Dressing up in a Natural Form era promenading gown
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.พ. 2025
- A new one in the series - and a bit of a taste of the things to come as this frock is also featured in my next book, The Victorian Dressmaker 2!
enjoy!
Credits:
Costumes and presentation:
www.priorattire.co.uk
photography:
www.timelightphotographic.com
boots:
www.americanduchess.com
hats and parasols:
www.farthingalehistoricalhats.co.uk
location:
www.moggerhangerpark.co.uk
music:
The Waltz of the Flowers, P.Tchaikovsky
The waist stay in the bodice is absolutely genius! If only modern-day fashion designers would put these inside button-down blouses. It would save so many buttons from being popped off!
Thank you for having the camera closer to you as you get dressed. It makes a big difference in the ability to see all the details on my phone screen! Also the close up shots are very much appreciated 😊
Ah , period correct darn socks. I have seen those skirt lifters, but did not know what they were till now!!! Button hooks should now be two at home and one in the car glove box, with a set of gloves lol. They sort of look like the latex gloves common in today's fashion, odd how things don't change much at a glance to keep hands clean. I have always loved the creations you make, and this is no exception as an example for that time period. I am Canadian and with the accent the English have , all i could think was "bum bow-ing" down the beach side lol. I can only imagine what that ocean side would have looked back then with the visitors, wow.
One can never have too many bum bows. Thanks for sharing!
The thing which you call a balayeuse, we in Canada call a "Dust Ruffle". My Grandmother used to tell me about dust ruffles being worn under ladies' long dresses during her mother's life-time. Grandmother was born in 1899, and came to Canada in 1911. Great Grandma was a pioneer in Canada, and, with her family, settled first in Alberta, then in British Columbia. She still wore dust ruffles in the 1910s. Grandmother let us children play dress up in some of her mother's old clothes! What fun! This is why I love watching these videos! Thanks for sharing! ~Janet in Canada
That was used in the states too, dust ruffles.
In the states we put dust ruffles over the mattress.
Absolutely gorgeous! It's so regrettable that modern fashion is all about sloppy comfort, rather than elegant comfort.
Love Isabella's voice and accent. And the awesome information about the clothes.
This video has personal significance to me. When my gr-grandmother was alive she always used to tell us she used to "hobble" for her skirt; or that her skirt was, a "hobble". This as you can imagine made no since to any of us being born in the modern era. You must imagine she was trying to describe a dress from her youth in the 1980's and she was born in 1880's.
One other video of yours really brings it all home for me: th-cam.com/video/RXkmtAbrDLU/w-d-xo.html. This dress is exactly the one dress she could identify (from a US TV show). We used to have a show on television called, "Little House on the Prairie". When it first came on my gr-grandmother would refuse to watch. We asked her, "Why" and she said it's b/c "they don't have any of the dresses right". Then one day towards the end of the series a character by the name of, Hester, appeared in a few episodes. One day in between her naps my gr-grandmother happened to catch sight of part of an episode w/ Hester. She was wearing a dress exactly like the one you were wearing here: th-cam.com/video/RXkmtAbrDLU/w-d-xo.html. With her glasses on and what little eyesight she had left (by this time at 103 yrs old) she tells the family, "Now I'll watch that 'Little House' ". When asked her what made her change her mind. She said "Now.....now they finally got it right. That Ms. Hester is wearing a dress I used to see on the streets when I was a little girl before the year turned (to 1900)". The one thing she did tell me was that dresses like the one you were wearing in the 2nd video was the equivalent of what we call today a women's business suit / business dress. Great video here as well. I enjoy watching the presentation of your creations unfold. It's almost as if I can imagine seeing my gr-grandmother in her youth wearing the dresses she used to describe to us. Now I DON'T have to wonder what she looked like. I can imagine her in you :) :) :) .
Thank You for sharing your tremendous talent with your audience.
Hobble skirts were popular from 1910-1914. She might have been talking about that style.
I find it hilarious that the Victorians recognized that their fashions interfered with women's ability to live their everyday lives, but instead of just going for something more practical, they came up with a bunch of hacks to make impractical fashions wearable.
I've always loved that people decided to ditch bustles *and then they came back*.
I mean, these outfits were definitely for ladies of leisure!
