Corsets HISTORYCAL PATTERNS AND TECHNIQUES

D u r i n g my time as a costume cutter at the Welsh National Opera Company, from 1976-82,I wanted more corset and bodice shapes than I could find in Norah Waugh's Corsets and Crinolines

Corsets

H i s t o r i c Patterns and Techniques

Jill Salen

Acknowledgements

C o m p i l i n g these patterns w o u l d not have been possible w i t h o u t the support of the museums I have visited I w o u l d like to thank in particular P h i l i p W a r r e n ; A l e x Davey;

C a r o l i n e L o c k w o o d and C h a r l o t t e M o b b s o f Leicestershire C o u n t y C o u n c i l M u s e u m Services ( S y m i n g t o n C o l l e c t i o n ) ; A l t h e a M a c k e n z i e o f the H e r e f o r d M u s e u m ; R o s e m a r y

H a r d e n o f the Fashion M u s e u m , B a t h ; C h r i s t i n e Stevens (now o f B e a m i s h O p e n A i r

M u s e u m ) ; E l e n Phillips o f S t Fagans N a t i o n a l H i s t o r y M u s e u m , Wales; B r i g i t Lapsley and D a n i e l l e Sprecher o f C o l c h e s t e r M u s e u m ; R i c h a r d Blakey

Jean and Pawel N o w a k and V i n a C o o k e have been k i n d e n o u g h to allow me take patterns from corsets h e l d in their private collections

M a n y others have helped sustain and encourage me: Susan H a r d y ; Cissian R e e s ; Elizabeth Friendship; the R o y a l Welsh C o l l e g e o f M u s i c and D r a m a ; D o n Moffat;

M a r y B r i t t a i n ; Joanna and R e b e c c a Salen

Text ©Jill Salen

The moral rights of the author have been asserted

A l l rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced,

stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any

means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,

without the prior written permission of the copyright owner

ISBN-13: 9781906388010

A C I P catalogue record for this book is available from

the British Library

1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

Introduction

My interest in corsets can be traced back to the 1950s when my grandmother and

great-grandmother were still wearing them I was fascinated by corsets; I did not understand why my grandmother and great-grandmother wore them, and my initial curiosity has led to this book

This book is aimed at the costume maker w h o has a working knowledge of costume construction The shapes of the patterns and the direction of the grain found in this book should provide sufficient information A n y finishing details the costume maker might require can, I hope, be found in the photographs provided A l l corsets referred to in the book are from museum or private collections so

it was not possible to place them on dress stands to photograph them, but I have included museum archive photographs wherever possible

D u r i n g my time as a costume cutter at the Welsh National Opera Company, from 1976-82,I

wanted more corset and bodice shapes than I could find in Norah Waugh's Corsets and Crinolines or Janet Arnold's Patterns of Fashion (see Further Reading, page 124) As theatrical costume makers we

rarely have time to visit collections and carry out research, so we are dependent on our designers'

references and our few books Corsets and Crinolines is an invaluable resource for costume makers,

however, 18 corset patterns representing 250 years only gives us a few variations of corset styles that must have existed My aim was to add to my knowledge, and hopefully supplement the makers' repertoire, with additional shapes and styles of corsets

Included in this book are instructions for making a hand-stitched corset and a machine-stitched corset (see page 102 and 108), so that the inexperienced corset maker has some guidance Every corset construction is different and when one seeks to adapt a historical pattern for contemporary use, the methods of constructing the corset need to suit the use to which the corset is to be put, which the maker must adapt and decide upon

Throughout this book 1 refer to the garments as 'corsets' Originally they were referred to as 'a pair of bodies','stays' or as 'corsets' A 'pair of bodies' was an early term, most usually used when the garment laced at the back and the front 'Stays' could lace at the back and/or the front, and later a 'corset' would usually lace at the back and have a split-busk fastening at the centre front Earher corsets used a single lace to close the garment, and later ones had a double criss-crossing lace, which was laced so that the wearer could tighten or loosen her corset herself Corsets that only closed at the back meant that the wearer needed help to dress

W h e n one considers the variety of underwear worn today, we know our choice of undergarment

is dictated by many factors The same would have been true in the past

Age of wearer: an older woman may have chosen to wear the styles of her youth

Income: this obviously dictated what the wearer could afford

Social class: if one belonged to more elevated social circles more fashionable and possibly a

variety of styles of undergarments would have been worn

Factors that affect the corset

6 Introduction

Terminology

W h o is this book for?

