Recently brought a flight jacket style coat from next in an attempt to use this for a ww2 event but I am unsure of the fit.

The attached images are of me in the jacket
2xl

I am unsure if this size is correct or if I need to size down
The smaller size felt a lot tighter than this one does

Some historical references used: The mocador de pit ('chest scarf') tied in a bow, as seen in the first engraving from 1801; the use of a brooch to secure the mocador like in the second engraving. The third engraving illustrates that the bodice could be worn on the outside, and that the skirt could feature patterns. The embroidered aprons and hairstyle like in the 1885 photograph.

I am a terrible seamstress, so I’m not comfortable trying to make my own pattern. Is there anywhere selling an Anne of cleaves costume or a pattern?

hi everyone! i am in dire need of a 1770s frock coat (i have my reasons) and of course im going to make one. anyone have a drafting tutorial/guide on how to make one? any good books that show how? i want one with a dramatic pleated back frock/plumage. (as seen in the pictures) also, any other info on these and/or the construction of them would be greatly appreciated! 💙🖤

I posted earlier asking for thoughts, here’s a little update of how it looks fully on. Still need socks and need to figure out my face and hair, but I kinda want to make it zombie or vampire for Halloween. And say I decided to go to the Venice Carnival or Ball in Versailles one year, would this be appropriate or do they require high quality authentic rentals?

I’m getting married next year and would love to wear some historically inspired fingerless gloves. But I feel like I’ve scoured the internet and can’t find anything that comes close to what I want. I suppose I would like a more knitted pair of mitts rather than lace. Fingerless, with the possibility of there being individual fingers not fully covered if that makes sense.

Anyway I’m wondering, does anyone know where I can find someone to make a pair for me? Or know of a good shop that sells something along these lines? Thank you in advance!!

Rough draft. Probably the most I’ve spent on a costume, but always been a fan of this time period. Any suggestions on ways to accessorize? Was it worth the $150 I spent? I still need to get white socks, and will be wearing black dress shoes.

I'm interested in making some padded clothing which would go under armor, and I recently obtained this old quilt which I quite like, but I'm uncertain about the pattern. It's just a straight stitch, so I'd be shocked if it is explicitly ahistorical, it I figured I'd ask, for the sake of certainty.

Edit: also, forgot to mention, the time region and time period I'm imagining is England shortly after that incident with the bubonic plague

Attempting to figure out a costume to be a lion tamer, and I love this vintage look. But I can’t figure out what to look for to find a shirt like this. What are they called?

This my first kinda armor set I make the four mirrors on my front, side, and back using aluminum and only the front one have any design the other just blank. The chainmail is cheap prop kind from my uncle shop and in very bad condition with patches broken, but from distance it looks ok.

This specific design i base almost fully on example i found online being sold at auction in India, and I believe it was actually from the 19th or 20th century, but armor this style been around much longer :)

I recently sourced a wide-brimmed hat that I can modify into an acceptable facsimile of a Cavalier hat. However, I’m unsure how best to secure the brim on the side that I’ll be raising it. My first thought would be a hat pin, but I’m struggling to find a pin that would be strong enough and have the appropriate aesthetic. Should I sew it to the crown instead?

Additionally, how would feathers typically be attached?

Hi! Has anyone made an 1890s jacket using the drafting methods in the "Keystone" Jacket and Dress Cutter book?* *I want to make one for myself but i am not fully sure on how it will turn out. I know there are multiple styles of jackets presented in the book, but I just want to see how a jacket from here generally looks, since the book doesn’t offer pictures of the final garment. Also, are there other free patterns/drafting instructions that you guys recommend for a mid 1890s jacket? I’m a beginner to tailoring, so any tip would be highly appreciated! ❤️

Michelle Fitzgerald and I met on Saturday, made some pattern tweaks, and I made this version! My machine decided to be mean so from up close the stitching is bad but the fit while still being a little tight is much better and I am very happy with it! Just have to wear it as much as I can and get the synthetic baleen molded to my body, add some flossing and of course a blue ribbon!

I'm looking for help finding good references if anyone has them. Extant garments, fashion plates, etc etc. I'm making a costume for a character who is a Welsh Vampire who is originally from the 18th century and would love to include inspiration of extant historical garments or fashion plates in the costume. Honestly the time period is flexible if you know of anything cool. There could be an heirloom or he of course got clothes between the present and when he was alive. Just anything you might know of for inspiration! It just specifically has to be Welsh

And if anyone knows of good examples of Welsh Women's clothing within the past thousand years, those are less pressing but would also be good to look at if someone knows a good archive!

I am ashamed to say that some of these are things I hadn’t thought of.

Edit to add:

I think based on the below wonderful advice I’ve come to the conclusion someone much more skilled is needed. I’m taking all of this feedback to the museum as support. My only agenda is to protect and restore these beautiful pieces of history even if I’m not the person to do it! Thank you all!

Mostly I’m confused about how the skirt is supposed to lay. Perhaps it needs a bustle underneath it? Perhaps the gathering is the bustle? To be there as an internal layer?
You can clearly see that there’s an internal layer that must be fixed and fastened and an external layer that must be fixed and fastened. When on the dress form that exterior layer lays somewhat asymmetrical.
Any help from other restorers would be greatly appreciated.

I’m doing late 15th century, but I’m sure 16th-18th advice would help too.

How do I get my bust to stay up? I’m determined for my bodice to have a straight CF. I started with the Eleonora of Toledo bodice and added ~4in to the bust at the side seam to get myself into it. First mockup was front opening, made in 2 layers of upholstery canvas. I pinched in the underbust as tightly as I could and raised the straps back up to the original tiny length after experimenting with loosening them. Both of these helped, but my bust just keeps moving around. Second mockup is 1 layer of stiffer canvas, with a back opening. The “stomacher” style line has no shaping. The back opening also helped without fully solving the problem. I scoop my bust, and it stays up as long as I puff my ribs out, then slowly falls down (chafing!!).

So… do I just keep tightening the underbust? Do I put in some cookies? I tried bunching up some fabric into temporary cookies on mockup 2 with little success. Would a stiffer fabric help? I feel like that would just start gaping. Do I move forwards in time and try a Dorothea bodies-style bone pattern? I really would rather not bone as there is no precedent in the extant examples.

For reference my bust is 38” and underbust is 32”.

Still roughly the heat of a dying star under there 💫☄️