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janey-jane β 1598 Corset Reproduction
Published: 2007-07-12 01:16:30 +0000 UTC; Views: 13097; Favourites: 119; Downloads: 0
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Finally. See the original [link] !I've been promising to have this pair of bodies done for a couple months now but I always forget how long it takes me to do hand bound eyelets. And to bind corsets by hand *fingers bleed...*
This is a hand-sewn copy of a pair of bodies of germanic origin dated 1598 or slightly earlier (Pfalzgrafin Dorothea Sabina von Neuberg was buried in this garment in 1598). This is one of two extant corsets from around 1600 (the Westminster effigy corset is the other, see my reproduction [link] ). The original is silk but I made mine in linen becuase I had it on hand (and hey, it's period!). Boned with bents (basketry reed - I bone all of my pre-1800 corsets with reed) with 14.5" (37 cm) oak busk and bound in brown silk.
Like my 1603 corset rather than interpret the pattern I litterally got a projector and sized the pattern up so the proportions are the same as the original even though the bodies themselves are bigger (I looked at both the Janet Arnold and Norah Waugh interpretations, but I trust JA way more).
the unboned area of the bust actually allows a slight curve to the silhouette, which came in towards the end of the 16th c.
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Comments: 46
HEllo! I need to know how you succeeded in doing this reproduction! I have tried twice to creat a pfalzgrafin corset Β and there is always a problem with the fit with the straps and side-breast adjustment! What's your magic trick?
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ooof, that is a gooooood question. I made this corset so long ago it's hard for me to remember a lot of the details of construction. I know I looked at a couple of pattern interpretations, and I think I defaulted to the Janet Arnold one. I do know that I sized it up proportionally: in other words did the equivalent of just enlarging the entire pattern until it fit my waist measurement rather than enlarging it in specific areas. The drawback to this is that it doesn't fit super well. It's too short waisted on me (I should have lengthened it 2-3 inches). It's also been a while since I had it on, but I seem to remember that the straps don't lay flat all the way. If I were to make it again I would do a mock-up in muslin and fit it before making it up. I think a proper fitting could resolve the shoulder strap issue.
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It's like you're reading my mind! i would love to have one! you are epic!
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how the heeeell you breath with that?!?
i love corsets, so two years ago i used a "close-enough-corset" for my tap graduation...at the end of my dance i was like dying because it was impossible to breath!
ahaha
anyway, i think you do and excellent job and i really admire your dedication..hope your fingers are right!
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oh man, well I could definitely never do any sort of vigorous dancing in one of my corsets. Breathing isn't a problem if I'm just strolling around or sitting, but if I get too crazy then it gets a little...interesting trying not to pass out ^^
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yeah, i know...isnt the greatest idea altough it wasnt a corset-corset like yours c:
its cool that someone is still interesting in this kind of stuff and reproduces it like it was...i mean, today is really difficult to find someone that is interested in the past.
so please keep doing what you are doing because is amazing.
sorry for the english btw
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Your english is lovely β₯
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awwwwww...you are so sweet!!
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no slouching. Its allowed, but you can't physically accomplish a proper slouch in a corset.
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LOL of course you cant slouch, its a killer if you do, never the less nice corset, corsets with beating are NOT 1598's corsets
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O-M-G! Love it!!!!
I'm a reenactment actress and I must say thank you for making your costumes historically correct.
I'm tired of watching people and designers making corsets from velvet and brocades and saying it's 16th century.
I spend lots and lots of money with bourrete silk, linen and wool to make my 12th/13th/14th century costumes (mainly reproductions).
Just a question... do you sell your corsets? Unfortunately I don't have enough experience to start sewing a corset.
What kind of wool and silk do you use for your corsets?
Sorry if I'm a pain in the ass, but I love reenactment and as an actress I always love to discuss about the best ways to make the costumes.
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not a pain in the ass at all! I love it when people make comments/questions that I can respond to beyond just "thank you!"
I'm sorry it took me so long to respond - this month has been terribly hectic. I too have a deep love of historic accuracy and spend way too much money getting historically accurate materials with which to construct my costumes. At this point I don't sell my corsets, costuming is a hobby at this point and I don't have enough time to devote to it in order to make things fast enough to sell. Corsets are a bit daunting at first, but if you start with a pretty simple pattern like the one found here [link] and sew it by machine you can start to get an idea of how your body 'squishes'. I started making elizabethan corsets when I was in my early teens, and after a few of them I had customized the pattern so that it fit my body really well, then when I actually started doing reproductions of extant corsets I had a pattern to base those reproductions on so I knew that once the corset was made it would actually fit (nothing sucks more than to spend all that time making something that can't really be altered once its made up).