Occupation: this would have affected what was worn In the 1950s and 1960s my grandmother

wore her older, more comfortable corsets in the morning when she cleaned the house and changed

for the afternoon when she would visit and be visited She referred to this as 'breaking-in her stays'

Availability of source materials: the properties and qualities of source materials, such as whale

bone, would affect the style of corset T h e appearance and use of metal eyelets (French holes) after

1828 meant that tighter lacing was possible Before that date, hand-worked eyelets would have torn

if put under too much strain

Occasion: specific styles of corsets were worn for particular occasions For example, there were

corsets specifically for court dress, riding and (in the late 19th century) sportswear

Provenance and dating

I have put the corsets in this book in museum date order, but provenance is not always clear - a

corset may conform to one period and yet definitely be from a different era

Leicestershire Museum Services has two 1830-40 corsets in its Symington Collection, which

absolutely exhibit the characteristics of that decade They are completely hand stitched, string corded

and have a wide whale-bone centre-front busk These two corsets could have been made years later,

just in the style of 1830-40, because someone liked the pattern or had always worn that style O n e

of the corsets had had additional side panels inserted and machined in, so an 1830-40 string corded

corset was being altered for wear after 1855 T h e reason why this corset was altered for wear years

after it was originally created is not clear; it could have been due to hardship, for dressing up

purposes, for a play/pageant or it could have been because the owner was ill but, not wanting to go

without her corsets, instead chose to revert to this "old-fashioned style", w h i c h was more comfortable

than the corsets being worn in the 1850s

The Symington Collection has a red-and-black corded corset, w h i c h is dated at 1860 They also

have a grey-and-black corset dated 15 years later (1875), which is very similar, though it has a split

busk at the centre front Piatt Hall in Manchester also has a similar corset, w h i c h is brown and fawn

and dated around 1880-90 C a n this mean that the same style of corset was being worn for 30 years?

In the few collections I have visited I have been surprised that the corsets on display seem to

cluster around certain dates The 1860 red-and-black corset and its close relatives explain to some

extent how hard it must be to date a corset with no provenance Luckily Leicestershire Museum's

Symington Collection is well provenanced - the curators are certain that the red-and-black corset

was created in 1860, otherwise it could have been thought to be a variation of the 1880-90 corset

in the Manchester Museum Two very basic guidelines for dating corsets are:

• if a corset is machine stitched, it w i l l have been created after 1851

• if a corset has metal eyelets, it w i l l have been created after 1828

Now, after compiling these patterns and techniques, I actually have more questions than I did when

I first embarked upon this project, and I am happy with this outcome - to be a good maker you

always have to be questioning, researching and problem solving

Construction

These days costume makers rarely have the time to sew a corset by hand If the corset is to be seen,

this book w i l l aid the maker in reconstructing the garment as far as time and budget allows If the

corset is not to be seen, it w i l l help the maker to achieve the correct silhouette for the period

W h e n constructing corsets I make toiles of corset patterns, near and around the correct date,

without altering it to fit the contemporary figure I then find someone who fits the corset, observing

how the corset affects the wearer's posture and what it does to her figure The patterns in this book are presented for the maker - make o f them what you will

Current corset manufacturers

It is an enjoyable process to look at, measure and draw corsets I am indebted to the s t a f f the museums who have helped me write this book - particularly Philip Warren at Leicestershire

Museum's Symington Collection, who has an in-depth knowledge of the collection and who

helped me to understand the mass manufacture of Symington's corsets from 1860-1990

The Symington Collection was created by the Market Harborough-based company R & WH Symington, which began making corsets for ladies in the 1860s The company eventually grew into a major international business This unique collection was presented to Leicestershire County Council's Museums Service in 1980 It includes some pieces made by their competitors, and some pieces that pre-date the setting up of the company As a collection it provides insight into the development of corsetry manufacturing in the U K

As part of my research for this book I went to see Ian and C o r i n a Voller of Vollers to discuss why Vollers has managed to survive as a corset manufacturer T h e company was started in 1899 by lan's great-grandparents in Portsmouth, a city where corset manufacturers were the major employers of women from 1880-1950

