expression of you ❤️ I’m so glad you’ve found some community amongst others like you on the internet, it’s such a reaffirming experience 🥰

I SEE MEEMAW I CLICK 🔥🔥🔥 There is another category that's often used too - retro fashion is for the fashion from the 70s to 90s (or as Meemaw™ said, now the 2000s counts as retro too 😅😩😓🙃🙈). So happy to see you two talk about it, I really enjoyed it! 👌✨✨

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

I'm a guy that's really gotten in MCM dressing, and the skinny lapels of that era's jacket's made me weary to wear them in public. This conversation was so informative and compelling. Thank you!

Loved the point on looking at working-class fashion. I'm very guilty of being drawn towards making the ball gowns and fancy dresses, but I'm also realising it's not super sustainable for my everyday life as I incorporate historical fashion more and more into my wardrobe. I definitely want to find a middle ground between what's working appropriate (so no trains and movement restricting off-shoulder stuff, or perhaps less) but also just those Victorian sensibilities towards trim, embellishment, and excess. Great video as usual!

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much Khensani! I definitely think there are ways to balance out more "working appropriate" clothes, whilst still making them trimmed, embellished, etc. I think 1840s can actually be really nice for this, or even just wrappers specifically, because all classes wore them and they're so easy to make simple or more complex, with detachable elements too like pretty removable collars, undersleeves, etc. which can totally change them from "casual" to more "ornate".

@Khensani

Жыл бұрын

@@VBirchwood agreed! I've made one so for, that I wear to death at the moment - not too dissimilar for the one you posted about recently, but my plans to create another keep getting tabled for my ball gown addiction

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

@@Khensani oooph, the ball gown obsession is such a tough one to shake! 😂 I’ll have to check out your wrapper!

Wow - I always thought that “historical” meant reproductions of old (hard to define but maybe more than 40 years old?) fashions, and “vintage” or “antique” meant original garments that were made during the time period.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

It’s a fascinating topic of discussion because I think all the terms mean so many different things for different people and there isn’t really a set agreement on what each term means 😅

I don`t think people consider you as their possession (like Karolina mentioned), but it is just something so eye-catching and I sincerely feel it does speak to people`s souls in a very beautiful way. We have lost a lot of the beauty and love for details in our modern life, all is about functionality and getting things done quickly... but when you see someone dressing up so elegantly and special like you do, I actually think people crave what can be sensed from it

A great video! As someone who dresses 1940s inspired every day and frequently historical (Regency), comparing the similarities and differences was very interesting. Anything that isn't jeans and trainers tends to attract attention. Then you do your hair, add a nice hat and people are amazed! Why would you bother dressing smartly if you don't have to?? What you wear does affect how you feel. Sometimes when I'm feeling particularly down, I'll dress extra smart and it does boost your mood.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it. It’s so very true that what we wear directly impacts mood. Nothing quite like the feeling you get when you wear a really cute outfit that just totally feels like you 😊

I'm so happy that you made a video together!!! Thank you

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching 🥰

Thank you for this conversation! I learned so many new insights and perspectives. I'm glad people are asking these kind of questions, it's so interesting! What I love about "historical" fashion is the investment that goes into a garment, from the attention to detail to the quality of the textiles (natural fibers!) and finishing. It's almost like a different mindset towards life in itself, ei: valuing durability, taking care of our body and our belongings, being eager to learn from our ancestors,... And I can also see why wearing historical fashion in our modern context has its cons. Ps. I really hope you get your monetisation back because you totally deserve it! ❤️🥰

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much, Justine! I’m really glad you enjoyed the video 😊 there is definitely so much care and attention that goes into historical, and into vintage fashion too. And I think a bit part of this is because of how much of one’s salary people used to spend on clothing. People often would pay for quality because the mindset was more in repair culture instead of replace culture, which is a lot more where that world is at now.

@Justine_-fy5ul

Жыл бұрын

@@VBirchwood so true! Thanks!

