Should Nell Revelle become a reoccurring character on the channel? 👀 (Links to sources are in the description if you'd like to know more about Nadja Durbach's work and Polaire! ❤)
@@JackyHeijmansyes we know..... Its fairly self evident from the French. However, the literal meaning of a word, doesn't always tell you anything about the meanings attached to the word... Like "seamstress" or "working girl" The literal meaning of those words is pretty obvious, however they're also euphemisms for sex workers. The literal words themselves tell you nothing about the "meanings" assigned to them.
@Jacky Heijmans I understood the direct translation, but the context in which they wrote about her in New York definitely inferred more than just an eccentric singer... 👀
Polaire is the true "exception that confirms the rule", the fact that her tiny waist was shocking to people proves that having a waist that tiny was not normal at all
The saying 'The exception proves the rule' is incorporates a now little-used definition of 'proof' that survives in the terms 'proving ground' and 'proving (oneself)/one's worth.' It means 'test.'
You'd be AMAZING at Drunk Histories! What a fascinating woman - we think of this sort of Hello magazine media hysteria and celebrities' media manipulation as a modern thing but by intentionally drawing headlines through being bizarre and "freakish" she basically invented Edwardian click-bait!
@@AbbyCoxplease do more these kinds of Drunk History videos!! i love them so much, especially when you release your inner chaos, in a good way of course, with your friends (like the one video with Chrissy and Nicole)
So let me get this straight? A young French girl has a naturally small waist and then tight-laces it down even smaller than it’s natural size? Ok… this same French girl grows up to become a famous actress. I’m with you. Later she uses her shockingly small corseted waist measurement to maintain her popularity? Oh, I get it now. That’s how she became the poster child for how tiny corsetry could make someone’s waist. It also explains why humanity collectively forgot what normal corseted proportions used to look like. Her notoriety for her tiny waist size definitely happened right before corsetting was abandoned almost entirely. I can totally see how her own publicity created something of a Mandela effect around corsets and corsetry.
@@RychaardRyder They're still around now. The underwire and push up bra are basically the modern evolution of boned corsets and that's not even touching on "shapewear" like spanx that women use to shape and smooth our bodies for the fashionable silhouette even now.
One of the most striking things to me about the "ugliest woman in the world" photograph is how her styling and makeup look so much more 20s than I would expect! She literally looks like she's from a different aesthetic era than she actually was. Fascinating.
I think part of it is that stage makeup, meant to accentuate the features so that the expressions of the actors are seen from the back seats, made its way to the screen (many early actors came from pantomime). The look of stars on the screen then made its way to the streets, after cinema had become popular...
As someone with a facial difference my view of the freak shows is skewed. The fact that this was the ONLY way for those with disabilities or facial differences to be able to support themselves takes away their agency and consent. To say they had a choice would be an illusion. It set in motion the barriers we still experience today. The gross oversimplification of Merrick did not do to address the complexity of why he did it and how he was mistreated even in death. I know no harm was meant just thought I’d add some of my own lived experiences and insight.
Agree with all of this. Also the unquestioned pov of freak shows being positive because it “allowed [them] to not be burdens to their families/anyone” when we as disabled people are often framed as burdens by an ableist society (and not all of us can work and earn money!) was jarring to me. Clearly not intentional, but reminded me of how often that perspective is still the prevailing one!
Even if they were adults, they could've been forced into these freak shows by their guardians. Lots of freak show performers were mistreated, but was not talked about or swept under the rug.
I love how many old photos from back then are "photoshopped" to have no acne, freckles, and tiny waists. It's no different than today at all! So I don't feel bad when I see perfect people in photos from then or now because they are most likely fake.
@@shevaunhandley1543 from what I understand from my friends who’ve turned 30, it’s leaps and bounds better than the 20s. Considering it’s only my first year in this shining new era, I can confirm this first year has been better than most of my 20s. There’s so much more stability here! It’s refreshing🤣
It's like if people in 2110 looked at Kim K's Paper magazine cover and thought everyone in the 2010's had huge round butts. Like yeah, it was a trend and butts were emphasized, but Kim K is still the exception.
You sounded suspiciously like Miss Piggy while doing the lost pig scene; admittedly, in our cultural head-space, it’s tough to do a falsetto French accent without channeling Miss Piggy. I loved it.
when i was slim i could tightlace to 16inches, my relaxed waist was 24in. if she was naturally small waisted and tightlaced since puberty i can see how she preformed while laced so tight. It also looks like she was fairly tall (google is saying 5'5 but shes as tall as her male co-stars so i assume that number might be off by an inch or two to make her seem more delicate) which can make it easier to lace so small, more room for organs and fat to squish around in a longer torso.
I'm over 6 feet and can easily lace down to 16 inches even when my weight fluctuates, but the way my ribcage is shaped I look like I'm cut in half 😂 Not the best look...
@@kieleyevatt2232at my thinnest I messed around with a corset and could tightlace myself to 16" when my natural waist was around 25". Pretty sure the only reason it was possible is because I have a short torso and extremely hypermobile ribs, I could still breathe but only upwards through my lungs instead of outwards using my diaphragm. There's a lot that factors into a reduction like that some of which is being on the fringes of typical human anatomy.
I never heard of Polaire, but recognized those waist images. Beyond irony that modern day has made her the poster child of the "dangers" and pain of corsets with her literally using that unusual physical aspect as shock value in her own era. The "slavery" situation reminded me of certain social media influencers whose actions are directly designed to produce more clicks by negative attention towards an outrageous situation. Nothing is new, whether imaging filters or shock value news.