As to materials, I generally just use standard plain-weave linens and silks. A lot of the time I recycle fabric (because it automatically looks a little 'worn-in', and I like that look), or use something I have on hand, so its a matter of going through my fabric stash and finding whatever I have that happens to be historically accurate. If I buy fabric specifically for a reproduction I always just hunt until I find whatever is closest (usually I have to do this on-line as there are very few fabric stores where I live, so often I buy for fabric content and try to match color as close as possible with the understanding that I might have to over-dye it once it ships).
Do you have recommendations of where to start for 12th/13th/14th century costumes? I've been interested in exploring those earlier eras and don't really know how to begin!
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Thank you! I think I'm going to try!
When it comes to early medieval centuries costumes we have to keep in mind that the clothes had changes mainly in the sleeves.
12th century: the noble women wore a brial (mainly made of wool and silk and very ornamented) with a long linen chemise underneath; the peasant women wore a straight sleeve long dress (made of wool or linen) with a linen chemise underneath.
13th century: both wore a straight sleeve long dress, but with the same fabric and ornament differences as in the 12th century.
14th century: The undertunic/chemise remains the same but the outer dress is now sleeveless. At the end of the century the "Gates of Hell" style of dress becomes famous.
Here are some links:
[link]
[link]
^^
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Impressive hand work, which is my least favorite thing in the world. Great idea about the projector.
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projectors make pattern enlargement SO much more tolerable. Once its roughly the same size its easier to alter it, but sizing it up using a grid is just a nightmare.
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No matter what you say, this and the 1603 one both look terribly uncomfortable. I'm so grateful to whoever invented the bra right now...
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well I wouldn't want to HAVE to wear one. But they really aren't that bad as long as you don't lace them like a maniac. They certainly do limit your range of movement. No bending over to tie your shoes, that's for sure.
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yeah, my friend had a corset on her wedding dress, and she had to take it off before she could eat anything. but we DID lace her in there pretty darn tight.
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These are beautiful - I can't believe I haven't come across them before!
This is the first corset I ever made and I used wool and linen - for exactly the same reasons you used linen 
Having seen a few pieces covered by both Janet Arnold and Norah Waugh I would definately choose Janet Arnold for reconstruction. Norah's work is extensive but doen't have any where near the same amount of detail as Janet's.
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I'm glad I read through the comments section! I was just about to ask "Why Janet Arnold over Norah Waugh?", but now I know! Thanks
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you made this yourself? that's really REALLY impressive!
I really like the design <3
Makes you think, I bet no women of that time had had posture. It'd be impossible
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I know, right? Crazy to think that like, every woman in the western world laced herself up every morning for lie 400-500 years. Crazy!
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I've got a question for you: You've made both the Dorothea corset and the effigy corset. Which one do you like better? Which one makes a better line and which one is more comfortable? I'm about to commence a big 1609 project and I'm getting ready to start on under garments so you are my first line of research.
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sorry for the month-later reply! hopefully this doesn't come too late to be helpful.
for a 1609 project I would definitely go with the Effigy corset. Not only is it more comfortable but I think that the silhouette is much better for that period. To make a gross generalization, I feel the Dorothea is a much better model to get the pre-1600 shape, and the Effigy the post-1600 shape (1600 is sort of an arbitrary cutoff but it makes things easier and cleaner). The scooped dish-shape that starts appearing towards the end of the 16th c. and became so popular (and then became ridiculously exaggerated - check out Rubens' portrait with his wife [link] I think it actually dates to right around 1609... a bit of an exaggerated example but even in more typical portraits from the era you can see that the conical torso of the Tudor/Elizabethan is giving way to the slight swoop or curve of the Jacobian [link] ). the central busk in the Dorothea corset makes it too rigid to really get the right feel.
Are you doing a french-farthingale outfit, or are you doing something a little more conservative? I'm always wanting to do those really crazy fashions that no one ever reproduces but I don't really have the guts. Once again I'm really sorry this response is so late, hopefully it's helpful and not like "yeah thanks, I could have done with that reply like, three weeks ago". lol.
Oh, also, I was wondering if you owned/had seen the Linda Baumgartnen books since they're sort of up your usual alley - and if so if you think they're worth having. Or y'know, I'm always open to book recs. I don't know how I'm going to move them all when I have to move... but I can't seem to stop buying them.
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Baumgarten first: I have "costume close-up" and "what clothes reveal." Costume close-up is invaluable for 18th century (and another book that I use with it a lot is fitting and proper which is done with the same format but has some different garments, I tend to compare examples between the two.) It has great photos plus descriptions of material, construction and change over time as well as good diagrams. "What clothes reveal" is good in that is has a lot of color photos in it but it has no cutting diagrams and is almost more of a history book as it has a lot of text little of which is directed to a costumer of your caliber. You should spend your money on other things first, also, It's really heavy.
Back to 1609: No, this is not too late. this is a project for next year (1609-2009...). Thanks for the info on the stays. I don't know what I'm doing yet exactly. I don't what this to be really fancy as it is for the wife of samuel de champlain so sort of a lower level noble's everyday clothes. (of course I have little idea what that means for this period) All I've come across in pics is fancy dresses and embroidered jackets. (by the way, do you know about this project: [link] ?)
