H & W maternity corset

Produced from 1910-1913. A white coutil maternity corset made by the H & W Co (Newark, New Jersey) in the longline style fashionable during the 1910's. In 1914 however, the design for this model changed and became shoter in the bust and longer in the hip. This corset has a very high bust for breast support and is boned with very flexible, thin and narrow watchspring bones. Five sets of lacing allow the corset to expand as the "bump" grew and give perfect fit and support. The corset is not lined and has a button front closure back with a long flexible steel instead of a traditional busk front closure. The regular busk option was available however.

Contrary to popular belief, maternity corsets were not worn for tightlacing but for body support. During early pregnancy before a noticeable bump formed, it could be worn as a regular corset but then once the figure changed and grew larger, the corset could be let out easily. After the birth, a maternity corset could be worn to regain the figure once more.

An original 1913 advertisement for this corset describes it as such:
"The H. & W. (Marmo) Maternity Corset Waist gives a trim and stylish figure without the slightest endangerment to the well-being of either the mother or child. Soft and pliable with lacings on either side, adjustable to the comfort of the wearer. All steels removable. Particularly desirable in convalescence or after surgical operations. Buttons or clasp front. sizes 20 to 36: Price $2.00 at all dealers or sent prepaid on receipt of price."
Measurements: Bust 30 1/2", Waist 23", Hips 36", Length 15 1/2".

1860s red wool corset

c.1860- 1864. A pair of stays or corset depending on the original owner's knowledge of fashionable parlance, made from itchy bright red wool and lined in white cotton coutil.

Petticoats, cage crinolines Red wool became fashionable for undergarments at the end of the 1850's was used for and corsets. Although fashionable in color, the stays would have been quite unfashionable in construction with the use of shoulder straps, large triangular bust and hip gussets as well as having a closed front instead of a split busk. This pair of stays would have used a long, rigid busk made from ivory, wood, metal or whalebone inserted into the front slot of the corset. The fashion historians, C. Willett and Phillis Cunnington, cite a source from the early 1860's complaining that "the old- fashioned stays are still too generally worn" and "often of red flannel, boned".

The corset is shorter in length than earlier stays had been and has an hourglass shape which would remain in fashion for the rest of the 19th century. Although the corset uses less boning than later Victorian corsets use, the whalebone used in this corset is incredibly rigid and thick that it would make for a rather unyielding set of stays. The corset is machine sewn and the edges of the corset are bound in red wool tape.

The grommets are made from brass and are placed in an off-set pattern which means that the spiral lacing pattern was used. This, along with the fact that there was no front opening busk, meant that the original wearer would have needed help to put the corset on by herself.
Measurements: Bust 36", Waist 28", Hips 36", Front busk length 13 1/2".

Transitional 1830s Cotton Drill Stays

C.1837 - 1845. A rare set of transitional stays dating from the late Regency- early Victorian period. This set of stays or corset, depending on the wearer's knowledge of fashionable parlance, marks the transitional period between long soft bodied stays and the hourglass corset of the second half of the 19th century.

 

The stays are made from white cotton drill and are lined in plain white cotton. The corset is entirely handmade with neat and even sewing using "back stitching" technique. Triangular gussets, which are typical in mid 19th century corsetry, are seen at the bust and the hips. The corset is not boned but has slots with "button holes" on the inside, in which to insert boning. There is a bone channel on the middle of each breast and in a "V" shape at the back. A wider channel is seen at the front of the corset to allow the wearer to insert a stiff wooden or bone busk. Having bone channels in which the boning could be inserted and removed at will, allowed the wearer to adjust the amount of stiffness in the corset according to the level of activity (i.e. more bones in the corset for formal occasions or have the bones completely removed for housework duties). It also allowed for easy laundering.
Although this corset has a more pronounced hourglass shape than early 19th century long line stays had, it retains elements from the Regency era yet foreshadows the coming curvier Victorian styles. The body of the corset has a semi-elongated shape with the front skirt of the corset coming down below the abdomen, common for early 1800's stays. The actual indentation of the waist ends higher than natural waist level. The waist level on this corset sits just under the "V" points of the bust gussets, a waist level placement typical of late Regency stays, however, the flared bustline and pinched in waist gives the figure a curvier shape than earlier stays had.
Measurements: Bust 33", Waist 23", Hips 28", Front busk length 13".