So, she was a Drama Queen for the sake of publicity, like that NEVER happens these days (she said sarcastically). As usual, a very informative, interesting, and amusing presentation. I love it.
indeed, she seemed to thrive on drama, especially seen in her acting clip, always trying to look and act differently. and that got her famous and well-paid in times where working women had nearly 0 options to earn good money.
I need a movie about this woman and I need Helena Bonham Carter to play her. She's got that glam goth look plus the wild hair. I don't care that she's not thirty. This video was soooo entertaining, I really appreciate the serotonin and adrenaline boost, especially when I can also learn stuff.
She was a master of Victorian and Edwardian ’clickbait.’ Abby, you did a great job with all parts of assembling and presenting the information. Thank you.
The absolute Dramedy of this video is 11/10 chefs kiss cuz not only is it super informative it’s just entertaining as HECK. Great job with not shying away from the reasons Polaire is problematic, and thanks so much for including my thoughts about cultural appropriation in this video ❤❤❤ Your balance of “here’s all this info!” with entertaining shenanigans to keep people invested is AMAZING! 🎉
In one of my favorite podcasts, the host will read over old articles from papers and the authors would ALWAYS describe a woman's appearance in detail before talking about the story she was involved with.
@@Maesolmese its called The Dollop. Its an American history podcast hosted by two comedians and a good example of this is the Otto in the attic episode where a woman was on trial for literal murder and the press wrote paragraphs about how she looked in court before getting to the trial.
When Ruth Ellis was on trial for shooting her lover in the early 50s the press were more concerned with her looks than her crime. She was 27, blonde, attractive and beautifully dressed in black two piece suit with a pencil skirt and stiletto heels. She ran a hostess bar and was a glamour model, which added to her mystique. She admitted to killing her lover (IMO he asked for it..he'd punched her in the stomach causing her to miscarry their baby) and was the last woman to be hanged in Britain.
The Public Domain review had a number of articles on the history of Freak shows, one article particle was about the phenomenon of "Caucasian women" as in Women from the Caucasus region. They often had the teased out hair, but it was absolutely a gimmick to take advantage of the fact that most people didn't understand (and still don't understand today) cultures outside of their own.
Nope. Not a one!😂 If Ben Franklin had gotten his way, we’d have been on the metric system from the beginning. It would have made the math much easier if he had!
ROTFLMAO! 🤣 This was *SO* worth waiting for! I love how you absolutely roast modern interpretations of historical fashion. I adore the Drunk History takes you do. Please keep doing them they're fantastic!
This was so interesting! Thank you for covering such an interesting character and thank you for including her problematic side. As an aside, my mother had a 15 inch waist. My father would say he could circle her waist with his hands. When I got married she was upset that she had gained an inch and was now 16 inches, (she was 70). Alas, I didn't inherit her waist.
I do agree that the Victorian “freak shows” were less explorative than we as modern people think, Julia Pastrana( please excuse my poor spelling, dyslexia and autocorrect don’t mix) is one example of pretty horrific exploitation . Ask A Mortician did a video on her years ago and its a good video to watch after this one. She was exploited by her “manager”/husband and even her son was exploited by the man as well. Even after death, her body was exhibited without her consent and treated as an oddity. I genuinely love your videos and love seeing your take on this topic.
A friend of mine had a 15 inch waist. But that was because of surgery done as a child to save her life. It made it necessary to get custom made clothing for most of her life.
Thanks for filling in the blanks about where we all "know" this woman from! It's interesting and sad to see that some things really don't change as far as the lengths people will go to get attention. I know you absolutely did not have any ill intent when you mentioned Julia Pastrana as having exhibited herself, but she didn't do that to herself. That was done to her. Her story is so incredibly sad. Ask A Mortician has a great video about her.
Your skits fit the video so well and make it way more interesting by breaking up the history facts with, "Watch Abby try not to laugh hysterically while re-enacting dramatic scenes." 😂
I read somewhere that the woman who measured Polaire's waist as 14" when she arrived in New York admitted some years later that she had used a fake elastic tape measure.
Great video, Abby! I love how you mention how Freak Shows had a different connotation in Victorian/Edwardian times and performers made decent livings at it. There’s a series of books you might enjoy by Theodora Goss called ‘The Extraordinary Adventures of the Athena Club.’ Victorian Freak Shows in Europe play a large role in the first and second volumes of the trilogy. Getting back to your video, I also found it sort of funny how Shocking the idea of a nose ring was on a woman back then. Can you imagine the reaction if Polaire was whisked away in a Time Machine and deposited in 2023? Wow! Thanks again for the video!
Phew, i am incredibly torn about that characterisation of "Freakshow" because.... While those points might be valid to a certain extent (Like making actual Money and Not being destitute), it is SUCH an oversimplification of the Times? Especially claiming that "Freak" wasnt derogatory? We are talking about a society that got so into science that they tried to figure out which Skull shape gives away criminals. Body and Looks were heavily associated with your Moral character. Being outside of the norm would Always be associated with your character also being an Aberration from the Norm. Implying that freakshows somehow sidestepped that tendency is... A Stretch. Then lets Talk about the fact that it would be one of the few professions actually Open to "Freaks". It cant really be upheld as a means of Independence when you dont actually have an alternative. I appreciate trying to Not See freakshows as completely black and White. But that short characterisation sounded Like it was trying a Bit too hard to make them look better than they were
All I can suggest is reading Nadja Durbach’s research - this is not my area of expertise so I am just using the best secondary source I can find. I’m sure she digs into the issues you point out
Re the servant, gross and maybe... a kink? idk, there's something in the way they are looking at each other in that one photo... kink knows no color lines, so maybe some sort of relationship? And who knows, maybe by thrusting it out there in a way that would distract, maybe having a relationship right under everyone's noses? Not by any means justifying, but throwing it out there as a possibility? I guess I'd rather think that than believe that someone could be so fame hungry. Either way, ew.
