The Tudor Revolution

This post could  also be called, "Its ok to grow & change your mind."  It's hard to believe that I wrote my first blog about my first effigy corset 8 years ago. There has been a lot of changes, more detailed research, and better access to digital archives of historical clothing. I've loved watching the conversation evolve over time & learning what I can to contribute to the conversation.  Last fall I had to make myself a new set of stays. My 5th set for me, in addition to everyone I've helped or made them for over the years. My previous sets are all still functional,  but my body shape has changed. Since living in Colorado I've dropped quite a bit of fluff, and my stays became so large on me they were no longer supportive & causing back pain.   My new stays were made using the same method I had previously except I omitted the diagonal "whalebone" channel. They fit well. As the time I made them, I had a small front gap for negative ease or...

Yesterday I went to an SCA event 4 1/2 hours from my home to watch a dear friend of my receive an award I have known he was destined for since I first met him almost 8 years ago. My people call moments like that stardust. It is something special to watch someone who has given so much time, talents, and self to a group to be recognized with their highest award in that area. I also had a bit of stardust sprinkled on my head when the Queen of Atenveldt chose my display on 16th century corsetry and accessories as her favorite of the day. On my drive home I reflected on the experience and decided to post an edited version of an article I wrote for USITT Desert Conference's news letter about my experiences with costume and stardust in the SCA. I hope it warms a few hearts out there in cyberspace even a fraction as much as mine was warmed yesterday. A Different kind of Apprenticeship Costuming in the Society for Creative Anachronism Maridith Feher      ...

Every woman feels more feminine when she has pretty underwear. This thought inspired me to make another pair of bodies. My pair from 2012 are holding up beautifully, nothing needs to be replaced, but there are other styles I want to try. This pair uses a cherry wood busk I purchased several years ago down the center front, and two soft "cups" over the bust. In Janet Arnold's Patterns of Fashion 3, Arnold describes a pair of bodies belonging to Dorothea Sabina von Neuberg. Dorothea's original pair of bodies was an ivory silk over linen and stiffened with whale bone. I do not need anything nearly as ridged so I have stuck with my reeds.Just like the effigy corset before there is a magical combination of heavy linen canvas to be covered in a decorative silk. I stuck with the basic pattern of my effigy corset because I primarily wanted to focus on the exotic bust treatment on Dorothea's stays. This pattern was elongated in the front by 1 inch compared to my previous...

I have been told so many times that corsets are uncomfortable and awful to wear. My response to this is simply- you must not be doing it right. Here is a quick checklist for all of you inclined to try wearing corsets. Always wear something under your corset!  Historical corsets (as far as my research has shown me) were NEVER worn next to the skin. There are many reasons for this but the two best ones are that its really uncomfortable for long periods of time and the corset would need to be washed more often. Hand wash your corsets! I know we put lots of tension on a well built corset some times, but modern washing machines will degrade the fabric faster. Depending on the style of boning you have it may degrade over time as well. The biggest problem with doing this is that usually the ends of the boning channels will wear down and the stays/busks/boning may poke through while you are wearing it. Lay your corset flat to dry on a towel. Electric driers may shrink...

When people hear the word corset the fist things that pop into their head are usually Gone with the Wind or Victoria's Secret. This project had nothing to do with either. This project is centered around one of the earliest forms of corset, although at the time it would have been called "a pair of bodies" or "stays."The Westminster corset or Elizabeth I's effigy corset is famous as late 16th to early 17th century example of corset. This example is made of a fabric called fustian, a weave of cotton and linen, and edged with thin leather (Leed). The extant garment was stiffened using whalebone.  This is the extent effigy corset at Westminster Abby.  Maestra Tatiana, an SCA contact, took my measurements and drafted me a pattern based on her own which only took moments. The pattern is considerably shorter in the front than the extent garment, but it will still create the silhouette for my clothing. We discussed her draft vs. the extent and basically conclu...