I make and wear 18th century clothing for events and let me tell you, even better than a pocket is a pocket hoop or small pannier with a sturdy bottom - I have put a whole bottle of wine in one pocket hoop and a more comfortable pair of shoes in the other 😂
The portrait is also incredibly important because your placement in the picture was important. Normally a black person would be lower in a portrait than a white person because they were usually a servant. By putting Dido and Elizabeth at EXACTLY the same level (and their faces really are exactly level) was to make a statement that these women were equals.
@@Leshaun2002 There's a really cool British tv show called Fake or Fortune (Be warned the show is COMPLETELY addictive) that did an episode on the painting trying to confirm who the artist was because there were a couple of conflicting accounts. They also delved into the life of Dido and her family.
I actually saw this as a very racialized painting. The touch does not portray intimacy as much as it does ownership, imo. The two women may be on equal level, but there are other markers to indicate that Dido is a British colonial subject in the painting.
I was going to say she also played plumette in beauty and the Beast and then I realized you mean the girl showing off the dresses and not Gugu Mbatha-Raw.
88freedomwriter technically but she was raised as an equal as much as was allowed during that time period. He uncle guarantee she would never be kept as a Slavs after his death by legally granger her personal freedom as to prevent those who would try to kidnap in an attempt to enslave her.
@@skippymagrue She was in limbo due to the social mores of the times, as a daughter to unmarried parents. I am not sure that a white "bastard" would had be treated better in those circles.
Although this is mostly accurate, there's a large and glaring difference in Dido's story. She was pampered and showered with love and affection _for a woman of color._ When the household traveled, she was left behind. When they had guests, she ate with the servants. After Lord Mansfield died, Dido was then, and ONLY then, freed from slavery. Yes, the Manfields loved her. There is plenty of evidence of that. But there was a part of them that was still ashamed of her and it wouldn't be accurate nor fair to disclude that important information.
Dido Belle was a daughter to an untried couple. Very few "bastards" were fully accepted into their families at that time. I am convinced that Dido was deeply loved by her aristocratic family.
@oaktree_ So you assume that her uncle devalued her for being of mixed race? Can you provide any supporting evidence (quotes by Lord Mansfield reports etc)?
Kardinaalilintu Wikipedia is a reliable starting point for research because every statement and sentence should have a citation of where it was exactly found on the internet. Wikipedia has a works cited page just like any research paper.
@@magnushelin007 in the 1700's when this tale takes place, slavery was very much a thriving "business" in England. Mansfield treated Dido well, but she was still considered a well-kept slave. She was not considered a free woman at the least until 1793 when he died and "bequeathed" her freedom to her. People who are viewed as property are not considered equals. Therefore, her differentiated treatment should have been highlighted in this video so as to not sugarcoat the reality that Dido lived in.
how? she was so rare infact she was the only one, rest of them biracial would ended up in the plantation, maybe they should do that getting dressed for slave in plantation considering that millions of mixed race people worked there... while there was 1 biracial who dressed like this video
I think it could be easier to achieve that hairstyle with curtly hair, than with thin straight hair, because you already have the volume and the fashionable curls
Nesseire a lot of the time people wore fake hair pieces back then! But I think the main body of the hairstyle needs to be straight to work- so perhaps straight hair that’s curled would be easier. (They could heat metal rods and curl their hair with them)
@@1Dispretty2me Obviously... the point was most hair tutorials that's on YT uses a model with straight hair. It would be nice to see one on a non-straight hair model. Her race is kind of irrelevant. 🤦🏾♀️
Love the scene where the servants strip Dido down to her undergarments. Notice how the stays, false rump, and petticoat have sort of a pink and purple color scheme going on at 2:19.
Beautiful actresses and clothes and a really great video! I like that we got to have the traditional "getting dressed" format in reverse as Dido got ready for her portrait. The only thing I wish this had had was a side-by-side of the actresses and the portrait at the end. Great content!
There are some videos on TH-cam by other reenactors explaining mourning dress for Victorian women. It was a way to express emotions in a socially appropriate way, which was a big deal for women at the time.
Dido was absolutely *not* “treated equally”. Perhaps better than a Black woman (especially the daughter of an enslaved woman) would have been treated at the time in most cases, but let us not mistake lack of overt abuse and mistreatment for equality. Even the composure of the portrait is telling. Certainly she is “higher up” than her cousin physically, but that is hardly a sign of equality. Look at Dido’s dress in comparison to Elizabeth’s. They’re playing up her “exoticism” (the gown, the turban, the feather) and her Otherness, and she is not positioned to look as composed and elegant as her cousin; she looks rather silly and frivolous. She is also bent over. Dido is in an outfit-for a portrait-that was worn “about the house”, when one had privacy. Lady Elizabeth is wearing proper attire for every day and going out. Dido is literally being exposed (by 18th century standards) in a piece of art. If I didn’t know who she was and I saw this portrait, I’d automatically recognize the social hierarchy and assume Dido was a slave and treated as such. I usually love these videos but as a historian I do not appreciate the mismanaging and oversimplification of this story. It’s historically irresponsible. There was still a hierarchy at play and no matter the rulings of Lord Mansfield, Dido was never treated 100% the same or as her cousin’s true equal.
friarpark I agree that she wasn’t likely to have been treated as absolutely equal, but I don’t see why the form of dress she is put in is an opposition to her. It seems more to me like a celebration of her cultural differences, rather than as a prop on an exotic show piece.
