There are significant design differences between Elizabethan 'pair of bodies' and Victorian corsets. I do the Bristol Renaissance Faire in July and August and I have seen some screaming cases of corset burn caused to women who wore corsets made with rigid steel boning. The Elizabethan 'pair of bodies' puts quite a bit of pressure on the waist as the boning ends at the waist or slightly below. I don't recommend steel boning for Elizabehan bodies as they aren't particularly correct to period and they can cause damage if used improperly. In your Victorian corset, many of the bones are probably actually spiral steels which have more of the flexibility of whale bone and bend over the complex curves of the female torso better than rigid steels. YMMV Karen Seamstrix
---------- Original Message ---------- From: Beteena Paradise <bete...@mostlymedieval.com> To: Historical Costume <h-cost...@indra.com> Subject: Re: [h-cost] questions Date: Tue, 2 Feb 2010 13:20:35 -0800 (PST) I have to respectfully disagree about the steel boning causing blistering. As someone who attends a 9 day Victorian Festival in August where I wear a corset from morning until night (approx 14 hrs a day) every single one of those 9 days (including dancing most of the evenings), I have never had such a thing happen even at my most sweaty. ________________________________ From: "penhal...@juno.com" <penhal...@juno.com> To: h-cost...@indra.com Sent: Tue, February 2, 2010 9:02:22 PM Subject: Re: [h-cost] questions ---------- Original Message ---------- From: Julie <jtkn...@jtknits.cts.com> To: <h-cost...@indra.com> Subject: [h-cost] questions Date: Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:45:38 -0800 (PST) Is there a difference between a farthingale and hoops? I need hoops/something under my skirts. Yes and no. In their most basic form, they are stiffened underskirts desined to hold the over skirts out from the legs/body. In design, 'farthingales' are more cone shaped and 'hoops' (based on the mid-Victorian model) are more bell shaped. The 'hoops' can be made more 'farthingale'-like by reducing the size of the top hoop or two to make them more conical. 1. I'm told that the bridal hoops sold are made of synthetic material and so will be miserable at a warm fair. Is this so? Or are there hoops available made of cotton or linen? I have seen hoops made from a light cotton, but the synthetic part isn't as important since the hoops will stand away from your body and not trap heat and moisture against your skin the way synthetics in bodices will. 2. If I have to make my own hoops, where do you recommend I buy the hoop material? Greenburg & Hammer, or Farthingales both sell hoop wire. 3. Who do you like for steel boning for corsets & bodices? I don't like steel boning for Elizabethan corsets or bodices at all. You can use reeds if you want a period substance. I like using plastic zip ties as they have the closest movement to whalebone. Steel bones flex back and forth but not side to side and they increase the likelihood of developing 'corset burn' which is the irritation and blistering of the skin of the waist and torso created by excessively rigid boning over sweaty skin. Thanks Julie in Ramona _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ____________________________________________________________ Weight Loss Program Best Weight Loss Program - Click Here! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/c?cp=-AWPM8YPR3OSZegNiXmDdAAAJ1AvoIBeuuk_F0glj6oEWAQQAAYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEUgAAAAA= _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
