Your Wardrobe Unlock'd

This month Marion McNealy shares with you some of the vintage corset making and fitting books that are online.

The books range from patterning and making an 1857 corset (perfect for the Single Pattern Project!)  to 1920's and 30's corsets, corselettes, brassieres, bandeaux and girdles. We've even got an excellent book from the 1950's for corset saleswomen on fitting a customer and making her feel at ease during the fitting process, still applicable to customers today!

There is no right way to make a sixteenth century corset. In period, each garment was made for a specific woman with specific wants and needs.

That means that those of us who want to recreate the clothing of the period have a bit of a mystery to unravel. Luckily, two pairs of bodies from the period have survived to help give us a clearer picture of what those corsets looked like and how they functioned.

Lindsey Eastman has tested each of these period patterns, plus one modern interpretation and one “hybrid” style, in order to compare them and determine the advantages and disadvantages for herself - and for us!

This month we have the pleasure of having an exclusive interview with Jill Salen, author of the new book "Corsets", which we are reviewing this month.

She shares with us what insprired her to write the book, how she got started and what her next book will be.

This month Cathy Hay reviews the new exciting new book: "Corsets: Historical Patterns and Techniques"  by Jill Salen.

Here at YWU we understand first-hand how difficult it can be to bind corsets, stays and bodies neatly. After all those hours of careful work, fitting, boning and stitching, the £$!*?& binding lets you down!

Even if you're otherwise a great costumer, the frustration of binding can inspire the most experienced needleperson to throw things. So in the interests of your inner calm, "Doctor" Cathy offers the cure… find out once and for all how to perfect your stays and corsets with Part One of our indispensible guide!

Here at YWU we understand first-hand how difficult it can be to bind corsets, stays and bodies neatly. After all those hours of careful work, fitting, boning and stitching, the £$!*?& binding lets you down!

Even if you're otherwise a great costumer, the frustration of binding can inspire the most experienced needleperson to throw things. So in the interests of your inner calm, "Doctor" Cathy offers the cure… find out once and for all how to perfect your stays and corsets with our indispensible guide!