Soooo.... When I wear my knit wool tanktop from the thrift store underneath my corset, I am dressed historically accurate from the waist up? Good to know!
My grandmother was a 'Victorian' (born 1898). She also kept things. I remember her showing me her one piece, onesie, union suit when I was a little girl. It was made of a knit material that was woven high and low for a striped effect. It also had ribbon in lace around the neckline meant, I think, to keep it from looking or feeling overstretched. She continued to wear it under her corsets which she wore often, way past mid-century. She was always ramrod straight with the best posture. I think they were in to something back then.
Practice makes perfect!!!! But even then, research is never a bad thing. I am a beginner at sewing, I am OBSESSED with learning how to make at the very least historical inspired clothing for myself because I am a sucker for that victorian and edwardian style. I am taking a dive into the deep end and attempting to make a RedThreaded 1890s Victorian corset. I do love the idea of the union suit. Abby and the others out there are always adding new things I want to make to my already long list. Its all in how you apply things.
My grandmother (b.1900) called her undergarments "my union suit" until the day she died. It may have started as humor, but the name stuck. lol This video had me laughing so often. Thank you.
I giggled out loud when I thought of Abby versus “The look, the feel of cotton” boxing match. Cotton in one corner of the ring and Abby in the other and shit going down... yeah, you know Cotton went down because it’s already been through the cotton gin and now just a piece of fluff. Once Abby through a strong right hook, it was all over!! *The crowd goes wild*
@@milo_official_yt Not stupid at all!! Croquis is what I was taught to call the elongated fashion (drawing) figure, which is 8.5 to 10 heads tall. A "realistic" figure is 7 to 7.5 heads high.
Engineering Knits has made a video about knitting a pair of combinations! If I recall correctly, she used a pattern from a knitting book from 1892, and I think she used a similar picture if not the same one as reference/inspiration.
I grew up in a cult that required ankle length skirts. We were all wearing pants underneath 😂 But I still love long skirts and I love the idea of adding lace to leggings!
Oneita (Ow-nai-duh) references the Oneida nation of upstate New York, one of the members of the Haudenasaunee or Iroquois Confederacy. They were displaced to Wisconsin. From a quick google search, Oneita Knitting Mills is from Utica, NY
I'm in upstate NY abt 20min outside Utica. I know some Oneida ppl. Also one of my favorite wrestlers- Nyla Rose is Oneida- from DC tho. I didn't realize how far the nation had been spread out.
@@DrinkYourNailPolish yeeeeaaaaah, this is probably not the video to get into colonialism and indigenous displacement, but looking it up, the Oneida tribal govt is established in Wisconsin.
Thank you! I've watched "That thing you do" a few too many times/thought it was a play on Señorita and kept reading it as "one-ee-tah" 🥲😋🤦🏼♀️ I hate not respecting/honouring/preserving First Nations/Traditional Custodian languages, even through accident/ignorance, so I will definitely be looking into the Oneida Nation ❤ I learned a heap about the Seneca Nation as a kid and was fascinated by the structure/complexity of the Iroquois Confederacy, so now that you've pointed it out I'm remembering the cursory information of the Oneida I learned.
@@shmataboro8634 cool, then they could have picked any other suffix in the world that didn't resemble one of the names of the displaced tribes from that area. we can go back and forth about intentionality if u want, but i prefer not to argue with people who have a zillion bad faith talking points on deck. ur a tradwife fan, huh?
Anytime I hear Unionsuit I think of wool from neck to ankle, with a buttoned drop seat in back. Thankfully yours looks vastly better, at least as much as I could see. And that corset is goals!! I'm so looking forward to the rest of the outfit. 💜
I'm imagining the combi mock-up as a shorty wetsuit that was borrowed from someone else... saggy in places and tight in others! Suggestion from watching Izabela (Prior Attire); she models Victorian undies with bicycle shorts underneath! (Not saying that I want to see you in your undies, but if people were interested in how it looked, that might work while maintaining your modesty/monetisation!)
"White on white sewing is boring" GOD MOOD. I put off making one for a long, long time because I knew I wasn't gonna finish it and then broke and made a black one.
Hahaha I was thinking I was being lazy for just wanting to wear the tank tops I already own as chemises under corsets. Looks like depending on the era, I might be more historically adequate than I thought! (I still need to buy and/or make the corsets....)
So I love combinations and basically live in them (but I also don't wear a corset often, so the buttons don't bother me at all). I'm basically a different size top and bottom, and I find having a waist seam helps reinforce the back to prevent tearing as well as helping me button closed without misalignment before tea in the morning. I also use the curved "modesty panel" on one side, front and back, which makes it less like a weird sex suit and more something I can strip down to among friends if I have to. (Basically, invert the crotch curve on one side) I also made a full-length set of wool knit combinations this winter, which is the least flattering and most comfortable thing I've ever made, and I lived in it for four full weeks of -15 weather (wool long john onesie = peak Canadian). Because knit fabric is so much more forgiving, I didn't need the extra fabric over my hips, so they're cut full length neck to ankles, but again I put approximately a million (or fourteen, but it feels like a million in the aforementioned early morning dressing) buttons up the front. I'm excited to try your style of knit cotton combinations without closures! Long live the onesie!
Hey, sorry for the weird question but what has been your experience with, well, going about your bathroom business in the combinations? I wear a corset daily and I'm tempted to go the historical route and make myself some period appropriate combinations to use under it but I'm worried about just how sanitary they can be. Have you had any issues with that? Again, apologies for the strange question lol.