My wardrobe is very mid-1960s inspired which is definitely easier to wear on an every day basis. Every now and then, a Sixties revival will happen in fashion and I will be totally on trend 😁 The difference is mostly in the hair. If I wear a beehive, people will comment on my fancy hairdo. I have stopped following random trends and will only buy clothes that fit my esthetic or just simply make them myself. Thankfully, A-line dresses are very easy to sew 😉

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Sounds so lovely! Thanks for sharing about your personal style 😊

My grandmother's grandmother was very much that 1920's old lady who still dressed Edwardian, and when I was little my grandmother's biggest complaint about how I dressed was that I looked like her grandma Emma. Not sure what either of them would have thought about history bounding, lol

Well-made clothing crafted out of natural fiber cloth is my preferred "fashion" of dressing. Regardless of any specific era or sewing technique, I crave comfort and practicality. People rarely stop me in the street to ask about my clothing option, but if they do... "This is my version of a sweat suit" (as I stand there in my pleated wool floor length skirt with my chemise, knit cashmere sweater and shawl and leather gloves; or in warmer months a simple sleeveless linen dress). This usually stops people from further discussion. Those who want more info are informed that I am always warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer than those who opt for the fast fashion trends that are often skin tight and made of synthetic fibers. I am all for spreading the trend of comfort and practicality regardless of any era of fashion. Thanks for the video!

I got SO EXITED when I saw this

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

😊🥰

Damn, y'all are killing it! I dress almost exclusively for comfort but admire other folks' drip. A lot of my clothes are a decade old, as my preferences haven't really changed. The main difference recently is that I haven't worn pants in a couple of years 😂 I don't get cold enough to need them indoors, and most of my outdoor activities are running (okay, I guess that involves pants, but not jeans lol) or skiing (and ski pants are not pants pants). I have yet to donate my pants in the slim hope that I may yet need them in the future; I don't want to have to buy more and alter them to fit my hip-to-waist ratio and have functional pockets.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much Emily! And thanks for sharing you lack of wearing pants! 😂 that entire part of the comment made me giggle 😊

This was an amazing collab, really boosted my confidence as I’ve only been wearing vintage for nearly two years. Finding your joy is real I started during the first lockdown and it’s brought me so much happiness and compliments. I experience the odd funny look but I don’t care I’m not dressed in boring office attire and can dress vintage whilst working in a museum. I love how you talked about those of us who wear these styles rejecting the values of the times and being quite forward thinking, as a queer woman I’m very open and political and dressing how I want has helped me be my true self and speak up about important matters. My ramblings aside thank you for making such great content

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for watching Becca! I’m really glad you’ve enjoyed this collab so much 🥰

I think it's interesting to think about how I used to be really into goth fashion (still am, just less so) and how one of the things I loved about it was that any older goth sub style of fashion wouldn't become unfashionable to wear. Like you could total see a group of goth friends and one look like they walked out of an 80s club, the other from the 90s, and the last from 2000s and that wouldn't be weird. Now here I am taking that further by being interested in historical fashion.

I have such a love hate relationship with rayon, but the 90's are my favorite era so there's not a really a way around it 🥲 But at least it's much more durable than modern viscose which piles pretty much straight away. I now see people talking about "vintage" Forever 21, from the early 00's, and it just makes me feel old.

WAIT I NEVER REALIZED YOU TWO HAD A VIDEO TOGETHER. I LOVE BOTH OF YPUR VIDEOS😱😱😱😱

I find this fascinating as I wear a lot of 12C dresses although I’ve begun adding pockets to the side seams.

I’ve actually always thought of anything up until the 1950s as historical fashion and from the 50s onwards to the 90s or I guess now the early 2000s (which I can’t even believe since I was born in 2002 lol) as vintage. I really like this video as someone who is interested in both. It’s very fascinating indeed 😊❤

I love my long, natural fiber dresses. I wear a very boho look - not historical - but a lot of the core components are the same. Ankle length, lots of volume, natural fibers. So comfy and honestly so incredibly practical! It also doesn't really change with trends - since bohemian style is just it's own separate counter-cultural thing. Which is great! Since you're able to truly wear pieces to death.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

The boho look is such a fun one, and definitely extremely versatile 😊

Two of my favorite people! Not sure how I missed this one earlier but I'm glad to see it. I was alive in the early 50s. I know what my mother wore & her mother wore, the line between vintage & historical, by today's standards are, is seriously blurred. Some pieces I am buying mimic more of what my great grandmother & her mother might have worn. Eventually I will pull a whole look from these that suit me. Much like whatever it is I choose for the day. lol

I have photographs of my great aunt Jane taken in the 1950s when she was in her 80s. She was still wearing dark long Victorian dresses because she liked them and could not see any reason to change.