I was thinking the same thing. Maybe he was her “boy toy” and she was figuring out a way to take him with her everywhere. She certainly couldn’t just go places with him back in those days. At least he had the contract that didn’t allow her to just abandon him in a foreign country. I hope he got paid well and ended up happy somewhere in the world.
also of note: the French were some of the first in Europe to ban slavery. Polaire would have grown up in a country where black French citizens were afforded far more rights then black Americans of the day, if it was a romantic arrangement it may have been a way to allow the man to become a French citizen (permanent employment)
Somebody stole the diamond collar then pitched le petit cochon overboard, hoping that the natural assumption of people far less suspicious than I would be that the collar was still on the pig. You read it here first.
Animal cruelty is a hardcore trigger for me. Frankly I’m disgusted and not a little disappointed. Then goes on to mention a lot of things that are triggers for some people. No warning, nothing.
This was fascinating, Abby. I remember Polaire from seeing the movie Colette a few years ago. You showed a tiny clip from it in the video. She played Colette's fictional character Claudine on stage and started a fashion for frizzy, bobbed hair and shorter skirts. I think she was strikingly beautiful.
Slavery may have been abolished in the US, but it wasn't enforced. There were people still held in literal slavery, illegally, until the 2nd World War. There were also schemes to imprison black people unfairly to profit from their labour which are more well known - but there were still literal slaves that just were never released, and no one cared. So it's not out of the question that she might have bought a slave rather than a servant. Though of course I don't know if that is what happened here or not.
When young, I could tighten down to an 18" waist, and once considered entering the World's Tiniest Waist Competition, which I think is still a thing, but there were just tinier waists out there. Anyway, a 14" waist is attainable if you are naturally small in the waist to begin with.
I love your content to pieces! As a 30 something woman, I am also always super excited to see what you’re wearing because I def have dress envy 😅 That berry linen dress tho…and the floral dress, too - love! Plus your hair in this video is styled so cool. Abby Cox - you are seriously style goals, ma’am.
absolutely enjoyed this video! and the reenactments were so fun! its interesting just how manufactured her whole persona was and the obsession with her waist. that said, it was obviously very effective, as even today her image shows up, though not in the way it would have been seen in her time
22:35 Love Nami's commentary, and love that you included it. Of course all your excellent antics were perfect, but I love how you always tie in the cultural context and state of global affairs. Love it. Thank you!
this is amazing. i truly enjoy your way of presenting history. please do more! also, lets just summarize: a french woman, born in algeria, becomes famous for being crazy, having a tiny waist and being algerian. also, sidenote, was photoshopping everything. She continues being known basically only for her photoshopped pics and people think that was the norm. Did i miss anything? Oh can't forget that she thought it was funny (maybe good marketing??) to make jokes about slavery and suicide. yeah... sounds about right. seems like very little has changed.
Terrific video!! I want to reiterate @Katie Moundry's comment about the "Drunk History" style sketches; you are a funny woman. As a Barnum, I would like to say thank you. So many people dismiss the positive side of Side Shows. Yes, now we see them as horrid and exploitive, and yes, by today's ideology, they were; however, they were meaningful employment for many people who otherwise could not find employment. Today we have social, employment, and educational programs to help people. These programs were simply not available in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The charitable organizations that were available were often more exploitive, and the Side Shows provided an opportunity to support oneself on one's own terms.
Thank you so much. I found your video about Polaire while I was doing some research about her. According to chatgpt, Polaire was the first person recorded wearing nose ring. You did a good job. Thanks again.
I love that you still have some of your Xmas lights up outside. I still have a miniature Xmas tree on a counter in my living room. I never would have Xmas stuff out past the first week of Jan, but since Rona, I think we’ve all gotten a little lazier about that stuff.
Hi ! This video is very interesting ! I did actually found Polaire's memoire, in french (and i am french so i can understand it). Is there really no one that tried translating it in english ?
You’ve no idea how happy it makes me to see my notification pop up with a video from you. It’s been really rough lately and I know I get to enjoy myself for a while! Thanks a bunch for that.
Side note- we should probably not be surprised that less than 10 minutes in to Queen Charlotte a bridgerton story there is dramatic talk of being killed by a corset. My eyes doth roll to the back of my head.
Ask a Mortician did a video on Julia Pastrana, She tragically died in 1860 after giving birth to her son with a similar condition, her "management" had them both embalmed (which was that picture without her child) and exhibited them. Over time the child was lost and Julia was being kept in random museum storage unable to be buried in her hometown in Mexico until 2012, 152 years of unrest.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INCLUDING YOUR SOURCES oh god I laughed so hard I choked on my own spit when you just straight-up yeeted the pig stuffie. Whoof. The whole 'freakshow' bit made me cringe fiercely. Abby, just because someone's making money doesn't mean they aren't being exploited, and presenting disability as a burden...yikes. Big yikes.
Well, now I need to find Polaire's memoirs! I never heard about her before so thank you for your research work. And your reenactment of Polaire made me laugh so hard but I am sorry because I really didn't understood while you spoke French 😂
I love these history videos! They are about the fascinating stories I would otherwise never hear. Of course your delivery is so creative and fun and I really appreciate the effort it takes to make these.
