From: Gretchen Miller Date: Fri, 7 Jan 1994 18:01:05 -0500 (EST) Subject: H-Costume Digest, Volume 27, 1/7/94 The Historic Costume List Digest, Volume 27, January 7, 1994 Send items for the list to h-costume@andrew.cmu.edu (or reply to this message). Send subscription/deletion requests and inquiries to h-costume-request@andrew.cmu.edu For archives of this digest, send mail to close@lunch.asd.sgi.com Note the machine on which the digest archives are stored is being moved this week, so please wait until next week to make requests for archives. Thanks and Enjoy! --------------------------------------------------------------- Topics: Dressed to Kill Exhibition More on Book Search Corsets, Continued ---------------------------- From: "Sarah Randles" Date: Fri, 7 Jan 94 13:27:47 EST Subject: Dressed to Kill Exhibition A while back I said I'd post a review of the Dressed to Kill Exhibition in Canberra when I had been to see it, with details of the catalogue. Well I went to see it during the holiday between Christmas and New Year and it was fantastic. All the clothing on display was from famous fashion designers and couturiers, so although it was not representative of the general styles of the day, it did show the styles which influenced general fashion. In addition to the clothes there was also a selection of early stencil coloured fashion plates and photographs, a large number of accessories and hats and shoes and a film showing catwalk presentations from the sixties onward. The clothing ranged from an 1882 Worth visiting costume in brocade to Vivian Westwoods tartan silk wedding dress from her 1993-4 collection. My favourite pieces were an Emile Pingat tea dress from 1892, in bronze shot silk and velvet with hand beaded sleeves, stiffened waistband and garding, a Christian Dior "New Look" suit with navy pleated skirt and cream wool peplum jacket, a Cristobal Balenciaga stunningly simple evening dress consisting of a black full length velvet sheath, with an attached saffron silk wrap, the Issey Miyake ensemble which looks like its made out of corrugated cardboard, but is actually light weight silk, and the afore mentioned Vivian Westwood wedding dress (which coyly shows one nipple!) There were shoes to die for (the Imelda Marcos streak in me is coming out here), my favourites being the 1907 John Shoerer boots in green suede laced up with wide green satin ribbon. If there's a chance any of you can get to the exhibition (it closes late February, I think) I would strongly recommend it. The catalogue is a good record of the exhibition and is well presented. It is called "Dressed to Kill: 100 Years of Fashion" and is produced by The National Gallery of Australia. I think copies could by ordered by writing to the gallery: The National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia. The price is about $25 Australian, with a special price of $15 for the duration of the exhibition. Sarah Randles S.Randles@uts.edu.au ---------------------------- Date: Fri, 7 Jan 1994 08:35:16 -0600 (CST) From: "Donna Holsten" Subject: RE: book search (clarification) Whoops! I guess I had better make a little clarification before people go running off to find a shop that doesn't exist... When I posted the list of places people suggested I go to try to find Q.E.'s Wardrobe, I gave the address of Poison Pen Press and Green Duck Designs. I don't actually know whether or not these are retail shops or just the people's home address. I don't know anything at all about PPP, and I've only seen GDD at SCA events--so I don't know whether or not either of them have real shops where people can go and browse. So it's probably a good idea to call and find out before you head on over there. Also, I guess I forgot to mention that Green Duck sells books (mostly crafts related--needlework, jewelery, cooking, etc.) as well as needlework supplies. I know that he carries a line of silk floss, some embroidery kits/charts, etc. I don't know if he has a catalog or not, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to ask. Donna H. ---------------------------- From: kweather@llnj.ll.pbs.org (Karen Weatherbee) Subject: Corsets- my 2 cents worth Date: Fri, 7 Jan 1994 14:08:40 -0500 (EST) Since I've made (and worn) a number of historic corsets, I just thought I'd toss in my 2 cents worth :). I've done Elizabethan & 18th c styles. For beginners interested in the Elizabethan corsets, one of the best sources is the book on Elizabethan Costume from Other Times Publications. It is a practical source with simple instructions that will get you started. Jean Hunnisett's _Period Costume for Stage & Screen_ has excellent patterns & instructions that are a bit more complex & includes patterns for 16th, 17th & 18th C. One of the most important things I've found for a comfortable corset (if that's possible :) is to make sure that there is as little bulk as possible in the seams. I usually sew the pieces together with wrong sides together & bind the raw edges with cotton tape or ribbon. It's more work, but much less bulky...it's important to keep the actual corset as flat as possible since the material is usually of the heavier type to begin with. I also l use handsewn eyelets since they are more comfortable than the large metal grommets...although metal eyelets can be sewn over with embroidery thread to cushion them a bit. Keep in mind, too, that the days of lacing into a 16" waist are long gone...unless you are very small and/or thin :). The corset should be no smaller than 1 or 2 " less than your actual measurements. All the corset needs to do is to provide the proper shape foundation for the dress & to fit snuggly enough so that it will not shift (& thus drive you crazy all day). I usually put laces in both the front & back of the corsets I make. You can leave the back laced to the proper fit & use the front to get in & out of the corset...almost a necessity these days when a lady's maid is tough to come by:)...also makes the fit more adjustable & adaptable. Flat boning seems to work best for me, although I've tried everything from reeds to styrene model plastic :). I use the flat steel boning or sometimes Rigilene. Hope some of this is useful to those who wish to construct a corset. They are really essential to the proper period look...they really give a dress the right feel...and if you go to all the trouble to make an elaborate period dress, it's not much more effort to do a proper foundation. -W'bee ---------------------------- End of Volume 27 -----------------------