Corsets and Crinolines is a study of the changing shapes of women's dress and how these were produced, how simple laced bodices became corsets of cane, whale-bone and steel, while padding at shoulders and hips gave way to the structures of farthingales, hoops and bustles. Added are contemporary tailors and dressmakers accounts, illustrations, index, a glossary of terms and materials, appendices on the repair and manufacture of corsets and crinolines.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
54 of 56 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book contains a lot of good information, but you'll have to search through pages and pages of quotes from contemporary sources to find it. The chapters are organized by type of garment, rather than by period, so if you're looking for a specific period you'll have to familiarize yourself pretty well with the entire book. Each section has a couple of pages of description and history, and then many pages of quotes. The most useful aspect of this book are the illustrations and patterns, which are rare to find elsewhere. The pictures are scattered throughout the book in no real order. There is an appendix with some very useful construction tips and instructions. Overall, a good resource for those interested in making period undergarments from the 1500's to the 1920's.
28 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I had to use this book for my final project in my Costume Technologies class and I loved it! I made the 18th century woman's stays (1776) and they worked out wonderfully!
Warning, though: this book is not for people who cannot draft costumes. The patterns are in miniature and are original period patterns; in other words, they will not be sized for you. You will have to draft and make many a mock-up before you are ready to make the actual piece.
All in all, I love this book and intend to make even more of the pieces in it!
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
By ReeQueen
Format:Paperback
Not only does this book provide historical background on various undergarments (corsets and crinolines, as the title suggests), but it also provides the patterns to construct these garments. It is an excellent resource, and one I most definitely recommend to anyone building a costume library of their own.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I am a bit surprised by some of the so-so reviews of this book here because it is a fabulous resource!
This is a must have book for the serious costume historian. It contains great period and rare original source information. It also has the advantage of patterns and information on early corsets ect that other books (and pattern companies) tend to skip.
True, the patterns are not for the timid or novice seamstress. However I have successfully made up one of the 18th century stays with wonderful results. If you are serious about historical fashion or wish to make accurate undergarments make sure this resource is in your library!
This is a must have book for the serious costume historian. It contains great period and rare original source information. It also has the advantage of patterns and information on early corsets ect that other books (and pattern companies) tend to skip.
True, the patterns are not for the timid or novice seamstress. However I have successfully made up one of the 18th century stays with wonderful results. If you are serious about historical fashion or wish to make accurate undergarments make sure this resource is in your library!
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
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.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This is a neat book to just look at but to someone who has a background in costume it is a reference not to be passed up. The pattens, like almost all old ones, can be confusing and at times inacurate but with experience, they are easily adapted.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This book is the best available for anyone who wishes to make a corset or find the corset's place in history. It is absolutely filled with photographs, illustrations, scale drawings of patterns, and quotes from historical sources. A great read, and a valuable reference.
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
A well researched book with many hints on the lifestyle of those that lived in corsetted eras.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Terrific Resource
I don't use this as much as I do The Cut of Women's Clothes, but this is still a fantastic resource. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Rebecca
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good!
I really like this book, although I do take the patterns with a grain of salt. I've read about this book so many times that I felt compelled to get it and I don't regret doing so. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Askja
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect for the historical pattern researcher or costumer.
I work on corsets for both fashion wear and underwear and this book is one of my best resources. It contains patterns and diagrams as well as construction advice and historical... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Rowan Cota
4.0 out of 5 stars
costume lesson, not necessarily a sewing instruction
I wanted more instruction on HOW to make corsets and HOW they were traditionally made and the period the different styles corresponded to. Read more
Published on March 27, 2010 by M. Kolhoff
4.0 out of 5 stars
great overview
Corsets & Crinolines is great for many corset, hoop & bustle patterns, and will work well for most of your historic costuming needs, (1600-1920). Read more
Published on October 13, 2009 by Gail A. Kellogg
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantasic patterns
I bought this because others raved about it (corsetry forums on LiveJournal) and i loved all the patterns it provided - just was i was looking for!! Read more
Published on October 12, 2009 by minymars
3.0 out of 5 stars
Mediocre layout, good pictures, terrible organization
Filled with images from primary resources, this book covers numerous details about these interesting undergarments, from patterns that help show the anatomy to pictures of them in... Read more
Published on May 17, 2007 by Hedera Femme
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great book - with layout problems
As most reviewers, I like to book. Still a few problems:
- The problems with organizing it have been explained in another review. Read more
- The problems with organizing it have been explained in another review. Read more
Published on February 16, 2007 by Chris
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good Information, but where's the substance?
I find this book to be very informative on the subjects, but as an avid seamstress, I would have been even more thrilled with this book if it had more illustrations regarding... Read more
Published on July 23, 2003 by Adrienne C. Simpson
5.0 out of 5 stars
yay corsets!
I'm in costume studies at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia. This book is one of the second year textbooks. It's really fun to look at, I adore this book =)
Published on November 17, 2001
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 7
books:
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36
books
cite this book:
See all 36 books citing this book
- Period Piece (Ann Arbor Paperbacks) by Gwen Raverat in Front Matter, and page 146
- Life in the Middle Ages: Volume 1 & 2, Religion, Folk-Lore and Superstition; Chronicles, Science and Art by G. G. Coulton on page 3
- The History of Underclothes (Dover Fashion and Costumes) by C. Willett Cunnington in Front Matter
- Costume in England by Frederick W. Fairholt in Front Matter
- The Plain Speaker: The Key Essays (Blackwell Anthologies) by William Hazlitt on page 133
See all 7 books this book cites
- Inventing Beauty: A History of the Innovations that Have Made Us Beautiful by Teresa Riordan on 4 pages
- Daily Life in 18th-Century England (The Greenwood Press Daily Life Through History Series) by Kirstin Olsen on 4 pages
- The Corset: A Cultural History by Valerie Steele on page 175, page 176, and Back Matter
- Gottfried Semper in Zurich - An Intersection of Theory and Practice by Mikesch W. Muecke on page 224, page 227, and page 228
- An Elegant Madness: High Society in Regency England by Venetia Murray in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
See all 36 books citing this book
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