Alternative title: a time traveler teaches the people of the twenty first century the right way to dress when going out in winter.

🦞🦞🦞🦞GIVE THE LITTLE POLISH WOMAN RESPECT SHE FROZE FOR US

My (Yorkshire) grandmother told me that mothers would put potatoes in the range to bake overnight and in the morning they would put the hot potatoes in their daughters' hand muffs to keep them warm while they walked to school. Then when they got to school they would eat the potato.

🦞 As a knitter who lives in the Midwest US (where it regularly gets down to -10C/14F and stays there for weeks in the winter), I understand well the power of wool lol. I've knit myself quite a few winter things from real wool and it's amazing how massive a difference it makes to even just toss on a real wool knitted scarf, gloves, and hat alongside more modern winterwear.

"Victorian fashion is DOPE" *everyone liked that*

Alternate title: *Fashion Historian Leads Unethical Experiment on Family Member to Prove “Old Clothes Are Better”* 🦞

I live in Canada, and I've always said that the best winter wear is what the Indigenous people wore traditonally! Modern stuff has nothing on what thousands of years of perfecting winter wear gave us.

I inherited a mink coat from my Great Aunt and that thing is sooooo warm! Sometimes too warm. So are we surprised that the Victorians, with their detailed sewing techniques, also used different types of fabric they had at their disposal to their advantage? Insulation wool and fur in the winter, linen and covering from the sun in the summer. It's not that hard.

“fashion is important... but... I guess... so not ✨freezing to death✨perhaps?” -meme mum 2021

These kinds of videos have done a good job of teaching me how to dress for winter. Moving from a place with very mild winters to one that snowed regularly, I had to learn how to layer pretty quickly. Thank you, Karolina

I know I'm late to this party, but 🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞 I live in Alaska and we are having a pretty cold winter thus far (like, 16⁰f is a warm day for us 😭 -10⁰F is more the theme). I've been wondering how people dressed back in the day to stay warm in dresses and such. Been wanting to get more into sewing and create my own victorian wardrobe for all seasons so this was very insightful! I love your channel.

I can’t believe Victorian women were actually wool onions

The real question is how they stayed cool in the summer 😳

If you wanted to make a real fur coat you could always get used ones! The thrift stores by me sometimes have them for pretty cheap. Then the fur gets a second use out of it too!

When I lived in Norway I also layered an insane amount of wool stuff under my clothing and it really worked extremely well. It was basically the bread and butter of all my outfits.

Hmm. The fact that Karolina was comfortable but her sister was freezing makes one realize how little people spend time outside in the cold anymore. If we did, there would be a much higher demand for warmer winter clothing. Of course, those who do spend time in the cold know to wear multiple layers everywhere.

If I ever make a period drama movie, I’ll make Karolina in charge of my costume design

🦞I love this outfit! You are the MacGyver of historical fashion! I have been finding soft merino wool knit online and it works well for a skin layer, especially hiking/camping expeditions.

I'm a Norwegian and I can tell you that we still use layers and layers of wool when going outside in winter. Good old fashioned Wool never disappoints

my 93-year-old finnish grandma used to say: "you can take a layer off but you can't add any" - and in her day (40s and 50s) that'd mean: a cotton vest underneath a thin jumper (to catch the sweat, this would be washed every other day), a thin jumper, cardigan, a pair of woolly homemade trousers (double layered at times) and woolly socks, winter boots borrowed from a relative with large feet (to accommodate the layers of wool), winter skirt (longer and the wool would be treated differently), and finally! woolly mittens underneath a pair of leather gloves. she told me that when puffers came to the market, she was overwhelmed with joy as it'd mean less layers. also, despite the excessive layers, frostbites are pretty much a given, my grandma had frostbite on both of her ears, fingers and toes.

