January 7, 2012

corset saves a life


I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't read it myself.


From the October 13, 1911 edition of the New York Daily Tribune.
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14 comments:

  1. snippaJanuary 7, 2012 at 7:18 AM

    I'm wearing a corset at all times from now on!

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  2. MultiJanuary 7, 2012 at 7:32 AM

    That's hilarious; Phillipsburg, NJ is where I used to do some good old tax-free out of state shopping. Wish I could say it was that interesting today.

    Uhhh, then again, maybe I should be happy where's no bullets flying around there.

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  3. AnonymousJanuary 7, 2012 at 9:07 AM

    Love this, there is a story about a male officer during the civil war who also was saved by his corset.

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  4. Ico-AnubisJanuary 7, 2012 at 9:10 AM

    He he, I often think while driving to a ball "if I crash now my corset will give some protection"

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  5. UnknownJanuary 7, 2012 at 9:35 PM

    I have a question about supplies. I am unable to purchase supplies online, so I was wondering if there were any "everyday" items that could be substituted for hard to find things such as steal boning and a busk.

    Thank You

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  6. fee_parisienneJanuary 7, 2012 at 9:53 PM

    A sturdy, metal separating zipper makes an okay front closure for a corset. It works better if the front edges are held straight by rigid boning, though. I think Jo recommended to someone that they might use basket cane if they can't get boning, but I'm not sure how stiff or flexible that is. Plastic boning (unless it's the expensive imitation whalebone) is not really suitable as a substitute for steel boning.

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  7. tristageJanuary 7, 2012 at 11:42 PM

    Where are you located Katie? Maybe someone who has some extra supplies would be willing to sell you some from their stock. You could try posting in the following livejournal communities as well:

    http://corsetmakers.livejournal.com/profile

    or

    http://corset-shoppe.livejournal.com/profile

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  8. MultiJanuary 8, 2012 at 5:37 AM

    Katie - the corsetmaker's community that Tristage linked has a lot of good ideas for you, if you look through old posts. One that I see there a lot is using cable ties as boning--the largest, widest cable ties you can find at your local home improvement store. They should be between 1/4 and 1/2 inches wide, and they're pretty long. I've bought some myself, and while they're a lot thicker than metal bones, they're very flexible and not as prone to bending as cheap rigilene or something you'd get at a general fabric store.
    For front openings, I've seen people make tightlacing corsets out of very heavy duty zippers, but you could also use front lacing as well as back lacing or just omit the front opening altogether (although either of the last two options would make the corset harder to put on!)

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  9. UnknownJanuary 8, 2012 at 7:03 AM

    Hi Jo,

    I think I asked this question a couple of days ago but I can't find it. Is it okay to use 1/4" grommets for the lacing? I couldn't find any 3/16" grommets for some reason. I saw that they had some in the King & Company shop, but they didn't have the tools to install them and since I know nothing about doing grommets, I felt better getting a complete grommet setting kit.

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  10. andrea.at.the.blue.doorJanuary 8, 2012 at 7:29 AM

    See also my transcription from a 1902 NY Times story:
    http://www.andreacesari.com/2008/02/wandering-bullet-struck-corset-steel.html

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  11. JoJanuary 8, 2012 at 1:08 PM

    Katie, I've never worked with cable ties, but I know many have and have been content with the results. Go ahead and try them. This corset probably isn't a style you'll wear every day, my guess is the cable ties should hold up to the task. If you go with a zipper for the front closure make sure to get one sturdy one, no plastic teeth!

    Jennifer, if 1/4 inch are what you can find then use them. They'll be slightly larger so take that into consideration when we sew the lacing panel. You'll probably want to make the center strip when the grommets are set just a bit wider.

    That's a great story Andrea! "His mental state questioned." Ha ha ha.

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  12. UnknownJanuary 8, 2012 at 1:50 PM

    I was planning on using cable ties, but I am not sure about the sturdiness of a zipper, I am going to be making a overbust corset and I need more support than a zipper. But I will try everything! So on one of my muslins I will see if it works out! Thank you all for the help!

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  13. Jenny R. SherrillJanuary 8, 2012 at 7:11 PM

    AWESOME. All the more reason to wear the corset. !!!

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  14. StephJanuary 10, 2012 at 2:00 PM

    Katie, if you can't locate a real corset busk locally and no one can spare one for you, then I would recommend adding a front lacing to the corset. If you place the grommets/eyelets very close together (using smaller ones, of course) it gives more rigidity to the opening when laced. That'll be important if you'll just be using something like cable ties for boning at center front. And try using a few extra rows of the ties around the front opening to add support.

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