Short of hopping in the police box with Doctor Who, it's not always easy to dress your characters. Especially when they dressed in layers. You might find drawings of period costumes, but understanding what lies beneath can be difficult to determine.
Fortunately, there are historians and authors who generously share the research they've already done.
First up is author Deanne Gist, who ordered up a complete Victorian outfit. She conducts workshops at writing conferences where she starts out in her underwear and demonstrates the lengths women went through to look their best. The video and slideshow reveal why a ladies maid was a necessity, and drive home the fact that bodice-ripping love scenes are not accurate.
Keep up with the posts on the blog History Undressed to find details about historical attire from many different eras.
History Hoydens is a group blog that covers lots of details from historical periods.
Costumes and the requisite props, like parasols, fans, and gloves, played a big part in flirtation and communication. Check out some of the inventive dating rituals of Victorian times.
Author Kalen Hughes goes into great detail about undergarments from a variety of periods, and includes a helpful handout with lists of movies to view that give readers a better idea of authentic costumes.
Want more? Check out these links:
The Fashion History of Undergarments, Facts about European Underwear (including surprising details on how women dealt with--or didn't deal with--their menstrual cycles)
The Ladies Emporium--where you can buy your own historical undergarments
Hopefully, some of these resources will help to make your historical fiction more accurate and realistic to read. Will your characters be dealing with undergarments?
Great links and definitely something to think about with historicals. :O)
ReplyDeleteI'd love to sit in on one of Deanne Gist's workshops someday!
ReplyDelete~Debbie
Useful links; thanks for passing them on! That sounds like a really interesting workshop. It's little things like this people forget to look into, and it matters.
ReplyDeleteNow when I read historicals, I'm more aware of whether the author did his or her homework!
ReplyDelete~Debbie
I love to dead historicals... Tho I'm nott sure I have the patience ti write and research them... But thanks for the links... I'll make a note of them if ever I need them. Xx
ReplyDelete