Finally! The corset is completed and photographed and will now be submitted to the historical sew fortnightly, challenge 16 - Terminology. Since I have been working on this piece for so long there has been multiple challenges where I wanted to post this, but here we are at last. I feel a bit sad about only making a corset for this challenge though, not taking the chance to make something more interesting. Anyway, enjoy the pictures and you will find the details further down. Pattern alteration and construction have been covered in previous posts.
Original illustration |
Wearing my lovely Tavistock boots! |
Tightening the laces just before the shoot. |
The Challenge: nr 16 - terminology
Corset – Originally an unboned, quilted, front-lacing under- bodice worn informally (1770-1820), any boned, stiffened, waist compessing undergarment (1820-present).
This is a steel-boned Victorian coutil corset and would thus fall under the latter category.
Fabric: About 1m of herringbone coutil dyed burgundy.
Pattern: Taken from the dutch fashion magazine De Gracieuse 1884 For alterations, see this previous post.
Year: 1884
Notions: Busk: 6,5m of spiral and flat steel boning, 26 eyelets, laces (5m), silk thread for flossing, 1 m lace.
How historically accurate is it? I think I did pretty well with this one. The pattern is definitely accurate, although I altered it quite a bit. Materials are correct apart from the spiral steels which were not invented in 1884. In my (limited) experience this kind of shape could however not have been achieved with flat steel only. Brightly coloured, double layer corsets were quite common as I understand it. I have not found any source regarding how they were constructed though, so there I am reaching in the dark. All in all I would estimate 85%
Hours to complete: Did not keep count, but somewhere in the range of 20-30h, not including mock-ups.
First worn: Around the house and for the photo shoot.
Total cost: All prices given in GBP
Busk | 6,85 |
Coutil | 9,65 |
Red dye | 10(-ish) |
Boning | 7 |
Lace | 1,95 |
Eyelets | 4,47 |
Laces | 1,75 |
Silk thread | 4 |
45,67 |