Although Ms Cox briefly touched on it, Caitlin Doughty, at her "Ask a Mortician" channel, has a very sensitive episode on Julia Pastrana's life and what became of her body after death. Ms Doughty is an excellent story-teller and you will be moved. "The Exploitation of Julia Pastrana' - ruclips.net/video/_yZjAzDcAmc/видео.html
I love this kind of video. I just love it. some good story from history, somehow fashion or textile related and told by abby with brilliant little self played scenes in it for illustration. and all in front of a seriously satisfying aesthetic background.
Thank you for your intetest. She had has been an obsession for years. Made famous Colette. Notoriously bizarre. Many films of are list from career. But there are recordings thank fully
Yeah the addition of ACOSF was absolutely brilliant but you know that, I just want to applaud because it made me legit giggle. So thank you, I needed that!
I was looking at a bunch of sewing patterns and I can not get over how similar you and the model for the "Simplicity Sewing Pattern Misses' 18th Century Costume" lol
My grandmother was a Victorian and her waist was small enough when she married my grandfather could enclose her corseted waist with his hands. At twenty, she was 5 feet tall and weighed less than a hundred pounds. 😉
My great-great-grandmother had a cafe-concert first in Macon (F) and then in Toul (F). The one in Toul was actually quite famous: Le Café de la Comédie. It is said to have been a chic café during the day, frequented by the well-to-do during the day and rather of dubious activities during the evening and night. I'm not sure café-concert was still called this by the time she was in Toul, but it definitely was when she was the patronne of Le Victor in Macon. There were four to six dancers and a pianist working there and living next door in a building owned by my great-great-grandmother. What was also interesting is that she married and was widowed twice, but did not marry the third man she lived with until they retired. Was she afraid of him dropping dead if she married him? did she want to have control over the business? Her buying and being the owner and manager of a café-concert must have been quite scandalous in the late 1800s/early 1900's. Amazing what one can find out about one's ancestors just by poking around in old newspapers and searching census reports.... Unfortunately, I don't know what her waist measurement was 😂
Should Nell Revelle become a reoccurring character on the channel? 👀 (Links to sources are in the description if you'd like to know more about Nadja Durbach's work and Polaire! ❤)
Chanteuses eccentrique means more or less eccentric singer. It has nothing to do with being a prostitute. She was strange, out of the ordinairy. 😊🤗
Sure, why not!?
@@JackyHeijmansyes we know..... Its fairly self evident from the French. However, the literal meaning of a word, doesn't always tell you anything about the meanings attached to the word... Like "seamstress" or "working girl" The literal meaning of those words is pretty obvious, however they're also euphemisms for sex workers. The literal words themselves tell you nothing about the "meanings" assigned to them.
I gave a thumbs up because I like your characters. I just didn't know they had names. Your fashion shifts, I'm totally used to.
@Jacky Heijmans I understood the direct translation, but the context in which they wrote about her in New York definitely inferred more than just an eccentric singer... 👀
Polaire is the true "exception that confirms the rule", the fact that her tiny waist was shocking to people proves that having a waist that tiny was not normal at all
The saying 'The exception proves the rule' is incorporates a now little-used definition of 'proof' that survives in the terms 'proving ground' and 'proving (oneself)/one's worth.' It means 'test.'
@@julietfischer5056 - A bit scrambled there.
You'd be AMAZING at Drunk Histories! What a fascinating woman - we think of this sort of Hello magazine media hysteria and celebrities' media manipulation as a modern thing but by intentionally drawing headlines through being bizarre and "freakish" she basically invented Edwardian click-bait!
Was thinking DH vibes here.
The DH vibes are better in my sewing machine video tbh I had to cut a lot of funny stuff from the video to keep myself on track lol
@@AbbyCoxplease do more these kinds of Drunk History videos!! i love them so much, especially when you release your inner chaos, in a good way of course, with your friends (like the one video with Chrissy and Nicole)
@@AbbyCox The people at Drunk History *REALLY* should get you to make an episode. You're Drunk History takes are hilarious! 👍🤣👍
oh wow, That would be awesome 🤣
So let me get this straight? A young French girl has a naturally small waist and then tight-laces it down even smaller than it’s natural size? Ok… this same French girl grows up to become a famous actress. I’m with you. Later she uses her shockingly small corseted waist measurement to maintain her popularity? Oh, I get it now. That’s how she became the poster child for how tiny corsetry could make someone’s waist.
It also explains why humanity collectively forgot what normal corseted proportions used to look like. Her notoriety for her tiny waist size definitely happened right before corsetting was abandoned almost entirely. I can totally see how her own publicity created something of a Mandela effect around corsets and corsetry.
corsetry wasnt abandoned at any point, one could argue they were around until the mid 50s, corsets only changed shape
@@RychaardRyder this lmao!!
Corsets didn't die, they just became waist trainers
@@Laurabeck329 "Now we don't use uncomfortable garments to alter our shape!"
Push up bras and elastic shapewear in the corner: 👀👀
@@RychaardRyder They're still around now. The underwire and push up bra are basically the modern evolution of boned corsets and that's not even touching on "shapewear" like spanx that women use to shape and smooth our bodies for the fashionable silhouette even now.
One of the most striking things to me about the "ugliest woman in the world" photograph is how her styling and makeup look so much more 20s than I would expect! She literally looks like she's from a different aesthetic era than she actually was. Fascinating.