Do you have any suggestions?
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Oh wow.. this is absolutely fabulous! So much work involved here.. I can't even begin to imagine how long it took you.. just incredible...
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Dang, girl, that's a great job! Do you take commissions?
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I'm usually open to commissions (but school has just started up again so it's my first priority). I've never done anything of this level for a commission, since it's hand sewn there's a lot of time invested in it. But I have made basic machine-sewn Elizabethan-style corsets for several people.
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Actually, I was thinking of something more complicated. Might I possibly hire you to do a 1640s dress, based on this drawing here? [link] (I've been talking about making a dress like this with a friend for years, but as she's a single working mom, I don't think she's going to have the time for dressmaking any time in the near future.) Of course, if we actually do undertake anything like this, this would take years... But I've been really impressed with your corsetry. I think you could definitely make something like this!
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That looks really beautiful, and it's interesting I just started working on reproducing the pink watered silk stays at the V&A [link] , they're about 20 years later than your dress, but I'm hoping for good insight into construction thory for the period etc. I'd love to work with you on the dress, but I don't want to make any promises about how much time I can commit to it at present. Are you looking for 'as historicaly accurate as possible' or 'looks good is good'? Hand sewn? Period fastenings (i.e. hand-bound eyelets or would metal grommets be okay), all natural fibers...? Oh... so many exciting questions... sewing this dress sounds like a lot more fun than trying to get a job (unfortunately). I've never done a full period costume so it would be new for me (plus the whole sewing for someone in another state thing....) but exciting I think.
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OMG, that's so cool you should mention those stays- I LOVE them!! Now, the interesting thing is that (as Aileen Ribeiro documents in her excellent book on 17th century fashion, "Fashion and Fiction") the lower-waisted, off the shoulder look that became popular in the Restoration first showed up in fashion plates around 1644-1645. So, I'm looking for an early version of that look. Ideally, I would like it to be as accurate as possible, as well as made of the nicest, most period fabrics available (no aniline-dyed Thai silks). If this was able to happen, then it would be something that would be done over the next few years, so you would have plenty of time. (Also, I would need the time to scrape up the money to pay you. 
Anyway, are you on IM? It would prolly be easier to discuss it there... It is exciting, isn't it?
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wow. those look really good. as a matter of fact, i think you've just inspired me to start work on a new costume. however, i'd like to start using bents, but have no idea where i can get them. any suggestions?
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well, all the ones I use are left over from my mom's basket-making days back in the early 70's. I know there are lots of places online you can get them, just search "basketry reed" or "basketry supplies" or something similar and you should get a lot of options. They come in all sorts of sizes ... the ones I use most often are between 2.0-4.0 mm. You can always try calling independent craft stores in your area (I've never seen basketry stuff in the chain stores), one of them might have something , I just recently discovered that a local knitting/weaving supply place carries reed because I just happened to need something in the dark recesses of the back of the store. Otherwise I would have never known.
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thank you so very much. i will have to look into that.
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This is just amazing. Stunning!
Honestly of all the corset photos in deviantART this is one that made me stop and look properly.
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wow...*blush* thank you so much!
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That's great! You can't imagine how dang impressive this looks to someone who can't properly darn a sock
I know precious little about corsetry, but the shape of this one looks quite lovely, and you've obviously done your research!
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thankee! my endeavors in handsewing are a *special* kind of masochism, lol, and obsessive researching of historic costume takes place of my having any sort of social life (see re:masochism).
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Pfft, I'd take reproductions of 16th century corsets over a social life any day. Truly!
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Looks good! How comfortable do you find this one to wear? Do you have any problems with the bents pokeing through under the bust?
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kay, I've been wearing them several hours now. I've had other people say that it's the lack of boning in the bust that makes them more comfortable, but I don't notice any considerable difference in comfort in the chest in comparison to my fully boned bodies of similar styles. I did think that they would dig in at the waist since the tabs are unboned (and I tend to make my corsets snug - partialy cause I'm a silly vain creature, and partially to prove wrong many of my costuming friends who claim period materials won't tollerate a lot of waist reduction - most of my corsets are about a 4" (10cm) reduction when they're fully closed) but since the boning is only in the front and along the lacing at the back they're actually quite comfortable along the waist. I havent had any problems at all with the bents under the bust yet. Rather than act like an underwire bra like I thought it would, the way the bents are possitioned and the tightness of the fabric causes more of a gentle swell than a sharp curve (in which case I think I would be getting more jabbing)
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that was actually a big concern for me because in the past I've had a couple corsets where the bents do have a tendency to jab into my armpit or the small of my back but as long as the bodies are firmly laced it's not a problem. I wore them for a while loosely laced and there was one reed that I could tell was going to make itself a nuissance but when they were snugly laced everything...er...stayed where it should.
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