@@SarahElisabethJoyal I can imagine some 18yo digging through some older clothes, and going "Auntie what is this ? - Oh darling, that's a bustle. - Can I take it ? - Sure thing ! Not sure what you're going to do with it"
Six month later, cue the auntie rummaging to find her bustle
Isn't that all fashion, though? To a lesser extent we have than now.
Kirsten Paff LoL”.... came up with a bunch of hacks...”. Spot on. And it still goes on today in every facet of life to make sure of the proliferation and sustainability of all those cottage industries.
Gorgeous work Izabela, as always!!!
Love your new model of doing videos with the narration. Your voice and accent are beautiful, milady!
As usual, you look perfect in every era! That skirt lifter looks super handy for many applications . . . . And behold the power of hat pins! Both your hats are staying firm in that quite blustery wind. Lovely to see you both strolling along the promenade there.
The mind boggles at the complexity of the clothing, layers, buttons, folds, darts, seams, embellishments, accessories. Clothing and dressing-a true art form. Great video!
Much if not all of the clothing they wore seemed to be made out of pure organic cotton. This helped the skin breathe. Today many garments are made out of cotton blends. I can't even find a pure cotton slip anymore. During the summer the skin can't tolerate these fabrics.
“Bum bows” has got to be the best thing I’ve heard this month.
Watching you dress in styles from the past.. is sorta like traveling in a Time Machine to the past.. I'm an American Western Artist.. I do bronzes of the old west.. I've had Native Americans dressed up in authentic traditional clothing from the 1800s, made of Brain Tanned Deer, and Elk hides.. Riding horses with a necklace of Buffalo Dew Claws, carrying weapons from that period.. all made exactly with the same materials they would have made them with.. and when you're there along the banks of the Little Bighorn River.. watching and hearing them ride and walk.. It's like I was transported to that time.. Kinda like watching you dear lady.. Thank you so much for your attention to detail.. I'd love to do a bronze someday.. of you dressed up.. wow..
I love the ways of the past more than I can admit even to myself. Something was lost bigtime when those Era's passed on by. I sometimes wish people weren't so opinionated about clothing styles and who can't wear this or that. When you think about it anything goes these days and even if many wanted to dress in this fashion they would have to learn how to make it for themselves to save money on all the material. Either way I love the look and have to say wish I could have seen and heard what you did that one day on the banks of the Little Bighorn River my friend.
@@hikerx9366 It literally sent chills up my spine.. I'll share one of the photos I took at one of my Modeling sessions.. Michael Badhand is the model.. in cloths he re-created from the early 1800s.. made the way they were with Brain Tanned Deer Skins, Actual trade beads and sewn with sinew.. Colored with earth dyes... that musket is an authentic Indian gun from back then.. a flintlock, cut down for horse back. Oh and Scalp Locks hang from the gun.. Just reproductions of course.. haha
facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10211704584561655&set=a.10211704541680583&type=3&theater
Absolutely stunning !! I love the music and your voice. Your time and talent are very appreciated. I really thought I had a favorite era but now I'm not sure. I'm in love with everything you bring us❣️ Lovely attire and a lovely Lady wearing them. And you make them ! Very grateful here in Vancouver BC CANADA !!
What a beautiful gown! And thank you for sharing the skirt lifter. I have several but never seen them in use before, now I know. All the best.
It just amazes me how thru the centuries, the layers of clothing are basically unchanged between the 15th-19th centuries.
1. A shift
2. A stay
3. A pettycoat(s)
4. A skirt
5. A bodice/gown
6. Stockings and head wear
I suppose the saying goes..."if it ain't baroque, don't fix it. "
Oh don't forget ridiculous padding applied to various parts of the body! Whether it be a bumroll or those weird sleeve pads worn in the early 19th century, or even today with padsed push-up bras. Some things never change 😄
I enjoyed the voice! Was easier to understand while watching ! Unlike the other videos that were mute . Was so hard watching and reading at the same time . Did a lot of pause and back(s) in the previous videos but this was so lovely to watch! ❤️❤️
We need to bring elegance to everyday living again. Beautiful!
heart
It just took her ten minutes to get presentable. I can slip into bra, jeans, shirt, and sandals in about ten seconds. I get to go grub around in my garden. She gets to promenade. I love the elegance, but just consider the laundry!!! I believe I prefer a world in which my "lady's maid" was able to earn her PhD instead!