I think part of it is that stage makeup, meant to accentuate the features so that the expressions of the actors are seen from the back seats, made its way to the screen (many early actors came from pantomime). The look of stars on the screen then made its way to the streets, after cinema had become popular...
especially with that one picture I thought that jane birkin could have played her. she looked great!
She gaves kind of Helena Bonham Carter vibe doesn't she ? I think she looked cool !
As someone with a facial difference my view of the freak shows is skewed. The fact that this was the ONLY way for those with disabilities or facial differences to be able to support themselves takes away their agency and consent. To say they had a choice would be an illusion.
It set in motion the barriers we still experience today.
The gross oversimplification of Merrick did not do to address the complexity of why he did it and how he was mistreated even in death. I know no harm was meant just thought I’d add some of my own lived experiences and insight.
Very important perspective!! It seems very ‘girlboss feminism’ (idk if there’s a better word) to highlight monetisation as liberation.
Agree with all of this. Also the unquestioned pov of freak shows being positive because it “allowed [them] to not be burdens to their families/anyone” when we as disabled people are often framed as burdens by an ableist society (and not all of us can work and earn money!) was jarring to me. Clearly not intentional, but reminded me of how often that perspective is still the prevailing one!
Even if they were adults, they could've been forced into these freak shows by their guardians. Lots of freak show performers were mistreated, but was not talked about or swept under the rug.
huge agree with all of the inputs here. the fact that they went in knowing what to expect doesn't mean it wasn't expoitative as hell lmao
Was looking for the words to say just this. Such important points. Thank you💙
I love how many old photos from back then are "photoshopped" to have no acne, freckles, and tiny waists. It's no different than today at all! So I don't feel bad when I see perfect people in photos from then or now because they are most likely fake.
Abby: "...& nothing left to lose because she was basically 30 at this point"
Me: "Um...ouch. But same."
My 30s have been a lot more eventful than my 20s 😂
@@AbbyCox Mine have too, but I think its because I had the same mentality. I've been living in a truthfully "Enh, why not?" mindset🤣
I loved my 30s
@@shevaunhandley1543 from what I understand from my friends who’ve turned 30, it’s leaps and bounds better than the 20s. Considering it’s only my first year in this shining new era, I can confirm this first year has been better than most of my 20s. There’s so much more stability here! It’s refreshing🤣
That’s your training period! Wait till your 40’s - best years of my 55.
It's like if people in 2110 looked at Kim K's Paper magazine cover and thought everyone in the 2010's had huge round butts. Like yeah, it was a trend and butts were emphasized, but Kim K is still the exception.
You sounded suspiciously like Miss Piggy while doing the lost pig scene; admittedly, in our cultural head-space, it’s tough to do a falsetto French accent without channeling Miss Piggy. I loved it.
I came here to say the same. I’m glad I wasn’t the only person who thought that.
when i was slim i could tightlace to 16inches, my relaxed waist was 24in. if she was naturally small waisted and tightlaced since puberty i can see how she preformed while laced so tight. It also looks like she was fairly tall (google is saying 5'5 but shes as tall as her male co-stars so i assume that number might be off by an inch or two to make her seem more delicate) which can make it easier to lace so small, more room for organs and fat to squish around in a longer torso.
An 8 inch reduction is INCREDIBLE. Was that a functional tightness or was it the absolute limit where you could hardly breathe?
I'm over 6 feet and can easily lace down to 16 inches even when my weight fluctuates, but the way my ribcage is shaped I look like I'm cut in half 😂 Not the best look...
@@kieleyevatt2232at my thinnest I messed around with a corset and could tightlace myself to 16" when my natural waist was around 25". Pretty sure the only reason it was possible is because I have a short torso and extremely hypermobile ribs, I could still breathe but only upwards through my lungs instead of outwards using my diaphragm. There's a lot that factors into a reduction like that some of which is being on the fringes of typical human anatomy.
I never heard of Polaire, but recognized those waist images. Beyond irony that modern day has made her the poster child of the "dangers" and pain of corsets with her literally using that unusual physical aspect as shock value in her own era. The "slavery" situation reminded me of certain social media influencers whose actions are directly designed to produce more clicks by negative attention towards an outrageous situation. Nothing is new, whether imaging filters or shock value news.
So, she was a Drama Queen for the sake of publicity, like that NEVER happens these days (she said sarcastically). As usual, a very informative, interesting, and amusing presentation. I love it.
She was also dramatic in her private life, if Colette is to be believed.
indeed, she seemed to thrive on drama, especially seen in her acting clip, always trying to look and act differently. and that got her famous and well-paid in times where working women had nearly 0 options to earn good money.
I need a movie about this woman and I need Helena Bonham Carter to play her. She's got that glam goth look plus the wild hair. I don't care that she's not thirty.
This video was soooo entertaining, I really appreciate the serotonin and adrenaline boost, especially when I can also learn stuff.
@Ivy M - Great suggestion.
She was a master of Victorian and Edwardian ’clickbait.’ Abby, you did a great job with all parts of assembling and presenting the information. Thank you.
Besides the 'tiny waist' trope of the era, there was the battle-axe matron, normally depicted as having a chest measurement bigger than a bodybuilder.
The absolute Dramedy of this video is 11/10 chefs kiss cuz not only is it super informative it’s just entertaining as HECK. Great job with not shying away from the reasons Polaire is problematic, and thanks so much for including my thoughts about cultural appropriation in this video ❤❤❤ Your balance of “here’s all this info!” with entertaining shenanigans to keep people invested is AMAZING! 🎉
My Grandmother got married in and around 1950 and she constantly boasts about her 18" waist on her wedding day, lol. Fabulous video. Lee xx
In one of my favorite podcasts, the host will read over old articles from papers and the authors would ALWAYS describe a woman's appearance in detail before talking about the story she was involved with.