Today Vollers have an interesting clientele: lingerie supplier R i g b y & Peller, high street stores and a bespoke service by mail order or via the internet Their business is worldwide - they use the internet as a showroom and can respond to the whims and fancies of the current market Vollers have survived, unlike larger companies such as Symington's, because they are a small and flexible enterprise offering a bespoke service For example one of their leaflets from 1950 promised that you could 'have your favourite corset copied' D u r i n g the period 1950-80 Vollers grew old along with its customers, then in 1991 Ian and C o r i n a took over and rejuvenated the company's approach They now sell their corsets through a beautifully photographed catalogue, which inspires the buyer, who now wants a corset that will be seen and worn as a garment Interestingly Vollers' current corsets are based on their original patterns of 1899

W h y do corset styles alter?

There are many reasons why the styles of corsets have changed ower time:

• Changing fashions demanded different underpinnings

• Availability of/changing materials For example in the 19th century whale bone became less plentiful, and better quality steel for boning became available

• The invention of metal eyelets in around 1828 - these reinforced lacing holes allowed a woman

to be very tightly laced

• The invention of steel split-metal busk fastenings in the 1830s These were in general use by the 1860s, so that a woman no longer had to be laced into her corset by someone else

• The invention of the sewing machine in 1851 This made it possible for the industrialization and mass production of corsets to take place

• W i t h industrialization in the 1850s came the ability to produce more corsets for less cost

• Industrialization led to the marketing of corsets, which reinforced the need for appropriate corsets for specific occupations and leisure activities, such as corsets for housemaids and tor horse riding

8 Introduction

• The industrial Revolution in the 19th century brought the working woman a disposable income

for the first time She spent her money on keeping up with fashion, often emulating her mistress

H o w were changes in corset making

passed on?

Before the advent of cheap newsprint and illustrated advertisements, how did corset styles change

in a seemingly uniform manner across the U K ? Word of mouth and observation could be the answer

At the lowest income level, drovers came from outlying areas of the U K , bringing their cattle to

London Presumably they took home information that affected fashion - and consequently the

underpinnings of fashion As early as 1693 occasional periodicals were printed, which were aimed

at women Occasionally these periodicals contained patterns for corsets and fashion advice The

Workwoman's Guide (1838) by A Lady advocates buying a corset from a stay maker and then buying

another unmade-up, to take a pattern from it Occasionally there were patterns in publications such

as Godey's Ladies Magazine (1830-95) Newsprint became cheap to produce at about the same time

as the invention of the sewing machine in 1851, w h i c h facilitated the mass production of corsets

Because newspaper advertising was inexpensive corset manufacturers were able to publicize their

wares, offering women new styles

H o w representative are corsets in

collections?

It must be remembered that corsets in collections are no different from the clothes in our own

wardrobes today Often the garments that linger in our own wardrobes are:

• Ill-fitting

• Expensive special purchases too good to give or throw away

• Items that no longer fit - but that we hope will fit again one day

• Special occasion items that conjure up the event they were w o r n at, such as wedding outfits, a first

ball dress, christening robes - in other words, garments that do not reflect everyday wear

So the garments in museums do not always give us quite the window on the past that we might hope

for Usually these garments are small in size, making us think that people in the past were a lot smaller

than we are now, when in fact often the garment was simply too small to cut down for someone else

Women have w o r n corsets as underpinnings for more than 400 years In the past they were a

necessary foundation under clothes, allowing women to have a fashionable silhouette - refining

the waist and supporting the back and bust Women have not worn corsets as a fashion aid since

the 1950s and at that time both my grandmother and great-grandmother were still wearing them

They would not have felt dressed without their corsets - not because they were seeking to achieve

a more youthful silhouette, but because the corsets formed part of their armour of respectability

M o d e r n women are secure in the knowledge that it is not how you wear your clothes that

determines whether you are respectable or not, but the way in which you behave It is interesting

that in 2008 - when 51 per cent of the population is female, when we have had the vote since 1928,

equal pay since the 1970s and where we feel more than entitled to have a career and children - that

we are still choosing to wear corsets, usually visible for all to see

Finely Whale-Boned Corset, c.1750

These are b r o w n l i n e n stays w i t h a centre-back closure T h e front is

o p e n for 8 i n (20cm) of the 14in (35.5cm) and then stitched together

T h e r e m a i n i n g 8in (20cm) has h a n d - w o r k e d eyelets and there is a strong

single t w i n e laced t h r o u g h t h e m , w h i c h is decorative and practical

