Draped to the Ankles

On the Wearing of Corsets

Most modern women have no idea what it's like to wear a corset. We have all been brainwashed by the reform movement of the turn of the last century. They were quite adamant in their belief that corsets were nothing more than torture devices meant only to enslave women to fashion and keep them oppressed. The reformists won eventually, and the corset disappeared, but only after the prevalence of the S-Curve corset, which was, indeed, proven bad for the back as it contorted the body into an unnatural position. Another reason it fell to the wayside was that it was difficult to work in it, and as American women became more working class - some moving higher, some moving lower - the wearing of a tightly laced corset became impractical. That, I think, is probably the most important reason.

The corset was considered indispensable to every woman of good taste, fashion sense, and propriety for many decades. So much so that many women could not even contemplate a world in which the corset was not a necessary part of her underpinnings, much like the bra is today. Think about it, how often do you ladies leave the house without one, or how many women do you know who would never leave the house without one? Nowadays, the bra is the underwear item that many of us - especially those of us who have reached a certain age - could not imagine doing without. But I digress.

The corset is not the iron maiden of all underpinnings that most women think. As Miss Teresa Dean said in her 1889 article "How to be Beautiful" (excerpt reprinted at Your Wardrobe Unlocked), "There is nothing more comfortable than a well-fitting corset." This is quite true. You don't have to be a tight lacer to wear a corset. To me, wearing a corset is like wearing a hug. Think of it this way, are you one of those people who like to wrap your blankets around you at night? Then you are probably a swaddler, and are more likely to be comfortable in tight fitting rather than loose clothing.

To be graceful one must be comfortable. Comfort does not mean wearing clothes loosely, quite the contrary. There is decided discomfort in wearing clothing loose enough to hitch out of place.

A snug fit is desirable, just tight enough to convince us our clothes were made for ourselves and belong to us individually. (Miss Dean)

If you have ever bought a corset "off the rack" you may have deduced that corsets are "not for you". But cheap, mass produced corsets are totally different from one made for your body. When I first started making corsets, I made several that didn't quite fit. The first one I made did, fortunately, so I was never discouraged from soldiering on. But when I found a corset that fits AND gives me the desired shape, I was thrilled. It was the Dore Corset from Laughing Moon, and I intend to use it from now on. Yes, I admit to tightening it a bit more than is necessary in order to give myself the wasp waste popular in the 1880's and 90's. But I can also wear it as fashion accessory, and not tighten it quite so much. It's still flattering and quite comfortable. When I gave my friend her corset, she sat and admired the feel for quite some time. The other people at the table were intrigued by her reaction, and I just told them it's natural. I often pat myself on my braced and armored stomach, just because it's nice to feel a flat stomach where a paunchy one used to be.

You needn't be afraid to wear a corset. I am not saying that everyone whould wear one, or even that everyone will find it comfortable. Some people just hate tight-fitting clothing, and should not even consider wearing one. I am just saying that it may be worth a try for many women, especially anyone interested in re-enactment, or any kind of historical costuming. At the very least, it won't kill you.

Next Project

I haven't decided what my next project will be, at least the next one for myself. I want to make another corset, but I don't NEED a corset. But by that argument, I wouldn't make any more outfits because I don't need them either. I do have three projects yet to be started for other people. While I don't make these to sell them, I do take pride in our theatrical troupe's appearance, so I am willing to make outfits for some of our less needlework-inclined ladies. One of them is a corset, one will be a gown fit for a wealthy madame, and one will be a saloon girl. Now when I say saloon girl, I don't mean Miss Kitty from Gunsmoke. I mean something like this:

This is a Tobacco Card, probably from about the late 1880's or early 1890's. Tobacco Cards were like the Playboy of their day. Lot's of "actresses" (the term very loosely used) in scanty costumes. These cards came with tobacco products, so they weren't very big. But there were lots of them. I imagine a lady of ill repute, who smokes, of course, might look at these for costume ideas. Many were too risque, though, and would have been considered pure porn. Men liked them, though, so they thrived and endured. There is always a market for sexy pin-ups.

Anyway, Miss West is wearing a sleeveless bodice and what amounts to a draped overskirt without the underskirt. Shocking, but very becoming. I haven't found the fabric I want yet, but my client wants it in red and gold. I'll keep you posted.

The Ballgown

During the last Christmas break, I made a ballgown. Ok, maybe it's not truly a ballgown, but it's close. I was going for something really fancy that a high class bordello girl would wear. I was pretty pleased with the result.