Iof you watch the research video it kind of clears that up as the painter kind of had this kind of style with contrast and I am sure her uncle wouldn't have allowed it she had a better life than most people in the 18th century regardless of ethnicity
Omfg thank you! This is exactly what I was thinking! If they were so equal why is she stooped over dressed like a servant holding a bowl while her cousin looks so elegant
@@nataliewisdom4790 if you look at the real painting, she is not holding a bowl there but a bouquet of flowers and her dress is silky and more luxurious looking!
Thank you, i thought the outfit and positionings was off the hand placement makes her look stupid, or that shes guessing or mischievous. I'm not trying to play the race card but she is told to do different things; dress, posture, behave then her cousin who is suppose to be her equal.
Having the same hair, I'd love to see tutorials for period hair-dos with (very) curly hair; most tutorials are done on straight hair and would require either starting with wet hair (making the outcome a surprise) or after at least 1 hour of straightening the hair first.
She wasn’t a “mistress”, she was an enslaved woman who was raped by her slaver. You’re not a mistress unless you consent to the relationship, and you’re not really consenting unless you’re able to say no and not be punished.
I love the portrait of Dido and Elizabeth! Even if the movie about her takes some liberties with history, the relationship between Dido and John Davinier is absolutely lovely. It's also neat to see a more relaxed, less layered dress for the time period.
@@ElizaHamilton1780 if someone has the skill to do that I think they're entitled to brag a little! I could never sew but never really put the effort into learning much either. 😁
This is making me so happy right now as a mixed girl who adore the movie based on her life : "Belle". 😍 I'm obssessed with XVIII century period drama such as this movie, "Poldark" 2015 series and the anime "The Rose Of Versailles". 💖 😍
Thank you for this video! It was beautifully done. And like another gal I am also a woman of color and appreciate the efforts to make the invisible visible. I am a re-enactor who focuses on 18th c and early 19 th century as well as early 20th century.
What a stunning beauty. She's even more beautiful than Gugu Mbatha-Raw who played Dido in the movie (and that's saying something). A very nice and well-made video, both educational and serving as a tribute to Dido (and Mansfield).
The portrait is unusual for its time, but Dido and her cousin don't seem to be in the same reality. Dido seems to float more as a memory while her cousin maintains greater permanence, as if she is anchored in reality. Goodwill, indeed, but to demonstrate equality, they would have been dressed the same with the same aura. This portrait is more about her cousin's memory of and connection to her, in a patronizing type of way. People applaud this photo for something that is not there.
i was just thinking about this series! i haven't had any notifications in months, but so glad i checked. whoever the model/actress that plays Dido - wow! in my 32 years on this planet, i've never been so respectfully struck. she's absolutely stunning. thanks for continuing this series.
Dido's Father John Lindsay was the first Captain of HMS Victory which is still preserved at Portsmouth Harbour today. The oldest commissioned warship in the world.
@@Apollo890 Thank you for your reply. I found it amazing how (you?) British completely dominated the seas for centuries. I don't know if it was that the royal navy had superior ships, the officers better training or what.
A combination of Officers being well trained, good ships but the most important factor was that Britain is an island. Because of this the nation was able to invest more so in its navy. Other European nations did not have this option as they had land borders to defend.
I loved seeing all the layers of clothing which Dido Elizabeth Belle wore. The pockets and the rump pad, which were tied around her waist looked familiar because I've seen them in other videos about historical women's dress. Thank you for sharing this video on TH-cam!! It is very informative and interesting! Cheers! ~Janet in Canada
It's interesting to see the outfit being deconstructed from the outside in. Most historical costume vids work the other way, which is fine, but this way it's much easier to see how the layers work together.