It completely depends on where you are, from Canada here, and honestly for us -9 really isn't all that bad (admittedly it's easy for me to say that because I'm used to -30 on a regular basis and since I moved to Ontario have literally never actually worn my winter coat because there's no need). I do agree that layering is absolutely key and in my case, wool has never truly left my wardrobe either. I totally agree about needing to cover your ears and even though it wasn't fashionable my grandmother (who was Polish btw) used to use head scarves, which were always wool, and then put her hat on top unless it was really cold, then she didn't wear the hat. Gloves, same thing really, you would really need to have fur lined gloves although at -9 you might be able to get away with wool lined, but again layering is the thing. I know you probably don't want to hear it but what meant you could spend that much time in the cold pre-central heating was the fur. Lots and lots of fur everywhere. Coats, capes, blankets, etc. Also lots of breaks to go back indoors, warming huts were a very big thing everywhere. And lots and lots of hot drinks, teas, hot chocolate and hot toddys. I also laughed every single time you stuck with Celsius instead of Fahrenheit. Literally I have no clue either so it was kind of refreshing for me to hear that. Please tell Gosia that even though being the control in the experiments sometimes sucks, we appreciate what she went through for us. Give her a hot toddy.

I love your channel! 🦞 Your voice is really soothing. Sometimes I listen to your videos when I'm feeling stressed. 🙂

As someone who has to pee a lot, these layers stress me out

I like how her accent just gets thicker when she's cold

I grew up in southern Brazil, where it can get very cold, and we don't have any heating and our houses aren't insulated. I remember commonly wearing two woollen jumpers indoors and feeling COZY. Sometimes I would sleep in a woollen jumper too, under lots of blankets. My parents had this monster blanket that was stuffed with sheep wool and it weighed a ton. It was great.

Now that's what I was looking for for all those years, very informative and entertaining video, thank you🦞

The problem with modern "insulating" fabrics is that they just make you sweat, they don't actually keep you warm.

The POWER of WOOL is strong with this one.

Probably the prettiest Victorian outfit I’ve seen, you are so beautiful!

Fiber artist here, and wool is probably the most magical of all fibers

As a fellow sensitive ear person who always has to have warm ears, I did a little digging myself (because I was like “surely there were Victorian people whose ears got cold”) and apparently ear muffs were invented in 1873! Looking at pictures of antique ones that have survived they’re usually tufts of fur or little cups of silk and velveteen attached by wire or a string. How neat!

🦞 Much respect to Gosia's sacrifice For Science. Also your winter outfit is not just warm but rather magnificent! *eyes that one 1893 travelling outfit with the cape in Costume in Detail and starts scheming*

🦞 so much love for the effort!

The more I learn from this beautiful community, the more I realise: our current fashion is mostly this because it's cheaper to make. The production of clothing is so FAR removed from the actual users. I think that has created a mindset that the need for actual fitting clothing that suits the climate of different countries has diminished, while it obviously has not.

🦞 As a resident of Alaska I can confirm layers, fur, and wool is the way

I, obviously, don't know you, but you are one of my favorite humans. Your joy and curiosity and grand. Your rants ring true. And you shine. Thank you for sharing yourself with the world.

"I have no idea how much that is in Fahrenheit but who cares" a mood 🦞

🦞Wool for the win! Definitely looking to add more wool to my winter wardrobe ❄️

"layers and layers of wool" - so basically, become a sheep

Re: wool against skin. I started knitting about a year ago and I was really surprised when I realized that knitting wool (when you find nice wool) is a whole different experience than products made from mass produced wool. I can imagine people in Victorian times who either knit garments for themselves and their families, or who bought items that required less manufacturing were able to wear wool closer to their skin because it was made from knitting yarn and therefore softer!

This was very interesting and quite entertaining. You are a blast, thank you. Stay warm.

Okay but may I point out the comedic timing of the mitt being up, then falling down to reveal your sister's exact thoughts at 13:41. Like, that was chef's kiss.

*Victorian people using nice and cute dresses to stay warm* *Meanwhile me using a big ass hoodie looking like a potato sack*

I've been doing layers for ages because I like the ability to adjust my tempurature & OMG I'm thankful to find out that people did layers like that because my family fashion shames me over the layers I do... So again thank you for showing the power of wool

Love your videos and love your sense of humor. Cute cat too! 😊💖💖💖 I learn so much watching your videos. You are a wealth of knowledge and class! And so funny too! So beautiful too! Love your hair!

Here's a tip when wearing multiple layers of socks: make sur they're not tight, because it cuts the blood circulation from your legs and that means that theyre going the be cold faster.