I only wore it in the winter. Why? Beats me. I guess I feel it isn't complete without the shawl, which is lined with the same creamy white velvet that the bustle is made from. I also tend to burn easily in the El Paso sun, so Showing that much skin could be dangerous. As you can see, our venues are not very sophisticated, and parking lots can be very hot. This one was at a Moose Lodge. They were very appreciative.

The skirt and bodice are made from a polyester moire fabric. Normally, I hate polyester, but I can't afford silk. And this was a nice eBay purchase of 8 yards. There are certain bargains that are too good to pass up. The velvet is from my mother's old stash - very heavy and luxurious. There was just enough for the bustle and the shawl. I am wearing a bustle pad in the picture, but it's gotten kind of flat - I really need to leave it off to drive, and put it one when I get there. Sometimes I forget. I am thinking of making a bustle cage, though. Then I could get the proper silhouette for the mid-to-late '80's outfits.

This was my first attempt at fork pleats. They came out well, if a bit uneven in places. The bodice pattern was from the Laughing Moon Saloon girl pattern, and I put the hooks on the side (I cheated and used velcro, too). When you live alone, you can't really design bodices that need to be laced up the back, which would be more accurate. So, I improvise. It works.

Such Eternal Delight

I just came across a blog that has the most gorgeous photos. Such Eternal Delights is a blog by a woman who is also a 19th century costumer and reenactor. I hope someday that my blog will grow up to be just like hers!

On an Adventure

I asked my son to paint a picture of me in one of my outfits, but to make it steampunk. He did a great job!

It was my mother's day gift. He such a talented lad.

What Did She Wear?

I recently had a Google search referral for "what did soiled doves wear?" This is an excellent question, and one I have been researching myself for over a year. I have the answer, and I intend to put it in a book, but here is the Cliff Notes version.

Soiled doves, sporting women, brothel girls, crib girls, or women of low moral standards, whatever they were called, did not dress much differently than other women of the period. Unlike today where a hooker must stand out in order to pick up a john, prostitutes of that era tended to be a little more conservative. Consider the fact that showing too much cleavage or calf could get a woman arrested. You can't make money in jail.

However, brothel girls did wear clothes of a finer, more elaborate style than their more upstanding sisters. Jewels, silks, satins, lace, anything to make them more appealing to the men who came to the bordello looking for a good time. But rarely would they wear these outside. In most places, they were restricted in where they could even be seen on the streets. That was one way to tell if a woman was in business - if she is in the right place. That's why no respectable woman would be caught dead in certain areas of town.

What few street photos we have of Victorian era prostitutes show mostly that they tended to defy convention; they are often seen in loose dresses without a corset (unlike the brothel girls in every western movie ever made.) Otherwise, there is very little to differentiate them from respectable women.

There is a set of books by Jay Moynahan called 50 Years of Prostitute Photos that has lots of photographic information. However, what you find is that these ladies didn't mind being photographed in the nude or almost nude in their boudoirs. That doesn't help the reenactor who has no wish to be arrested for indecent exposure herself.

My advice - wear really nice clothes, show a little bit of cleavage, and you'll be accurate. Or, you could go the whole dance hall girl route, which in most cases is just a parody of the Hollywood image created by characters like Miss Kitty in Gunsmoke.

Lady with Attitude

Last post I mentioned how the bodice of my new outfit was similar to one worn by a woman with attitude. Here she is.

Most women in photos of this time are rather meek, standing straight in front of the camera, or leaning on a chair. They are very serious. Some are dreamy, some are wooden, but very few present you with an attitude. This one was taken in Scotland, probably about 1881. Her dress and skirt are velvet, with smocked satin trim. I bet it's a deep red, but I'm just guessing. The bodice is tight all the way down, so there is no bustle here at all. There is a bit of drapery in the back, but from this angle it is difficult to tell how complex the design is. She has a little lace at the neck and cuffs, and a small, tasteful broach on the collar. All in all, a beautifully understated yet elegant outfit. If I had enough velvet, and lived someplace not so hot, I would consider reproducing this one.

1881 Blue and Plaid

The color on this pic is a bit washed out, but here it is.