This story is a lot more nuanced and uncomfortable than what's being addressed here. Even being a well regarded ervant at that time was a precarious position. Falling out of the good graces of someone who OWNED you, even moreso. Dido's treatment was the exception. How many enslaved people did this family own? I wish re enactors, white re enactors would start grappling with the discomfort around slavery. As one black person, speaking only for myself, the contradictions around liking to play dress up, and appreciating the clothes, etc sits alongside the awareness that there was major ugliness going on. All those beautiful cotton prints? They came from the colonized weaving and dyeing labor of people in India. Cotton became "plentiful." That's how it was taught in my history classes. It wasn't acknowledged that virtually the entire cotton fabric production process was done with forced, unpaid labor. All that English tea? Tea plantations. Alcohol and tobacco, again slave labor. It is really Ok to be uncomfortable and be honest about that; rather than whitewash the history. Dido's father wanted her to have a privileged life; not the overtly awful life of the other enslaved women and their children with whom he was involved. And no, Dido's mom was not the only one.
you do know about the Dido movie was made by 2 black women from Africa...... needless to say it was transformed into Bridgerton story, irl she was broke and married when she was old, while her cousin LADY Elizabeth was rich and married to Aristocrat
Because this outfit and all the ones like it cost absolutely nothing, didn't sometimes painfully squeeze your waist and chest, and gave you an hourglass figure through sorcery instead of crunching your midriff to the size of a doughnut
Hell no! Corsets are not known for being comfortable. Also dressing like this was only cool because you didn’t have to work at a job. Lol but I get what you are saying,
for people saying corsets hurt: no they didn't lol. working women wore corsets and stays all the time and they were meant to support the body, not cinch it. If a corset hurts its because it wasn't made it to measurement or the boning is wrong. source: i wear corsets quite a bit for historical reenactment and also because they cause me less pain than bras, ironically edit:// also I didn't mean to come off as so snarky, sorry :(
I’ve seen the famous film and read about her true life but I’ve always wondered about the outfit Dido wore in that painting. Thank you for this video going into detail!
Spiritual Being In no reason is this to be insensitive but are you more comfortable just being called black people? I’ve always felt weird because I have never wanted to use the wrong term. I’ve literally beat around the bush so many times on essays in school to avoid using the wrong term😂
3:30 she was not born in England. She was born as a slave in the West Indies and her father took her to England to live as a free woman with her Uncle. Her uncle cared for his niece so much he gave her most of his fortunes and worked on abolishing slavery since he was the most powerful jurist of that time. Then granting her freedom upon his death . #foodforthought
@@samanthasmith61 Lady Elizabeth would have the large dowry to marry well, having Dido painted was nice, but Elizabeth’s future would’ve been thought of more
@@Skyebright1 i doubted she need a lot of money since she was married to (Elizabeth Finch)Lady Mansfield's nephew, George Finch Hatton, heir to Earl of winchilsea and Earl of Nottingham
@@Skyebright1 £40,000 and £500 "thought more" 💀 that's like Cinderella but worse, and what's make it worse is i done some research and someone wrote the economy of Lord Mansfield saying they were just outside the top 100 richest in England 💀.. and he gave Dido £500 for real!! that's less than what mr bennet gave Lydia £1000 and £100 annuity and he was nowhere near the richest list
Yes!! I love this story. Belle is one of my all time favorite films (not 100% accurate, I know, but still a great representation of the family). I recently visited Kenwood House for the first time.
It is interesting that they both initially had on similar dresses. The portrait shows Dido standing with a turban & feather, while the other young lady was sitting with a more class conscious outfit. There is a lot implied by that portrait. The one sitting indicates one of superior class vs. the one standing in a rather strange outfit compared to what she was wearing initially. Was Dido positioned to indicate service, or waiting "upon someone."? We do not understand the social language of that time, so I feel there is more implied than what we currently understand. They made her take off everything that was representative the dress of a Lady, and had her put on a smock with a sash, and a turban with a feature. Give that some thought!
@Kelley - Since the turban, WITH a feather, and the sultana were quite stylish at the time, It would appear to indicate that Dido was the forward, modern one while Elizabeth, with her stomacher, was the rigid one. You are drawing conclusions without all the facts.
@@MossyMozart : If that is your position, I would also think that you are drawing conclusions. However, you are entitled to your opinion, whether I agree with you or not. Personally, I do not agree with your romanticized version of the picture. With me being a a person of color, I recognize that there are facts which you have no understanding about. Yet as adults, we will respect one another, out of social courtesy.
you are completely right! and mossymozart was completely wrong! if you read Dido's Wikipedia you would realized that Dido was never an equal to her cousin, and they weren't portrayed as equal but more like friends despite their huge difference in rank. Turban and sultana had become popular among white people BUT it has a different meaning worn by white people vs black people, since it was usual and dating back to earlier tradition to cloth black slave in turban and sultana gown... , there are lots of paintings showing this and a lots of statue of this, and they were always depicted holding a tray of fruits and flowers.... just like Dido vs Elizabeth's book, the symbol of her aristocratic class
Had never heard of Dido until I visited Kenwood house. Such a fascinating surprise! Loved seeing this 'old friend' now, and loved how you did the reverse dressing in this one, and the actor / model you found for Dido just perfectly captured the spunky look of the original! Well done!
As a black woman that obsessed with 18th and 19th century fashion I’m absolutely thrilled that you’re highlighting Dido.