F i n e bands of w h a l e b o n i n g , flowing gracefully i n t o o n e another, suggests

an understanding of the needs and c o m f o r t of the wearer, and that it was

created b y makers w h o u n d e r s t o o d the forms they were w o r k i n g w i t h

T h e w h a l e b o n e extends d o w n i n t o the tabs of the corset so that it flows

over the waist, rather than p u s h i n g forcibly i n t o it

A corset such as this probably needed the strength of a m a n to

construct it but the subtleties of the design suggest a woman's

i n v o l v e m e n t , w h e t h e r as the wearer or s o m e o n e engaged w i t h the

c o n s t r u c t i o n Indeed, at this time m e n were the stay makers but they

often e m p l o y e d their wives and daughters and c o u l d take on girls as

apprentices, although they rarely d i d

T h e r e is no c o r r e s p o n d i n g h a n d - w o r k e d eyelet for the shoulder r i b b o n

tie on the front of the stays, but there are t w o d r i l l holes, w h i c h c o u l d

have been used to fasten the shoulder strap; there is no evidence of t h e m

ever h a v i n g been h a n d w h i p p e d , w h i c h they w o u l d have been on a

corset l i k e this

Corsets in the early to m i d 1700s d i d not always have shoulder straps,

but by the 1780s, w h e n the b o n i n g was b e c o m i n g m o r e sophisticated,

shoulder straps were m o r e necessary for the dynamics of the corset

Opposite: This corset, dated to

around 1750, is held at the Colchester and Ipswich Museum, U K

12 Patterns

B r o w n Jean Corset, 1780

T h i s corset i s constructed out o f t w i l l - w e a v e b r o w n j e a n fabric, w i t h

a l i n e n l i n i n g T h e b o n i n g is w h a l e b o n e and the corset is h a n d stitched

T h e r e is a delicate fanning of b o n i n g , l e n d i n g support w h e r e it is needed

and displaying an understanding of the fabrics used, u t i l i z i n g their

properties T h e r e is a stiff, c u r v e d t h i c k e r piece of w h a l e b o n e , h o r i z o n t a l

across the bust and w i t h straight h o r i z o n t a l bones across the shoulders

c o m b i n e d w i t h a l o n g straight back to support this low, e x p o s i n g front

to the corset T h e edges of this corset appear to be b o u n d w i t h a n a r r o w

w h i t e k i d o r g l o v i n g suede

At this time, the corsets c o u l d have been centre-back fastening,

centre-front fastening or have b o t h , w i t h or w i t h o u t a stomacher u n d e r

the laces or p i n n e d over the l a c i n g , or even covered in w h a t w o u l d be

considered a dress fabric - because the corset was g o i n g to be seen

T h i s corset cannot lie flat on the table and reminds o n e of an i c e - c r e a m

cone It w o u l d have fitted a w o m a n w i t h a 3 6 i n (91cm) or larger bust

and a 3 0 i n (76cm) waist, not dissimilar measurements to the Pregnancy

Corset (see page 18), but m u c h shorter in the b o d y length T h i s may

be because the wearer was shorter or because fashion dictated a h i g h e r

waistline If the latter, this suggests that it s h o u l d appear c h r o n o l o g i c a l l y

after the Pregnancy C o r s e t , but for the c h r o n o l o g y of this b o o k , I have

followed the date g i v e n by the m u s e u m

T h e s w o o p i n g side seam is delightful, using the grain of the fabrics

to flow a r o u n d the b o d y and support the bust T h e shoulder straps

tie closed at the front w h i l e the centre back of the corset w o u l d

have been closed by someone else, using one lace

16 Patterns

Pregnancy Corset, 1780—85

Jean and Pawel N o w a k gave p e r m i s s i o n for this corset from their

costume c o l l e c t i o n to be measured and i n c l u d e d in this b o o k It was

bought m a n y years ago and the seller thought the corset was V i c t o r i a n

T h e y believe it to be a pregnancy corset, w h i c h is certainly possible

T h i s corset w i l l have fitted s o m e o n e w i t h a 3 8 i n (96.5cm) bust and

