Modifying period styles for everyday use

[Sadie B.]

Has anyone here experimented with borrowing fashion elements from 1840-65 to wear to, say, the office?
Say you pleated an ordinary school skirt with cartridge pleats -- would it fall nicely?
Has anyone tried darting a shirtwaist dress with those double darts?
I am a beginning seamstress and reluctant to experiment... I'm wondering if anyone with more experience has tried it, or is more skilled at visualizing such a hybrid to know if it would "work".

[anne foster]

I dart nearly everything, including ready-to-wear items I'm attempting to improve the fit of (I'm curvy and look perpetually pregnant without considerable waist shaping).  The double tucks are by far the best for taking in the necessary amount of fabric without major puckering.  I've also used 1870s techniques to make swallow tail pleats in the back of a modern jacket and I often hand-finish pieces like collars, plackets, and waistbands so I don't have to fuss with making sure the stitch falls in the ditch.

Anne Foster

[Carolann Schmitt]

I haven't used a neck facing in modern clothing in almost 40 years.  I pipe the neckline on almost everything; I've also used it on the bottom of sleeves and to finish the edges of jackets.  Calvin Klein has used piping instead of facings in several of his collections.

I used gauging on my niece's contemporary wedding dress and as an accent on sleeves on modern blouses and dresses.

I've worn my period mantles for modern coverups.  Some of my students wear their 1860s quilted bonnets for 21st century modern winter wear.

Gauging needs a lot of fabric to look its best - about a 4:1 or 5:1 fullness.  It looks lovely on tea-length modern skirts made from lightweight fabrics.

Regards,
Carolann

[Beth Chamberlain]

I have a couple of things with pagoda sleeves (recut to historic shapes from clunky modern ones). My shalws and scarves all serve both centuries. I wear muffatees for shoveling snow, my 1870's ankle warmers to keep the snow out of my boots, and my knee warmer for rheumatic knees when my bad knee looses its circulation  .

Once upon a time a had a lot of very late Victorian stuff in my wardrobe, but not so much lately. Someday I'll stop ignoring my modern wardrobe (in favor of the historic one) and I'll return to making funky historically inspired stuff.

Beth

[E L Watkins-Morris]

If you take the time to make your clothes fit properly and incorporate period details to make them "yours" everyone will be so blown away by how good you look they'll never realize it's from a different time period.

Liz W.

[Jessamyn]

Where's the Like button for Liz's comment?

Certainly, using period standards and techniques for fitting are the single best thing you can do to provoke "wows" for your wardrobe.

I also agree that piping makes a great finish for clothes of many eras including modern. I use flatlining to beef up attractive, drapey fabrics that are too flimsy. I tend to use hooks and eyes a lot, instead of buttons. I'm sure there are other details I'm not thinking of.

Finally, I think that trying to look good in different eras has made me acutely aware of what works on me and what is passing junk fashion that I can ignore!

[Snowdrop Sabine]

great topic!
i only began learning about this kind of sewing a year ago when i found this site,
i made a complete ensemble and since then several more period pieces.
i did not forsake my modern day wardrobe sewing
but since then have been using all the techniques to put my garments together.
they fit better, they hang better, they last longer
and by crackie they feel better on!

i am using period patterns and altering them for today
and have people i never met coming up to me with compliments
it's a wonderful feeling- 
i say go for it,
and if you don't like it fully, you can do what our ancestors did
rework it 

**snowdrop**

[KatelynH]

I'm very glad to see that I am not the only one who wears my period stuff as modern clothing.  I, too, wear period outerwear as modern outerwear.  I also wear my corset under modern clothing.  I like the support it gives and I just prefer wearing it.  I also wear my hair in a period style much of the time.  I always have a center part with no bangs.  Simple buns are a great way to keep my hair out of my way and it's an easy style.  Wearing period clothes has given me a better understanding of how things should fit.  I also don't wear polyester as much as I used to.  I still have polyester in my closet, but I prefer to wear cotton and wool and I now do steer away from buying polyester.  In modern life, I only wear skirts; lately I have been wearing drawers and petticoats underneath them.  I like the fullness and I still feel cool even with all the layers.  In a few years, I will be moving to a MUCH colder climate, and I plan on wearing my wool dresses during the winter over a quilted petti instead of a hoop.  Our ancestors knew a thing or two about clothing that modern society doesn't, and I prefer to do it their way.