As a white man, I feel the same :-)
Have you watched the miniseries, Black Girl in a Big Dress?
Kristen White theres an interesting video that details more about the portrait
th-cam.com/video/C_svT4KmIiM/w-d-xo.html
You might like the youtube channel NotYourMommasHistory. It's run by a black historical interpreter.
As a fine sexy beautiful black woman❤️💅🏼sis ikr I'm watching every area
Can we please bring back the 18 century size pocket for women's wear? 😍
Or any actual pocket, lol. Seriously.
I make and wear 18th century clothing for events and let me tell you, even better than a pocket is a pocket hoop or small pannier with a sturdy bottom - I have put a whole bottle of wine in one pocket hoop and a more comfortable pair of shoes in the other 😂
Pockets that work!
yah im very confused whos decision this was? haha, i need pockets.
@@annakoschka I did the same 😅
Beautiful. You should have shown the actual portrait at the end.
I just said the same comment, surely copyright would allow for a short shot of it.
Google it under her name it's on Wiki.
Yeah. Just like what they did fir the girl with a pearl earring.
Kalliste Thanks 👍😊
100%
The portrait is also incredibly important because your placement in the picture was important. Normally a black person would be lower in a portrait than a white person because they were usually a servant. By putting Dido and Elizabeth at EXACTLY the same level (and their faces really are exactly level) was to make a statement that these women were equals.
Wow I never knew that. Thank you for sharing!
@@Leshaun2002 There's a really cool British tv show called Fake or Fortune (Be warned the show is COMPLETELY addictive) that did an episode on the painting trying to confirm who the artist was because there were a couple of conflicting accounts. They also delved into the life of Dido and her family.
Also, they are touching, wich indicates intimacy.
ArtemisScribe
Oooo that is nice! Thank you for sharing!
I actually saw this as a very racialized painting. The touch does not portray intimacy as much as it does ownership, imo. The two women may be on equal level, but there are other markers to indicate that Dido is a British colonial subject in the painting.
The actress you chose to play Dido was absolutely STUNNING!
Megan Rivera her name on Instagram is @iousas
@@zoomcherry8178 oooh thank you so much!!
Laila Mnii
I was going to say she also played plumette in beauty and the Beast and then I realized you mean the girl showing off the dresses and not Gugu Mbatha-Raw.
Ikr, I am so jealous, shes so gorgoeus
It's sad that her mother was slave but it's so great to see Dido be treated equally and with respect by the family! Especially during those times!
Mostly. She was always kind-of in limbo. If they didn't have any guests, she ate with the family, but if there were guests, she ate alone.
Dido was technically a slave until her uncle's passing. His will gave her her freedom.
88freedomwriter technically but she was raised as an equal as much as was allowed during that time period. He uncle guarantee she would never be kept as a Slavs after his death by legally granger her personal freedom as to prevent those who would try to kidnap in an attempt to enslave her.
@@sirennoir258 literally said her uncle paved the way for the abolishment of slavery in England and made sure she was free after his death.
@@skippymagrue She was in limbo due to the social mores of the times, as a daughter to unmarried parents. I am not sure that a white "bastard" would had be treated better in those circles.
Although this is mostly accurate, there's a large and glaring difference in Dido's story. She was pampered and showered with love and affection _for a woman of color._ When the household traveled, she was left behind. When they had guests, she ate with the servants. After Lord Mansfield died, Dido was then, and ONLY then, freed from slavery. Yes, the Manfields loved her. There is plenty of evidence of that. But there was a part of them that was still ashamed of her and it wouldn't be accurate nor fair to disclude that important information.
Dido Belle was a daughter to an untried couple. Very few "bastards" were fully accepted into their families at that time. I am convinced that Dido was deeply loved by her aristocratic family.
@oaktree_ So you assume that her uncle devalued her for being of mixed race? Can you provide any supporting evidence (quotes by Lord Mansfield reports etc)?
@oaktree_ not related to the topic: Wikioedia isn't that reliable of a source.
Kardinaalilintu Wikipedia is a reliable starting point for research because every statement and sentence should have a citation of where it was exactly found on the internet. Wikipedia has a works cited page just like any research paper.
@@magnushelin007 in the 1700's when this tale takes place, slavery was very much a thriving "business" in England. Mansfield treated Dido well, but she was still considered a well-kept slave. She was not considered a free woman at the least until 1793 when he died and "bequeathed" her freedom to her. People who are viewed as property are not considered equals. Therefore, her differentiated treatment should have been highlighted in this video so as to not sugarcoat the reality that Dido lived in.
So lovely how their uncle made sure they were represented as equals in the portrait. They were beautiful ladies and more like sisters than cousins.
The actress playing Dido is wonderful!! Thank you guys!!
paige mclachlan her smile is so cute and precious
she's gorgeous
@@CrystalArtest Oh yes. What a beautiful woman.
