The Time Traveling Lounge

flapperphilosopher

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Say, bartender, could I get a cocaine wine? :p

Hmmm. Seems a bit cool in here. Shall we start a peat fire? I've a couple of bricks just around the back of the thatched cottage.

Oh, let's! Peat fires smell wonderful!

Wow, that is horrid - you've got to wonder how she must have felt about it?

What's even more terrifying is to consider this in light of antibiotic resistance and things like MRSA and flesh-eating bacteria. *shudder*

I know... how awful all round! And absolutely.... :S
 

beckethm

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Did someone ask for swing music? Here's a classic for you (includes dance lessons): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS5oCLXrQLs


I was skimming a newspaper from ca. 1920 (I forget the exact year) in the course of my day job research and noticed an article about a man in his early 20s who'd died of blood poisioning.... from getting a scratch on his cheek from the hairpin of a lady sitting next to him on a streetcar!!! :S

I've got an article in the file for my current WIP (from 1942) about a woman getting hit in the head by a bullet while riding a streetcar. I think yours tops that as far as random streetcar injuries go. (According to the article, the police never figured out where the bullet came from. The victim only suffered a flesh wound.)

On the research front, I'm currently reading up on the gay scene in Minneapolis and St. Paul in the 1940s. I spent several hours last week learning about 1930s sports cars so I could describe a car that appears for about five minutes in my current WIP. And I just had a character modify a 1935 Plymouth to add hand controls so it could be driven by my polio survivor. That required more reading about transmissions than I ever wanted to do.
 

Lillith1991

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*passes cocaine-wine to flapper*

I suprisingly don't think I'll have to do much in way of research on stays for my Historical Fantasy novel. I know both my female mcs would've worn stays, because one is a lawyers daughter and the other a house slave. Still need to check what Ruth as a slave would've worn for stays, but at least I know her wearing them wouldn't have been silly. May make myself one pair each in the style Ruth, and Eliza my lawyers daughter would've worn. Watch me eat my words when it comes down to how much research I need.

Research is never ending.
 
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Tocotin

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Research is never ending.

Word.

I'd love to know how it feels for a person to wear a corset for the first time. My MC has to wear one for a few hours, and pretend he's used to it. He's about 13 years old and has never worn European clothing. (Japanese women's clothing, yes.)
 

Lillith1991

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Word.

I'd love to know how it feels for a person to wear a corset for the first time. My MC has to wear one for a few hours, and pretend he's used to it. He's about 13 years old and has never worn European clothing. (Japanese women's clothing, yes.)

Oh! What time is your story taking place in? I've worn a very badly homemade pair of stays before, and they were sort of uncomfortable. But I have it on good authority that 18th century stays fitted properly are comfortable.

*scurrys off to look for pattern*
 
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CWatts

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*passes cocaine-wine to flapper*

I suprisingly don't think I'll have to do much in way of research on stays for my Historical Fantasy novel. I know both my female mcs would've worn stays, because one is a lawyers daughter and the other a house slave. Still need to check what Ruth as a slave would've worn for stays, but at least I know her wearing them wouldn't have been silly. May make myself one pair each in the style Ruth, and Eliza my lawyers daughter would've worn. Watch me eat my words when it comes down to how much research I need.

Research is never ending.

Here, here! I just posted to the Broken English thread about taking on a linguistical tangle.... Right now I'm refocusing on my Reconstruction novel though, so slave wardrobe is important. I would assume Maggie would have worn stays also, but I'm not sure how well fitted - Jack would have gotten something decent for her if he could, but the war shortages could be an issue. Then right after, you have Northerners donating clothing that may or may not be appropriate - some is too fancy (but really fun) and some ill-suited to the Virginia heat & humidity.

That said, current controversies have my mischievous mind coming up with the best use ever for a salvaged Confederate battle flag - baby diapers! ;)

Oh, and no cocaine wine for me. Two fingers of bourbon straight up please. What do you mean it's only 7 a.m.?
 
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greendragon

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Re: Stays - having been part of a medieval group for years, doing living chess games at ren faires and the like, I can tell you that poorly made corsets/stays are torture. Well made ones are VERY comfortable, and better than the best sports bra that has ever been made :) However, bending down and sitting are more difficult. Kneeling is preferred.
 

mayqueen

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I'd love to know how it feels for a person to wear a corset for the first time. My MC has to wear one for a few hours, and pretend he's used to it. He's about 13 years old and has never worn European clothing. (Japanese women's clothing, yes.)
Well, it's confining. :) And you have to learn how to do certain things again. Like greendragon said, bending is not an option. Neither is twisting. Your breathing becomes more shallow, too. You sort of subconsciously stand better, I think. But that's just been my experience wearing a corset for reenactments. A lot depends on the style and the make, and how tightly laced it is, I think.
 

angeliz2k

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Good morning, y'all. *Shuffles in amongst a light cloud of lavender-scented perfume, apologizes for my hoop skirts bumping into everyone.*

I've actually never worn stays or a corset. I've never dressed up in costume, though I really, really want to. I just don't have the time and space to take on that kind of project. I doubt I'd be able to fit into anyone else's costume, so I'd have to make it myself.

