All posts tagged: bustle

Kerry’s steampunk burlesque bustle

Published by The Dreamstress

Kerry approached me after the talk on historical underwear I gave back in February, wanting a Steampunk-inspired bustle based on my 1870s bustle petticoat to use in her burlesque performances. After nailing down design ideas, we had lots of fun picking fabric.  Because Kerry is using this for performances, and needs to be able to have it cleaned frequently, we went for synthetics instead of natural fibres. Together we found a really nice, heavy, bronze-coloured satin: It is being contrasted with a truly lovely rayon with slightly irregular black and silver stripes: The whole outfit is about contrasts: shiny with matte, stiff with flowy, structured with draping, masculine and feminine.  Steampunk is the perfect foil for these contrasts, as steampunk is all about the contrast between modern technology and the less industrial, handmade aesthetic of pre-assembly line days. There are lots of fun things going into the bustle: And as the obvious follow on to that: I hope you enjoyed all the sneak peeks!  On Saturday for my finished project I’ll show you the completed …

The Corset Model Class of 2011

Published by The Dreamstress

I got photographs of all the models wearing their corsets on Saturday against a plain cement wall. Every time I have looked at the photos since then, I have cracked up. They remind me of the kind of pictures you take in Elementary School for a ‘me, myself, and I’ project. You have the kid who can’t stop grinning, the kid who closes their eyes in every picture, the kid who won’t smile because they think they look better without one (that would have been me), the kid who won’t stand still for even a moment, and the kid who probably should have been a model. We all look ridiculous, and absolutely gorgeous, all at the same time.  It’s a total celebration of personality, and all the different facets of beauty that exist. Without further ado, I present Ms Oakes’ Corset Model Class of 2011. And finally, the erstwhile instructress: Ladies, you can teach me anytime!