Ooo I'm curious to know what podcast!
@@Maesolmese its called The Dollop. Its an American history podcast hosted by two comedians and a good example of this is the Otto in the attic episode where a woman was on trial for literal murder and the press wrote paragraphs about how she looked in court before getting to the trial.
When Ruth Ellis was on trial for shooting her lover in the early 50s the press were more concerned with her looks than her crime. She was 27, blonde, attractive and beautifully dressed in black two piece suit with a pencil skirt and stiletto heels. She ran a hostess bar and was a glamour model, which added to her mystique. She admitted to killing her lover (IMO he asked for it..he'd punched her in the stomach causing her to miscarry their baby) and was the last woman to be hanged in Britain.
@@Ashthegrey
Cool, thanks for sharing. I'm always looking for podcasts, that are both entertaining and informative.
@@linpollitt8950 - STILL not up to her to murder someone.
Abby’s Range of characters and the costumes >>>>>>>>>>
I see a great drag king.
The Public Domain review had a number of articles on the history of Freak shows, one article particle was about the phenomenon of "Caucasian women" as in Women from the Caucasus region. They often had the teased out hair, but it was absolutely a gimmick to take advantage of the fact that most people didn't understand (and still don't understand today) cultures outside of their own.
You’re thinking of the ‘Circassian Beauty’ right?
She could've said she had a 10 centimeter waist and no one would be the wiser since people in the US didn't know metric.
Nope. Not a one!😂 If Ben Franklin had gotten his way, we’d have been on the metric system from the beginning. It would have made the math much easier if he had!
@@daxxydog5777 Or if a pirate hadn't stolen the meter stick and weights that was on its way to DC to prove just how superior the metric system was.
Because no one could possibly have done a conversion.
@@adaddinsane They didn't have smartphones back then..
ROTFLMAO! 🤣 This was *SO* worth waiting for! I love how you absolutely roast modern interpretations of historical fashion. I adore the Drunk History takes you do. Please keep doing them they're fantastic!
This was so interesting! Thank you for covering such an interesting character and thank you for including her problematic side. As an aside, my mother had a 15 inch waist. My father would say he could circle her waist with his hands. When I got married she was upset that she had gained an inch and was now 16 inches, (she was 70). Alas, I didn't inherit her waist.
I do agree that the Victorian “freak shows” were less explorative than we as modern people think, Julia Pastrana( please excuse my poor spelling, dyslexia and autocorrect don’t mix) is one example of pretty horrific exploitation . Ask A Mortician did a video on her years ago and its a good video to watch after this one. She was exploited by her “manager”/husband and even her son was exploited by the man as well. Even after death, her body was exhibited without her consent and treated as an oddity.
I genuinely love your videos and love seeing your take on this topic.
A friend of mine had a 15 inch waist. But that was because of surgery done as a child to save her life. It made it necessary to get custom made clothing for most of her life.
Thanks for filling in the blanks about where we all "know" this woman from! It's interesting and sad to see that some things really don't change as far as the lengths people will go to get attention. I know you absolutely did not have any ill intent when you mentioned Julia Pastrana as having exhibited herself, but she didn't do that to herself. That was done to her. Her story is so incredibly sad. Ask A Mortician has a great video about her.
Thank you! I couldn't remember where I had seen her.
Your skits fit the video so well and make it way more interesting by breaking up the history facts with, "Watch Abby try not to laugh hysterically while re-enacting dramatic scenes." 😂
I’ve become obsessed with this new twist on your videos! The chaos you’ve brought (especially in the sewing machine vid) is so fun!
I read somewhere that the woman who measured Polaire's waist as 14" when she arrived in New York admitted some years later that she had used a fake elastic tape measure.
I love your diy "stock footage." Way better in my opinion than when its clearly actual stock footage.
OMG! That was absolutely fascinating! Thank you! Your dramatic recreation of Mimi going over the rails was hysterical, I totally enjoyed it.
@Theresa Ann Diaz - I cried for Julia Pastrana and for Mimi. >_
Great video, Abby! I love how you mention how Freak Shows had a different connotation in Victorian/Edwardian times and performers made decent livings at it. There’s a series of books you might enjoy by Theodora Goss called ‘The Extraordinary Adventures of the Athena Club.’ Victorian Freak Shows in Europe play a large role in the first and second volumes of the trilogy.
Getting back to your video, I also found it sort of funny how Shocking the idea of a nose ring was on a woman back then. Can you imagine the reaction if Polaire was whisked away in a Time Machine and deposited in 2023? Wow!
Thanks again for the video!
Phew, i am incredibly torn about that characterisation of "Freakshow" because.... While those points might be valid to a certain extent (Like making actual Money and Not being destitute), it is SUCH an oversimplification of the Times? Especially claiming that "Freak" wasnt derogatory? We are talking about a society that got so into science that they tried to figure out which Skull shape gives away criminals. Body and Looks were heavily associated with your Moral character. Being outside of the norm would Always be associated with your character also being an Aberration from the Norm. Implying that freakshows somehow sidestepped that tendency is... A Stretch. Then lets Talk about the fact that it would be one of the few professions actually Open to "Freaks". It cant really be upheld as a means of Independence when you dont actually have an alternative. I appreciate trying to Not See freakshows as completely black and White. But that short characterisation sounded Like it was trying a Bit too hard to make them look better than they were
All I can suggest is reading Nadja Durbach’s research - this is not my area of expertise so I am just using the best secondary source I can find. I’m sure she digs into the issues you point out
I love the note that we won’t get into the details about how she got the role of Claudine, cut to two separate costumes to act it out hahaha. 10/10!
