I want to give a plug to Wikimedia Commons, the place I found the booklet on Warren Featherbone Company. Here is the Category: Corsets. You will find links to lots of information about different styles of corsets, manufacturers, ads, etc. Follow the links to Books about corsets and see catalogs and booklets. Just ignore all the bondage pictures at the bottom (unless that's your thing) and enjoy learning about making and wearing Victorian and Edwardian corsets. They really do make your vintage clothing look better and even make you walk differently while wearing them. I always check movies and tv shows that purport to be in a certain time period to see if they are wearing the correct undergarments. They are getting better--no more pointy bras like in the 1950's! There is a good scene of a woman getting dressed in 1953's House of Wax with Vincent Price.
That's a good collection of pictures etc although this photo of tightlacing (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Corset_16inch.jpg) freaks me out a bit! That's smaller than my 10 month old daughter's waist!
ReplyDeleteJill Salen's book on historic corsets is on my reading list because it includes children's corsets and pregnancy corsets, which is not something I realised existed but fascinates me, I forget that men have worn them too in history.
What freaks me out are the oversized cantaloupes precariously perched above! "Corsets and Crinolines" by Norah Waugh is a must-read. It was about the only book available on corsets when I was making them in the early 1990's.
ReplyDeleteYes, I think the cantaloupes are the worst part of the photo, more so than the waist-size.
ReplyDeleteI have heard Norah's book recommended above all others, I will have to get a copy. I've not tried making corsets yet, in my work period wear usually gets hired in but its something I'd love to try, I don't know why, they feel a bit daunting! I really want to start making more period costumes (for the hell and love of it!).
I love all the amazing bit and pieces that you post on your blog, such a lovely collection.