She s on Instagram @iousas
*Finally* a “Getting Dressed in the ...” episode I can relate to! 😩🙏🏽 (As a mixed race woman who’s part British and African) 👸🏽
Unrelated but you are ethereal omg your so pretty!
❤️❤️❤️
how? she was so rare infact she was the only one, rest of them biracial would ended up in the plantation, maybe they should do that getting dressed for slave in plantation considering that millions of mixed race people worked there... while there was 1 biracial who dressed like this video
This is probably one of my favourite periods of historical clothing tbh
mine too. absolutely stunning.
I prefer the georgian era, but this is definetly my second favorite era.
Wendy Wright Victorian and Edwardian are actually my other two favourites.
1779 is within the “Georgian” era, as King “George” III was on the throne.
Sameee. I also like the Marie Antoinette court style gowns though (I know thats not what the style is called but I’m blanking rn 😅)
Amazed at how similar the actress playing Dido actually looks to Dido in the painting!
Omg I really thought that's was the real Dido 😭 but she looks just like her so stunning!!!
the painting has more masculine jaw (def from her father) this model had smaller jaw
Thank you for representing us with a beautiful black woman! ❤️
The real Dido was gorgeous too!
@@omfug7148 As was the actress in the movie "Belle".
She’s mixed race
Seriously loved the movie about her life
wow I didn't know that! I'll try and watch it soon! 🤩🤩🤩
darkmerrygoround It’s really well done. One of my favorites.
@@christyrattay5213 Oooh! Can't wait for the weekend then!! 💖💖💖
what’s it called?
the model/actress is absolutely gorgeous!
This is absolutely perfect! I wish we could get a curly hair tutorial for this, her hair is very pretty.
Yes! That would be awesome
I think it could be easier to achieve that hairstyle with curtly hair, than with thin straight hair, because you already have the volume and the fashionable curls
Nesseire a lot of the time people wore fake hair pieces back then! But I think the main body of the hairstyle needs to be straight to work- so perhaps straight hair that’s curled would be easier. (They could heat metal rods and curl their hair with them)
Do you mean Dido's hair. . . honey. She's black, that's her hair texture.
@@1Dispretty2me Obviously... the point was most hair tutorials that's on YT uses a model with straight hair. It would be nice to see one on a non-straight hair model. Her race is kind of irrelevant. 🤦🏾♀️
That wrap dress is stunning and comfortable looking! I would so wear that every day!
Absolutely lovely! I really liked seeing the clothes coming off for a change, and the info about Dido's dress!
Love the scene where the servants strip Dido down to her undergarments. Notice how the stays, false rump, and petticoat have sort of a pink and purple color scheme going on at 2:19.
It's 3 am here but this absolute piece of art is worth it!
wow I read your comment exactly at 3 am
@@MartianCZ wow
Beautiful actresses and clothes and a really great video! I like that we got to have the traditional "getting dressed" format in reverse as Dido got ready for her portrait. The only thing I wish this had had was a side-by-side of the actresses and the portrait at the end. Great content!
What a gorgeous video!!!
I would love to see a “getting dressed in the 1890s” dark Victorian gothic style for Halloween!!
Oh yes, please...
There are some videos on TH-cam by other reenactors explaining mourning dress for Victorian women. It was a way to express emotions in a socially appropriate way, which was a big deal for women at the time.
Dido was absolutely *not* “treated equally”. Perhaps better than a Black woman (especially the daughter of an enslaved woman) would have been treated at the time in most cases, but let us not mistake lack of overt abuse and mistreatment for equality.
Even the composure of the portrait is telling. Certainly she is “higher up” than her cousin physically, but that is hardly a sign of equality. Look at Dido’s dress in comparison to Elizabeth’s. They’re playing up her “exoticism” (the gown, the turban, the feather) and her Otherness, and she is not positioned to look as composed and elegant as her cousin; she looks rather silly and frivolous. She is also bent over. Dido is in an outfit-for a portrait-that was worn “about the house”, when one had privacy. Lady Elizabeth is wearing proper attire for every day and going out. Dido is literally being exposed (by 18th century standards) in a piece of art. If I didn’t know who she was and I saw this portrait, I’d automatically recognize the social hierarchy and assume Dido was a slave and treated as such.
I usually love these videos but as a historian I do not appreciate the mismanaging and oversimplification of this story. It’s historically irresponsible. There was still a hierarchy at play and no matter the rulings of Lord Mansfield, Dido was never treated 100% the same or as her cousin’s true equal.
friarpark
I agree that she wasn’t likely to have been treated as absolutely equal, but I don’t see why the form of dress she is put in is an opposition to her. It seems more to me like a celebration of her cultural differences, rather than as a prop on an exotic show piece.