@@annasthetic672 Do it! I can't promise, obviously, but I love the split combinations and wear them almost exclusively. Totally justified weird question gets a weird TMI answer: I adopt a lift-and-separate approach by grabbing the back edges (let's just say it: the sides of the opening at your butt) to make sure everything is clear when I squat, but it's rarely an issue. In a dress or skirt, I might face the back of the toilet in a sort of reverse straddle, which makes sure my skirts are clear and also lets me rest my phone or book on the cistern if I'm going to be a while, but lately I've been wearing a split skirt (trousers pretending to be a walking skirt, closed at the crotch, unlike split drawers/combinations that are open at the crotch - what even is language) that I can't just hike up. I find the split drawers and combinations pretty sanitary, though it's not a bad idea to make them out of materials that can stand a heavy wash, and they will discolour eventually from contact with oils and other secretions. They don't need to be washed every day, though, since they don't have direct close contact with mucous membranes etc, and can actually be very helpful for people prone to yeast infections and UTIs, since they promote more air flow on the undercarriage. You can choose to have better coverage with a modesty flap, or less if you just want to keep your thighs from ever touching (I got into split drawers through late medieval dress, where I found they were ideal for using portaloos and washrooms of questionable cleanliness quickly and with minimal touching [ie not dropping my drawers to touch the floor] and can be operated while pretty intoxicated, too). Because I'm a fan of menstrual cups over pads, I just made myself a set of red combinations I'm allowed to accidentally stain for shark week, but YMMV. Also, weird plug, but might be handy if your corset limits your ability to flex your torso and reach under: my recently-pregnant friend told me about a soft squeeze bottle with spray nozzle attachment that's essentially a travel bidet in a bottle. It's marketed to postpartum people who might have difficulty, but it's also really helpful for keeping clean when reaching under you is hard, like, say, if you happen to be in a longer or stiffer corset. Sorry if that was way more information than you were looking for. I can talk about this kind of thing basically forever. I don't think RUclips has DMs, as such, but this is precisely the topic one could slide into mine for.
@@thetextilealchemist Thanks so much for the thorough reply! Honestly I'm in the gathering information stage of starting this project and literally any info I can get helps. The red combinations for when you're on your period is genius! How often would you say you wash your combinations? Do you have several and change them out often? Oh, and where did you find the pattern for the warm woolen combinations? I'm having no luck searching for sewing patterns for union suits, at least not for women. Is yours also crotchless or does it have a "flap"? There's sadly very little information or videos available about historical combinations, especially union suits, which is tough because I'm a visual learner. Another slightly TMI question, have you had any issue with, well, discharge? Some discharge is normal for most women but panties usually catch most of it so it doesn't get onto your outer clothes. Have you had any issue with that discharge going onto your pants or skirts when wearing crotchless combinations? Again, apologies for the strange question.
@@annasthetic672 I am happy to provide as much info as I have. I have several pairs so I can put off doing laundry a bit, but I also have the ability to hang up my clothes overnight to air out (that's what a canopy bed is for, right?) so they'll still need to be washed of residue from skin contact but don't get smelly or musty nearly so fast. I find that I want to wash or swap out my combinations after a couple of days, about equally because of sweating on the upper part as having worn the lower part. As to discharge (and also leakage or spotting), I find the modesty panel protects my outer clothes from the consequences of my human body just as well as it protects my delicate skin from wool outer garments. If there were a worry about it, one could probably "pad" that area with an extra strip of flannel or something similar, not unlike dress shields in the underarm of a garment. (One other thing to keep in mind when wearing split drawers or combinations: you do need to be aware of flashing people if you're in a shorter skirt, or hiking your skirts up in excessive heat, or doing rolls and flips and high kicks, as one does.) I think I made the pattern for my long combinations based on my regular combinations and a simple trouser pattern, as well as a simple sleeve. I was pretty lazy about drafting that pattern, so I first did a mockup using an old bedsheet (my favourite method) and then took note of alterations. I think the Manual of Needlework and Cutting Out was where I got my original one-piece combinations pattern, so I may have used that as well. I hesitate to plug my own channel on someone else's well-researched video, but I did a few short videos this winter and spring about my winter layers (now outdated as I've made better ones) and combinations specifically, so those might be a visual reference, if you like. I wear the wool ones over regular combinations so they don't touch my skin (more to keep them clean than to protect my skin, because I'm at least part sheep at this point and am not sensitive to it), but they're split just like the usual ones so I don't have to strip down to use the toilet. If you live somewhere with proper winter, I can't recommend a wool union suit enough, since I was pretty toasty even at -30C, but even cotton would provide a nice layer of insulation. My research is generally limited to reading drafting manuals because I'm very visual, but I'm happy to share my experiences of trying patterns out!
@@thetextilealchemist Excellent, I'm sold! I live in Iceland and the winters here can be quite cold, a wool union suit sounds like just the thing for those freezing early mornings in winter. Did you use a regular sewing machine to sew the wool union suit or a serger? I don't have much experience sewing with stretch fabrics, did the buttons give you any trouble? Oh, and if you've worn a corset over the wool union suit, do you find that the buttons dig into your skin under the corset?