A very interesting discussion. Might I suggest carrying small cards - like traditional visiting cards - so that when you’re in too much of a hurry or disinclined to stop and explain to an interested member of the public, that you quickly apologise for not having time and then give them a card which directs them to your KZread channel?

Such a fascinating question! So glad you guys discussed this and let us in on the conversation!

I'm just getting into reenacting. It was a delight to watch such elegant and attractive ladies discuss this topic. In the course of your discussion, the high quality of your characters became evident.

I'm so happy for this Collab for you Vasi! It's great to see how much you love historical clothing I hope your channel gets bigger and bigger

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! You’re so kind 🥰❤️

i heard that vintage is 30 years back or more but then as i search for vintage items on the internet i find "VINTAGE 2006 nike hoodie" so i think the conversation about terminology is VERY important. also about dressing down, I literally wore the simplest 1950s dress with simple 50s curls to prom and i looked fancy but it would be everyday clothes back then. the fancy thing was black gloves past the elbow and thats it. I plan on getting more 50s fashion, especially "new look" style things. And the pin curls is the easiest hairstyle for me (besides just straight hair when i do nothing). I love vintage and historical fashion and i wish to learn how to sew so i can make whatever i want. Also for some reason bullet bra is the most suportive thing that has no bonning things in it for my chest, so it fits with my desired decade. so i would recommend getting one if you looking for something fun. I strongly belive people should wear whatever they want and if its vintage/historical then good for them, because its cool!

I've arbitrarily decided that I'll refer to everything post 1980 as "retro" and not "vintage." I think 1920 will remain as a division point even if the terminology changes- at least until what we wear in the "modern" era is different enough from jeans and t-shirts that we need a new term for what we're wearing now.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

I agree, I think retro is a really nice way to call more “modern vintage” things

One of the aspects of historical dress that interests me is how the materials and structure of the garments solve some type of problem and how those solutions can be incorporated into one's wardrobe. There is so much to learn from the past and I quite appreciate those like yourself and Karolina who invest the time in understanding some aspect of the past and summarize it for the rest of us.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thank you! 🥰

For me, the divide between historical versus vintage is whether I can get away with wearing something as regular daily wear without looking costumey. For that reason, I think of 1920s as vintage. If my cutoff was whether I could responsibly wear actual clothing from the period, I would consider 1920s as historical. My original 1920s dress, which I wore a few times a decade ago, is way too delicate to wear now. I like what one commenter said about historical is what your grandparents (or greats) wore, vintage is what your parents wore, and retro is what you once wore. Lately, I have been having fun rocking the retro 1970s vibes of Gunne Sax and 1980s vibes of my aunt's power suits.

Thank you. I loved this discussion xx

About the girdle versus corset conversation, I was born in 1955 and I remember when I hugged my mom, it was like hugging an inner-tube, It was so tight. I don’t know how she did her house work around that.

I really love 20s style long dresses/skirts but also more 50s style fit and flair. While I have not really expanded into historybounding I have begun to wear more dresses in the last few years including a few button downs that are stongly 50s inspired though that wasn't my intent when I bought them lol. I am building my wardrobe at the moment and though I am focusing on things that are business casual appropriate, I always have the thought of "is this the style I am aiming for" which I guess everyone does but it is more significant when doing vintage inspired. My friends did question me when I started wearing dresses as an everyday thing (even super basic tshirt dresses), and my mom thinks it is weird I have a dress designated as my lounge/cleaning dress, but after a few years it settled and now is just what I wear. Though if I ever get to the point I am wearing dresses 80%+ of the time rather than 50%ish I may get questions again lol.

Great conversation! Also, I think I'm in love with this dress. I'm now scanning through your other videos to see if I can find it again and see it better. I would love to make something similar!