Iof you watch the research video it kind of clears that up as the painter kind of had this kind of style with contrast and I am sure her uncle wouldn't have allowed it she had a better life than most people in the 18th century regardless of ethnicity
Omfg thank you! This is exactly what I was thinking! If they were so equal why is she stooped over dressed like a servant holding a bowl while her cousin looks so elegant
@@nataliewisdom4790 if you look at the real painting, she is not holding a bowl there but a bouquet of flowers and her dress is silky and more luxurious looking!
Thank you, i thought the outfit and positionings was off the hand placement makes her look stupid, or that shes guessing or mischievous. I'm not trying to play the race card but she is told to do different things; dress, posture, behave then her cousin who is suppose to be her equal.
I like how gentle she is and make sure she doesn’t hurt herself or the women around her💜👍🏼
Having the same hair, I'd love to see tutorials for period hair-dos with (very) curly hair; most tutorials are done on straight hair and would require either starting with wet hair (making the outcome a surprise) or after at least 1 hour of straightening the hair first.
She wasn’t a “mistress”, she was an enslaved woman who was raped by her slaver. You’re not a mistress unless you consent to the relationship, and you’re not really consenting unless you’re able to say no and not be punished.
exactly!💀 Lady Emma Hamilton became mistress, the king even want her to be his mistress but she refused!
Agree she was raped, he at least looked after his daughter, given the children of slaves weren’t usually brought up like this
I have the privilege of seeing the actual portrait at Scone Palace, near Perth. Loved that we get to learn more about Dido and her cousin.
I love the portrait of Dido and Elizabeth! Even if the movie about her takes some liberties with history, the relationship between Dido and John Davinier is absolutely lovely. It's also neat to see a more relaxed, less layered dress for the time period.
@Kristen Irwin - Dido still had layers on under that gorgeous dress - her shift, her corset, her petticoats.
I have that bodice...
in that fabric...
from that 18th-century pattern...
that I made!
That's so cool!
Viviane Allen #humblebrag much?
@@ElizaHamilton1780 if someone has the skill to do that I think they're entitled to brag a little! I could never sew but never really put the effort into learning much either. 😁
This is so beautiful these vintage clothes touched my heart in the best way. 👸🏻🏰
It’s so cute when the two women link arms and smile at each other!!! ❤️
Both the young ladies are utterly charming!
I couldn’t help but smile the whole time! There’s so much more I wish we knew about her!
This is making me so happy right now as a mixed girl who adore the movie based on her life : "Belle". 😍 I'm obssessed with XVIII century period drama such as this movie, "Poldark" 2015 series and the anime "The Rose Of Versailles". 💖 😍
ROSE OF VERSAILLES IS MY FAV ANIME
@@cutephantomJCAGdoll it's so good right ?😍
@@belle-ashton2167 Yes! I've been a fan for 5+ years
@@cutephantomJCAGdoll me too 😭❤
@@cutephantomJCAGdoll I edited Lady Oscar with "Belle" in my channel,are you interested ?^^
Thank you for this video! It was beautifully done. And like another gal I am also a woman of color and appreciate the efforts to make the invisible visible. I am a re-enactor who focuses on 18th c and early 19 th century as well as early 20th century.
Dido’s mother was not a mistress, she was a slave.
The woman portraying Dido is GORGEOUS.
What a stunningly beautiful lady! She is simply exquisite.
This, alongside the Brunswick video, is my favorite Crow’s Eye video this far. Well done!
The brunswick is one of my favourites too.
The young lady portraying Dido is beautiful. This is delightful and informative.
Adore the fabric and fastening details, as well as showing us a reinactment of historical characters in these videos! Just lovely!
I always love a good late 18th century video ❤️
This was great and the model is lovely,
What a stunning beauty. She's even more beautiful than Gugu Mbatha-Raw who played Dido in the movie (and that's saying something).
A very nice and well-made video, both educational and serving as a tribute to Dido (and Mansfield).
The portrait is unusual for its time, but Dido and her cousin don't seem to be in the same reality. Dido seems to float more as a memory while her cousin maintains greater permanence, as if she is anchored in reality. Goodwill, indeed, but to demonstrate equality, they would have been dressed the same with the same aura. This portrait is more about her cousin's memory of and connection to her, in a patronizing type of way. People applaud this photo for something that is not there.
Elizabeth inherited 40 000 pounds and Dido 500, the dowry for marriage for both girls was very different
i was just thinking about this series! i haven't had any notifications in months, but so glad i checked. whoever the model/actress that plays Dido - wow! in my 32 years on this planet, i've never been so respectfully struck. she's absolutely stunning. thanks for continuing this series.
Oh her name is laila mnii she is the model who is dido.
wish we could see a picture of the actual portrait
NoneofBizor JuliejT it’s in the rental movie or you can google it
Google is a thing
it's in the description
The movie, "Belle" shows the original portrait at the end. It is lovely!
