1880s-1930s illustrated tight-lacing reconstruction

books:

15 reviews
Norah Waugh

Routledge, 1990

Essential Reading
This book is a MUST read for anyone interested in historic costume and undergarments! The wonderful research and illustrations make for interesting reading, and the corset blocks are wonderful for anyone interested in drafting their own corset patterns.

The Corset Diaries

87 reviews
Katie MacAlister

Onyx, 2004

Absolutely Wonderful!
I just finished reading this book again. MacAlister is an excellent writer and has a wonderful sense of humor. I only wish I was that quick. This is a wonderful book from page 1 and just keeps getting better!! You definitely do not want to be drinking anything or you might end up snorting it. This book is a keeper. Enjoy!

The Corset: A Cultural History

9 reviews
Valerie Steele

Yale University Press, 2003

in depth history
Love the book!! Its a must have for any corset lover! Detailed history and pictures.

The Basics of Corset Building: A Handbook for Beginners
Sparks Linda

St. Martin's Griffin, 2008

Think of a corset as a blank canvas. Here?s what?s included in this comprehensive guide to building your first corset:| Section One: Tools and Materials for Corset Building Discusses the tools you?ll need, plus types of steel, plastic, and textiles. Section Two: Building a Corset Everything you need to know about working with bones and busks, setting grommets and eyelets, and creating a beautifully finished corset. Section Three: ...

Raiders of the Lost Corset: A Crime of Fashion Mystery

13 reviews
Ellen Byerrum

Signet, 2006

Lacey Rules
For those of you who have not read the Crimes of Fashion mysteries, here's your chance to see why they are a recommended read. Lacey is every girls heroine. She is smart, funny, sassy, classy and obsessed with vintage fashion. Everything us girls love to read about. Ellen Byerrum has created a fun circle of friends and entertaining mysteries that we would all love to be able to solve. I recommend ...

The Corset and the Crinoline: An Illustrated History

1 review
W. B. Lord

Dover Publications, 2007

A Detailed History
Since there were no reviews for this book, and not much of a description, I took a chance on buying it. It wasn't quite what I'd expected, but it was enjoyable and educational. Rather than focusing on the Victorian era of corsets and crinolines, it goes back through history to show the complete evolution of these types of garments. There are a lot of quotes and letters to support the text, and ...

Corsets: A Visual History

1 review

R.L. Shep, 1993

A wonderful history of a horrible torture device!
Compiled by R. L. Shep, Corsets - A Visual History is a must for anyone interested in fashion history. As its title implies, this book provides a "visual history," using images found in advertisements and catalogs from department stores and corset companies. Museums are full of well-dressed mannequins dressed in anything from sumptuous ball and wedding gowns, to more plain everyday dresses. ...

Corsets: Historical Patterns & Techniques

2 reviews
Jill Salen

Costume and Fashion Pr, 2007

Historical corset patterns
This is a wonderful book for those interested in Historical Stays and Corsets. You will not find modern overbusts or underbusts in this book! Things I love about this book: clear patterns on graph scale. they are only 1/2 scale so easy to enlarge. 2 doll corset patterns which are full scale. an 1880-5 child's stay band 18th century stays with side lacing which could have been used for ...

Fashion & Fetishism: Corsets, Tight-Lacing and Other Forms of Body-Sculpture

2 reviews
David Kunzle

The History Press, 2006

A classic analysis of the corset and tightlacing
I first heard of David Kunzle's book through a review written by Angela Carter. The book puts forward what was a novel argument at the time it was written - namely, that use of the corset and tightlacing was not simply a sign of the social oppression of women, but that it was simulataneously a rebellion against that oppression. Particularly focussing on the Victorian era, he argues that use of ...

Support and Seduction: The History of Corsets and Bras (Abradale Books)

4 reviews
Beatrice Fontanel

Harry N. Abrams, 2001

A Wonderful Work of Social History
Beatrice Fontanel has done an excellent job piecing together the fascinating history of bras and corsets. Let's face it - what zaftig woman hasn't said to herself, "My God, what DID they do before the bra?" Well, here's your answer. The illustrations from various sources are top notch and of excellent quality with an emphasis on 19th and 20th century advertising. Since support has changed ...