Re the servant, gross and maybe... a kink? idk, there's something in the way they are looking at each other in that one photo... kink knows no color lines, so maybe some sort of relationship? And who knows, maybe by thrusting it out there in a way that would distract, maybe having a relationship right under everyone's noses? Not by any means justifying, but throwing it out there as a possibility? I guess I'd rather think that than believe that someone could be so fame hungry. Either way, ew.
I was thinking the same thing. Maybe he was her “boy toy” and she was figuring out a way to take him with her everywhere. She certainly couldn’t just go places with him back in those days. At least he had the contract that didn’t allow her to just abandon him in a foreign country. I hope he got paid well and ended up happy somewhere in the world.
also of note: the French were some of the first in Europe to ban slavery. Polaire would have grown up in a country where black French citizens were afforded far more rights then black Americans of the day, if it was a romantic arrangement it may have been a way to allow the man to become a French citizen (permanent employment)
Was thinking bdsm also
Somebody stole the diamond collar then pitched le petit cochon overboard, hoping that the natural assumption of people far less suspicious than I would be that the collar was still on the pig. You read it here first.
I love all the costumes. And the (over) acting. They really bring the story to larger than life
Abby over here laughing at this poor crazy ladies dead pig. 😤
Animal cruelty is a hardcore trigger for me. Frankly I’m disgusted and not a little disappointed. Then goes on to mention a lot of things that are triggers for some people. No warning, nothing.
@Brooke_ReiverRose I understand. I can deal with the joke but she should have also said that it was distasteful. Pigs are so smart.
This was fascinating, Abby. I remember Polaire from seeing the movie Colette a few years ago. You showed a tiny clip from it in the video. She played Colette's fictional character Claudine on stage and started a fashion for frizzy, bobbed hair and shorter skirts. I think she was strikingly beautiful.
😂😂😂 That reenactment was pure Drunk History, and I loved it so much! Thank you for sharing her story and giving it context.
She was 19th century clickbait. Good for her.
Slavery may have been abolished in the US, but it wasn't enforced. There were people still held in literal slavery, illegally, until the 2nd World War. There were also schemes to imprison black people unfairly to profit from their labour which are more well known - but there were still literal slaves that just were never released, and no one cared. So it's not out of the question that she might have bought a slave rather than a servant. Though of course I don't know if that is what happened here or not.
When young, I could tighten down to an 18" waist, and once considered entering the World's Tiniest Waist Competition, which I think is still a thing, but there were just tinier waists out there. Anyway, a 14" waist is attainable if you are naturally small in the waist to begin with.
This lady reminds me of Lady Gaga when she was in her meat dress phase.
OMG your Polaire voice during the pig scene sounds like Miss Piggy and I'm dying!
I love your content to pieces! As a 30 something woman, I am also always super excited to see what you’re wearing because I def have dress envy 😅 That berry linen dress tho…and the floral dress, too - love! Plus your hair in this video is styled so cool. Abby Cox - you are seriously style goals, ma’am.
This is by far your most hilarious video yet! Please do more like it. I had a blast learning about this crazy woman! 😂
absolutely enjoyed this video! and the reenactments were so fun!
its interesting just how manufactured her whole persona was and the obsession with her waist. that said, it was obviously very effective, as even today her image shows up, though not in the way it would have been seen in her time
22:35 Love Nami's commentary, and love that you included it. Of course all your excellent antics were perfect, but I love how you always tie in the cultural context and state of global affairs. Love it. Thank you!
Your re-enactment of the pig going overboard...you were definitely channeling Miss Piggy. LOL
8:56 I’m done, ya lost me 👋🏾
I like seeing what new thing you're clipping your mic to for the ad reads 😂
this is amazing. i truly enjoy your way of presenting history. please do more!
also, lets just summarize: a french woman, born in algeria, becomes famous for being crazy, having a tiny waist and being algerian. also, sidenote, was photoshopping everything. She continues being known basically only for her photoshopped pics and people think that was the norm. Did i miss anything? Oh can't forget that she thought it was funny (maybe good marketing??) to make jokes about slavery and suicide.
yeah... sounds about right. seems like very little has changed.
Terrific video!! I want to reiterate @Katie Moundry's comment about the "Drunk History" style sketches; you are a funny woman. As a Barnum, I would like to say thank you. So many people dismiss the positive side of Side Shows. Yes, now we see them as horrid and exploitive, and yes, by today's ideology, they were; however, they were meaningful employment for many people who otherwise could not find employment. Today we have social, employment, and educational programs to help people. These programs were simply not available in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The charitable organizations that were available were often more exploitive, and the Side Shows provided an opportunity to support oneself on one's own terms.
Thank you so much. I found your video about Polaire while I was doing some research about her. According to chatgpt, Polaire was the first person recorded wearing nose ring. You did a good job. Thanks again.
People have worn nose rings far longer than that. I read a book from the 1870s that mentioned it.
I loved the voice over part!
I love that you still have some of your Xmas lights up outside. I still have a miniature Xmas tree on a counter in my living room. I never would have Xmas stuff out past the first week of Jan, but since Rona, I think we’ve all gotten a little lazier about that stuff.
Hi ! This video is very interesting ! I did actually found Polaire's memoire, in french (and i am french so i can understand it). Is there really no one that tried translating it in english ?