Historical only fans could be a thing, someone should recreate historical uh, literature. For research of course. Also the corset is gorgeous and reminds me of that blue and white Asian china in the best way possible 💕
Oh, the full-body leggings were definitely a close second in the selling point for me.🤣...I may or may not already have food and coffee stains on this onesie cause it also now unofficially loungewear around my house...I also may or may not be fully planning on making more opaque ones (with a closed crotch..) to wear while wondering around Costume College or other events.... lol
@@AbbyCox as someone who unabashedly wears my Tudor shift around the house that is now stained, let's just say the stained lend to the authenticity of the pieces 😅😂
I’m calling the inevitable weight gain we’ve all experienced “quarantine 19”... a play off the “freshman 15” we all gain in college and the pandemic. Every garment I’ve made this winter has been my pre-pandemic measurements in the hopes of losing the extra weight once the weather clears up enough to be outside
I would luuuurv a set/union suit like that. I could wear skirts more often. Never like just wearing draws alone or using tights/ leggings. That type of combinations would be just what I need♥️
@@Barblooms Thank you! I was trying to remember the name of those. I've worn them in theater under costumes and (after some weight gain) need to get myself a pair for under long skirts.
I admit it the words, "knit onesie" caught my attention. Had Abby Cox taught my history and sociology classes, I would not have had to attend college summer school. It was both humiliating and still low stress. Strange times, then and of course now.
I was thinking about making some combinations to use as pyjamas and now I got inspired to make them in wool! And I still kan make it a bit fancy with lace! Thanks!
My grandmother wore union suits all her life. She was born in the Edwardian era. So did my grandfather who was born in 1889. The male version, though. Even in the 40s my mom wore a combined union suit as a child. Cotton in summer, wool in winter.
Ok the Ypsilanti ad? As a michigander, can confirm that wearing tights/leggings under a dress is always a good idea. Also love seeing Michigan stuff, always a fun Easter egg 😄
Your videos are always interesting and fun. Can't wait to see the whole assemble. Just FIY - There is a RUclips knitter who hand knit a set of combinations that are part of her making an 1892 assemble. Might you be interested? Her channel is "Engineering Knits".
I absolutely love that corset!! The colour combination is stunning and I'm as jealous as an "out-house" rat over it... I so desperately want one all of my very own... looks like it's another item to add to my "When I win Lotto" list, and can afford to buy the fabric for it...
I hope you will find some time to write a new book about knit combinations Abby. I am a big fan of the historical vest top and cycling shorts/leggings idea!!
Just have to say I'm crazy in love with the way your corset and combinations look when paired with that yellow sweater ... it may be one of my favorite looks EVER... not exaggerating
I'm in love with that corset! It's so beautiful! Thank you for talking about it in this video I was left with a need to know more about it in your last video! :D
I loved this! I remember my Grandmother telling me that she wore a knit undergarment and her mother before her as well. My grandmother was born in 1898. Can’t imagine the change she experienced in her life. I wear linen rayon jersey knit tees under my corsets with everyday clothes. Works perfectly! I also buy slip shorts in cotton or rayon jersey to wear instead of regular undies. So much more comfortable in the hot summer. From your example I will fashion my own “onsie” from cotton jersey, to lessen the bulk of layers under my corset. Great idea! Thank you for sharing!!
That corset is a thing of beauty! I made my first 1880s chemise the other day, which is my first piece of historical sewing (I'm very new to sewing). Bit rough around the edges but I'm very proud of it. It's very frilly! But I can understand why some people found chemises uncomfortable/annoying. It does tend to gather up the top when the corset goes on because of the trimmings.
I really appreciate Abby's videos with a curvier body that also fluctuates, the mock-up process and agonising over practical aspects makes the process seem 3x longer and more likely to end up a UFO...... it's tough
I love all the colors! Blue white black pink and sea foam it just works in ways my narrow imagination of all white “historic” undergarments couldn’t conceive!
Also, thank you for the tip of the metal rings you use on your pattern pieces, I use them too now (got them two weeks ago from our local hardware store) and it's so much easier than pinning en repinning
Ooh! That corset pattern was just the kind I was looking for! Accommodating for a larger bust and everything! That was my main issue with other patterns, I was worried the bust wouldn't be big enough because it usually isn't. This is perfect! I'm going to order this pattern ASAP! Thank you!
Thank you!! I am loving all the 1890s videos!! I just started my first ever historical project and I chose the 1890s!! This series is super helpful already!!!
Silk was very popular for laces in the medieval and Renaissance periods, for the same reasons Victorians would want them in their corsets: it’s stronger and lower friction than wool or linen of comparable thickness. Even if you couldn’t afford any other silk, the lacing was the one thing you’d want to be made of silk if at all possible.
There are actually a bunch of knitting patterns for union suits and undervests out there, starting in the 1870's. Engineering Knits made an 1892 version. If my collection of knitting books is anything to go by, they remained popular until the 1950's (they are in literally every knitting book I have from the 1920's to the 1950's). I've always wanted to knit one, but I also know it would take half of eternity to make.
I feel stupid because this is the first time I've read the description and IT'S AMAZEBALLS! Now I gotta go watch every one of your videos again to read the description ❤
You and Nicole uploading today made my day so much better. Also, off topic though. Thanks to you and "Natalie lawyer chick " I had to paint my living room with a similar blue. Love it!!!
Your corset turned out nice and the one peace looked like it took a lot of work great job on the education on the early clothes people used back in the day
I was so happy to see the footage about your new corset, I was admiring it so much in the last video! I would love to hear more about where you source materials, that’s often the hardest part for me.
The union suit reminds me of an older version of Mormon garments (i.e. magic underwear) which honestly makes a lot of sense. Like they were originally just normal undies with some masonic symbols sewn onto them. I think they even still make the one piece design. Now they're a two-piece design, more like a capped sleeve undershirt and long shorts.
Anna Reed, yes, they started out as a variation of regular underwear of the era, and then church just kept the style for a few generations, eventually shortening the legs and sleeves. Very comfortable. The little cap sleeve can protect outer clothes from perspiration and/or damage from deodorant.