It's always fascinating to see the sorts of solutions to certain clothing issues (skirt lifter!) that were built into the clothes! Modern clothes with similar silhouettes don't have these sorts of things, so it's no wonder we often think those dresses were bothersome to wear!
"Frills, ruching, ruffles, bows, lace - Everything goes! The more the better. ... ... And then add some more. ... ... ... MUCH MORE." I lolled hard enough to startle the neighbor's cat.
Aawww lol
I love that you are narrating your videos now! Such beautiful gowns!
Watching these videos is both calming and comforting.
Sewing skirts and making corsets and bustles has kept me sane during these times.
Thank you for being my cup of tea.
🍵
You and the other young lady walking along the seaside reminds me of a Monet painting. Lovely!
This has to be one of my favorites. I love the detail. And that train is amazing.
Thank you so much for this! The Natural Form era is one of my favorites and I love love looove when you show us a gown from that time. Seeing the skirt lifter and the balayeuse was fascinating.
My heart just leapt when I saw the two of you walking next to the ocean- prettiest thing ever
Oh my gosh, so beautiful and completely lovely the colours of your gown!!
Ah, the surprise voice! lol, I get used to watching these with quiet subtitles but a pleasant surprise!
Yes I'm liking how she's added a voiceover without omitting the subtitles.
Love this.
I’ve always loved watching your “dressing up” videos and have often had a little giggle at the humor that was ever apparent in the written ones, but these with your voice and the inflections you use are even better. 😁❤️
This gown is absolutely stunning! I always dream of living through that fashion era - it speaks to my soul. I wouldn’t give up modern medicine or ease of living (technology, electricity, etc) - but give me the fashion 💖
Your unbridled bum bow excitement gives me so much serotonin :)
I remember reading about the Johnstown Flood which took place around this time. As the 70 foot high torrent came roaring into the rail yard, a train load of men and women leaped from the train, ran 100 yards, jumped over a ditch filled with torrential water and then ran another 500 yards up a hill to safety - all in corsets, bustles, etc. Just amazing!
Like the additional comments. Can't wait for the next one.
I love the ballet/classical music you play in your videos. Very calming and so fitting for the themes of your videos.
So so lovely! I can watch these videos for hours and you can see on a windy day that having those layers can be a bit of protection even if hot out on a windy day by the seaside you can easily feel a chill. You ladies looked so gorgeous and fashionable especially as you walked the promenade. Somehow for me seeing these fashion compared to the everyday 21st dress feels as if you are truly "dressed".
Great video, its like stepping back into 1878. Women dressed so much better. From Massachusetts USA stay safe.
Utterly gorgeous! This has always been a favourite silhouette of mine and you wear it very well - I adore the colours of both gowns and also loved the beautiful gown your friend was wearing. So interesting to see how the dresses moved in the wind and when you were both walking and how prettily the frill swirled about when you were dancing.
Elegant dress and enchanting voice. Thank you for the close ups. It appears I have a skirt lifter and knew not what it was..lol
How elegant. Brings back memories from a past life.
Time traveler? XD
Natural Form Era is my favorite era from the Victorian times. I think I'm gonna have to get a promenading gown someday.
I've always thought this is the prettiest and most feminine era of dress. You look lovely.
I have ALWAYS wanted to know how they kept those trains clean! Thank you
The more I watch your videos, the more I fall in love with historical fashion. I want to improve my sewing skills so that I can also dress this elegantly in the future.
Red Bean Bunny, I feel similarly.
You can practise your sewing skills on the chemise - if you mess it up, it's hidden underneath all the other clothes and you have a start to your future historical outfit already. ;-)
This is delightful. I appreciate the practical points of how things were lifted, detached, washed, and so on. After all, even with servants and hand-washing, one wanted to save dress trains from early ruin. That breeze, though! Good thing for hat pins! :) Congrats on working on your next book!
The one positive about having 50 buttons to do up on the top is that there is none of the dreaded button boob gaping.
Whenever I make anything like blouses, coats or cardigans; I always at least double the amount of buttons or add some hook and eyes in the hidden seam. Even my 50s pin up dresses have been altered and had many extra buttons.
Love American Duchess shoes, but I have never been able to find them easily for me, as I live in Australia and postage is really $$$ plus being disabled I don't have the finds to order a few of them.
