All posts filed under: 19th Century

Impressions of undergarments

Impressionism is famous for capturing the mood of scenes, and the nuances of everyday life, so it’s no surprise that many impressionist artists were inspired by the most ordinary, but intimate moments of life: the act of getting dressed. The most famous Impressionist painting depicting underwear doesn’t show quite such an ordinary scene. Manet’s Nana looks sweet enough, but subtle clues in the painting reveal her identity as a courtesan. I love how you see the rounded stomach, and the flesh of her thighs bumping up below the corset. It’s so realistic, despite the glamour of the setting. I wonder if ‘Before the Mirror’ shows the same model, and the same corset, as Nana? It’s certainly a possibility. I love how this one echoes the garter tying in Boucher’s La Toilette De Witte’s painting does a good job of showing an underbust corset, and the way the bust sits above it. Degas work is a great illustration of how you put on a corset. The model must have had someone to help her with …

Rate the Dress: Pierre Carrier Belleuse & a cinched waist

Published by The Dreamstress

Last week’s 1873ish mourning dress did extremely well, coming in at 8.5 out of 10, despite many of you expressing that there was something not quite perfect about it. Of course, you all thought that different things weren’t perfect: fringe, apron, train, belt, waist, asymmetry, symmetry, dags…everyone had their own complaint! Since this is basically ‘Corset Week’ on the blog (like Shark Week, only with whale teeth, not shark teeth!) I thought I should present a corset heavy (or at least heavily corseted) frock for your consideration. What about a corset worn on the outside? Pierre Carrier Belleuse painted this intriguing image of a group of woman with the central woman showing off her tightly cinched waist and blue-trimmed blouse. The painting documents such an interesting moment: the act of removing a coat, as well as an interesting time in fashion as styles transitioned from the tightly bodiced and high-shouldered 1890s to the drooping pigeon breasts of the 20th century, and from formal, coordinated bodices and skirts to blouses with interchangeable jackets and skirts. Has …

Cording is evil (#3)

Published by The Dreamstress

Cording is evil. After pintucks, and the Briar Rose Corset, cording makes #3 evilness. I’m making an 1890s corded corset. It’s based on a pattern in Jill Salen’s Corsets: Historical Patterns and Techniques. The pattern is kinda weird and insane. Look at my pattern pieces: Starting from the centre back on the right, it looks totally normal. Basic princess seam, basic side back princess seam, basic side front princess seam, and then you have your….what the heck is that!?! That, dear readers, is the front piece, with a set in bust. The problem with the set in bust is that 1) it gets set into a 3.5cm opening in the front piece (and I don’t know if you have ever measured one breast, but mine isn’t 3.5cm across!), 2) the original corset was sized for someone very short, with a very large cup size, so needed a lot of resizing, 3), resizing bust cups is horrible and tricky and 4) once you have figured out all the fitting issues, actually setting in a double bust …