As I've stated before, I absolutely love myth busting and when I come across fellow myth busters, my heart leaps with pure joy.
Kara has been sewing since she was a child and even had a chance to work in Colonial Williamsburg, so I am really excited to feature her. I hope you enjoy this very insightful interview! :)
TA: So first, tell us a little about yourself and how you developed an interest in period costuming and attire.
KG: I think I first started to be interested in sewing and historic clothing
when I was about nine or ten. My mom taught me how to sew, after teaching
herself first, and I was immediately hooked. I loved making dolls and then
dressing them. I found this awesome book at the library, just called “The Doll
Book” that went through each era of history and provided patterns for a doll’s
whole wardrobe. It was like finding buried treasure, and I still have that book
(that I bought, I didn’t steal the library copy!). At that point, dolls’
clothing was so much easier than real clothing; being a kid, I of course didn’t
have the money to buy a lot of fabric and I liked being able to experiment and
sometimes fail miserably without anyone else knowing! Later on, as a teenager, I
joined a folk dance group that did performances of different historic and ethnic
dances. That gave me a reason to start sewing things for myself and other real
people. I realized that even though it’s fun to make tiny things, it’s even more
fun when you get to actually wear what you make! When I decided to go to college
for history, I got more into serious research and added that aspect to my
sewing. By the time I got to earning my master’s degree in public history, I was
even able to convince my professors to let me focus my projects and classwork on
clothing. I think some of them thought I was a little strange, but I’ve been so
lucky to be able to focus on what I love. Last summer, I even got a chance to
intern in Colonial Williamsburg’s Margaret Hunter Millinery Shop, sewing and
interpreting to the public. It truly was a dream come true.
TA: Which era or eras tend to be your favorite and why?
KG: I have a special love for end of the eighteenth century. It somehow feels like home for me. Especially 1775-1785. The 1780s bear some resemblance to the 1980s actually, big curly hair, exaggerated lines. But really the garments themselves are pretty simple. I truly love focusing on everyday clothing, the kind of clothes that the ordinary woman would get up and put on to go about her day. Eighteenth century clothing is so practical, every piece fits together like a puzzle and serves a specific purpose. I love that.
TA: I love that you also make the observation of the similarities between late 18th century clothing and the styles of the 1980s! Especially if you look at 80s metal culture. If you look at many of the metal bands from that era, there is almost always at least one member of a band that seems to have a sort of half done 18th century outfit or sometimes the entire band is wearing outfits that are at least cut in a way that resembles mens and womens clothing of the later 18th century. And yes, the hair and makeup (worn by women and yes, sometimes men) also share similarities. I also plan to do a future podcast episode on the similarities between heavy metal and music of the Baroque era and the 18th century. In fact, when I perform with Wayward Companions, yes I do use a lot of my classical/opera training, but there are also some pieces that do call for me to tap into my "rock voice" a little more (and I perform 18th century music with the same energy I would a rock or metal show).
One myth I like to bust is the assumption that everyone was all buttoned up and prim and proper. For instance, the late 18th century did have a form of what we would today refer to as club dancing (they called it "free dancing") and like the 80s metal scene, the late 18th century had their own version of a "sex, drugs, and rock & roll" culture until it was more reigned in during the Victorian era (though even that era had its rebels too). I can go on and on about all that, along with reiterating that there really isn't a whole lot new under the sun.
But with that said, what would you say are some of the greatest misconceptions that people
tend to have about period attire? Men's and women's clothing.
KG: This one may provoke a teeny bit of a rant, so I apologize! People tend to assume so much about period clothing, simply because it is very different from what we wear now, which is largely a result of the truly historic rebellion of everything to do with the past that took place in the late twentieth century. One of the biggest things people tend to assume is that historic clothing is uncomfortable. Really, though, it is just a matter of what you are used to. After spending a summer in 18th century clothing, I am every bit as comfortable in it as I am in modern clothing. Except for when doing things that 18th century women never had to think about doing, like riding in cars. They didn’t even dream of such a thing so their clothing wasn’t made for it, but it was perfectly made for the things they did have to do. Though the layers may look hot, it actually regulates your body temperature better to have a base layer in a breathable fabric like linen, and then have other light layers on top that cover your skin rather than letting it bake. And it truly is almost a universal idea today that corsets or anything like them are torture devices, but this simply isn’t true. If you have been uncomfortable in a corset before, it probably didn’t fit you or you didn’t give it enough time to get used to it. I’m pretty sure that someone who had never worn shoes before would find them uncomfortable at first too, but that doesn’t mean that most of us would give them up and the protection and support that they provide. In many ways, I have actually found it very nice to have my clothing anchored to me, and not just sliding and pulling on me all day like modern clothing does.
The other assumption I hear a lot is that women’s clothing is ridiculously
restrictive while men get away with more comfortable attire. Certainly in the
18th century that is not true at all. Men’s clothing of the time was cut so that
it shaped the body and its stance just as much as a pair of stays does for a
woman. And I honestly don’t know how men wear breeches. I’ll take my petticoats
any day!
The thing is, all of these assumptions imply that people in the past were
not as smart as we are, and that can be a dangerous kind of arrogance when it
causes us to dismiss the important things that the past teaches us. Studying and
wearing historic clothing is a reminder that we need to try to understand before
judging. There, rant over.
TA: Hey, it's all good. As you can see, I definitely have my share of rants too! What people also need to consider is that if more restrictive clothing was worn, it was typically by someone of the wealthier class that didn't need (or want) to work and were more interested in being fashionable than practical.
As for attire, it tends to be a challenge for those brand new to living history and reenacting. Is there any advice or sources you would recommend to a person starting out?
As for attire, it tends to be a challenge for those brand new to living history and reenacting. Is there any advice or sources you would recommend to a person starting out?
KG: Coming up with a complete wardrobe just so you can participate in an
event can be extremely daunting, especially when clothing isn’t your main
interest, but you have to have it to participate in other things. My advice is
to go slowly and don’t be afraid to spend the time making things right the first
time, even though, yes, the fabric is expensive and it may take you a while. If
you aren’t into sewing, try to buy or borrow some pieces second-hand from
someone who knows what they are doing to start. But also, don’t be afraid to try
making some things yourself. It’s not as hard as you might think and saves a lot
of money. Some really good books and patterns have come out recently that
combine the basics of what you need to know so new living historians aren’t
overwhelmed all at once! The best by far for women is “Whatever Shall I Wear?”
by Mara Riley. This book is amazing. If you are a woman and can only buy one
book, get this one. Blogs and other online sites can also be tremendously
helpful too. You can find instructions for things like petticoats and shifts
without having to buy any patterns. If you are going for patterns though, the
best come from Larkin and Smith. They are amazing and you won’t regret the extra
money. Sources for menswear are a little trickier, because not as many people
have focused on writing guides for that yet. Though a little outdated, “Tidings
from the Eighteenth Century” is a good place to start, along with the shirt
guide from Larkin and Smith. There are also some really helpful Facebook groups
that connect you to real people who have serious skills. It’s always
overwhelming jumping into a new hobby, but there are definitely more places to
go for information now then there ever has been.
KG: I’m actually not sure what events I will be attending this year. I never really seem to be able to plan that far in advance! Fort Henry Days is always a definitely though, since it’s right in my backyard! I’m also not as good as I should be at sharing my work. I’ve been meaning to start a blog but it always seems to get pushed to the back burner. I am on Instagram though, @kara_therese_939, and would love a follow!
Thanks so much, Tiffany, for having me on your blog. I look forward to
seeing you around at other events.
**********
Thank you for reading! Go on a five day journey through time with me and receive a song or mystical story each day!
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