You’ve no idea how happy it makes me to see my notification pop up with a video from you. It’s been really rough lately and I know I get to enjoy myself for a while! Thanks a bunch for that.
Side note- we should probably not be surprised that less than 10 minutes in to Queen Charlotte a bridgerton story there is dramatic talk of being killed by a corset. My eyes doth roll to the back of my head.
Ask a Mortician did a video on Julia Pastrana, She tragically died in 1860 after giving birth to her son with a similar condition, her "management" had them both embalmed (which was that picture without her child) and exhibited them. Over time the child was lost and Julia was being kept in random museum storage unable to be buried in her hometown in Mexico until 2012, 152 years of unrest.
Poor Mimi :((
OMG! Your 'in character' reading sort of reminded me of watching Pepe Le Pew! 🤣
Puts me in mind of the actress Vera Ellen (White Christmas), she had a tiny waist too....
I am LIVING for Abby’s historical re-enactments 😅
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INCLUDING YOUR SOURCES
oh god I laughed so hard I choked on my own spit when you just straight-up yeeted the pig stuffie.
Whoof. The whole 'freakshow' bit made me cringe fiercely. Abby, just because someone's making money doesn't mean they aren't being exploited, and presenting disability as a burden...yikes. Big yikes.
I hate to imagine this woman in the age of social media....
This is the earliest I’ve been in the new upload schedule. Hope you’re doing well and a shoutout to you and channel for being such fun!
The drunk history esque bits are amazing. LOL!
Well, now I need to find Polaire's memoirs! I never heard about her before so thank you for your research work. And your reenactment of Polaire made me laugh so hard but I am sorry because I really didn't understood while you spoke French 😂
Love these videoooos~
but goddamnit the end Subscribe screen made me choke on my coffee 😅
I never heard about her before, I have probably seen a picture but not known about her.. Thank you for sharing her story 😊
I love these history videos! They are about the fascinating stories I would otherwise never hear. Of course your delivery is so creative and fun and I really appreciate the effort it takes to make these.
Holy smokes, your ad-break dress is gorgeous!!!
Although Ms Cox briefly touched on it, Caitlin Doughty, at her "Ask a Mortician" channel, has a very sensitive episode on Julia Pastrana's life and what became of her body after death. Ms Doughty is an excellent story-teller and you will be moved. "The Exploitation of Julia Pastrana' - ruclips.net/video/_yZjAzDcAmc/видео.html
23:38 My Grandmother had one of those waist measuring tapes. I remember measuring myself with it when I was a child.
This is such a FABULOUS video!!! Your hair, the comedy, the social commentary, the outro. *chef's kiss*
Thank you for the pep talk for self-doubt and that IS holds me back!
Really enjoyed this! Entertaining and really interesting :)
I love this kind of video. I just love it. some good story from history, somehow fashion or textile related and told by abby with brilliant little self played scenes in it for illustration. and all in front of a seriously satisfying aesthetic background.
Binge-watching your videos all day and heard my name!!
Thank you for your intetest. She had has been an obsession for years. Made famous Colette. Notoriously bizarre. Many films of are list from career. But there are recordings thank fully
Loved the info and the melodramatic interpretation. I love your videos. You make me laugh and learn at the same time.
Oh is Nami wearing a Zola display!? It looks fantastic!!
Slippers and smut - excellent
Yeah the addition of ACOSF was absolutely brilliant but you know that, I just want to applaud because it made me legit giggle. So thank you, I needed that!
Okay but poor mimi :,(
Loved this video, you are brilliant. And as a french, you are doing great! Please continue interpreting its fab
I was looking at a bunch of sewing patterns and I can not get over how similar you and the model for the "Simplicity Sewing Pattern Misses' 18th Century Costume" lol
Depending on the pattern, it might actually be Abby!
I absolutely loved this. It was so informative and funny. You were just what I needed to brighten up the end of today. Thank you
That was a great review of Polaire - Ive seen her in images, but did not know her story.
I really enjoy your videos. Hearing you speak French from time to time is the cherry on top 😁
Not you reading fairy smut in the skit about the pig… epic!
Love all the dramatics. You are so good at it. Really like the historical accounts. Its so funny and good thank you Abby.
My grandmother was a Victorian and her waist was small enough when she married my grandfather could enclose her corseted waist with his hands. At twenty, she was 5 feet tall and weighed less than a hundred pounds. 😉
ONLY abby can call j.lo a freak and not sound bitter. in this world. ONLY abby.
fight me over it!
28:40 I was thinking the same thing when you first said she was reading caesers commentaries.
That is 100% some bullsh*t
Another one you had fun with ^^ I love these historical pieces from you, you really make them come to life :)
My great-great-grandmother had a cafe-concert first in Macon (F) and then in Toul (F). The one in Toul was actually quite famous: Le Café de la Comédie. It is said to have been a chic café during the day, frequented by the well-to-do during the day and rather of dubious activities during the evening and night. I'm not sure café-concert was still called this by the time she was in Toul, but it definitely was when she was the patronne of Le Victor in Macon. There were four to six dancers and a pianist working there and living next door in a building owned by my great-great-grandmother. What was also interesting is that she married and was widowed twice, but did not marry the third man she lived with until they retired. Was she afraid of him dropping dead if she married him? did she want to have control over the business? Her buying and being the owner and manager of a café-concert must have been quite scandalous in the late 1800s/early 1900's. Amazing what one can find out about one's ancestors just by poking around in old newspapers and searching census reports.... Unfortunately, I don't know what her waist measurement was 😂