Historical Fashion Category
Writer’s Deep Dive: 18th Century Pockets
Posted on January 7, 2022 26 Comments
For the past 17 months I have been putting out Writer’s Guides in an attempt to provide writers with accurate information. However, I have received several requests to do a deeper dive into my topics. Starting this year, I will be putting out Writer’s Deep Dives every other week. However, I will continue to put […]
The Writer’s Guide to Castle Myths
Posted on December 17, 2021 4 Comments
Over the last five weeks, I’ve been providing information to give you a basic understanding of castles. Today, we are tackling the most common myths. Since castles are popular, they are depicted a lot in movies, TV shows, video games, and books. But there are several things that are often shown incorrectly. As always, magic […]
The Writer’s Guide to Victorian Clothing Myths
Posted on October 15, 2021 95 Comments
The corset tends to take the spotlight when it comes to misinformation about Victorian dress. But there are myths surrounding other articles of clothing that have been repeated in books, TV shows, and movies. If you are interested in corset myths, I suggest reading my two articles here and here. Hoop Skirts Were Solid Hoop […]
The Writer’s Guide to Corset Myths
Posted on October 8, 2021 19 Comments
Part 2 Today we are busting more corset myths. If you want to read Part 1, please go here. Passing Out The image of the swooning lady is one of the most lasting of the Victorian era. Were some women passing out because they had laced down too severely? I’m sure there were. I personally […]
The Writer’s Guide to Corset Myths
Posted on October 1, 2021 147 Comments
Part 1 When people find out I’m a historical reenactor and routinely wear a corset, I am asked several outlandish questions. Have I ever passed out? Have my organs moved? Isn’t that thing incredibly uncomfortable? I was told by a former coworker once that if anyone wears a corset, they will die. Obviously, there are […]
The Writer’s Guide to the History of Corsets & Other Boned Garments
Posted on September 24, 2021 20 Comments
There are few garments in human history that are surrounded by more myths and misinformation than corsets. Some wild claims have been made about the effects of corsetry and the reasons why women and men wore corsets. Today we will be diving into the history of boned and laced garments and over the next two […]
The Writer’s Guide to 1890s Men’s Fashion
Posted on September 17, 2021 108 Comments
Many of the trends from the 1880s continued into the 1890s. The trendy silhouette was slim. Fashions were becoming more informal and styles that were considered informal just a few decades prior were now appropriate for formal evening occasions or the professional office. Sportswear became important with the popularity of pastimes such as tennis, rowing, […]
The Writer’s Guide to 1890s Women’s Fashion
Posted on September 10, 2021 114 Comments
The 1890s was a transitory period between the stuffy Victorians and the modern Edwardians. The world was changing quickly. Technology such as trains, telephones, and electricity were leading to a forward-thinking world connected like never before. Woman had more opportunities to work and socialize outside the home and the suffragette movement was gaining steam. For […]
The Writer’s Guide to 1880s Men’s Fashion
Posted on September 3, 2021 21 Comments
Many of the trends for men’s fashions from the 1870s continued into the 1880s. The overall silhouette continued to slim and there was an emphasis on reserved styles. This decade also saw the introduction of several new articles of clothing. For an overview of fashion for the entire century, please read my Writer’s Guide to […]
The Writer’s Guide to 1870s Men’s Fashion
Posted on August 20, 2021 107 Comments
Men’s fashions had already started to converge from those of women’s and the trend continued in the 1870s. While the bustle and princess line styles were over-the-top frothy confections, men’s tastes ran more to conservative and understated. By this decade, it’s easy to see today’s styles reflected in the clothing and some photographs from the […]
Rebecca Shedd - Author 