✨ "Yes you wanna stay warm, but you don't want your silhouette ruined, do you?" ✨

That jacket!!!! Just gorgeous!!!

Poor sister, my heart is with you. You are awesome :)

As someone who makes their own wool mittens and wears them every single winter, I agree. NEVER underestimate wool, that stuff is magic

🦞🦞🦞 We appreciate you, MemeAunt!!! 🦞🦞🦞

I transformed a quilted couch cover into a fashionable red quilted petticoat for winter, and it has trasnFORMED my enjoyment of winter 🎉

🦞 so what I’m hearing is that I should get myself a whole Victorian winter outfit

Few days ago me and my boyfriend were watching series where there was a short sketch that was supposed to take place in the 1920s. Me, of course, noticed the issues with the fashion and started critisizing that this and that is more like 30s and 40s. In response my boyfriend says: "Thank you miss Zebrowska." I just thought you should now.

What a gorgeous outfit! It just made me think of Anna Karenina 💕

having worked outdoors and spent long times in cold weather when it is wet leather and fur still beats any of the synthetics I have used for staying dry and keeping me warm. They also don't melt when they get exposed to heat like plastic based threads.

I have always said while my legs are freezing under two pairs of leggings and a skirt, that women's winter fashion lost a lot of it's warmth factor when we stepped away from multiple levels of wool skirts. Back when the world was still normal my family used to go caroling at Christmas, and let me tell you, dressed in a 1700s wool dress and cape was the warmest I have ever been while walking around at night in below freezing temperatures.

The area you live looks beautiful, I’m not surprised there are normally loads of tourists 🦞

For the sweating while dressing: I guess houses (and especially bedrooms, where you get dressed) were way colder back then, so you wouldn't mind the extra layers inside eithers

🦞🦞🦞never seen snow before, it looks so beautiful. Thank you for shooting this.

"it's getting a bit chilly, innit" spectacular

🦞🦞🦞 🦞 “WOOL IS COOL” ....as a Knitter, I totally agree.

"If there is one thing I'll miss when pandemic is over, it's surely not being BOTHERED." This is perhaps my favourite quote of all time and also me too big time lol (not that tourists approach me. Just in general.)

I truly LOVE your warm, breathing fur collar! Looks a lot like mine. Congrats!!

Family anecdote about woollen underwear: My dad talks a lot about his maternal grandparents (aka my great grandparents). We are from the Faroe Islands (cold, moist, foggy islands between Scotland and Iceland), and he has very distinct memories of staying with them in the 70's, sleeping in their bed, and they wore wool underwear and wool nightgowns, and the thing he remembers most vividly is how itchy it was, and my great granddads dry response was just "I've worn it since 1891(the year he was born), you get used to it:

Lots and lots of lobsters for your sister, it is our honor to her. She is our hero 🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞

I`m from Russia and in my experience, long shirts are THE BEST for cold weather. Like even if it is -20c it`s still working. Even when I wore just a summer SUMMER skirt and casual jeans it still worked. We REALLY should make it trendy again because it`s just so good for any weather

What a great experiment! And so pretty, too! Totally agree that we tend to overestimate modern cold-weather clothing. I live in Canada, and the northern indigenous people, for example, still wear traditional fur coats - not because they couldn't have modern coats if they wanted them, but because the modern ones are seriously inferior! I also think its worth remembering that 1800s Europeans lacked central heating! They didn't just need to know how to dress for outside weather - they needed to know the most efficient ways to stay warm indoors! Makes perfect sense that they knew what they were doing, or they wouldn't have survived in Northern Europe.

🦞 huge respect for Gosia, I would never put in that much effort for my brother hahahaha

"Don't underestimate wool" *fiber artists have entered the chat*

I love your hair!

"The only thing I ever knitted was a scarf for my cat and it took me two weeks" is a big mood.

This is why fur or goose feather down coats are still used in Siberia. “Modern” winter clothes just do not cut it

🦞also, i love the effort and thought that goes into your outfits!

🦞I love this an appreciate all your effort as you educate me on ways to stay warm historically.

🦞🦞🦞I loved this video!