A Fashion Guide to Spatial Feminism: Full Metal Corsets?
Anne Hart

Amazon, 2007

I wanted to write about backbone. Who takes up more physical space and who takes more time?male or female? Do corsets hold back creativity or the human condition, usually as perceived in art galleries? Do corsets lend support by providing backbone? Do corsets symbolize connection, conscience, or the voice of confidence? No one wears corsets at math camp. Does spatial feminism build up the spine? Could the Internet be a corset that buttresses ...

Fetish Fashion: Undressing the Corset

8 reviews
Larry Utley

Green Candy Press, 2002

Awesome pictures
some of the pics i have seen online, but thats only because i frequent dark garden's website. beautifully and tastefully done photographs. it has a small intro (about 3 or 4 pages) and the rest is photographs. i recomend any corset lover to have this book on their coffee table!

The Basics Of Corset Building , A Handbook For Beginners

4 reviews
Linda Sparks

Eagle Press, 2005

Absolute must for first timers
Are you building your first corset without experienced help? Well, this is the book for you. I bought it and was a little afraid it would concentrate too much on tools and the too obvious, but no. One really can build a corset without looking at any other instructions. There are lots of good hints, alternative ways to do things and the instructions are better than on any pattern. I personally ...

Chinstraps, Nose Moulds and Corsets: A Shopper's Guide to Feminine Beauty 1880S-1930s
Rosemary Hawthorne

Michael O'Mara, 1999

For centuries, the seeds sown by advertising to beguile women have fallen on fertile ground. The sell has been soft-to create a feeling of promise. Then, as now, it has been essential to make the product unforgettable, superior, one that outshines all the others-yet, somehow, within reach. Although, outwardly, it is beauty products and clothing that seem to give women confidence, there are other, less obvious (indeed, well-hidden) items that ...

Carriages and Clocks, Corsets and Locks: The Rise and Fall of an Industrial City - New Haven, Connecticut

1 review

UPNE, 2004

Excellent Resource - Beautiful Book
When this book arrived it was a surprise how big it is, and how beautifully made. The pages are large, 12 by 11 inches, and there are lots of illustrations and photos. The information is extensive. It is very well organized, and each section has a good bibliography after it to facilitate further research. Whether you are interested in the New Haven area, particular areas of industry such as ...

Reconstruction Era Fashions: 350 Sewing, Needlework, & Millinery Patterns 1867-1868

6 reviews

Lavolta Press, 2001

Good for the war years as well as the Reconstruction
I am a Civil War re-enactor (female) who bought Reconstruction Era Fashions because I don't believe in restricting my research to just the war years. However, I was happy to discover it also contains material useful for my Civil War impression. There is a substantial section of instructions for dressmaking and pattern alterations that is suitable for the Civil War and, judging from the (many) ...

The Little Corset Book: A Workbook on Period Underwear (Little Costume Workbooks)

6 reviews
Bonnie Holt Ambrose

Drama Publishers, 1999

simplified corset construction info
This teeny volume shows b/w hand-drawn construction diagrams for reproduction corsets from the eras of 1700, 1750, 1860, and 1890, plus basic chemise and basic drawers. Drawings are very clear, and include some suggestions on fabric selection and decoration. Text covers step-by-step construction, fabric/notion requirements, and a chart to assist in getting the right number of the right size ...

Waisted Efforts: An Illustrated Guide to Corset Making

7 reviews
Robert Doyle

Sartorial Press Publications, 1997

Beautiful, literate, and practical guide to corsetry
This is a beautiful, in-depth, and extremely useful book, covering both the history of corsetry, as well as the practical aspects of corset construction. Deserves a place on the shelf of the fashion aficianda, the designer, the feminist, the fetishist, the cultural historian.

The 18th Century Corset
Mary Logan

Unknown, 2000

A complete illustrated draping, pattern and construction guide in Imperial measurement.

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1880s-1930s, body-sculpture, illustrated, reconstruction, tight-lacing

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