I've been wearing a tanktop under my corset this summer. I didn't think it would be historically accurate but need a layer under the corset and didn't want too many layers this summer; after all I took my waist length hair into shorter than a bob in fit of rage at the heat. I have wool allergies so I won't be using a wool tanktop, but this video of your is cool info - well they all are right?! I've been looking for linen chemise; been wanting to try it after you explained why it's a better choice than cotton and I ordered one yesterday... being specialty made so it'll be awhile before it arrives but something to try. My husband isn't aware of how often I'm wearing a corset, but when he sees it he asks, "is there a reason you're using a medieval torture device" not sure what to tell him; he believes the movie version; but it's mostly comfortable, though not always easy to get on.
Hmmm, the cogs in my brain start start ticking over .... hmmm, different. Light, stretchy, therefore more comfortable. Interesting. Love the corset BTW. Looks great, thanks Abby 💝👍👍👍 Have a great day 🦘🇦🇺🦘
Hello from YPSILANTI! I was SO happy to see the Ypsilanti underwear ad in your video. You can still see some old painted ads on brick walls in one of our 2 downtown areas, Depot Town. At that time we were also know for our mineral baths and one of the first female physicians in the US, Helen McAndrew. I could go on and on... We are home to Dominos Pizza, the REAL McCoy, Iggy Pop and Rosie the Riveter.
I love ALL the crazy rabbit holes you dig! I was already planning on wearing a more fitted tank under my corset because I knew I wouldn't be able to abide the bunched up fabric from a shift. Kind of disappointed to find out it wouldn't be a minor act of rebellion against HA rules lol.
Soooo.... When I wear my knit wool tanktop from the thrift store underneath my corset, I am dressed historically accurate from the waist up? Good to know!
My grandmother was a 'Victorian' (born 1898). She also kept things. I remember her showing me her one piece, onesie, union suit when I was a little girl. It was made of a knit material that was woven high and low for a striped effect. It also had ribbon in lace around the neckline meant, I think, to keep it from looking or feeling overstretched. She continued to wear it under her corsets which she wore often, way past mid-century. She was always ramrod straight with the best posture. I think they were in to something back then.
Thank you for sharing this comment, I love reading stories like this ❤
I really need a corset lol
"I don't really know what's going on with my body right now." That is me every day of my life. As long as I can remember.
Isn't that... Life??
#relatable
Yet again, I'm watching someone else sewing something instead of actually sewing myself
Do I feel guilty about it? Yes. Will I change my actions in any way in the foreseeable future? No, no I will not.
Practice makes perfect!!!! But even then, research is never a bad thing. I am a beginner at sewing, I am OBSESSED with learning how to make at the very least historical inspired clothing for myself because I am a sucker for that victorian and edwardian style. I am taking a dive into the deep end and attempting to make a RedThreaded 1890s Victorian corset. I do love the idea of the union suit. Abby and the others out there are always adding new things I want to make to my already long list. Its all in how you apply things.
You need to rest your hands from time to time.
I should be sewing or exercising or laundry but this is way more fun and it’s not like anyone will randomly do it for me.
My excuse is I'm waiting for the washing machine to finish😉
Who would have thought that 130-year-old marketing would be so effective? ....I snorted my tea!
Same! I MUST have a union suit for my corset in progress.
i fell out of my chair when i heard that lol
My grandmother (b.1900) called her undergarments "my union suit" until the day she died. It may have started as humor, but the name stuck. lol This video had me laughing so often. Thank you.
I giggled out loud when I thought of Abby versus “The look, the feel of cotton” boxing match. Cotton in one corner of the ring and Abby in the other and shit going down... yeah, you know Cotton went down because it’s already been through the cotton gin and now just a piece of fluff. Once Abby through a strong right hook, it was all over!! *The crowd goes wild*
I think that's about right....lolol
I love that the Oneita drawing is woman-shaped instead of croquis-shaped.
Her booty in that ad is so cute and I just think she's adorable. 🤣
@@AbbyCox She is seriously rocking some Bootylicious Hips Don't Lie My Humps 😜
Couldn't help myself 😅
ok, imma sound real stupid right now, but wtf is a croquis?
@@milo_official_yt Not stupid at all!!
Croquis is what I was taught to call the elongated fashion (drawing) figure, which is 8.5 to 10 heads tall.
A "realistic" figure is 7 to 7.5 heads high.
Engineering Knits has made a video about knitting a pair of combinations! If I recall correctly, she used a pattern from a knitting book from 1892, and I think she used a similar picture if not the same one as reference/inspiration.
came in the comments to see if anyone had mentioned that video because that's exactly where my mind went reading the title here.
Me too
Same.
5:28 I was wearing leggings and stockings layered under my skirts all winter. History bounding woohoo!
That blue and white is stunning on the corset.
I should make some of my sweat pants into really long bloomers by attaching lace because I wear those in the winter.
I grew up in a cult that required ankle length skirts. We were all wearing pants underneath 😂 But I still love long skirts and I love the idea of adding lace to leggings!
There’s something to be said about the fascination I have with watching people make corsets.
Oneita (Ow-nai-duh) references the Oneida nation of upstate New York, one of the members of the Haudenasaunee or Iroquois Confederacy. They were displaced to Wisconsin. From a quick google search, Oneita Knitting Mills is from Utica, NY
I'm in upstate NY abt 20min outside Utica. I know some Oneida ppl.
Also one of my favorite wrestlers- Nyla Rose is Oneida- from DC tho.
I didn't realize how far the nation had been spread out.
@@DrinkYourNailPolish yeeeeaaaaah, this is probably not the video to get into colonialism and indigenous displacement, but looking it up, the Oneida tribal govt is established in Wisconsin.
