Historical Costume Recommendations
Are you getting into historical costuming? Do you wonder what eras to start with? How easy are they? What is the cost? What resources are available out there? What about the underclothing? Well I’ve done some work now and I can answer those questions with my list of easiest historical eras to make matching clothing for. This list will only include Western Fashions and World Fashions deserves a list of it’s own)
1. Vintage (30’s-70’s)
Vintage styles are always going to have a leg up for us. First of all accessibility is the highest among all the other fashion eras. Most fabrics are still available today and there are plenty of patterns out there.
Another key is that you have the choice of one piece dresses or two piece clothing options. Meaning if you have enough fabric for just a shirt in one fabric and a skirt in another one. You can still make an outfit for less than other eras. You also have a choice of endless coordination options.
Many styles from the 50s also flatter many people and the more people who could wear a single style means you and your friend can share a pattern. Another pro about the patterns of this era is that many of the construction techniques will be familiar to our eyes and there won’t be as many questions about how to make a piece.
2. Regency Era (1780s-1820s)
Regency is another one where the fabric choices will be easy to get and patterns as well. The underclothing is fairly simple to draft as well.
In the Regency period you can get away with making many pieces in cotton as cotton was accessible to the general populations at the time. You can elevate the costume with satin, silk, and linen as well as they were also common. You can also add embroidery to lift it up as well.
Another unique aspect of this era is while the dress was usually one fabric you could mix and match the accessories. Gloves, spencers (jacket), hats, jewelry, reticules (purse) and shoes can alter a piece from a day to evening outfit.
The techniques to make a Regency gown are familiar and easy and we often use them to this day. Patterns are easy to find as well and most companies have a Regency gown. I just recommend avoiding the Butterrick pattern.
The other thing (that is not a huge issue) that ranks Regency a little lower is that some people think it’s okay to wear Native American Garb. Just don’t. I know there’s events out there, but don’t.
3. Medieval (500s-1500s)
Medieval clothing may not have as many accurate patterns available, but even mainstream commercial patterns can work with some altering (mostly the sleeves). There are also plenty of tips on how to draft your own pattern. Most silhouettes were rectangles, squares, and triangles. While grommets were not used during this period, it is not hard to make a fabric grommet either.
The fabric for this time period will cost more, but are otherwise accessible. During this era you’ll see Jacquards, Damask, Brocades, Linen, and Wool as the most common fabrics.
In terms of underclothing the inner dress was often similar to the other dress. Because of their form fitting nature, most dresses were lifted at the chest and were self contained bras.
4. Early History (Sumarians-500s)
Early history can be both fun and challenging. First it allows room for creativity as we don’t always know what things were made of. They also have simple silhouettes. During this period you will have to use more expensive fabrics like Linen and Furs as we know less about this period fabrics as well. You also don’t have to worry about corsets.
5. Roaring 20s (1920s)
I put the 20s away from the other more eras for one reason. That is if you don’t have a long and lengthy body, you’ll be making a corset that will require some boning technique. Otherwise the fabric is easy to find, great room for creative fun, and easy silhouettes.
6. Edwardian (1900s-1920s)
The Edwardian is my first period on this list that you will for sure have to make a corset. That being said, you won’t have to deal with complicated underclothing. You just need drawers, chemise, and a corset cover. Depending on if you’re doing 1880s, 1890s, versus later clothing, you’ll have some additional pieces you need to make.
One way that will make it more cost effective is that most fabrics will be available to you, including cotton. It also like the later era will have options for mix and matching clothing pieces as two pieces were very common for daywear. You can also mix and match accessories.
7. 1830s and 1840s
These decades are a great option after you’ve Regency clothing. Many of the under clothing pieces are similar and are used lightly throughout these decades. The dresses are also fairly flattering, where this one gets marked down is needing additional corset options and the fact that the formal gowns at this time are huge and with a lot of decals which means money. You’ll also need a cage which can cost some money, but otherwise fairly easy to build.
8. Early 1700s
This one was a debate between the last one. They are familiarly similar in needing a lot of fabric, but the stay in this era is familiar and easy. Where I decide to rank it lower is the type of fabrics available for this area are a little more pricey and there are fewer pattern resources.
9. 1870s, 1880s, 1890s
I’m lumping this together as they have similar issues when it comes to underclothing. You’ll need a corset and maybe a cage and some padding with these eras. These eras are some of the most structured eras.
Where it does save some money is their two piece options, plenty of options out there, and fabric options.
10. 1600s
This one is ranked so far down, not because of difficulty for making the garment, but because of a lot of other issues. Mainly the lack of research and pattern options, this is known for being an era of mystery as we don’t know a lot about the fashion of this era and there are few surviving garments. The fabric is also a little more pricey.
11. Elizabethan (1500s-1600s)
Elizabethan has a lot of styles and that gives it a leg up about using up more scrap pieces, but then you come to the structure of the classic noble/royal look. Also all the detail and embroidery. Yeah. There’s a reason why people spend like $5000 to get one custom made.
12. Rococo
Rococo has many of the same issues that the Elizabethan period has. The reason it’s ranked lower is because moving around in those underclothes is a chore by itself.
13. 1850s and 1860s
This era is similar to the other Victorian eras. In fact cost and construction have nothing to do with why it’s ranked so low. The reason it’s at the very bottom is because of the misuse of this era in costuming history. This era is the Civil War era and most costume makers pick styles relating to the slave owner southerners because of how pretty it is. Not thinking of the culture impact on the African American populations, a symbology it may create.
If you want to do this era right, start with education. Be aware and prepared to make a declaration of why you chose a slave owner costume. Also just avoid southern costumes all together. Do a working class woman/man or maybe something that someone out west would wear.