I follow modern fashion... I know what is trendy or sometimes going to be. I just don´t buy it often :) As any moder person, I hate wrinkling, cause it makes you look messy. In my country we even have a saying for that: "Looks like you took it yout of cows mouth". I do own a lot of "plastic" garments. I just make sure, they are versatile and looks good on me. Then I wear them for 10-15 years. Only donwside is I have to make sure not to put too much weight on.(if they are not strechy) But I still love to learn about history/vintage fashion. There is a lot of things I have learned from it! ♥ I adore walking skirts. Made a few out of bedsheet. Will sew one from nice wool one day for winter.

1840s is very delicate and understated, I love it too. :)

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

It definitely is!!

This was really interesting, I too have wondered whether the line between vintage and historical will move forward as time passes. I really think we need better vocabulary to express ages and time periods. I find a similar thing when I sometimes hear (usually American) people use the word "ancient" in reference to something from like the 17th century. To me, "ancient" means from a time before widespread records - maybe up to about 500CE. It's strange how terms can feel as if they have a very clear definition to one person, and yet be totally different for other people. There is no "right" or "wrong", but sometimes I wish there was. But then I remember that the vast, vast majority of people we meet just call anything with a full length skirt "victorian", and assume you must be in a cult of some kind if you wear any sort of headwear, and... I give up, lol. 😫

@ragnkja

Жыл бұрын

Someone from the “Old World” might agree with an American that a PC from 2003 is “ancient” in the colloquial sense, but disagree with them when they term a building from the 1640s “ancient”.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

It definitely can be really frustrating! It’s nice that the world has so much grey and nuance, and I guess ultimately we are the ones that create definitions for things anyways, since at the end of the day language was created by humans, but still some clarity can sometimes feel nice. It’d probably be tricky for everyone to agree though on these terms because no matter what exists in the world, no matter how factual, someone out there likely disagrees with it lol

I would have to say that my own love of vintage wear (to say nothing of historical) began with seeing some of my maternal grandfather's old things. He was born in 1913 in what was then Congress-Poland, lived out the latter half of his twenties and the first half of his thirties in the shadow of World War II, and witnessed the rest of the century from the safety of St. Louis, Missouri. He had, as I recall, a certain audacity, a willingness to cultivate tastes above his social class. One hat I remember he had was a trilby done up in a charcoal grey gun club check--if I had to guess, I'd say he bought it in the late 1940s shortly after arriving in the States. (He never lost his affinity for flannels, tweeds, leathers--the sort of thing considered smart and dashing in the days of his youth.) Needless to say, I retain a love for garments made in or inspired by the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s. Sometimes the 1960s, although I have my doubts about the fads and trends from that decade. Especially if I see a crisp tweed or a scalpel-cut suit, I smile, because it reminds me of my grandfather.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing all this! How special 😊

Two of my favorite KZreadrs together!! This was awesome! 😎👍

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Aww thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it! 🥰

Interesting discussion- showing that both historical and vintage dressing can be part of developing your own style- I have a lifelong interest in costume- but I always flinch at the term fashion, because I have never been fashionable, and have never wanted to be. Developing your own style, and how much you want to stand out (or not) is a very important part of personal development.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thank you! I definitely agree. I read something that said encouraging people to develop their own personal style also encourages people to consume less, thus leading to less overconsumption and potentially fewer environment issues because of less supply/demand. It’s an interesting thought and I can absolutely see it in practice in my own life.

Thk you again for sharing your video! I really enjoy it! New viewer!😊

my mind instantly came to the conclusion that if you would wear original garments from the period without worrying about them too much, it's vintage, if not, then it's historical

Thank you for the video! God bless 💓

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!!

Ms. Birchwood you are such an amazing human. Wildly intelligent, crazy beautiful, such an amazing spirit and wholesome aura. I can only imagine what a pleasure it would be to meet your acquaintance and have the opportunity to discuss so many interesting topics.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

I jumped off the wagon of fashion very early - actually I only barely tried to follow it during teenage (early 2000s) and it wasn't my thing, so I just started dressing like what I like, no matter when/where it comes from. On the way I learned to sew because I could never find clothes that fit me and my weird measurements. I can proudly announce that I've pieced together (literally) the most comfortable and practical trousers ever to grace the earth (according to me), for example. And there are actually a lot of people around me who are like that. They will wear practical, nice clothes that don't really fit into something, only their personal taste, and will possibly pick up one trend here and one trend there when there's something they like, but that's it. It's a very relaxed approach to clothing - and it doesn't mean lack of personality, mind you !