My dad didn't believe me that me wearing leggings and loose cord pants kept me way warmer than jeans ever could. I wish i had a proper wool set up tho, it is so comfy! 🦞🦞🦞🦞

*returns home from bitter cold* Karolina: I feel pleaseantlty refreshed. Sister: two claws down 👎🏻🦞👎🏻 would not try again.

I’ve been watching so many videos on old/vintage fashion, and it is convincing me to make my own clothes.

I don’t know if anyone else has mentioned this yet so I’ll say it as well! During the 1890’s the Victorian’s would knit little mini scarves called fascinators which they would wrap around their heads in the cold. There are lots of examples of these in books like The Art of Knitting (1892), and Engineering Knits here on KZfaq has made some videos about them and winter Victorian clothes. I hope this helps in some way! Love you meme mom!

fun fact that nobody is gonna have actual use of: wool retains a lot of its insulating ability even while soaking wet

I feel the Power of Wool in something as simple as socks as well. I have socks with 75% wool blend and regular cotton socks from the same brand, and boy is the difference significant when I wear wool socks! and not only do my feet keep much warmer, they're also not sweaty or uncomfortable. such a great material.

Great video! Wool is fantastic! When I was younger, in the 80s, I loved long outdoor trips in cold winter. Once it was between -35 and -42 C (-40 is the same in C and F) for five days. I was fine the whole trip. Double wool underwear, thick wool sweater, thick wool vintage trousers from the1950s. Double wool caps, two wool scarves, one covering the face. Two pair of wool mittens. Big vintage leather boots, with wool socks and one pair of very heavy wool felt socks. Outer layer was a home sewn anorak and wind breaker trousers in "watertight" Egyptian cotton. I was not freezing at all. Was sleeping in a heavy down sleeping bag on top of two reindeers skins. Some friends used heavy duty synthetic materials, it was clearly not as warm, and the big drawback at -40C was that it got extremely stiff (and noisy), like having clothes made of thick tarpaulin. Wool is really great, even when it gets wet/icy. My thick wool felt socks got a bit moist from my feet and the outer layer actually froze and stuck to the boot, but my feet were still warm and comfy.

Polish girl: HaTs DiD nOt CoVeR eArS! Russians: wear ushanka, is good

"How did they survive" some didnt. Winter was hell.

🦞 wonderful video! I’m glad she could help you film.

Many of us Canadians are familiar with the "wool onion" concept. Thin merino wool under layers and thick wool outer layers have helped me survive many winters. But I also always have to add extra ear protection, so let us know if you find some fashionable options. You looked fabulous as always.👍

“The Power of Wool!” Me who is allergic to wool: 👁👄👁 🦞

I imagine the tourists making you into an urban myth: victorian lady ghost having fun in the snow

Laughs in Australian where even having one layer on is too much.

First thing you learn in Sweden as a child in winter, is layering! (Then, at 14, you completely disregard it and build up your resistance to instead "look hot" they are freaking immune to cold while wearing mini skirts @_@ ) It was interesting to see what sort of layers they would have worn back in the 1800s tho! 😁

such a nice videoooo and also, i felt sooo empathetic towards your sensible ears hehe

🦞 Layers and natural fibres are the way to go I think 🤔 Hats are essential for warmth. Amazing how you make an outfit in such a short time. TYFS.

"Oh that's a DisGusTing background, this is much better" 🦞🦞🦞🦞

"I made it out of a pizza box" me: impressed but also shocked pikachu

🦞🦞🦞 You gotta love a supportive sister!

🦞 love this video ... you need to make your sister a winter outfit too!

“...my new fur collar, it’s heated...” Only a few seconds in and already love it

Back then we didn’t get rid of every hair on our body. The first layer of insulation was free.

i have a genuine rabbit fur coat from the 1970s (it belonged to my great-great-grandmother, so a senior citizen fashion queen i can assume) and the past 3 winters i’ve had it have been the warmest winters of my life. i also got wool-lined leather boots from the 60s last year and typically my feet turn into ice blocks with any shoes but those babies do the JOB. i only ever get animal clothing products from secondhand sources and i don’t think i’ll ever want to turn back because i’m extremely sensitive to the cold and those materials do wonders in wintertime.