Homemade linen stays

c.1840-1860. A pair of homemade stays made from thick, homespun linen cloth and were most likely made and worn by a poorer or labouring class woman (like a farmer's wife).
They are old fashioned in shape, cut and style, more reminiscent of the Regency era than the Victorian era but this time lag is common in the poorer classes' clothing.
The front laces up which is a sign that the lady was of a poorer class and had no help to dress herself and there is a hidden button up pocket on the inside to perhaps conceal valuables or money? The stays have numerous repairs and patches, especially to the underarm area where the edge of the stays would have had continuous rubbing from use. The shoulder straps are a later addition or replacement, probably made in the 1860's as they are machine sewn but there is evidence that the stays did originally have shoulder straps as well.
The early construction and repairs of the corset are all done by hand but later additions and repairs are done with treadle machine stitches which shows that this pair must have been worn over a long period of time. They do not have any boning, but figure support is achieved with long long strips of linen all around the body. Decorative hand sewn zig zag stitches remain on some of the strips while on some of the strips a later attempt at sewing zig zag patterns by treadle machine is seen.
There is not a dramatic bust/waist/hip ratio on these stays as they would have been worn for support only. There is evidence, however, that the waist waist was taken in to 25" and then let out to 27" once again.
Measurements: Bust 32", Waist 27", Hips 32", length 13 1/2" (not including shoulder straps).

1860s short corset

c.1868- 1870. A light drab batiste shorter style corset of the later 1860's.
During the brief "Empire" line fashion of the late 1860's, corsets became shorter to reflect this passing fashion. According to C. Willett and Phillis Cunnington, shorter length corsets remained popular until the mid 1870's when a longer corset was needed for the newly
fashionable cuirass bodice.
The corset does not have a extreme bust/waist ratio as later 19th century corsets would have as a full crinoline or crinolette supported skirt would have been worn which would have made the waist look smaller in comparison. It provides vert little hip support or reduction as this area of the body would have been camouflaged by a crinoline/crinolette. The main action of this short corset was to support the bust and give a slightly higher waistline typical of the later 1860's.
This corset is boned with cane and is not lined. The front fastens with a short, curved busk.
Measurements: Bust 31 1/2", Waist 24", Hips 31 1/2", Busk length 8 1/2".

C.1750 Child's stays with detachable sleeves

Children's clothing from the 18th century is rarely found as most was worn out or discarded over the years. Fortunately this wonderful garment was saved and is a very rare example of soft stays with the original detachable sleeves.
You can see that the stays were carefully fashioned to use every bit of fabric from earlier recycled garments. The back is made from very fine silk brocade from about 1700 -1720. The front panels are made from carefully positioned brocade from about 1740-50.
The sleeves were meant to be laced at the top and buttoned below the elbow (buttons are now missing). Stays were laced up the back. Silk ribbon ties remain on the upper portion of the sleeves.
The interior of the stays and sleeves are lined with fine linen and the tabs around the hem are lined with silk. Sleeves are trimmed with the original silk fly fringe and remnants of needlerun silk lace. French or English in origin.
Measurements: 14" shoulder to hem, 24" bust, 20" waist.
From the collection of V.J. Willis

Cotton Twill Stays Corsets

c.1830-1840. A pair of stays made of cotton twill and lined in what appears to be a lightweight linen. There are 15 sets of bone eyelets down the back (known as French holes), three of which are missing. These have been neatly repaired with handsewn eyelets. The shoulder straps have French holes has well and adjust with ties.
The corset is not boned, but lightly corded and has a pocket for a busk. A long, straight busk of whalebone, ivory or wood (most often ornately decorated) would have originally been inserted into the pocket.
The shaping of the corset is quite elongated and would have been used more to smooth out the figure than to emphasize the waist. The gussets are quite deep, they would have provided for a more rounded figure than the extremely pushed up bust look that accompanied the Empire waisted dresses of previous decades. Diagonal seams and hip gussets shape the torso. This pair of stays shows the slow move towards making corsets from pre- shaped pieces which would become prevalent in the Victorian era.
Measurements: Bust 24", Waist 21", Hips 27", Busk length 13".