Antique Victorian & Edwardian Clothing with 29+ Inch Waists

One of the biggest myths about the past is that "people were smaller back then," but that’s simply not true. The human body is diverse, unique, and full of variety. We can see this in body shapes and sizes when we examine antique clothing. Today, we’ll take a closer look at a circa 1871 Victorian bodice and a circa 1900s Edwardian lady's coat. Both of these garments feature waists over 29 inches (corseted) and serve as examples of the diversity in women's sizing during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. (Note: Earlier periods, like the 18th-century and Regency era, were just as diverse in size, though I don't have pieces from those earlier eras in my personal collection… yet.)

Similar to my unboxing videos, we’ll dive into the construction of these antique garments (the good, the bad, and the oh-so-very-ugly), discussing how they were sewn. The goal is for historical costumers, cosplayers, history buffs, and home sewists to take away valuable insights that can be applied to your own sewing projects!