Thank you! I've watched "That thing you do" a few too many times/thought it was a play on Señorita and kept reading it as "one-ee-tah" 🥲😋🤦🏼♀️ I hate not respecting/honouring/preserving First Nations/Traditional Custodian languages, even through accident/ignorance, so I will definitely be looking into the Oneida Nation ❤ I learned a heap about the Seneca Nation as a kid and was fascinated by the structure/complexity of the Iroquois Confederacy, so now that you've pointed it out I'm remembering the cursory information of the Oneida I learned.
ONE-ita because it is a one piece garment. Nothing at all to do with native American nations.
@@shmataboro8634 cool, then they could have picked any other suffix in the world that didn't resemble one of the names of the displaced tribes from that area. we can go back and forth about intentionality if u want, but i prefer not to argue with people who have a zillion bad faith talking points on deck. ur a tradwife fan, huh?
Anytime I hear Unionsuit I think of wool from neck to ankle, with a buttoned drop seat in back. Thankfully yours looks vastly better, at least as much as I could see.
And that corset is goals!!
I'm so looking forward to the rest of the outfit. 💜
They definitely had those too! But this little tank top-step-in-combination is so much better! (Unless it's really freaking cold outside!)
@@AbbyCox perhaps my proximity to the freaking cold explains the association.
...And I have definitely worn leggings under my skirt
I'm imagining the combi mock-up as a shorty wetsuit that was borrowed from someone else... saggy in places and tight in others!
Suggestion from watching Izabela (Prior Attire); she models Victorian undies with bicycle shorts underneath! (Not saying that I want to see you in your undies, but if people were interested in how it looked, that might work while maintaining your modesty/monetisation!)
It was just very tight, very sheer, and full of gaping holes... 😂
@@AbbyCox Ok maybe not!! 🤣🤦♀️
@@AbbyCox LOL! That's about what I pictured when you were describing the changes you made. 😆
@@AbbyCox Could also slap on a camisole to cover the top half. Between that and the bike shorts should keep everything fairly decent.
"White on white sewing is boring" GOD MOOD. I put off making one for a long, long time because I knew I wasn't gonna finish it and then broke and made a black one.
'I really don't know what's going on with my body'...sounds like me since menopause started. 🤣
...first thought I had. (...as I walk away whistling.....)
Me too 🤦♀️
I hear ya. Same here.
Yup . I’m 44.. I’ve decided this is just puberty in reverse.
@@KoriEmerson Yup! Hahaha
Victorian Secret 🤣 perfect !
That corset is gorgeous and I love how it enhances your anatomy.
I’m reminded of the pages and pages of descriptions of clothing layers from the Little House on the Prairie books.
Hahaha I was thinking I was being lazy for just wanting to wear the tank tops I already own as chemises under corsets. Looks like depending on the era, I might be more historically adequate than I thought! (I still need to buy and/or make the corsets....)
lol yep! Here we all thought it was "cheating"...but it definitely wasn't. 😂🤣
Gatekeepers can zip their lips now too! (Not having a chemise has stopped me from wearing corsets)
So I love combinations and basically live in them (but I also don't wear a corset often, so the buttons don't bother me at all). I'm basically a different size top and bottom, and I find having a waist seam helps reinforce the back to prevent tearing as well as helping me button closed without misalignment before tea in the morning. I also use the curved "modesty panel" on one side, front and back, which makes it less like a weird sex suit and more something I can strip down to among friends if I have to. (Basically, invert the crotch curve on one side)
I also made a full-length set of wool knit combinations this winter, which is the least flattering and most comfortable thing I've ever made, and I lived in it for four full weeks of -15 weather (wool long john onesie = peak Canadian). Because knit fabric is so much more forgiving, I didn't need the extra fabric over my hips, so they're cut full length neck to ankles, but again I put approximately a million (or fourteen, but it feels like a million in the aforementioned early morning dressing) buttons up the front. I'm excited to try your style of knit cotton combinations without closures! Long live the onesie!
Hey, sorry for the weird question but what has been your experience with, well, going about your bathroom business in the combinations? I wear a corset daily and I'm tempted to go the historical route and make myself some period appropriate combinations to use under it but I'm worried about just how sanitary they can be. Have you had any issues with that? Again, apologies for the strange question lol.
@@annasthetic672 Do it! I can't promise, obviously, but I love the split combinations and wear them almost exclusively. Totally justified weird question gets a weird TMI answer: I adopt a lift-and-separate approach by grabbing the back edges (let's just say it: the sides of the opening at your butt) to make sure everything is clear when I squat, but it's rarely an issue. In a dress or skirt, I might face the back of the toilet in a sort of reverse straddle, which makes sure my skirts are clear and also lets me rest my phone or book on the cistern if I'm going to be a while, but lately I've been wearing a split skirt (trousers pretending to be a walking skirt, closed at the crotch, unlike split drawers/combinations that are open at the crotch - what even is language) that I can't just hike up.
I find the split drawers and combinations pretty sanitary, though it's not a bad idea to make them out of materials that can stand a heavy wash, and they will discolour eventually from contact with oils and other secretions. They don't need to be washed every day, though, since they don't have direct close contact with mucous membranes etc, and can actually be very helpful for people prone to yeast infections and UTIs, since they promote more air flow on the undercarriage. You can choose to have better coverage with a modesty flap, or less if you just want to keep your thighs from ever touching (I got into split drawers through late medieval dress, where I found they were ideal for using portaloos and washrooms of questionable cleanliness quickly and with minimal touching [ie not dropping my drawers to touch the floor] and can be operated while pretty intoxicated, too). Because I'm a fan of menstrual cups over pads, I just made myself a set of red combinations I'm allowed to accidentally stain for shark week, but YMMV.
