Just a bit of wondering....In addition to Sheer Bad Taste (tm) and inaccurate information on the part of a fair number of modern reenactors and RenFairies, could some of the TOAP effect be coming from our larger bodies? I'm not referring to the largely mythical we're-so-much-taller-than-they-were idea, but the reality of a lot of 21st century Americans being, well, *koff* heavier than optimal health would have us. Myself included, so no slam meant. You get somebody who's well-endowed to begin with, like me, and add some overweight to it, and I *can't* avoid having a shelf. Even in a modern bra, I've got a shelf. In a corset, though, it's quite a bit more obvious, especially when compared to the same area on a woman less rounded and endowed. The best (historical) support I've had that didn't present a huge shelf was the shell for the fitted gown from Robin's workshop. I suspect that's from a different sort of support/compression going on than with a corset. Oh, and Happy New Year, everyone! ;o) --Sue in foggy-drippy Montana
----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Historical Costume" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, December 31, 2005 2:08 PM Subject: [h-cost] Re: Bosoms > > > I think of the melons on a platter in the 18th Century, not Elizabethan, > > as the corsets are shaped differently. The Renn and Elizabethan are > > more tubular in shape to the 18thC cone shape that gives you a higher > > bustline. That and the 18thC women showed them off a bit more than > > earlier women, what with the partlets of the earliers times. > > It depends on what you mean by melons on a platter. In both time > periods, I think you see a lot more at Ren Faires and reenactments > than the ideal for the time period. 18thC is supposed to produce > "pleasing mounds", and I have not seen paintings where they show a > cleavage line (the actual line from breasts pressed together). > Winterthur Museum in Delaware has a portrait of a lady who is rather > large busted, and still no line! Bet she wasn't like that in real > life, but we're talking about the ideal. > > And while Elizabethans had partlets, 18thC have handkerchiefs, a > folded square or triangle of cloth that covers the shoulders and > bosom. Sometimes they were sheer and some were embroidered. Wearing > one depended on time of day and age. They protect from the sun, and > young women would tend to go without while those with wrinkles could > keep covered. > > And in both centuries there was a gamut of class distinctions, > ethnicities, yadda yadda. > > -Carol _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
