So this is only tangentially related to historical writing, but it is related. Have any of you dressed in period costume, either for the fun or to get a better idea of how people dressed and how it felt/functioned?
I'd had it in my head for ages to put together an authentic (or mostly authentic) Civil War-era outfit. (As far as not-accurate, see: split drawers; unlike what's-his-face in Harry Potter, I do not like a healthy breeze around my privates, thank you very much!) In any case, I finally got on top of that and gathered the things I needed: a hoop skirt (bought cheaply; not a really period-correct item, but it ends up looking the same and saved me hundreds of dollars, so yeah), a corset, a chemise (sewed by yours truly), and a dress (I now have two, one that was ready-made, one that I sewed myself). (I also have some additions, like a snood and stockings.)
For more on the adventure of sewing the dress, here's my blog post.
In any case, I learned, or had reaffirmed, a few things. Corsets of the era weren't particularly uncomfortable--they're fine if you don't over-lace. Hoop skirts are a nuisance, but fun and pretty. The dresses are actually pretty comfortable and breathe nicely. But most of all, I admit, this was for the fun of it.
Also for the fun of it, and as a gift to myself, I went to Gettysburg and got a wet-plate photograph taken (a tintype). I blogged about that, too, naturally.
In any case, I'm curious if anyone else has any costume-related adventures to share. Or heck, just some costuming insight about your era!
I'd had it in my head for ages to put together an authentic (or mostly authentic) Civil War-era outfit. (As far as not-accurate, see: split drawers; unlike what's-his-face in Harry Potter, I do not like a healthy breeze around my privates, thank you very much!) In any case, I finally got on top of that and gathered the things I needed: a hoop skirt (bought cheaply; not a really period-correct item, but it ends up looking the same and saved me hundreds of dollars, so yeah), a corset, a chemise (sewed by yours truly), and a dress (I now have two, one that was ready-made, one that I sewed myself). (I also have some additions, like a snood and stockings.)
For more on the adventure of sewing the dress, here's my blog post.
In any case, I learned, or had reaffirmed, a few things. Corsets of the era weren't particularly uncomfortable--they're fine if you don't over-lace. Hoop skirts are a nuisance, but fun and pretty. The dresses are actually pretty comfortable and breathe nicely. But most of all, I admit, this was for the fun of it.
Also for the fun of it, and as a gift to myself, I went to Gettysburg and got a wet-plate photograph taken (a tintype). I blogged about that, too, naturally.
In any case, I'm curious if anyone else has any costume-related adventures to share. Or heck, just some costuming insight about your era!