Also, weird plug, but might be handy if your corset limits your ability to flex your torso and reach under: my recently-pregnant friend told me about a soft squeeze bottle with spray nozzle attachment that's essentially a travel bidet in a bottle. It's marketed to postpartum people who might have difficulty, but it's also really helpful for keeping clean when reaching under you is hard, like, say, if you happen to be in a longer or stiffer corset.
Sorry if that was way more information than you were looking for. I can talk about this kind of thing basically forever. I don't think RUclips has DMs, as such, but this is precisely the topic one could slide into mine for.
@@thetextilealchemist Thanks so much for the thorough reply! Honestly I'm in the gathering information stage of starting this project and literally any info I can get helps. The red combinations for when you're on your period is genius! How often would you say you wash your combinations? Do you have several and change them out often? Oh, and where did you find the pattern for the warm woolen combinations? I'm having no luck searching for sewing patterns for union suits, at least not for women. Is yours also crotchless or does it have a "flap"? There's sadly very little information or videos available about historical combinations, especially union suits, which is tough because I'm a visual learner. Another slightly TMI question, have you had any issue with, well, discharge? Some discharge is normal for most women but panties usually catch most of it so it doesn't get onto your outer clothes. Have you had any issue with that discharge going onto your pants or skirts when wearing crotchless combinations? Again, apologies for the strange question.
@@annasthetic672 I am happy to provide as much info as I have. I have several pairs so I can put off doing laundry a bit, but I also have the ability to hang up my clothes overnight to air out (that's what a canopy bed is for, right?) so they'll still need to be washed of residue from skin contact but don't get smelly or musty nearly so fast. I find that I want to wash or swap out my combinations after a couple of days, about equally because of sweating on the upper part as having worn the lower part. As to discharge (and also leakage or spotting), I find the modesty panel protects my outer clothes from the consequences of my human body just as well as it protects my delicate skin from wool outer garments. If there were a worry about it, one could probably "pad" that area with an extra strip of flannel or something similar, not unlike dress shields in the underarm of a garment. (One other thing to keep in mind when wearing split drawers or combinations: you do need to be aware of flashing people if you're in a shorter skirt, or hiking your skirts up in excessive heat, or doing rolls and flips and high kicks, as one does.)
I think I made the pattern for my long combinations based on my regular combinations and a simple trouser pattern, as well as a simple sleeve. I was pretty lazy about drafting that pattern, so I first did a mockup using an old bedsheet (my favourite method) and then took note of alterations. I think the Manual of Needlework and Cutting Out was where I got my original one-piece combinations pattern, so I may have used that as well. I hesitate to plug my own channel on someone else's well-researched video, but I did a few short videos this winter and spring about my winter layers (now outdated as I've made better ones) and combinations specifically, so those might be a visual reference, if you like. I wear the wool ones over regular combinations so they don't touch my skin (more to keep them clean than to protect my skin, because I'm at least part sheep at this point and am not sensitive to it), but they're split just like the usual ones so I don't have to strip down to use the toilet. If you live somewhere with proper winter, I can't recommend a wool union suit enough, since I was pretty toasty even at -30C, but even cotton would provide a nice layer of insulation.
My research is generally limited to reading drafting manuals because I'm very visual, but I'm happy to share my experiences of trying patterns out!
@@thetextilealchemist Excellent, I'm sold! I live in Iceland and the winters here can be quite cold, a wool union suit sounds like just the thing for those freezing early mornings in winter. Did you use a regular sewing machine to sew the wool union suit or a serger? I don't have much experience sewing with stretch fabrics, did the buttons give you any trouble? Oh, and if you've worn a corset over the wool union suit, do you find that the buttons dig into your skin under the corset?
Historical only fans could be a thing, someone should recreate historical uh, literature. For research of course.
Also the corset is gorgeous and reminds me of that blue and white Asian china in the best way possible 💕
Did you see Bernadette Banner’s video on that. It was really good.
You were sold on being able to lace down but I was hype about a fully elastic piece. At my core being able to wearing full body leggings is my vibe
Oh, the full-body leggings were definitely a close second in the selling point for me.🤣...I may or may not already have food and coffee stains on this onesie cause it also now unofficially loungewear around my house...I also may or may not be fully planning on making more opaque ones (with a closed crotch..) to wear while wondering around Costume College or other events.... lol
@@AbbyCox as someone who unabashedly wears my Tudor shift around the house that is now stained, let's just say the stained lend to the authenticity of the pieces 😅😂
@@AbbyCox if you don't wear your historical undergarments as casual lounge wear do you really have Historial undergarments?
@@AbbyCox: reinvents the onsie.
@@scrappypatterns true facts. My full length long sleeve linen chemises are all stained because I wear them as loungewear. Lol
I have black leggings under my skirt today! I'm soooo history bounding!
Me too!
I’m calling the inevitable weight gain we’ve all experienced “quarantine 19”... a play off the “freshman 15” we all gain in college and the pandemic. Every garment I’ve made this winter has been my pre-pandemic measurements in the hopes of losing the extra weight once the weather clears up enough to be outside
Lol I had Freshman 40..... and I still have it.
When I was in college it was the freshman 10!
ME TOO!!
I call it "quaran-twenty". I have no idea what I'm going to do once I need to be in business casual again.
I lost 50 pounds as a freshman, couldn't afford to eat. I was basically living off Mountain Dew.
