Lara Corsets & Gowns

w Historically Accurate & Inspired Garments for Women w

Lara's Antique Corset Collection

Corset image from an 1862 issues of La Mode Illustre

The "Corset Victoria"

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The Victoria and Albert Museum has a beautiful

 blue silk corset dated 1864 which is very similar to mine (T.169-1961)

http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O15546/corset/

Rare 1860's Riding Corset

1860s corsets are hard to find nowadays, I am not sure why. Perhaps most were worn until they fell apart? In the USA the Civil war might have been a factor with a large portion of the population financially devastated in the years following the war. Throughout history used garments were commonly sold or passed on to other people; often  to be worn until the garment becomes obsolete. I happened to get lucky and found this fantastic corset on e-Bay in January of 2004.

This corset is most likely a riding corset and is cut high at the hips to allow for comfort and movement while the wearer is in a seated position. Corset features a unique type of busk. Made of brass and stamped with decorative patterns on each clasp. The top clasp hooks upward onto a peg, the central clasp is a decorative version of the standard type and the bottom clasp hooks downward and forms a skirt or string hook. The bust is most difficult to open and close making it unlikely to un-clasp from the movement of horse back riding. My personal belief is that the darn tricky busk is the reason this corset survives to this day, it is nearly impossible to un-hook, even off the body! The tassel is a mystery. It may simply be a decorative feature or perhaps serve as a pull cord to aid in the opening of the busk. It does seem that if the center front clasp (with the tassel) is pulled outward, the right side of the busk bends outward in a way that makes the top and bottom clasps easier to open.

 This corset also features an un-usual grommet placement at the back (I do hope I laced her correctly). It seems that the lacing is guided towards the lower front hook to keep the lacing away from the waist (note how the bones and silk flossing stop above where the lacing strings fall). I believe this is to prevent an unsightly lacing lump at the waist though it may also be a way to prevent the lacing from accidentally coming loose while riding horseback.

Corset is constructed of nine pattern pieces per side; Center front, mid-bust panel, side front and a back. As well and five gores per side; two at each bust, two parts to the front hip gore and a back hip gore. The main body pattern pieces are made from two layers of fabric; a thin cotton herringbone coutil. While the gores are made from a single layer of the same coutil. Interestingly, the three main front pattern pieces (Center front, mid-bust panel and side front) are cut on the bias on the exterior BUT on the interior those same three pattern pieces are cut as one single piece and cut on the strait of grain...very interesting. I wonder why they did that? The Center backs and gores are cut on the strait of grain.

Corset measurements are a 29" Bust and 20" Waist. This corset would have been worn by a young lady with a natural 24" waist and would cinch her down to a 22" waist measure ideally (Corsets were commonly purchased in a size 4" smaller then your natural waist size). The center front is 12" long and has an 11" steel busk. The center back is 12" long and has 12 brass grommets evenly spaced per side plus the two additional at the waist. All boning (besides the front busk) is baleen and secured in position with decorative silk flossing.  There are 29 bones in total per side; two beside the front busk, three down the mid-bust panel, nine on the side front, thirteen angled on the back panel and two wider bones; one on each side of the grommets at the center back.

Click the photos to enlarge:

Interior views

Outside and inside views

Center front busk detail

Flossing detail

This image enlarges to super size so you may see more detail

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