Dido's Father John Lindsay was the first Captain of HMS Victory which is still preserved at Portsmouth Harbour today. The oldest commissioned warship in the world.
The HMS Victory of Trafalgar fame?
Yes the very same. She was built in 1765 and was already considered old when she fought at Trafalgar.
@@Apollo890 Thank you for your reply. I found it amazing how (you?) British completely dominated the seas for centuries. I don't know if it was that the royal navy had superior ships, the officers better training or what.
A combination of Officers being well trained, good ships but the most important factor was that Britain is an island. Because of this the nation was able to invest more so in its navy. Other European nations did not have this option as they had land borders to defend.
That's interesting, thanks for the info!
I loved seeing all the layers of clothing which Dido Elizabeth Belle wore. The pockets and the rump pad, which were tied around her waist looked familiar because I've seen them in other videos about historical women's dress. Thank you for sharing this video on TH-cam!! It is very informative and interesting! Cheers! ~Janet in Canada
An exquisite story, beautiful cast and fab camera work. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏💋
beautiful! her smile is contagious!
It's interesting to see the outfit being deconstructed from the outside in. Most historical costume vids work the other way, which is fine, but this way it's much easier to see how the layers work together.
the woman playing dido is so beautiful and looks so much like dido in the portrait!
Belle married at 32, had 3 sons, and died at 43.
@@ReasonAboveEverything I do not know what caused her death. Little is known about her later life.
This story is a lot more nuanced and uncomfortable than what's being addressed here. Even being a well regarded ervant at that time was a precarious position. Falling out of the good graces of someone who OWNED you, even moreso. Dido's treatment was the exception. How many enslaved people did this family own? I wish re enactors, white re enactors would start grappling with the discomfort around slavery. As one black person, speaking only for myself, the contradictions around liking to play dress up, and appreciating the clothes, etc sits alongside the awareness that there was major ugliness going on.
All those beautiful cotton prints? They came from the colonized weaving and dyeing labor of people in India. Cotton became "plentiful." That's how it was taught in my history classes. It wasn't acknowledged that virtually the entire cotton fabric production process was done with forced, unpaid labor. All that English tea? Tea plantations. Alcohol and tobacco, again slave labor.
It is really Ok to be uncomfortable and be honest about that; rather than whitewash the history. Dido's father wanted her to have a privileged life; not the overtly awful life of the other enslaved women and their children with whom he was involved. And no, Dido's mom was not the only one.
you do know about the Dido movie was made by 2 black women from Africa...... needless to say it was transformed into Bridgerton story, irl she was broke and married when she was old, while her cousin LADY Elizabeth was rich and married to Aristocrat
I love their relationship together it’s wholesome ^^
In stead of the trending cosmetic surgery, this fashion should be brought back. Instant hourglass, no pain,no cost👌😀♥️
Because this outfit and all the ones like it cost absolutely nothing, didn't sometimes painfully squeeze your waist and chest, and gave you an hourglass figure through sorcery instead of crunching your midriff to the size of a doughnut
Hell no! Corsets are not known for being comfortable. Also dressing like this was only cool because you didn’t have to work at a job. Lol but I get what you are saying,
corsets hurt,,, a lot,
for people saying corsets hurt: no they didn't lol. working women wore corsets and stays all the time and they were meant to support the body, not cinch it. If a corset hurts its because it wasn't made it to measurement or the boning is wrong.
source: i wear corsets quite a bit for historical reenactment and also because they cause me less pain than bras, ironically
edit:// also I didn't mean to come off as so snarky, sorry :(
@@fishjenkins7257 it hurts.I wear them.
PLS LET’S BRING THESE DRESSES BACK
YAAAAAAAYY!!! I’m so excited, it’s finally up!!! Thank you!
This is so much better than the dido belle stitch in time episode thank you
this is also less accurate
I've been so excited for this video!! 5 seconds in and I'm already in love. Thank you for the amazing video as always!! :)
I’ve seen the famous film and read about her true life but I’ve always wondered about the outfit Dido wore in that painting. Thank you for this video going into detail!
I'd love to see how they styled and cared for the hair of people of color.
Kristina Ink Me In just say black people
We're black people not people of color 😊
Spiritual Being In no reason is this to be insensitive but are you more comfortable just being called black people? I’ve always felt weird because I have never wanted to use the wrong term. I’ve literally beat around the bush so many times on essays in school to avoid using the wrong term😂
@@GreenBanana675 Um, black people are poc?
@@morganhendler5770 No 😭 literally anyone not white is a poc
The lady portraying Dido is so beautiful!
I have been waiting for this for so long!! This is one of my favourite videos.