I would luuuurv a set/union suit like that. I could wear skirts more often. Never like just wearing draws alone or using tights/ leggings. That type of combinations would be just what I need♥️
Try a pair of “pettipants.” I found some cotton ones on Amazon, and they are life changing. I can wear a skirt again!
@@Barblooms Thank you! I was trying to remember the name of those. I've worn them in theater under costumes and (after some weight gain) need to get myself a pair for under long skirts.
Have you seen Engineering Knits? She actually knit herself a onesie based on a historical book of knitting patterns.
I admit it the words, "knit onesie" caught my attention. Had Abby Cox taught my history and sociology classes, I would not have had to attend college summer school. It was both humiliating and still low stress. Strange times, then and of course now.
I was thinking about making some combinations to use as pyjamas and now I got inspired to make them in wool! And I still kan make it a bit fancy with lace! Thanks!
My grandmother wore union suits all her life. She was born in the Edwardian era. So did my grandfather who was born in 1889. The male version, though. Even in the 40s my mom wore a combined union suit as a child. Cotton in summer, wool in winter.
The cardigan kept distracting me, it's so cute! 😍
Ok the Ypsilanti ad? As a michigander, can confirm that wearing tights/leggings under a dress is always a good idea. Also love seeing Michigan stuff, always a fun Easter egg 😄
Saw that too! Lived in Ypsi back in the 80s, and my Dad's family is from Utica, NY, home of the 'Oneita'!
"Underwear rabbit hole", more like underWHERE rabbit hole. Ill see myself out now.
02:11 🤣😂🤣😂
Your videos are always interesting and fun. Can't wait to see the whole assemble. Just FIY - There is a RUclips knitter who hand knit a set of combinations that are part of her making an 1892 assemble. Might you be interested? Her channel is "Engineering Knits".
I absolutely love that corset!! The colour combination is stunning and I'm as jealous as an "out-house" rat over it... I so desperately want one all of my very own... looks like it's another item to add to my "When I win Lotto" list, and can afford to buy the fabric for it...
I hope you will find some time to write a new book about knit combinations Abby. I am a big fan of the historical vest top and cycling shorts/leggings idea!!
Just have to say I'm crazy in love with the way your corset and combinations look when paired with that yellow sweater ... it may be one of my favorite looks EVER... not exaggerating
The corset is absolutely stunning. The contrast is just so visually pleasing!
I love your comedic timing. The whole sex suit bit… That was funny.
When you said knit I got over-excited at the thought of you whipping out the needles to hand knit some combinations
I'm in love with that corset! It's so beautiful! Thank you for talking about it in this video I was left with a need to know more about it in your last video! :D
I loved this! I remember my Grandmother telling me that she wore a knit undergarment and her mother before her as well. My grandmother was born in 1898. Can’t imagine the change she experienced in her life. I wear linen rayon jersey knit tees under my corsets with everyday clothes. Works perfectly! I also buy slip shorts in cotton or rayon jersey to wear instead of regular undies. So much more comfortable in the hot summer. From your example I will fashion my own “onsie” from cotton jersey, to lessen the bulk of layers under my corset. Great idea! Thank you for sharing!!
Aren’t we lucky to live in a world with so many amazing digital research resources available to us?!
I FINALLY got, “It was Agatha all along” out of my head and then....Thanks, Abby.
I am IN LOVE with the Agatha Harkness reference!! MUCH stan!!
Same! Although I now once again will be singing Agatha all along for the next few hours; wich is fun utilizing it actually gets stuck in my head.😉
That corset is a thing of beauty! I made my first 1880s chemise the other day, which is my first piece of historical sewing (I'm very new to sewing). Bit rough around the edges but I'm very proud of it. It's very frilly! But I can understand why some people found chemises uncomfortable/annoying. It does tend to gather up the top when the corset goes on because of the trimmings.
I really appreciate Abby's videos with a curvier body that also fluctuates, the mock-up process and agonising over practical aspects makes the process seem 3x longer and more likely to end up a UFO...... it's tough
Oh I loved everything about this but I just know it's going to send me down a rabbit hole of 'WHEN did the industrial knitting machine get invented?'
My first thoughts on Sunday (except the first Sunday of the month) are always, "Yay, new Abby video!!"
I've got my tank top and black leggings...aight imma gonna head out💃
When I first saw Oneita, I thought of the Oneders [Wonders or O-Need-Ers] from That Thing You Do.
Me too! Especially when listening to Abby try to pronounce it.
I love all the colors! Blue white black pink and sea foam it just works in ways my narrow imagination of all white “historic” undergarments couldn’t conceive!
That corset is insanely flattering.
Don't be afraid to take some extra time for yourself if the RUclips grind is getting to you. Enjoy that sponsor money!
I‘m still stunned by the „oh yeah no I just whipped up a corset“ 🤯 I wish I could do that.
Also, thank you for the tip of the metal rings you use on your pattern pieces, I use them too now (got them two weeks ago from our local hardware store) and it's so much easier than pinning en repinning
That underwear looks beautiful and very comfortable!!! I would have several in my collection if I could find them or make them one day.
I always enjoy your videos but chef's kiss for including the doggos & your outtakes.
To learn that black leggings under a dress has historic precedent? Way to start the week off right!
Aaaaaaahhhhh! an Abby vid. i was grinning like a loon when you mentioned you are patterning from your collection. so excited!
Ooh! That corset pattern was just the kind I was looking for! Accommodating for a larger bust and everything! That was my main issue with other patterns, I was worried the bust wouldn't be big enough because it usually isn't. This is perfect! I'm going to order this pattern ASAP! Thank you!
