Category Archives: 18th Century

18th Century Leather Stays

17th June 202418th Century18th century, corset, leather, underwearLina

I was surprised to find out that leather stays were often worn by poor and working class women in the 18th century. I thought that leather would’ve been too expensive for lower class 18th century women. But leather stays were obviously the cheapest stays for 18th century working women. If other types of stays were too expensive, then leather stays were worn. Continue reading 18th Century Leather Stays →

Handwoven 18th Century Stays

10th August 202318th Century18th century, blue, corset, finished historical costume, historybounding, underwear, weavingLina

Because it was so much fun making my handwoven dress and my handwoven corset top from scratch, I now wove fabric for a new handwoven clothing project: handwoven 18th century stays! 😀 Continue reading Handwoven 18th Century Stays →

18th Century Embroidered Stomacher

15th April 202318th Century18th century, blue, embroidery, hand sewing, upcyclingLina

I’ve always wanted to have an 18th century embroidered stomacher and now I actually made two! 😀 One of my 18th century stomachers is hand-embroidered and the other is machine-embroidered on my old treadle sewing machine. In addition, both stomacher are reversible: so I have four 18th century stomacher now. Continue reading 18th Century Embroidered Stomacher →

Modern 18th Century Dress – Historybounding Dress

22nd October 202218th Century, Refashion18th century, blue, corset, dress, finished historical costume, historybounding, upcyclingLina

I’m currently making some historybounding or cottagecore dresses. The dresses are inspired by historical fashion. However, they are still modern enough so that I can wear them today as summer dresses. 😀 This is one of my historybounding dresses: It’s inspired by 18th century dresses. Continue reading Modern 18th Century Dress – Historybounding Dress →

Historical Peasant Woman Outfit: Unboned Stays, Bumroll & Corded Petticoat

15th May 20221840-60 - Victorian, 18th Century, 1900s - Edwardian18th century, blue, corset, dress, edwardian, finished historical costume, green, underwear, upcycling, victorian, working womanLina

If you read my blog regularly, you know that I’m more drawn to historical lower class everyday clothing, especially rural working woman costumes. This is my newest peasant woman outfit: It consists of an unbleached chemise, unboned rural stays, bumroll and dyed-by-me corded petticoat and tucked skirt. An outfit like my historical farm girl outfit would’ve been worn in the 18th century or early Victorian era. And without the bumroll the working class woman costume is even suitable for the Edwardian era. Continue reading Historical Peasant Woman Outfit: Unboned Stays, Bumroll & Corded Petticoat →

18th Century Chintz Stays With Stomacher

15th April 202218th Century18th century, corset, underwearLina

A while ago I bought chintz cotton fabric for an 18th century dress but the fabric was too flimsy for that! So the fabric sat in my stash for a couple of years until I finally had the idea to use the fabric for 18th century stays. I had just enough fabric left because I’d already used most of the fabric for a tablecloth. 😉 Continue reading 18th Century Chintz Stays With Stomacher →

How To Sew A Bum Roll

15th April 202218th Century18th century, sewing, tutorial, underwear, victorian, working womanLina

This bum roll pattern is suitable for the 18th century and early Victorian era (1830s and 1840s) particularly for working class wear. It creates a fashionable bell-shape, especially when you wear it with tucked and corded petticoats. Continue reading How To Sew A Bum Roll →

Modern 18th Century Recycled Denim Stays – History Bounding

20th September 202018th Century, Refashion18th century, blue, corset, finished historical costume, historybounding, jeans, underwear, upcyclingLina

I like to reuse old clothes: One old piece of clothing less in the landfill and a new beautiful denim corset top instead! Double yay! 😀 For these modern 18th century-inspired recycled denim stays I used one of my old jeans. Denim is a strong twill-weave fabric suitable as corset fabric. Because it’s a two-layer corset, it’s already so stiff that I didn’t even had to add boning. Continue reading Modern 18th Century Recycled Denim Stays – History Bounding →

18th Century Linen Stays

4th July 202018th Century18th century, 1950s, corset, finished historical costume, underwear, upcyclingLina

These 18th century linen stays were an impromptu sewing project! After seeing modern versions of 18th century stays worn as top on instagram, and since I had linen fabric scraps in my stash, I spontaneously decided to make 18th century linen stays!

So on the same day I searched for antique 18th century stays for inspiration. And I made the pattern in the night! 😀 This is one of my quickest historical sewing projects so far: Usually the research takes much longer. But the 18th century isn’t my favorite historical era, so I don’t mind if these stays aren’t 100% historically accurate! 😉 Continue reading 18th Century Linen Stays →

18th Century Short Gown

18th November 201718th Century18th century, dress, finished historical costume, hand sewing, sewing, upcyclingLina

My 18th century jacket is finally finished! Yay! I sewed the last two seams just some minutes before we took the photos! 😉 This type of 18th century jacket is called a bedgown, short gown, unlined caraco or manteau de lit. Short gowns were considered undress in the 18th century. Undress or informal wear – the everyday clothes of the 18th century – was worn around the house while doing the work. Continue reading 18th Century Short Gown →