I have an antique corset collection with about 25 corsets. I do not think antique corsets should be worn and certainly not destroyed to reuse any of the parts. But I must confess I have tried on a few of the more sturdy ones and very carefully laced them up to snap a few pictures.
Things I have learnt is even if they look perfect with no visible sign on the fabric, still the fabric can be very brittle and the corset can have broken and brittle whalebone stays.
I will start with showing some pictures of the four ribbon corsets I have in my collection. Ribbon corsets are not suitable for tightlacing. They were used by thin women who did not need much support, or as evening or bridal wear. Ribbon corsets were also used during sports like horse riding.
Three corsets are made from silk ribbon; two are cream and one is light green. One is made from white cotton.
All the ribbon corsets I have are made for a small waist. The light green one is made in France and has an 18 inch waist. The stays are made of whalebone. I wish there were a better name instead of whalebone, as this name is confusing as it is not at all bone from whales. Whalebone or ‘baleen’ comes from the upper jaw of a whale where a system of baleen plates serve the task of filtering plankton. It is a flexible but firm and can be split in any size and length. Today, whalebone is not used and should not be used either.
I include one rather bad picture of me taken by myself of one of the cream ribbon corsets. I just tried the ribbon corset on over my daily corset. So, on this picture, I am wearing two corsets at the same time.
3 comments:
A very lovely corset indeed.
One thing I am wondering: Did it come with the cushion behind the top of the busk? If yes, do you think the cushion it is contemporary with the corset?
I am wondering because I've found that Edwardian corsets are usually comfortable with some sort of cushioning in this place, but I've never seen it on an original corset. If it is original somebody had the idea I thought was mine a hundred years before me :-)
Yes it did come with the cushion and it is made of the exact same fabric. I have not either seen this before on antique corsets. I also use some padding at this place on many of my corsets especially when they are new. I do know other tightlacers also does this but not often talked about I guess.
I prefer to order my underbust corsets with a removable underbusk so I can take it out and with the help of tools bend the top a bit outwards.
Annalai, TWO corsets at once, phew !
You'll probably kill me for suggesting this , but couldn't you leave off your corsets for relief and relaxation for even one day a week ?
Maybe just wear a girdle for that day , the Bestform looks fabulous on you .
And you wear the exact right type of dresses too , that show off your glamourous figure fabulously . Simplicity always does it .
Puppet , one of my girlfriends was probably as petit as you .
What I think you now need is promotion and publicity .
I can't understand , pretty and comfortable as they are compared to corsets , how all those women could wear and tolerate girdles all the time, lovely though they are .
And if my belly ( never had one until recently ) grows any more - I'm alarmed even though it's only grown an inch or so , I'll have to be in girdles all the time , I fear , as well !!!
I was so slim up until only a couple of weeks ago .
Hope I never need a corset , God Forbid !
But yours are stunning on you .
Michael xx
Post a Comment