Thank you!! I am loving all the 1890s videos!! I just started my first ever historical project and I chose the 1890s!! This series is super helpful already!!!
Love that corset, in pictures it is striking.
Silk was very popular for laces in the medieval and Renaissance periods, for the same reasons Victorians would want them in their corsets: it’s stronger and lower friction than wool or linen of comparable thickness. Even if you couldn’t afford any other silk, the lacing was the one thing you’d want to be made of silk if at all possible.
There are actually a bunch of knitting patterns for union suits and undervests out there, starting in the 1870's. Engineering Knits made an 1892 version. If my collection of knitting books is anything to go by, they remained popular until the 1950's (they are in literally every knitting book I have from the 1920's to the 1950's). I've always wanted to knit one, but I also know it would take half of eternity to make.
16:33 is an absolute MOOD and is how I approach almost all my sewing
I feel stupid because this is the first time I've read the description and IT'S AMAZEBALLS! Now I gotta go watch every one of your videos again to read the description ❤
I love the Alton Brown camera-in-the-fridggy gambit.
You and Nicole uploading today made my day so much better.
Also, off topic though. Thanks to you and "Natalie lawyer chick " I had to paint my living room with a similar blue. Love it!!!
The blue boning channels on the corset are absolutely gorgeousss!
Victorians & lingerie. Two of my favorite things and you managed combine them into one pun. Brilliant :D!
Oneita= Juanita Loved this whole video. The corset is just so lovely
The colors are so cute! Especially that yellow? lining in the petticoat
Beautiful corset. Love the blue satin against the white.
You are so fun to watch, I may never make a corset but I’ll still watch your videos.
I wanted to comeback and say thank you for the corset recommendation! It’s soooo nice!
If you haven't done one already, I would love it if you did a video on your favorite online research sites for pattern drafting historical garments.
The corset has the little 1890s belly pooch!!! I don’t know why but I absolutely love the 1890s belly pooch 😊
Probably because most healthy women ARE built like that ! ;)
Your corset turned out nice and the one peace looked like it took a lot of work great job on the education on the early clothes people used back in the day
I was so happy to see the footage about your new corset, I was admiring it so much in the last video! I would love to hear more about where you source materials, that’s often the hardest part for me.
I discovered your channel last night and I've been binge watching ever since. Totally obsessed 🥰
The union suit reminds me of an older version of Mormon garments (i.e. magic underwear) which honestly makes a lot of sense. Like they were originally just normal undies with some masonic symbols sewn onto them. I think they even still make the one piece design. Now they're a two-piece design, more like a capped sleeve undershirt and long shorts.
Anna Reed, yes, they started out as a variation of regular underwear of the era, and then church just kept the style for a few generations, eventually shortening the legs and sleeves. Very comfortable. The little cap sleeve can protect outer clothes from perspiration and/or damage from deodorant.
Ypsilanti! I live there. (😁) And so much black legging wearing goes on here. Fleece lined black leggings are the best for winter.
Posted 30 seconds ago. 26 likes and 10 comments. That has to be a record. 😆
This is pure gold. Bonus points for the Agatha Harkness reference!
Thank you especially for this one, Abby! This onesie is now on my knitting to-do list. Brilliant!
I am INCREDIBLY excited to see this ensemble come together. I adore all these pieces so far. You know you had me at that pink petticoat tho.
The yellow cardigan is so cute omg
I've been wearing a tanktop under my corset this summer. I didn't think it would be historically accurate but need a layer under the corset and didn't want too many layers this summer; after all I took my waist length hair into shorter than a bob in fit of rage at the heat. I have wool allergies so I won't be using a wool tanktop, but this video of your is cool info - well they all are right?! I've been looking for linen chemise; been wanting to try it after you explained why it's a better choice than cotton and I ordered one yesterday... being specialty made so it'll be awhile before it arrives but something to try. My husband isn't aware of how often I'm wearing a corset, but when he sees it he asks, "is there a reason you're using a medieval torture device" not sure what to tell him; he believes the movie version; but it's mostly comfortable, though not always easy to get on.
Your corset turned out really beautifully 😍
So I just purchased that corset pattern! The shape is so good!
I am envious of your ability to chop onions. I can't do it without my face feeling like something horrible has happened to it.
Hmmm, the cogs in my brain start start ticking over .... hmmm, different. Light, stretchy, therefore more comfortable. Interesting. Love the corset BTW. Looks great, thanks Abby 💝👍👍👍
Have a great day 🦘🇦🇺🦘
And here I am thinking of thinning my clothes and getting rid of modern pieces, about to get rid of a few knit tank tops. Thank you.
Hello from YPSILANTI! I was SO happy to see the Ypsilanti underwear ad in your video. You can still see some old painted ads on brick walls in one of our 2 downtown areas, Depot Town. At that time we were also know for our mineral baths and one of the first female physicians in the US, Helen McAndrew. I could go on and on... We are home to Dominos Pizza, the REAL McCoy, Iggy Pop and Rosie the Riveter.
Okay folks lets be honest that dance party in the chemise video was amazing
i loooovve the frilly combinations and chemises
I just watched a Seperatec ad that's existence, particularly here, makes me think that the whole demonetization problem is malarky
Girl I was so excited to wake up and realize it's Sunday morning 😂. I love it! That blue and white corset 😍 I aspire to be able to see like you!
I love ALL the crazy rabbit holes you dig! I was already planning on wearing a more fitted tank under my corset because I knew I wouldn't be able to abide the bunched up fabric from a shift. Kind of disappointed to find out it wouldn't be a minor act of rebellion against HA rules lol.