But I love looking at ADs shoes and dream hahaha they are absolutely stunning.
Lovely outfit and I hope you and your family and friends are doing well and are safe during this pandemic .
Take care,
Regards
Janelle (Melbourne, Australia)
Janelle Blossom Janelle, you make a good point. I do the same thing to avoid the dreaded “placket gap grin.” I also alter the closures on my ready-to-wear clothes, and sometimes even buy “tops” in a size larger just to avoid any pulling or gapping.
@@Tina06019 I do the same. I suffer from Fibromyalgia Syndrome, epilepsy, Lymphedema and many other medical illnesses so I make a purchase mainly dresses and skirts (on a bad day it's pj's or leggings, but can't wear jeans as it causes too much pain). I will normally buy a size larger so in skirts I can add elastic in the waist and as I have a big bust and a small waist I always need to alter dresses. Plus during this time of quarantine I am altering a bunch of dresses and skirts.
I also love to add unique or handmade buttons to simple items like coats, shirts and cardigans. Also love to add appliqués around the collars and add lace trim around sleeves and hemlines to make my clothing a little bit more 'me'.
Being young and chronically disabled the one thing that I feel like I am in full control of is my clothes & overall look... and I've always had a quirky sense of style 💞❤🌹
I make mine with strips of VELCRO! Yes! It looks like buttons but they are just for looks. Scrunch, and it's done, RiiiiP and it's undone! He, he, he!
I just found American Duchess website: www.american-duchess.com/
Nice shoes but not cheap.
I avoid buttons as much as I can myself (mild koumpounophobia, I'll _never_ be doing the 1870s!), but part of the problem with the button gape may be that you need a full bust adjustment.
Can't be helped with RTW garments, but for ones you sew that may be something to look into. :-)
"Balayeuse" ! I love the name ! Such a nicely funny name for a very practical part of the petticoat. And it's french too, which delights me no end ! I'm french, and I believe I had never heard about a "balayeuse" before, but it makes so much sense to have a removable piece to protect the skirt when it drags on the ground. You mentioned it just as I was thinking "oh my, that beautiful skirt sweeping the floor, it's gonna get so dirty", and there you said it "a balayeuse" ! Which is precisely something that sweeps the floor... Brilliant !
Sylvie Charlois I think modern French people don’t even think about this part of the dress if they hear “Balayeuse” )) just because it have another meaning now
@@leonidasbranco1892 It's true that the only balayeuse I knew of are the machines that sweep the streets in Paris and other cities. Ironically enough, they have these round brushes that somewhat evoke to me those beautiful ruffles.
I'm not french, so I want to thank you for the explanation about the name of the petticoat, that makes a lot of sense
priorattire, could you make a video about dyes and textiles? as a dressmaker, you might know a fair amount about it. we know so much about the shapes and practicality and mundanity of period dresses, but the dyes and textiles available also plays a role in how they look. whenever i hear tidbits about dyes, like tyrion purple and aniline dyes, it makes me want to learn more
Bum Bows! Oh that made me giggle everytime she said bum bows loved it so much
Absolutely stunning! The dress and yourself. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful talent.
Love the color. That soft pale blue/green is like sea glass. Very beachy and appropriate.
Thank you so much for the voiceover. I was always stopping your videos every minute to be able to do both, watch the gowns and read the description. This is much more viewer friendly :) And the dress is gorgeous as always!
beautiful, and I love that you are talking to us now. please continue, your commentary is so good.
I watched this with my daughter and she (10 years old) immediately asked me to make this for her! I am not capable but loved watching and perhaps someday I’ll get there.
Beautiful--and how lovely to see the ladies walking along the prom to get the idea of how they looked back in the day. thank you!
Absolutely gorgeous! I love Natural Form era dresses.
I love all historical dress but this particular line is one of my all time favourites. It is truly graceful without the silly full bustle of the 80s. Beautiful.
Please, please, please keep the narration going! I watch your videos all the time and being able to just listen is amazing. THANK YOU!
So beautiful! I swear I was born in the wrong era and I have absolutely no sewing skills to even make these. Love the videos
I think this might be the loveliest dress I've ever seen. I love the Natural Form era😍
I love listening to you talk and that sea foam colour is beautiful I love it 😍
Absolutely Beautiful. Both you and your Companion are Stunning 😃
I so enjoy your videos. I love the silhouette of the dress on you true colors are beautiful too. Thank you so much.
