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1868 Demi-Bust Corset

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This is my dark blue Victorian corset, which I have finally finished altering to fit me better. It's actually a lot darker navy than it looks in the photos, but it's got a really nice sheen. It's lined with cotton and interlined with canvas. The outer fabric is polyester, I think (bought it years ago and I can't remember, but that's my guess), but it looks almost like blue/black shot silk. It's pretty. This corset is entirely hand-stitched, mostly because I didn't own a sewing machine when I started it and partly because I like hand-stitching. =P

The corset is made from Lavinia H. Foy's patent from 1868, which I have included in the image. I simply scaled the pieces up to size. The corset is a really beautiful shape and is quite comfortable, despite the fact that it reduces my waist by 5 inches. I'm told that it's not really safe to take more inches off right away, and despite the comfort of this particular corset, I can understand why after wearing it for more than a few minutes.

There are a few issues with the pattern that I will warn people about, as it's a pretty common one for reproductions.
First, the wrinkles in the hip gusset. I have seen these in almost every single version of this corset I have seen. The gusset is made for hips smaller than most people's. It almost needs a gusset to widen the gusset. Since the corset will be covered, anyways, I don't mind them, but if you know about it ahead of time you probably want to widen that gusset.
Second, this is a DEMI-BUST corset. Not underbust, not overbust. As such, you need to measure where your bust naturally sits (no push-up bras) and alter the pattern pieces so that the length between your waist and your mid-bust line is accurate. The corset as it is will probably be too short for you.
Third, if you are a size medium in your shirts or smaller, you will need to make this corset a good 4" or more thinner all the way around to leave room for waist reduction and lacing gap. I had to take mine apart and alter it. Not so fun.

Anyhow, I hope if any of you decide to make one of these that you're as happy with it as I am. It's a really beautiful corset and it's especially nice because it achieves awesome waist reduction without constricting your hips too much. Enjoy!
Image size
5572x3192px 16.58 MB
© 2011 - 2024 Arasiyris
Comments13
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marmota-b-stock's avatar
You're still good to have handstitched it in four months - I worked on my Regency stays for four years! :D On and off, of course, but still...
I love the binding - is it velvet? Such a great final touch.

Here's some tips for further corsetting, and for your viewers who might want to try their hand at it:
This PDF tutorial provides overall awesome tips for making a pattern draft for a corset fit you: www.foundationsrevealed.com/fr… - and that site in general is great. Subscription-only, but they have some free articles as well (and I'm saying this as one who can't afford the site-wide subscription).
And The Dreamstress has a great introductory post on the sort of measurements / sizing a corset should be for different figures to be comfortable: thedreamstress.com/2012/08/wha…
I'm posting these because, having seen many beautiful corsets made by the participants in the Historical Sew Fortnightly / Monthly, I think neither the wrinkles, nor the uncomfort after just a few minutes of wearing a corset are necessary!
It's good to remember that 1860s corsets - which is when this pattern dates to - weren't actually primarily meant for drastic waist reduction (which, in fact, overall isn't terribly historically accurate, because a corset for a woman in history was the same thing a bra is for us now). They were meant to be worn with those wide, wide skirts, and to help support them - and it was mainly those skirts that provided the impression of a small waist.