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

This sounds like an incredible approach to clothing! Thanks for sharing 🥰

You + Karolina = 😍😍😍

Heyy this was cool! It reminded me that I still have a lot to learn about seasonal clothing. The isolation aspect definitely scares me though. How exactly do people make friends in the historical costume community? Where do they meet? It's not like you're going just happen to see someone walking around wearing the same decade as you

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!! I get that it can feel scary. I think one of the best ways to meet people in the community is social media actually lol. Find people especially who might be in your country or in your part of the world. Also look in adjacent “subcultures” like people who love cottagecore, historybounding, cosplay, etc. Meeting people at events in your area is also a nice way.

@Luna-bo6sf

Жыл бұрын

@@VBirchwood Thank you!

I consider the historic to vintage fashion dividing line to be WW2. The social, scientific, medical, and economic changes profoundly changed the lives of people around the world. I was born in the late 1950s, my parents were born in the early 1930s, grandparents from the early to mid 1910s, and great-grandparents in the late 1880s. Most of my ancestors lived to be at least in their 80s. I have a photo of my daughter as a newborn that includes 5 generations of family on my side. So I've been able to not only look at family photos from long ago, but also ask them some questions about what people were doing and wearing in them. Another fashion era descriptor to consider is "retro". From my perspective, retro is the fashions I remember from my youth, so the mid-1960s until about the mid-1990s. My favorite little fashion span is 1915 to about 1921, and I'm just now starting a wardrobe for myself to represent those years. Fortunately, I'll be able to construct the garments on a number of antique sewing machines in my collection that could have been used in those years. Thank you both so much on your scholarship and practice in this area.

Vintage being stretched for a 100 years reminds me of radio stations saying something like "playing music from the 80's, 90's, and today" . It's been today for 22 years now.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Lol so accurate. It’s easy to forget that we’re already 22 years into the 2000s

Great discussion.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thank you! 😊

I am not into fashion, but this was recommended. I am also 39, so I am not old but not young at the same time 😁. But I really enjoyed this video. It also amazes me to see how creative and open minded people younger than me are. As I get older, I feel like I am losing that open minded attitude and spark of creativity..... Thank you for your video!

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for watching! 😊

The wrinkles in fabric I love, it looks comfortable and one can truly tell it's a natural fiber , the best.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

I agree! I love natural wrinkles and texture in fabric too 😊

Two of my favourite creators making a video together? Yes please!

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Hahaha I’m so glad you enjoyed the video! 😊

Vasi, I really enjoyed and appreciated your thoughts and idea's in this discussion. Although, I didn't dress in clothing from a different era. I have said since I was very young, that I would dress in clothing from the Victorian era every day if I had the clothing available. I was very serious. Unfortunately, I had to wear a certain type of clothing for work. So my style was only worn during off work hours. I also did not have the time or finances to create my own Victorian clothing. Or I totally would have! I did dress in a dresses, or skirts and blouses on a daily basis. That is a style I truly love. I received a definite type of reaction towards me and assumptions were constantly being made about me, even though my clothing was not vintage or historical. It was different enough to others my age. It was thought that I would be a very strict, religious person. Or that I was against anything outgoing, etcetera. The funny thing is, although I am a very spiritual person, I was not a part of a religious community. I also was incredibly outgoing, I had 2 boy's and was a young mom. So I would skateboard with my kids, jump on the trampoline, dig in my garden, climb trees, etcetera. The truth is my values toward making thing's, like food from fresh ingredients, including from my garden, and " homemade " food was economical and important to me. I didn't do box meals and such. I aso made some clothing myself ( to my best abilities ) unfortunately, I did buy fast fashion back then ( 1980-1990's) now I am so much more skilled and use 90 % all natural materials when making things myself, or purchasing for my household or others. I didn't ever change for the comfort of how others felt about my clothing choices. I simply showed them my tolerance & kindness. People learned I was not attempting to "upstage" anyone , I was just more me & more comfortable in my dresses. Thanks to wonderful people like you on KZread, I am able to gain so many more useful skills, and knowledge. That allows me to create more of what I love. I appreciate that you are confident enough to wear what "you love". It shows other people that you dress in clothing that makes you feel like you, be proud of it and of yourself and let the incredibly, talented, open minded, inclusive person you are be seen, as that an amazing person who wears clothing that is amazing! Others who watch and see your beauty & grace may gain a bit off strength from seeing you! It's a gift you give to others, a sort of hand to hold ( metaphorically) while they walk out, in there choice of a "different style ". I think the working class clothing is very important too. Something as simple as a apron! I know they are incredibly on trend now, but not 15 -20 years ago. That's literally the tiniest tip of working class clothing, but I have gone overboard on this message/post. You are fantastic at opening the door to discussions, and they are so important and interesting, they can take many turns! What a fantastic skill! I started this journey on following you and a few others on KZread to learn more about clothing history & hand ( historical) sewing. This was after a two year obsession to learn how textiles & ( material of all types ) were made in the very beginning. I find it absolutely fascinating! It still is so exciting to me to learn how the incredible materials were made in all the different eras. And what they were made from and how they were manipulated into fabrics and then clothing and other things. Clothing history from the under garments, to all forms of outerwear is vital to having a full understanding of our history. I am sorry that I made this so long. I could have hour's long conversations with you about this and so many other topics. I am so glad you are here and that you share these discussions, invite other interesting people and bring their knowledge and points of view into the conversation. I also am grateful for the range of subjects that you cover. Such as the very basics of important hand stitches, to hand sewing entire garments, to making a pattern work, creating entire amazing ensembles, capes, bonnets... I hope you realize how much you offer to those of us watching. Be very well and happy, Audri