Thank you for the wonderful job you do! I was wondering if you have a video on how ladies took care of their gowns back in the day? This just looks like there would be special procedures done to clean/wash garments and dry them correctly?
One of the best of the period clothing channels, love her. Thank you from Virginia, USA.
BUM BOWS ... I love it 😂
LOVE the video! I love the bum bows, too - eras that are a bit extra are so much fun
I love the use of waltz of the flower :D and absolutely beautiful dress! I had no idea about the skirt holder either, small metal contraption, but extremely smart, especially because it doesnt go through the skirt :> you cant say they werent inventive xD
I love Waltz Of The Flowers too! :D
I watch many of your video s, and enjoy them all! You answered a lot of questions I've had about this era's dress, such as, what a combination was, and how they dealt with dirty hems. The way the skirt was tied behind the knees, and the skirt lifter. (I have these questions because I read lots of trashy Regency, and Victorian era novels!)
Two more things- you definitely need a lady's maid, and, what a pretty lady you are! Cheers!
This is by far my favorite fashion era! I love a good fishtail dress!
I love your videos so much! They are very informative, and you always look so gorgeous!
Adorable! The minty fabric goes so well with the ocean.
Lovely ensemble! Quite tempted to sew now :)
I'd probably trip and make a fool of myself in the tied up skirt. You walk so gracefully even though the skirt has tapes!
What a beautiful gown!
I do like the small bustle pad - rather more attractive than a big bum roll, in my opinion.
Dress trains of short or moderate length are so lovely and flattering, though I doubt I could tolerate the fuss on a regular basis. (The balayeuse was what made it work.)
Many congratulations for this gloriously beautiful gown! You're excellent as usual at recreating loved, old fashions and this one, the natural form is one I admire much. Surprisingly for me, you were able to dress this fashion all by yourself.
T h a n k s !
So...
Many...
Buttons...
I would have given up and just ran around naked LOL!!
Exquisite gown(s), as always!!! I could watch your videos all day.
Much love and stay safe!
What a coincidence. Was watching something this morning where a skirt lifter was mentioned, except this one was attached to a chatelaine for convenience. Then I watch this, and there is a skirt lifter again - and a more informative reason for using one :-)
You feel so foolish wondering how they kept those wonderful, frilly and coloured dresses clean and then find out it was as simple as white linen undergarments that were worn to keep the outer garments clean and would be washed frequently, leaving the outer ones to never needing to be washed as they never got dirty (unless something was spilled on them of course)
I was so relieved for you when I realized that the buttons along the side panels of the bodice were decorative.
I love these videos!! I could listen to you speak all day
Love that colour combination
I love Victorian era dresses and under garments. I kinda wish it was the style still. So elegant!
What gorgeous and precise work you do - thank you for these instructive and beauty-filled videos!
I really like the Natural Form era. This outfit is gorgeous!
Simply exquisite, especially the skirt lifter. Well done YOU!
It's perfect! I love it!
And you ma'am, look breathtaking!
As beautiful as these dresses are..I am so happy to live in this century
Best thing about living in this century is you can wear as many of these amazing, beautiful, dresses from as many eras that you want and still have rights. And wear whatever to the store etc as well
You are enchanting !!!! The great part about that is you don't know you are.
I simply drool looking at the gowns....simply beautiful!
WyldPinky ikr!
how exciting to hear there will be a new book! the first one was amazing and i cannot imagine the new one to be anything less ;)
What a pretty outfit! Love the bum bows.
A beautiful outfit. You do such beautiful work. Thank you for sharing your talent!
Gorgeous dress! I love watching your videos and this is the first one I have watched where you have talked. I really enjoyed your dialogue.
I adore it. I wish I had people around me who loved and appreciated what I do.
I never get tired of these videos.
Absolutely stunning, i adore your videos, thank you so much for making them!
I've read so many historical romances from so many time periods, it's just fascinating to watch you actually bring the fashions to life that I've read about!💜💜💜
I would love to make a natural for gown one day. I love your gown it's so beautiful. The colors is gorgeous.
It's breathtakingly beautiful!!!! I first thought it was a picture from the period!!!
Thank you for the video!!!💝
you look so lovely! natural form is my favorite era... that and circular and elliptical crinolines. thanks for sharing!