At 10:04 25/04/2006, you wrote:
Hi Suzi,
Is this your examin of old stays, that you say they are thin?
When you look at Hogarts prints, and you sometimes see a pair of
stays lying alone on the floor, they are shaped like the body, and i
would say, its the horzontal bones that keep them in shape. Would
this not provide heavier boning?
Not entirely - I have some real whalebone, which dates from the
1940's probably, and which is very flexible. I think the shape is due
to the construction - maybe the lining is a tiny bit smaller than the
outside, which would cause the "bowed" effect, and the bones are
there to reinforce rather than to actually shape? I have seen corsets
that sit in that shape, but I was not able to handle them at that time.
You could also make the tape that holds the horizontal bones slightly
too short, which would also help to hold the corset in that curved
shape. (Similar to making panniers or bustle, only nowhere near so
exaggerated!)
I'll go and look at my photos again, and see if I have any of insides
- I am pretty sure there are some, but they may not be the same style
of corset.
Suzi
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