victorian walking skirt – One Rabbit Riot

Red Dead Redemption 2 was not a game I thought I would love or even appreciate. In fact, I’ve never played it myself, I’ve only watched my husband play, and seriously, I enjoy watching him play. The world created in the second game is so immersive and aesthetically pleasing that my dress historian heart sings when I see the detail and research the developers put into making Arthur Morgan and the cast of characters feel well-placed in a game of re-imagined history.

The 1890s have long been a favored period for me. From the popularity of the Gibson Girl look to the Anne of Green Gables movies, puff sleeves, bicycle jackets, and the pigeon breast silhouette with long walking skirts have long captured my imagination. Maybe it was the years of seeing these portraits of my 1890s ancestors above the mantel at my grandparents’ house. Or this Gibson Girl-inspired painting in my Grandma’s bedroom. It made an impact on my appreciation for this time period and design aesthetic.

There is such a quintessential Victorian-ness about it. But also this aura of possibility. The world was changing rapidly during this time through industrialization the Gilded Age brought splendor and wonder. The Arts and Crafts Movement was at its height which is why I think I am so drawn to this style. Arts and Crafts era houses are among my favorite styles of architecture, bringing forth the Craftsman style along with Frank Lloyd Wright’s prairie style. Maybe it was growing up in an old Victorian house too?

And so this game, Red Dead Redemption 2 with its 1899 time stamp and varied styles of architecture has brought me so much joy and comfort. Even the Bayou Nwa of Lemoyne is a delightful reminder of my time living in coastal Georgia. Especially the alligators, which seemed to lurk in every body of water. But those cypress trees still call, like the delightful menswear of Arthur Morgan’s wardrobe, and the wonderfully decorated towns of St. Denis, Strawberry, Rhodes, Valentine, Annesburg, and Blackwater. And so I find myself sewing Arthur Morgan-inspired pieces, for both myself and my husband. Who knows where inspiration will find you? I certainly didn’t think a Rockstar-developed video game would bring me such joy and fashion design inspiration. But it truly shows that inspiration is everywhere if you take the time to appreciate it.

L to R: 1890s long underwear-inspired dress, Vest with high neck in the 1890s tailoring style, Exaggerated 1890s menswear stripe pants

After my first sewing project, I knew exactly what I wanted to make – the garment I had watched every historical sewing Youtuber make on my marathon consuming of sewing content during 2020 – the Victorian, super swishy, walking skirt. The flowing bell of fabric elegant drapes off the hip gathers at the back, and elegantly transports the wearer into a world that is not panicking. Really the only thing I wanted in September 2020, after the second family member died and my wonderful kindred spirit, my grandma, was checking out, I also wanted an escape.

For this project, my husband found a local fabric store that turned out to be a Mennonite sewing shop run by the sweetest Mennonite couple I’ve ever met. I outfitted my sewing kit with odds and ends from her notions and bought a few yards of a green, simple polyester blend fabric that Amish and Mennonite women use to make clothes. She gave me a few tips about hand sewing and gave me a proud smile for choosing such a noble task of sewing. I felt accepted for being a stay-at-home wife for the first time since I was laid off. At the time, not a lot of people understood what I was doing with my life, to be honest, I didn’t either. I knew I was grieving the loss of my grandpa, my career, and a miscarriage, muddling through a pregnancy scare that I was not ready for and hoping sewing this skirt would make me feel like a real historical sewist so that anything would make sense again.

That summer I discovered Bernadette Banner, Karolina Zebrowska, and Rachel Maksy’s channels on Youtube and fell deep down that rabbit hole. They made sewing look possible and exciting, a way to bring the past to life with fabric and humor. Bernadette’s channel helped me see that I could start even with a needle and thread, her tutorials are so crisp and informative. With that confidence, I followed a few different videos for inspiration, including a Rachel Maksy video where I carefully mimicked the shape of the pattern she used to drape the skirt. I followed Bernadette’s tips for finishing and gathering the skirt for that perfect Victorian shape. It gave me so much confidence! I even put in a zipper, which was uncharted territory for me, and a vintage button on the closure.

I took this picture the day I wore this skirt to her shop to show my Mennonite friend my finished product, and she was so proud like the mom I needed during this awful year. She could not believe how well my construction turned out. I remember I felt respected by a peer for the first time in years doing work I actually was passionate about. I felt like me again, the girl who had confidence, passion, and drive. I had been beaten down by conniving coworkers at my corporate job and stabbed in the back by family members, I wanted to be wanted and loved by the world I was living in, but had felt like my life was disintegrating until I found sewing. This will always be one of my favorite projects to date because it helped me find my way when I didn’t know how to move forward. Thank you, sewing friend, for being so kind to me when a lot of people weren’t and accepting me even as an outsider to your community. I will always treasure your friendship.

Tag: victorian walking skirt

Sewing the 1890s Aesthetic

#8 – Victorian Walking Skirt