28in (71cm) waist — n o t w h a t we w o u l d consider stout, but the l a c i n g

was present for some k i n d of ease or c o m f o r t As W i l l e t t and C u n n i n g t o n

in The History of Underclothes say: 'the o p e n corset was laced in front and

b e h i n d , and for stout people extra side l a c i n g m i g h t be added' A n d

N o r a h W a u g h in Corsets and Crinolines says 'a side l a c i n g seems to have

been used for pregnancy' (see F u r t h e r R e a d i n g , page 124)

T h e corset is beautifully made and has o b v i o u s l y been w o r n ; it shows

litde damage except for the tape a l o n g the centre-front seam, w h i c h is

unravelling, and the roughly s e w n - i n l i n e n l i n i n g , w h i c h does l o o k w o r n

Opposite: This pregnancy corset is

dated 1780-85 It is held in a private costume collection belonging to Jean and Pawel Nowak

20 Patterns

Brown Jean Corset, 1790

T h e fabric of this corset is b r o w n j e a n , h a n d sewn and w i t h w h a l e

bone throughout It is a beautiful corset, in g o o d c o n d i t i o n , w i t h no

alterations A stain on its back panel does not appear to be from wear

There is a b o n i n g channel on the shoulder strap but no b o n i n g in it and

the shoulder strap ties up at the front T h e garment is delicately stitched

but it w o u l d have taken some strength to do the stitching T h e r e is

b o n i n g fanning out to flow w i t h the b o d y ; the crossing of the bones

indicating an understanding of the properties and capabilities of w h a l e

bone w h e n c o m b i n e d w i t h fabric T h e corset l o o k s like the support

structure for a bridge

This corset w o u l d qualify as h a l f - b o n e d stays, typical of its p e r i o d and

designed to elevate and push the bust forward It is supported by 50 or

more fine w h a l e bones gradually fanning out, and the h o r i z o n t a l bones

across the bust w o u l d have ensured a s m o o t h l i n e to the l o w - c u t front

T h e l o n g back of this corset w o u l d help support the very l o w front

1 included this corset in this b o o k because it w o u l d be achievable for the

modern corset maker, as it presents less difficulty than the fully b o n e d

stays s h o w n on previous pages It is o n e of the styles seen from 1770

onwards, by w h i c h time the makers of corsets had begun to realize that

it was the d i r e c t i o n of the w h a l e bones that was important, m e a n i n g that

less seaming was used F o r closure, o n e lace w o u l d have been used O n e

of the eyelets has been displaced, so that w h e n the t w o fronts came

together they w o u l d be evenly m a t c h e d

Opposite: Corset from 1790, held

Hereford Museum, U K These photographs show the outside of th( corset (top) and the inside (bottom)

24 Patterns

26 Patterns

Linen Corset, 1790

T h i s corset is made up f r o m t w o layers of l i n e n ; unusually the l o w e r edge

of the corset has been faced w i t h its b i n d i n g rather than b e i n g b o u n d

w i t h it It has t w o bust gussets a n d a fine d r a w s t r i n g in a c h a n n e l a l o n g

the bust edge of the garment, to a l l o w the wearer to draw the edge i n

It has a centre-front o p e n i n g and yet the shoulder straps close at the

back w i t h , unusually, three lace holes, but l o n g ties have been added

fo the straps, which may have crossed at the hack and tied in front

T h e centre-back panel is heavily b o n e d and there has b e e n some

amendment or alteration on the back side seam; it is interesting to

speculate w h e t h e r a n e w front was added, or a l o n g e r front reduced,

w h i c h w o u l d account for the r e b i n d i n g o f the l o w e r edge Alterations

can be difficult to understand, but are always interesting

There is an empty bone channel on the front panel where it meets the

side b a c k panel, w h i c h appears c u r v e d b u t is in fact straight T h e eyelets

are displaced at the top of this corset, as one lace w o u l d have b e e n used

to close it

Opposite: This corset, from 1790, is

held at Hereford Museum, U K

28 Patterns

30 Patterns

Pink Jumps, 1798

T h i s pretty corset i s made w i t h p i n k silk taffeta l i n e d w i t h l i n e n N o

bones are present, but b o n i n g channels are visible Seams have 1/4in

(6mm) w i d e t w i l l tape s e w n a l o n g their gutters T h e top and b o t t o m

o f the j u m p s ' are b o u n d w i t h silk r i b b o n T h e shoulder straps and the

centre-front fastenings are later additions, and I have n o t i n c l u d e d t h e m

in the pattern At the l o w e r part of the centre front the fastenings appear

to have been gently laced and, h i g h e r up, the r o u n d e d tabs close w i t h