3:30 she was not born in England. She was born as a slave in the West Indies and her father took her to England to live as a free woman with her Uncle. Her uncle cared for his niece so much he gave her most of his fortunes and worked on abolishing slavery since he was the most powerful jurist of that time. Then granting her freedom upon his death . #foodforthought
The portrait is so beautiful and I love how you recreated the sitting. Too bad we don't know more about this very interesting and lovely lady!
the fact that Lord Mansfield make sure Lady Elizabeth inherited £40,000 and Dido got £500 also very telling
@@samanthasmith61 Lady Elizabeth would have the large dowry to marry well, having Dido painted was nice, but Elizabeth’s future would’ve been thought of more
@@Skyebright1 i doubted she need a lot of money since she was married to (Elizabeth Finch)Lady Mansfield's nephew, George Finch Hatton, heir to Earl of winchilsea and Earl of Nottingham
@@Skyebright1 £40,000 and £500 "thought more" 💀 that's like Cinderella but worse, and what's make it worse is i done some research and someone wrote the economy of Lord Mansfield saying they were just outside the top 100 richest in England 💀..
and he gave Dido £500 for real!! that's less than what mr bennet gave Lydia £1000 and £100 annuity and he was nowhere near the richest list
I love Belle the movie. Thank you for making this
Love this thank you
i saw the film about her on netflix when i stayed over my nans a few months ago
She's glowing! Love the video
ugh belle still is one of favourite movies
Such a beautiful portrait! Masterpiece!
Incredible story. Historic Data.
"False rump" sounds so much better than "Brazilian butt lift".
Too short! I thoroughly enjoyed this but it left me wanting more. It’s so beautiful!
❤️, A Dorothy In Red Mary Janes
Dido is one of my favorite women from history and I absolutely love that you did a video on her!
I’ve been following the development on instagram and it’s finally here!
Yes!! I love this story. Belle is one of my all time favorite films (not 100% accurate, I know, but still a great representation of the family). I recently visited Kenwood House for the first time.
Is the potrait there?
This is a beautiful presentation of Lady Dido Elizabeth Belle's life.
she was miss Dido Belle, her cousin was Lady Elizabeth different rank and title
I love every video about Dido, especially after having the honor to see the film, Belle, which is about her.
Miss Mnii is so pretty in this video. I absolutely adore this!
She looks so pretty in both costumes. I've never heard of her and that is a real shame. I've looked her up and her story is so cool!
This was so good!
It is interesting that they both initially had on similar dresses. The portrait shows Dido standing with a
turban & feather, while the other young lady was sitting with a more class conscious outfit. There is a
lot implied by that portrait. The one sitting indicates one of superior class vs. the one standing in a
rather strange outfit compared to what she was wearing initially. Was Dido positioned to indicate
service, or waiting "upon someone."? We do not understand the social language of that time, so I feel
there is more implied than what we currently understand. They made her take off everything that
was representative the dress of a Lady, and had her put on a smock with a sash, and a turban with
a feature. Give that some thought!
@Kelley - Since the turban, WITH a feather, and the sultana were quite stylish at the time, It would appear to indicate that Dido was the forward, modern one while Elizabeth, with her stomacher, was the rigid one. You are drawing conclusions without all the facts.
@@MossyMozart : If that is your position, I would also think that you are drawing conclusions. However, you are entitled to your opinion, whether I agree with you or not. Personally, I do not agree with your romanticized version of the picture. With me being a a person of color, I recognize that there are facts which you have no understanding about. Yet as adults, we will respect one another, out of social courtesy.
you are completely right! and mossymozart was completely wrong! if you read Dido's Wikipedia you would realized that Dido was never an equal to her cousin, and they weren't portrayed as equal but more like friends despite their huge difference in rank. Turban and sultana had become popular among white people BUT it has a different meaning worn by white people vs black people, since it was usual and dating back to earlier tradition to cloth black slave in turban and sultana gown... , there are lots of paintings showing this and a lots of statue of this, and they were always depicted holding a tray of fruits and flowers.... just like Dido vs Elizabeth's book, the symbol of her aristocratic class
She was soooooo beautiful!
Thank you SO much for this. Being biracial myself this personally means so much to me.
Had never heard of Dido until I visited Kenwood house. Such a fascinating surprise! Loved seeing this 'old friend' now, and loved how you did the reverse dressing in this one, and the actor / model you found for Dido just perfectly captured the spunky look of the original! Well done!
Absolutely beautiful video. Thank you.
the woman who modeled as Dido is stunning, her smile is so pretty
Beautiful, thank you.
Loved the movie and this video is wonderful. 😍
She is so beautiful, the actress
Wow the actress playing Dido looks so much like her
Lovely recreation! 💞💕💖
Just lovely. I was aching to see a side by side of the end shot and the painting.
My children say they look like princesses ready for tea.
it's wonderful the attention to detail you put in your videos it really brings them to life.
so beautiful love this 💖
Very interesting on how you did the dressing technique by undressing the model. Lovely video👭💖