I will take a pass on the cocaine wine. I have laudanum, thanks. :)
 

greendragon

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Having done a singing and dancing wench show in corsets, as well as wear them all day in the Florida sun for the Italian Renaissance Festival (a four-day show), fought pre-choreographed sword fights in them, and worn them during Dragoncon (while playing Settlers of Catan), I can attest that you get used to it fairly quickly, and come to value their back and breast support :) And I'm a big girl - always zaftig, 48DD.
 

autumnleaf

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Readjusts headscarf, smoothes down stays, shakes out kirtle. I'll have a small beer since it's early in the day.

I was always annoyed by that scene in Pirates of the Caribbean where Elizabeth faints in her corset. She would have been wearing stays since puberty, so it's much like a 21st century woman complaining about her bra (also v uncomfortable if ill-fitting). And 17th/18th century stays couldn't be tightlaced or the eyelets would break. It was only with the invention of metal eyelets in the 19th century that allowed for tighter lacing and the stereotypical fainting Victorian lady.
 

flapperphilosopher

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Did someone ask for swing music? Here's a classic for you (includes dance lessons): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS5oCLXrQLs

Can never go wrong with Benny Goodman!



I've got an article in the file for my current WIP (from 1942) about a woman getting hit in the head by a bullet while riding a streetcar. I think yours tops that as far as random streetcar injuries go. (According to the article, the police never figured out where the bullet came from. The victim only suffered a flesh wound.)

On the research front, I'm currently reading up on the gay scene in Minneapolis and St. Paul in the 1940s. I spent several hours last week learning about 1930s sports cars so I could describe a car that appears for about five minutes in my current WIP. And I just had a character modify a 1935 Plymouth to add hand controls so it could be driven by my polio survivor. That required more reading about transmissions than I ever wanted to do.

The moral is: stick to buses! Though apparently in 1927 Toronto, you could smoke in buses, but not streetcars for some reason (the relevant article was about people protesting how unfair that was--they should totally get to smoke in streetcars too!).

Hehe, oh the hours of research for fleeting references! I spent rather a long time (at least it felt long) figuring out how to start a 1920s car, for about two lines in the midst of a conversation. It was rather complicated and I am not a car person. I can't imagine how long it would take me trying to figure out how to modify it!

What would the gay scene have been like in the 1940s Twin Cities? I'd be fascinated to hear.... I really have no idea how that kind of thing went in the early 20th C, especially out of very big cities. How do you research it?
 

angeliz2k

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Having done a singing and dancing wench show in corsets, as well as wear them all day in the Florida sun for the Italian Renaissance Festival (a four-day show), fought pre-choreographed sword fights in them, and worn them during Dragoncon (while playing Settlers of Catan), I can attest that you get used to it fairly quickly, and come to value their back and breast support :) And I'm a big girl - always zaftig, 48DD.

Ha, my problem is sort of the opposite. I'm tiny (4'11" on a good day), so I couldn't borrow a costume (from most people) because it would drown me. (Although, I need, er, support, as well.)
 

Hoplite

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Morning Time Travelers

So after watching a PBS show last night about early human migrations and origins, I got an idea that won't get out of my head. Spent a few hours last night reviewing ancient/classical Greece, and need to find sources for sub-Sahara Africa of the same time periods.

Research is never ending.

Ditto

Having done a singing and dancing wench show in corsets, as well as wear them all day in the Florida sun for the Italian Renaissance Festival (a four-day show), fought pre-choreographed sword fights in them, and worn them during Dragoncon (while playing Settlers of Catan)

:Jaw: I can't imagine being able to breathe in one, let alone do all that.
 

CWatts

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Ha, my problem is sort of the opposite. I'm tiny (4'11" on a good day), so I couldn't borrow a costume (from most people) because it would drown me. (Although, I need, er, support, as well.)

You could probably fit in a period gown with no problem, though. :) So that's another issue - figuring out the size of our characters. I tend to think of what size they would be in the present vs. actual height/weight.

Another thought re: stays. Do the laces do enough to keep them fitting if your weight changes? I have characters losing weight due to war/economic problems.
 

beckethm

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Hehe, oh the hours of research for fleeting references! I spent rather a long time (at least it felt long) figuring out how to start a 1920s car, for about two lines in the midst of a conversation.

That's not surprising, considering how little standardization there was among cars at the time. And you just know if you had a character turning a key when it should have been a starter button, someone would catch it.

