How to make a corset - Foundations Revealed

The underwear situation in the Natural Form Era was.... complicated!  Ladies had an outfit for every situation and time of day, and underwear to go with it. To further add confusion, the "Dress Reform" movement was at its height: its main focus was on changing corsets and what was worn underneath them, all in the name of health. 

So what did women wear under their dresses?  It all depends on a variety of factors.  I'll walk you through all the different layer options starting from the skin out, with variations in necklines and politics. Next month I'll complete the layers and show you how to combine them. Bonus DPP article from YWU

Some underwear is easy to date by the cut or the decoration, other items are almost timeless. 

This month I share with you a knitted silk undervest with a crocheted yoke that could date anywhere from 1880 to 1910. The eBay seller I purchased it from described it as a "vintage tank top", but ladies in the Victorian and Edwardian age would have recognized it as a vest or an undervest.

This month we have three questions and lots of great answers!

Tilia asks for help in creating a corset pattern for an asymmetrical figure, and receives lots of great advice! Alessandra asks for advice with dealing with models, corsets and photoshoots Suzannah wonders how to clean everyday corsets

Twenty-first century corsetieres can gather inspiration from the modern as well as the antique.

What better way to create a corset that stands out from the crowd than to give it a visually striking front opening? The swing hook front closure is not only beautiful, but also very sturdy, and easy to fasten and unfasten.

“Signed by me this 22nd May, 1906. DANIEL KOPS.”

Almost exactly one hundred and four years later, this unusual and sophisticated corset design is still of interest. Sinuous pieces curl around the body in a way we've never seen before, forming charming heart shapes at the centre front and over the hips.

Interpreting the Edwardian patent into a contemporary corset is a wonderful challenge that I am thrilled to share with you!

In this first article we look at the patent and re-create the pattern by draping. In the second article, we'll use a different method (drafting), and in the third we'll compare and contrast toiles from each pattern.

Finding multiple problem areas during the fitting stage can be a pain. You fix a bustline problem, but then fixing the waist makes the bustline look wrong again.

I used to spend hours cluelessly trying to “fix” multiple problems, usually making a mess of it. So I developed some step-by-step techniques.

In the 16th and early 17th Centuries the term "hose" was used for garments belonging to both men and women.

In this article we will investigate the history and construction of lower hose: netherstocks, stockings, and boot-hose. Then we'll drape, pattern and sew our own with a combination of machine and handstitching.