Uploaded August 2021 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Historical tailoring is a very special craft and one that feels daunting to many individuals. For that reason, I thought it would be beneficial to interview professional historical tailor, Tom van het Hof, and ask him to share some of his tailoring wisdom.
I reached out to you all over at the Community tab and asked what you wanted to know, and here it is! This interview is loaded with information on more technical elements of tailoring, along with what some of the differences are between how tailoring was conducted back then versus how it is today.
Some of the topics we cover include what contemporary tailors could learn from historical tailors and vice versa, what size seam allowances to use, differences between vent styles, best places to find old books, essential types of fabric to get started, best ways to do pad stitching/lapel shaping, and much more.
If you'd like to see more of Tom's work, be sure to follow him over on Instagram or check out his website:
instagram.com/tom.van.het.hof
tomvanhethof.com
A big thanks to Beachfront B-Roll for the following clips:
archive.org/details/FloatingBubbleStockFootage
beachfrontbroll.com/2015/04/free-stock-footage-of-flowers-blooming.html
beachfrontbroll.com/2016/08/Free-Stock-Footage-of-a-Meteor-Shower.html#more
π― Support my art on Patreon: patreon.com/vbirchwood
β¨ Leave a donation: ko-fi.com/vbirchwood
π Books I read, supplies I use, gear I film with (affiliate links): amazon.com/shop/v.birchwood
πͺ‘ Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/vasibirchwood
π Business inquiries: sofie@helmtalentgroup.com
Due to character limitation, image sources can be found here:
vbirchwood.com/sources/secrets-of-a-historical-tailor
All music is sourced from Epidemic Sound.
Time Stamps:
0:00 Introduction
1:08 What Are 5 Tips Beginners in Tailoring Should Know?
5:40 How Can You Find Work in Historical Tailoring? Is It Possible?
6:56 What Pattern Elements Were Thought of as Common Knowledge Historically?
8:25 Biggest Difference in Tailoring Now vs. Then? What Can We Learn from Past Tailors?
10:17 What Size Seam Allowances Do You Use?
10:58 How Do Frock Coat Vents Differ from Modern Side Vents?
12:03 How to Make a Tailored Garment to Look Good While Standing and Sitting?
12:59 Best Armscyes Set Shapes for a Fitted Garment with a Great Range of Movement?
13:43 How to Get Crispy Corners on Things?
14:36 5 Essential Types of Fabrics to Start with Historical Tailoring?
17:00 Resources for Learning to Draft Patterns?
17:56 Best Places to Find Old Books on Tailoring or Couture?
18:24 How to Improve Hand Stitching?
18:58 Best Way to Do Pad Stitching & Lapel Shaping?
19:56 How to Improve Collar & Lapel Making?
20:54 What Should Someone Interface?
21:44 Differences Between Tailoring Feminine & Masculine Garments?
22:30 What Are the Biggest Beginner Mistakes & How to Avoid Them?
23:19 Final Thoughts & End Screen
#historicaltailoring #tomvanhethof #historicalfashion
Historical tailoring is a very special craft and one that feels daunting to many individuals. For that reason, I thought it would be beneficial to interview professional historical tailor, Tom van het Hof, and ask him to share some of his tailoring wisdom.
I reached out to you all over at the Community tab and asked what you wanted to know, and here it is! This interview is loaded with information on more technical elements of tailoring, along with what some of the differences are between how tailoring was conducted back then versus how it is today.
Some of the topics we cover include what contemporary tailors could learn from historical tailors and vice versa, what size seam allowances to use, differences between vent styles, best places to find old books, essential types of fabric to get started, best ways to do pad stitching/lapel shaping, and much more.
If you'd like to see more of Tom's work, be sure to follow him over on Instagram or check out his website:
instagram.com/tom.van.het.hof
tomvanhethof.com
A big thanks to Beachfront B-Roll for the following clips:
archive.org/details/FloatingBubbleStockFootage
beachfrontbroll.com/2015/04/free-stock-footage-of-flowers-blooming.html
beachfrontbroll.com/2016/08/Free-Stock-Footage-of-a-Meteor-Shower.html#more
π― Support my art on Patreon: patreon.com/vbirchwood
β¨ Leave a donation: ko-fi.com/vbirchwood
π Books I read, supplies I use, gear I film with (affiliate links): amazon.com/shop/v.birchwood
πͺ‘ Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/vasibirchwood
π Business inquiries: sofie@helmtalentgroup.com
Due to character limitation, image sources can be found here:
vbirchwood.com/sources/secrets-of-a-historical-tailor
All music is sourced from Epidemic Sound.
Time Stamps:
0:00 Introduction
1:08 What Are 5 Tips Beginners in Tailoring Should Know?
5:40 How Can You Find Work in Historical Tailoring? Is It Possible?
6:56 What Pattern Elements Were Thought of as Common Knowledge Historically?
8:25 Biggest Difference in Tailoring Now vs. Then? What Can We Learn from Past Tailors?
10:17 What Size Seam Allowances Do You Use?
10:58 How Do Frock Coat Vents Differ from Modern Side Vents?
12:03 How to Make a Tailored Garment to Look Good While Standing and Sitting?
12:59 Best Armscyes Set Shapes for a Fitted Garment with a Great Range of Movement?
13:43 How to Get Crispy Corners on Things?
14:36 5 Essential Types of Fabrics to Start with Historical Tailoring?
17:00 Resources for Learning to Draft Patterns?
17:56 Best Places to Find Old Books on Tailoring or Couture?
18:24 How to Improve Hand Stitching?
18:58 Best Way to Do Pad Stitching & Lapel Shaping?
19:56 How to Improve Collar & Lapel Making?
20:54 What Should Someone Interface?
21:44 Differences Between Tailoring Feminine & Masculine Garments?
22:30 What Are the Biggest Beginner Mistakes & How to Avoid Them?
23:19 Final Thoughts & End Screen
#historicaltailoring #tomvanhethof #historicalfashion