D o r s e t buttons and buttonholes

T h i s garment was not o r i g i n a l l y 'a pair of j u m p s ' , but a pair of

' h a l f - b o n e d stays' T h e bones have been r e m o v e d but the back of this

corset w o u l d not lace up c o m f o r t a b l y unless the bones were present,

so they were probably r e m o v e d after the garment was no l o n g e r w o r n

T h i s is a beautifully shaped garment, delicately but strongly stitched and

in a dehghtful shade of p i n k It is a pattern I have made up w i t h the

o r i g i n a l centre-front l a c i n g rather than the b u t t o n closure and w i t h a

c o n v e n t i o n a l shoulder strap l a c i n g closed at the front T h e corset is

l o n g e r in the b o d y than it appears

Opposite: This 1798 corset features

an alteration in the front It adds inches to the garment and the careful fastening at the front would allow access for a baby to feed This corset

is held at Colchester and Ipswich Museum, U K

32 Patterns

R u r a l Corded Corset, 1830-40

M a d e i n b u f f c o t t o n t w i l l , w i t h a centre-front w h a l e - b o n e busk and

straps over the shoulders, this corset has taped bones at the back and

is c o r d e d T h e c o r d i n g appears to have been d o n e w i t h different types

of "stuff" as the ends, still visible on the inside of the garment, are of

different colours and types of i n f i l l i n g

T h e l i n i n g of this corset is interesting as it is made of p i e c e d w h i t e l i n e n

w i t h an occasional red line t h r o u g h and, despite the p i e c i n g , attention is

given to the straight of the grain

T h e patterns of the c o r d i n g seem very simple but w h e n the corset is

w o r n , the c o r d i n g lines are effective - the vertical lines support the

grain and behave as b o n i n g and the cross-grain c o r d i n g lines over hips

and radiates up to the shoulders on the back panels, gently c u r v i n g and

g i v i n g a softer shape — simple but effective

T h i s corset is a robust, practical garment, constructed w i t h an

understanding of w h e r e it needed to be strong but also an awareness

of the wearer's needs to feel g o o d about her shape and attractiveness

A n o t h e r i n t r i g u i n g feature of this corset is the different type of c o r d i n g

patterns for the bust areas; it is slightly m o r e 'padded' on the left b o s o m ,

and there is a t u c k in the actual garment creating fullness h e l d by the

stay-tape e d g i n g

O p p o s i t e : This corset, from the 1830s, is held in the Symington Collection at Leicestershire County

C o u n c i l M u s e u m C o r d i n g turns out

to be evident to a greater extent on the corsets from 1830-1920 than I realized before collating these patterns

36 Patterns

Corded Taffeta Corset, 1840

T h i s beautiful hand-stitched corset has reasonably c r u d e alterations

at the centre front, w h i c h opens by means of alternating buttons and

buttonholes T h e buttons are l i n e n p u l l e d over w h a t feels like a metal

r i n g and, although the alteration is constructed w i t h cruder stitches

than the rest of the corset, the fabric seems to be the same O n e w o n d e r s

w h e t h e r fabric was supplied w i t h the corset for w h e n the wearer w a n t e d

to make adjustments

T h e corset represents a m i x t u r e of styles It is possible that it c o u l d be as

early as 1820, except the centre-back metal eyelets date from after 1828

T h e steels are c r u d e l y h a n d stitched i n , i n d i c a t i n g that they are a later

a m e n d m e n t (the metal eyelets c o u l d have been inserted over earlier

h a n d - w o r k e d ones)

M o s t of the corset is cut on the cross-grain of the fabric; it is made of

w h i t e silk taffeta and has a fine w h i t e l i n e n l i n i n g T h r o u g h the n a r r o w

b i n d i n g over the bust runs a thread, as a drawstring to a l l o w that area to

be tightened or loosened

Opposite: This corset is in the

private collection ofVina Cooke,

who owns the Museum o f DQUS

and Bygone Childhood at Newark

in Nottinghamshire