Here is my corset! Brand new, picked up last night from the staymaker, an amazing lady who outfits many museums and costumed reenactors in the area. She machine stitches anything that’s not visible and hand stitches the rest and the quality of her work is awesome.
She is the only person to whom I say upon arrival, “Shall I take off my bra?”
She also made me a linen shirt and altered my gown, because (ahem) I’d put on a bit of weight AND with two layers of sturdy twill plus boning you need some extra space.
Interesting things about my corset:
- It’s front-lacing.
- It really is that short and wide. So am I.
- It fastens with a single length of tape threaded into a bodkin that Homeland Security may not like.
- When it’s on I can’t see my knees and
- in true Regency style I could balance a can of beer on my bosom
I’m taking a camera so next week expect many interesting pics of me and Amanda in our finery. I have a fabulous headdress made out of Christmas stuff. I’m so excited about this conference–seeing Amanda, meeting Laurel Ann Nattress who’s my guest next week and having a book launch party, so if you’re in Fort Worth, TX please come on over tomorrow and say hi! Details here (scroll down) and on my website where you can also enter my contest, find me on my blog tour and read about JANE AUSTEN: BLOOD PERSUASION.
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Thanks for showing us your underwear, Janet!
Seriously have a great time and take many, many pics.
heehee. No corset ever made could make it so I could balance a beer can on my boobs
I want to see a picture of that beer can balanced, or at least some sort of snack. Have lots of fun in your finery!
My word verication is iness, which is only missing the Gu & an n.
Lol…we were just talking about corsets in one of my groups the other day…quite a few ladies have purchased them and have been quite thrilled with the results..lol…do you know if your corset maker used bone or plastic stays?
Nice! That’s a beautiful example of a transitional 1795-1810 corset. I’ve got pictures of an extant American one almost exactly like it, and there’s another in the collection at the Kyoto Costume Institute.
It looks lovely, Janet, and surprisingly comfortable. Is it?
Can’t wait to see the photos of you and Amanda at the conference!
Well, I can’t wait to see the rest of the outfits… And the beer can balancing trick..
Looking forward to pics of you and Amanda!
Oh dear, I was suddenly struck by a vexatious question and I’m certain you ladies will know the answer. Did upper class women in the Regency shave their armpits?
I’m not doing research (I write contemp circus YA) I just need to know, for imagination’s sake, I guess.
How DID Regency ladies deal with body hair? Inquiring minds want to know. 🙂
Hi all, I’m in Ft Worth and so is Amanda! Body hair … I think it was just there tho I guess the high class courtesans may have (eek) waxed themselves to look, uh, classical.
Plastic boning I believe. No whales or other mammals were harmed in the making of this corset.
omg! Corsets and finery! Do we get to see you in your unders?! *gasp!*
Oh, and Homeland Security didn’t mind the bodkin. Just so you know.
My daughter does Civil War reenactment and has been told the “girls” must be out there at attention. Never mentioned anything about standing a can of beer on them, but from what I have seen of son of the ladies, not a problem. When I finally get my clothing done, I am afraid just how many beers I can hold : ) Short and wide will probably be the description of my corset, too. I do really want to still be able to breath and bend over. Hope it will be possible.
I am looking forward to your pictures next week. Have a great time.
Have a GREAT time, Janet!!! Can’t wait to hear how it was to wear the corset.
Have a GREAT time, Janet!!! Can’t wait to hear how it was to wear the corset.