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much Audri for your very kind words and support, I really appreciate them! 🥰

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Be well and happy too ❤️

This is such a well edited video! Loved the content as well

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much! I really love editing 🥰❤️

Yes! Collab! Let's go! Wear what ypu want when you want

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Enjoy the video 🥰

Something similar to what Karolina said happens in the seed world as well. Open polinated is the term for any seed that will breed true, that will follow a set description generation after generation. But we have a second term that gets confused with it, which is heirloom. Officially, and by most seed company standards, anything over 50 years of production is an heirloom. But not everyone agrees with that standard. Some, mainly new gardeners, confuse open polinated with heirloom, thinking it is a synonym. And while, like all vintage clothes are historical but not all historical clothes would be called vintage, all heirlooms are open polinated, not all open polinated plants are heirlooms. Then on the other side are those who draw a specific line, normally between 1930 and 1950, where even though a plant may be over 50 years old, it is after x or y development in plant science, thus not a true heirloom, in their minds. For clothes, many would put a similar line, where the pre-bra era is almost always going to be called historical, while even 100 year old fashion from the late teens or early twenties will still be called vintage because it still fits into a "modern" closet.

Oh my gosh, you two collaborated- yaaay!!! I'm so excited to watch this video :)

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Hope you enjoy it 😊

Yes, crossover, yes CROSSOVER! Love learning about fashion history~. And yes sis, it's so hard to pick something to wear, so much nuance. I'm currently trying to design a dress to wear to a cousin's wedding, I feel like I both know what I want be also not because I love details from so many eras. All I know is I want it to be a fitted summer dress but so much that can be. Lol

@makeda6530

Жыл бұрын

Yes, the relationship with clothes have shifted so much! There was a reason for everything while still being practical and pretty. I do feel the most me in a calf length skirt with a high waist, with a top with a little poof.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

So glad you’re enjoying the crossover! 🥰 I’m sure you’ll decide on a lovely option for your cousin’s wedding too 😊

