Meet Instagram Historical Subscribers

Historical costumes are most often associated with Renaissance period plays and exhibitions, but go to Instagram and there’s a vibrant community of people who attract followers and friends for their outfits from the 18th, 19th, or 20th centuries. Though retro by definition, many content creators see their craft as an act of self-care—along with the spring 2020 sourdough cake boom or tending to the garden. Some see hundreds or thousands of hours of designing and sewing historic clothing as a way to promote slow fashion, create clothes for themselves that their ancestors would discard, or explore history in unexpected ways. These creators had great respect for the art of making very specific garments such as a corset or a pannier—even when the history of the period they reflected was not so beautiful. “Collectively, it’s all about creative escape,” says Medrano. “I am the heroine of this book. I don’t want to think about the terrible surgical case I had today. I want to think, [slips into a British accent], Oh, is Mr. Darcy coming later? That’s my self-care. ”

Medrano is one of the historical patrons who use their creations semi-regularly. She found many of her fabrics from thrift stores and turned $2 pieces into camisole with the help of pattern books like The American Duchess’ Guide to 18th-Century Dress. While she loved going to festivals dedicated to such costumes, during COVID she found another outlet. “When I’m at home, I wear my nightgown, which is an 18th-century style dress, and I wear my corset instead of a bra and camis,” she said. “Or I’ll decide to have a picnic in my front yard because, why not? My neighbors are used to it. They will wave.”

As well as, AJ Elias, an 18-year-old student who started sewing two years ago, wears her corset almost every day. Its pithy captions bring Edwardian, Victorian, and late-Rococo designs to the Instagram era. Consider the casual Edwardian ensemble she posted to Instagram, with a ruffled top, gold skirt, and rower hat. The caption reads, “POV: No attractive bachelors at the garden party, so you look away in disgust.” “I hope no one is offended by this, but I just don’t find men’s fashion as appealing,” Elias said. “A lot of the reactions were mostly positive, thank God. People are very interested, and they ask questions. A lot of them just stare, which I don’t mind. I love the attention—I’m an actor.”