[Elizabeth]

I've used the dropped-behind-the-shoulder-horizon bodice seams for modern formalwear, to create a sheer front yoke over the top of the shoulder, but a solid brocade back in a Mother of the Groom dress, where the wearer didn't mind a bit of sheer, but didn't want 75yo shoulderblades hanging out. Bias bindings, flat-linings, balancing skirts, draping--I use a LOT of period techniques for modern sewing, because they work so well.

[bevinmacrae]

GREAT topic!
When I worked at an office, I had a hard time finding clothing that fit, didn't cost a fortune, and was made of decent materials (after working with silks and wools, it's hard to go for the fake stuff) so 75% of my modern wardrobe is made by me as well. If you have a yard of some great period fabric left over after  the dress is done, you can so use that to make a really quality top, jacket, blouse, skirt, for modern.

Shortgowns can be adapted for tunic topics and jackets
I gauge the skirts on baby-doll tops, and use the dropped shoulder seam all the time.
Piping and hooks and eyes on just about anything!
I use my base toile for jackets, tops, you name it!
A pencil skirt looks just stunning with a bunch of knife-pleats where the kick-pleat should be. I did mine in left-over Hainsworth wool and that piece is my go-to staple for like everything!
The chemise pattern makes great comfy blouses in drapey fabrics. Everyone thinks they look so easy! Just add a drawstring right below the bust!
Wearing my period winterwear (bonnets, scarfs, muffs) with modern coat (well, 1940's coat...)
Flatlining
using cotton satteen for linings instead of that junky poly stuff.
use a really drapey silk for kimono-type 1910's tops-they are stunning!
making dresses with really full skirts: it's just like making a 19th cn dress that's just shorter!
Once I had to go straight from work to a period presentation, and I designed a modern dress I could wear over all my underthings. Very 1930's to my surprise!
And of course we've all worn our period style boots and shoes for something! They look great with jeans and are super comfy...

I have alot of fun with the modern stuff, and it's really surprising how many people think it's so "new" and in.
Have fun!
Bevin

[Deb Kessler]

Very interesting conversation and eye opening!

I always try to incorporate something period appropriate on a daily basis but generally in the way of jewelry. My office is so incredibly cold I have been thinking that I would swap out my period shawl I seem to wear daily for a sontag and now, well I just might- having my hands entirely unencumbered is such a lovely thought.

I also participate in WW2 reenacting and dancing so I do tend to wear those vintage styles frequently and always seem to get rave reviews. They just have so much more style than anything modern made in my opinion.

Deb Kessler

[gweninla]

After wearing 19th century clothing for several years, sometimes I feel 'nekkid' in modern clothes lol

Have worn my corset under my office  work clothes, very helpful when I had a shoulder injury...no painful bra straps, plus my ample bosom is supported.  Ended up wearing the corset frequently in cooler weather.

Also wear later Victorian blouses (and Eton jacket) with modern straight or A line skirts to the office. Like another poster, I wear my hair in a bun, usually straight back, not center part though.

I used Mrs Clark's free chemise pattern for nightgowns (modern fabrics) and thinking...adding an empire waist drawstring would make easy dresses to wear and wash in our 90-104 F. weather. Thanks for the idea.

FWIW--I use any opportunity to wear a costume (I'm a ham lol). Also work in a huge HMO with Optometry department. A few years back,  Doctor made me CW era correct lenses, to fit my antique frames and said he'd like to see a photo of me in costume.  Found out he was working on a Saturday morning, so strolled in complete with day dress, spectacles and straw bonnet...he loved it and took photos to post to his colleagues and as an example of his work.  Patients were a bit confused though lol

[Elidh]

I put some boning in a (more or less modern) dress bodice a few months ago....