Thank you so much for this video! I'd like to write down my own fashion story, mostly for myself, but I feel like maybe some people here can relate:) When I was little, I was the kind of girl who wore the same t-shirt or turtleneck every single day, because I truly wasn't interested in fashion. I hated how people judged eachother based on how they looked like and what they wore, including make-up, so I guess I just made a silent vow to myself to never wear fancy clothes or makeup because I didn't want to be seen or judged by people. At the same time, my adamancy to dress so unassumingly sometimes made me a target for the other girls in school, but I was quite a confident kid and my utter nonchalance towards mockery from an early age made me a difficult target. I also always got along great with the boys in class as I was a tomboy and boys didn't care about what they wore as much. From a very young age, I always wanted to be the prince and didn't really care much about the princesses. In my teens, that confidence, like with so many, started to erode away and I began to cringe looking back at how messily I used to walk around and tried much more to fit in at least with my clothing because I had enough on my plate. I started wearing alot of skirts and dresses in summer because I loved the way they felt. But the problem was, they had to be long because of my growing anxiety over how my legs looked (I have really light skin and naturally extremely dark hair on my legs, and shaving's only made it worse). But for some reason, during the warm seasons, everybody liked to walk around mostly naked OR in incredibly uncomfortable jeans, which just made me stand out. I'm definitely not a prude and some people look GREAT in shorts or crop tops, but I just don't find them comfortable and they give me anxiety. I just want to run around barefoot all year round in my flowing flower dresses, skirts or boho baggy pants, is that too much to ask? In the last few years, I've not only gained alot of life experience, but also the confidence to start experimenting more with my style. It's been at least 7 years since I bought any article of clothing that wasn't from a thrift shop, and apart from specific things like electronics or certain craft supplies, I honestly get everything I own from flea markets and thrift shops. At around the same time, I started becoming interested in upcycling and modifying my own clothes and started watching channels like yours, Bernadettes, Abby's ect. Finally, there was a style I could get behind. No more leg or hip dip anxiety if I'm all dress and floof from the waist down. I started making my own stays and corsets, even dresses (not many of them got finished but the few I have are my treasures). I've started doing crazy things with my hair like crafting and decorating a set of knee-long, rainbow-colored woolen dreads and braiding them into my hair. The looks I got wearing them took some getting used to, but once I did, it was such an incredible confidence boost that I felt like the most beautiful woman in the world. If I could pull these off, I could truly wear anything my heart desired. Instead people looking at and judging my body and shape, they were looking at a piece of art I MADE. Once I started treating clothing and style not just as a thing that we regrettably need, but as a vast canvas for me to express my creativity, the game was ON. Now I'm at the stage where, though I still barely use make-up, I take the time every morning to pin and braid ribbons and flower decorations and feathers into my hair, and it's just become part of my look. Honestly, the funniest thing about this to me is that character development from princess-hating tomboy to looking like an edwardian fairy queen. A fairy queen who will absolutely kick ass to save prince and princess alike. I still don't really do much historical accuracy, it's more history-bounding, but that's alright. One of my biggest dreams is wearing an authentic, maybe even self-made early 1860s evening gown. This will take a WHILE, but it gives me something to look forward to.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Hi Magi! Thanks so much for sharing your style evolution story 🥰

@EmL-kg5gn

4 ай бұрын

I would happily volunteer myself to be a princess saved by an edwardian fairy queen!! I was much more reactive as a kid so I didn’t avoid the bullying very well (although I did scare quite a few of them away) but I had a similar experience of being a tomboy for most of my childhood and then beginning to dress to fit in and eventually dress in a stereotypically feminine way. Now I’ve combined it all which is fun! The variety means I can always dress for my mood even though my wardrobe is small. I have clothes to blend in on days where that feels comforting, I have ones to stand out. I have both the swooshy dresses I wore as a very young child and the cargo pants and shorts I preferred later. It’s so fun! Historical/historical inspired dress is my latest interest, I think it will be a great addition!

Loved this. i really enjoy your interview series

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thank you Alicia! They’re always so much work to put together, but 100% worth it 🥰

Oh they will judge you for it, but they're judging anyway 😁🤫

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Lol it’s true. Judgement, no matter what you do, is inevitable.

Ma'am *what* This is the best crossover since infinity war

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Hahahaha thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it 😊 it was a lot of fun to shoot

Loved the point about working people's clothing. As a member of the SCA, we trend towards the elite, and often it's frustrating. I personally try to make more common styles to mix in with my other garb. With my adventures into other eras, I'm looking at more working class styles. Thank you for this video.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

I can definitely understand the appeal of working class clothing for you and can very much relate (I’m working on a working class wardrobe at the moment for everyday wear 😊) thanks for watching!