It's mostly finished. There are a few small adjustments/additions I want to make, but it is ready to wear. I have a show this afternoon, but it's short and I will have to fall down, so I think I'll wait and wear it tomorrow. Tomorrow is a Tea Party at a historical house here in town. That should be fun. And it's a nice change of pace to play a lady instead of a "sportin' girl."

The year for the costume competition in Tombstone is 1881. No bustles, tight bodices, skinny skirts. I like the silhouette on this one. I have a picture of this silhouette on a Scottish woman with a 'tude. I'll show it to you next post.

I will be making another bodice to go with this one. It will be the same plaid as the overskirt, and high necked, like the one in the photo below. I'll post that when it's done, too.

Photos: Plaid Outfit, 1884-86

This is the first in a series of posts on certain photos in my collection. Every time I look at them, I see something new.

This particular photo is from the mid 1880's. I had already decided to make the current project when I saw this picture on eBay. I had decided to make this outfit because I found this wonderful light-weight cotton plaid fabric, as well as the blue cotton blend I'm using for the first bodice. Plaid is very period. And light-weight is always good in El Paso. Anyway, I saw this picture and had to have it.

The draped overskirt is only in front. Realistically it was probably because she didn't have enough fabric for the back. People made do just as much as I do now. The underskirt has neat little knife pleats, and it is rather short - definitely for walking or other practical activities. I don't believe it has a true bustle, but there is enough fullness in the back to suggest the time period when they were about to explode back on the fashion scene. On the other hand, it may be that bustles were already in fashion, but she was too practical to add one to her outfit - as evidenced, perhaps, by the length of her skirt.

Her bodice is a French Bodice - it has a different fabric in the front than the rest of it. The buttons are shaped like little flowers, but I can't tell what they're made of. I find the peplum at the bottom of the bodice rather out of place, but not weird. The bodice is finished with a high-necked collar that was very common to this time period. It was usually adorned with a pin or broach of some kind. She actually has a bar pin similar to one I already own. She is also wearing earrings, but I can't tell what they look like.

I like this outfit because it is so simple on one hand, yet so representative of the time period on the other. This is not a rich woman, nor is she a clothes horse. This is probably her best outfit, because you didn't spend all that money on have a picture made wearing everyday clothes. Chances are good that she made it herself. Very nice.

Going to the Photos

Finding ideas for new outfits can be daunting, not because it is so hard to find images, but because there are so many! Basically, though, there are two main sources: fashion illustrations and photographs. I do enjoy the fashion illustrations, and there are tons of them - Godey's Ladies Book, Harper's Bazaar, Peterson's, etc. But while these pictures are fun to look at, they do not represent the fashions of what women were actually wearing. Think of it as looking at the Haute Couture fashion layouts in Vogue. Sure we like to look, but how many of us really dress that way?

When looking for accurate fashions of the 19th century, I always go to the photographs. For one thing, they are are much easier to recreate, being less expensive and time consuming. These are the dresses that women sewed with their own hands, and paid for with their own money. They tend to be simpler and more pragmatic in design. So I get my ideas from photographs. I don't ignore the illustrations, though. Just as I imagine dress makers did back then, I go to them to get ideas for frills, flounces, draperies, laces, ribbons and other decorative additions. But try to make one? No, I have too many other outfits to make!

1878

Over at Shades of the Departed, Sheri Fenley has a nice, detailed look at the year 1878. Check it out.

Not Enough Time!

We have a show on Saturday, and I had some idea of finishing my latest outfit for it. That was before several things screamed for my attention. First, I had to take this blasted laptop into the Geek Squad because it had some kind of infection. Good news is that it was a relatively easy fix. Then I had to wait for the air conditioning man to come and service my swamp cooler. It reached about 99 degrees today and we had to get it done ASAP. The whole evening was a bust. I was thinking I had tomorrow until I remembered I have a work-related dinner party to go to. That's ok - free food and good company always is. So I've given up my idea of finishing the new one and wear my same old standby:

It's the second outfit I made for the group, and still my favorite "shady lady" one. I tried making a second one - black and white satin - but I don't like it as much. It doesn't fit right. Maybe next time.

Pattern: Saloon Girl from Laughing Moon.

She Comes in Colors

I spend a lot of time on eBay looking at Cabinet Cards and Cartes de Visites. You can find some really interesting photos there. And they aren't too expensive, usually, unless it's a photo of authentic cowboys. They get pricey very quickly. But there are a couple of things that irk me. One is that so many people don't know the difference between a Cabinet Card and a Cartes de Visites (CDV). It's simple really - cabinet cards are bigger, and CDVs are calling card size. The information is easily obtainable online. But so many sellers just don't bother to do the least bit of research.