What would the gay scene have been like in the 1940s Twin Cities? I'd be fascinated to hear.... I really have no idea how that kind of thing went in the early 20th C, especially out of very big cities. How do you research it?

I got lucky and found a memoir by a St. Paul man that describes the community immediately after World War II. That and a more general book about the gay history in the Twin Cities are really all I've got to go on. Pre-1960s, there just isn't much documented.

As you can imagine, the gay scene was very closeted. St. Paul had one gay bar and it was very low key. No dancing, no PDAs--basically nothing to give away what kind of place it was. Most of the regulars only knew each other by first names. Apart from that, there were a few recognized cruising spots where a man could pick up a date, but you always ran the risk of getting arrested or assaulted.

It sounds terribly isolating and lonely, but it was also kind of amazing what people could get away with. I read one anecdote about two men who lived for more than fifteen years with the parents of one half of the couple. They slept together in the same bed that whole time, and the parents just pretended they were good friends.
 

Tocotin

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Oh! What time is your story taking place in? I've worn a very badly homemade pair of stays before, and they were sort of uncomfortable. But I have it on good authority that 18th century stays fitted properly are comfortable.

*scurrys off to look for pattern*

Woohoo, thanks! It's the year 1888. Most probably well-made, high-quality stuff.

greendragon said:
However, bending down and sitting are more difficult. Kneeling is preferred.

Thank you very much, this is what I need. He's going to be moving a lot, so it's good to know what is to be avoided.

mayqueen said:
And you have to learn how to do certain things again. Like greendragon said, bending is not an option. Neither is twisting. Your breathing becomes more shallow, too. You sort of subconsciously stand better, I think. But that's just been my experience wearing a corset for reenactments. A lot depends on the style and the make, and how tightly laced it is, I think.

Thank you! He doesn't have much time to practice in it, and however comfortable it may be, it's going to be a tough experience for someone who's only been wearing very comfortable, loose clothing so far. Japanese clothes can be quite a pain too, but nowhere near the level of a corset. The only similar thing he's worn might have been a female obi sash (wider and thicker than a male version), but it never interferes with breathing, and sitting is very easy in it.
 

autumnleaf

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Another thought re: stays. Do the laces do enough to keep them fitting if your weight changes? I have characters losing weight due to war/economic problems.

I think women's clothes were actually more adjustable than men's, thanks to lacing and pins. There was no such thing as maternity wear; you just loosened your clothing as necessary.
 

greendragon

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I think women's clothes were actually more adjustable than men's, thanks to lacing and pins. There was no such thing as maternity wear; you just loosened your clothing as necessary.

That was one reason FOR all the lacings - people wouldn't have to purchase or make more clothing as they aged/lost weight/got pregnant.
 

greendragon

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OK, this is going to sound hokey and silly. But here goes.

I joined this forum just a couple months ago, in January. I've participated as I could, here and there, now and then. I've asked a few questions, shared a few things for critique, etc. But I felt I was floating, and not really 'part' of the AW community yet.

All of a sudden, I feel at home. I'm rooted (I first wrote that as rotted!) now. I don't know why something as simple as a relaxation/community forum in historical fiction should work such wonders, and so quickly, but it has. Woohoo!

Glad I brought that peat. Looks like we need another soon!
 

Sunflowerrei

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Japanese clothes can be quite a pain too, but nowhere near the level of a corset. The only similar thing he's worn might have been a female obi sash (wider and thicker than a male version), but it never interferes with breathing, and sitting is very easy in it.

I could never get the hang of geta, for some reason. Although any time I've worn an obi, it's impeded my breathing. Then again, I'm small, asthmatic, and used to loose-fitting modern clothing, so I'm probably just not breathing correctly for an obi.

I bought a used encyclopedia of Victorian times on Amazon last night. One of my characters becomes a stage actress and another one is into the science and technology of the time. Figured an encyclopedia might come in handy.

Although, now, I have this encroaching plot bunny about 1793 Boston, a story that's tangentially related to my novella. *le sigh*
 

mayqueen

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Tangent here. I usually write in the early medieval period when practically nothing was written done. Now I'm writing in the early modern period for this WIP and it's kind of bonkers how much easier and harder it is in some ways. I have actual facts I can check! ...I have actual facts to check.
 

CWatts

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Having done a singing and dancing wench show in corsets, as well as wear them all day in the Florida sun for the Italian Renaissance Festival (a four-day show), fought pre-choreographed sword fights in them, and worn them during Dragoncon (while playing Settlers of Catan), I can attest that you get used to it fairly quickly, and come to value their back and breast support :) And I'm a big girl - always zaftig, 48DD.

I want to hear about the swordfights! Not being able to bend or twist would be a liability I'd think. Of course, the stays could slightly protective as well - I've run across (unreliable) 19th century newspaper articles of them deflecting bullets and such.

(And yay for breast support - I am a 36DD post-baby and having a devil of a time with bras.)
 
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