I dress vintage and I am a traditional wife so I embrace the fashion as well as the life that comes with

So agree re the weirdness of items from the 1980s-1990s being referred to as "vintage"! 🙈 Might just be because it falls within my own lifetime, but it feels like a real indication of how short many people's understanding of the breadth of history can be...? 🤔

Glad I found your channel! I want to get more into vintage and historical dress for sustainability purposes and the look. But I live in the south where it’s humid, 100+ degrees daily from April-October. I’m on the hunt for learning which fabrics and styles would be best for this kind of heat and humidity.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Welcome to the channel! I can definitely understand the desire for greater sustainability with clothes, as that’s one of the reasons I started wearing and then making historical fashion too. I’d greatly recommend materials like linen and double gauze. Even very light tropical wools can be good too

@kcarter0265

Жыл бұрын

@@VBirchwood wow thank you so much!!

I use the term “fusion” for anything that has a mix of influences. :D

As a modern woman who lived t-shirts and leggings or jeans going into historical and vintage inspired clothing feels like I'm overly fancy for occasions. Sometimes it is nice but other times it feels like I'm wearing a costume. It takes a few wears and integrating different eras, ex: 1950s does 1860s. Even my cottagecore-ish outfits I want to wear for yard work I hesitate bc they are my "nice clothes". Speaking of cottagecore, I know I became interested in historical fashion from that aesthetic taking loose inspiration from working class clothing. Idk how much of a factor aesthetics like cottagecore or academia played into interest of vintage and historical clothing or how common this experience is. EDIT: The point about clothing being connected with your views hits home. I live in a rural area that is slowly becoming more progressive (my town had our first pride this year), but the people that hold more puritanical views are louder and nastier rn. My views are NOT Puritan I'd like to borrow their clothing lol. I'm torn between not being seen as someone who behaves like that and wearing clothing that expresses me.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

A very good point that it can perhaps take a few wears and some experimentation with different decades to start feeling like the clothes are no longer a costume! I definitely think you aren’t alone in being drawn to historical and vintage fashions because of cottagecore and dark academia. I liked the aesthetics as well before I started wearing historical clothes, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the case with many! I believe as the world becomes more open to grey and nuance, and can begin to recognise that fashions don’t necessarily connect with beliefs, that will perhaps help with like “modest” dressers being seen a puritan etc. I’m sorry though you’re faced with that dilemma because of the potential reactions of others 😔

@jessicarogers6801

Жыл бұрын

@@VBirchwood Thank you for the through response. The testing outfits were recommended by the therapist I see for anxiety. The only mindset I've come up with to combat the anxiety for impression I give off to strangers I only meet once is from Wanda in the MCU "I can't control their fear only my own". I just need to be mindful so my beliefs & behavior will show "vintage fashion not vintage values"

I feel this may be an obvious observation but I find it very fascinating that most people tend to agree that the 1920s are where it tips from historical to vintage as that is where we start to see "less structured" clothing (and I use less structured very loosely). It is around the shift from wearing corsets to girdles and ribbons to elastics.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

It’s definitely a super fascinating observation! 😊

This was such a cool collab and such an interesting conversation!

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!! 😊

Oh my🎉so awesome,,love this❤❤❤you both are fabulous women

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Thank you Emily ❤️❤️❤️

@emilyparker4316

Жыл бұрын

You look beautiful VASI

@emilyparker4316

Жыл бұрын

Totally get it,I wore my civil war dress at a restaurant trying to eat and a woman kept trying to videotape me? But the lady that owns the restaurant saw her and told her to stop and put down her phone

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Ugh I’m sorry, that’s very frustrating!

@emilyparker4316

Жыл бұрын

@@VBirchwood yes but I was calm like you’ve said and was going to walk rite up to her and ask her if she had a question or just wanted a picture or wanted to laugh but I was prepared to tell her I made the petticoat by hand are wearing anything you made,just like you said,but I didn’t have to cuz the owner sees me a lot and loves my dress and pictures of my petticoat

I really want to get into historical/vintage. I already get looks for wearing skirts and dresses as casual wear so I might as well wear the stuff that makes me feel pretty.

@VBirchwood

Жыл бұрын

Absolutely! Society will judge you regardless, even the most “normal” people still get judged in some way, so you may as well wear what brings you joy ❤️ PS, it may be cliche but you are already pretty 🥰