What's worse is when these sellers describe women as "dressed in black" or "in mourning," just because they are wearing dark clothing. Very few of them were actually wearing black. They were wearing forest green, and burgundy, and deep red, azure blue, purple, chocolate brown, multi-colored plaid. If you read descriptions of the period, you find that there were just as many fashion victims back then as there are now - women who mixed plaids and paisleys, reds and greens, and all sorts of garish combinations in between. Granted they had no florescent colors - and a good thing too! - but they did wear colorful clothing. So when looking at Victorian photographs, remember that our great grandmothers dressed in colors, too.

Gold Corset

I just finished this corset for a friend of mine. When I started sewing my Victorian fashions, I started with the underwear and worked my way outwards. My first corset was ok, but it wasn't until I bought the Dore Corset pattern from Laughing Moon that I made a corset I really liked. This is the second one from that pattern. But since it's only my second, it's one of those things where I will tell my friend "just don't look too close." Works from a distance, though!

To Train or Not to Train

The fashions of the 1870's give us some of the most gorgeous day dresses. I love all those ruffles and frills that trail behind even the simpler dresses. I imagine it would be like having a swath of sea foam following you around wherever you went.

This is an example of a relatively simple dress, probably from about 1875. It is elegant and - for that time - understated. This is certainly the kind of dress I look for when I want to start a new dress.

But, beautiful as it is, simple to make as it may be, it still has one problem - a train. It's a relatively short train, but it's a problem nonetheless. The problem stems from the fact that my dresses need to withstand the El Paso environment. I have walked over rocks, gravel, tombstones, dust, and thorns. The worst environment, though, is parking lots. The black top collects the wickedest, blackest, grimiest dirt, and deposits it quite readily onto petticoats, ruffles, lace and fringe. While I want my dresses to be stunning as well as accurate (who doesn't like to hear the "oohs and aahs" of admiring spectators?) I cannot wear a train. All my dresses - except the short ones - are "walking skirt" length. This isn't so bad historically. If you look at enough pictures of the "common folk," you'll see that most women wore dresses that didn't necessarily touch the ground. A surprising number actually rose about 3 inches or more above the ground. So, though I don't think it looks as eye catching or gorgeous as it could be, I have to go trainless. Oh, well.

Six Guns and Shady Ladies

I joined Six Guns a year ago February, and I have loved it. I used to play in the SCA, but it was more of my mother's thing. I hadn't been doing much of anything since she died, then I saw a reference to the group and remembered how cool I thought it was.

I get to dress up in 1880s-1890's clothing and act in skits. The name Shady Ladies tells it all. I have played three different prostitutes. But that's what you had in El Paso back then, huge numbers of them. There's a very good book about it called The Gentleman's Club by H. Gordon Frost (Mangan Books, 1983,OP). It just means that the men get to play gunfighters or drunken cowboys, and the women play soiled doves.

I do have a vision, though. A shady lady was not necessarily a prostitute. She was also a woman of dubious reputation or occupation. Actresses were looked down on by just about every one, and most respectable women would not be seen in a "theater" - hence the name "Opera House." Same thing, just prettied up with one of those all-too common Victorian euphemisms. I have decided to take on the persona of an actress. Her name was Nellie Boyd, and she was relatively famous back in the 1880's. She had her own theater company and traveled the west doing shows for a week or two at a time in places like Butte, MT, Reno,NV, Dubuque, IA and El Paso. She came to El Paso in 1881, just after the railroad came to town. They had to build a hall just for her performance, and of course, she was a smash hit. She came back in 1883, and was the first to play at the newly built Shutz Opera House. Even though she only played here twice, she was so instrumental in bringing legitimate theater to El Paso that she should be considered an honorary El Pasoan.

Unfortunately, although Miss Boyd was well-received everywhere she went, she never had a speck of scandal attached to her, which means that as soon as she retired to Fresno, CA in 1887, she was forgotten. It didn't help that she was never considered a beauty. A great actress, yes, but beautiful, no. I am still in the process of researching her, and it will take a while.

Meanwhile, back to my Six Guns group. They are a swell bunch of people who like to dress up and have a good time. I offer this picture of us taken last August at the commemoration of the Shooting of John Wesley Hardin. I'm the one in pink in the center.