Stays and Corsets Historical Patterns Translated for the Modern Body

Stays and Corsets: Historical Patterns Translated for the Modern Body goes a step beyond traditional historical costuming texts by not only providing you with historical pattern diagrams and information, but by showing you how to adapt these patterns to the contemporary body shape. Using her original pattern-drafting system, author Mandy Barrington will show you how to draft a historical pattern for a modern body shape, while still retaining an accurate historical silhouette. Each pattern has been generated from an original stay, corset, or pattern taken from a historical garment. The instructions to follow these new patterns are designed to accommodate any size of female figure, allowing you to avoid extremely difficult, time consuming, and inaccurate historical pattern re-sizing Requiring only basic prior knowledge of pattern drafting, all calculations have been worked out for the costume maker and are provided in simple tables accompanied by easy-to-read, step-by-step diagrams that clearly show how the historical pattern is plotted onto the female basic block, coupled with photographs of the constructed stays and corsets.

Introduction How to use this book Guidance on the pattern drafting process A guide to finding the measurements for your historical pattern Pattern Drafting Tools Female Measurements Taking Accurate Measurements Female Measurement Form Female Measurements Guide Standard Female Measurements The Female Basic Block Pattern Female Basic Block Instructions Preparing the Female Basic Block for your Historic Pattern Historical Patterns Introduction 1735-50 Fully-boned Corset Bodice 1776 Half-boned Stays 1785-88 Half-boned Stays 1793 Fully-boned Short Stays 1820 White Cotton Corset 1860 Closed Front Corset 1875 Corded and Quilted Corset 1890 Riding Corset 1890 Wasp-waist Corset Glossary Costume collections Suppliers Further Reading Credits Acknowledgements

Mandy Barrington is a Senior Lecturer in Costume at the Arts University Bournemouth with a first class honours degree in Costume design and a Masters in Costume. Mandy has worked professionally making costumes for shows such as My Fair Lady at the National Theatre, London, the hit West End show Wicked, and Sleeping Beauty at The Royal Opera House.