WYOMING, Mich. – Wendy Batchelder is a Victorian woman. She appears at nursing homes, bridal parties, youth groups, and libraries on what it was like to live and dress in the 1800s.
"I learned it from reading," she says. "I've been a history geek since I was a kid."
"This is one of those 4 o'clock in the morning moments where you wake up and think, how can I do this, how can this be done, where I can show people -- obviously discreetly -- what it took to get dressed 100 years ago," Bachelder said.
She describes her presentation as fun, interactive and informational, explaining what it was like to dress and live as a Victorian woman.
"We talk about the real what it was like to be a woman, and it was not at all pretty. It was very difficult. I do this a lot and I can't imagine living back then."
"You start with a hat from Goodwill and you study lots of books of you know the style of that season of that year and go to town," Bachelder said.
"We think, why did the Victorians wear all of those crazy things, those corsets and all of that, but we do the same thing now. We have Spanks," she said.
For Bachelder, it's more than a fashion show. It's being a woman and what it was like back then.
Bachelder has made most of her outfits by hand.
If you're interested, the program lasts 90 minutes and costs $200. You can email Wendy here.
