Girdles, Corsets, and Underpinnings

[MissTayva]

Miss Tayva, you're here too?!! Yay, this is great!!! Congratulations! You'll be a wonderful addition to Girdlebound! Well, Mina LaFleur from Corinthias is making my corset. She has been so wonderful and I am super excited. We've been working together for about 3 weeks now trying to figure out fabric (she's got so many my poor Libra mind is swirling), length, etc.
I know that corset that Kitten von Mew was wearing because I was coveting it when I saw it. I've been wearing the waist cinchers for five years now and I love them. I hope I love the corset too. Why do you prefer the shapewear to corsets (I imagine it has to do with being comfy)?

I was thinking of having Mina make one, as well. Her prices are incredible.
I know what you mean with the fabric thing... I am clueless when it comes to knowing what I want! One of these days I will figure it out... haha

 

[scotrace]

1926

 

[Lauren]

I LOVE foundation garments. No period wardrobe, whatever era, is complete without them. Love this post!
I have had four corsets, but now I'm down to three (not included the ren faire bodices, of course!). I traded one, one has been "retired" since it's actual vintage edwardian I thought it best to preserve it. I have one repro victorian I got a while back at Victoria's Secret of all places (and it's a real repro too!, nice metal boning, waist tape, brocade, front busks, etc) for only about $35 on clearance. I guess the ladies in that area weren't into the real thing! I also made a Georgian corset at costume college a few years back. I have one modern girdle and one vintage one, but I really want one of those lovely satin all-in-one's from the 30's in a baby pink. So hard to find in my size.
Speaking of the art of cinching, I think it's funny how many misconceptions there are about corsets! For one, they aren't uncomforatably if you do it right. You need to leave 2" in the back for spring (so those historical 18 and under inch waists would have actually been about 20" and under). You need to wear it in, and they aren't just for overweight girls! You don't need to do "tight lacing" or "training", just wearing it tight enough not to move around works, though won't give you as period of a shape. Tight lacing itself, despite modern thoughts, wasn't even popular until getting into the 1890's! The emphasis on fashion beforehand naturally made your waist look smaller because of where it attracted the eye! There were the socialites that did do tight lacing, but the general population on a whole didn't participate as much as people think. Enough tangent

Lauren

 

[ohairas]

Lauren I totally understand your tangent, lol! I get so frustrated with the ignorance of the garments. My sister's waist is a natural 24, so going to a size 22 or even 20 is a 'cinch' for her, literally.. hehe.. With waist training she could easily go to 18. Most girls who did this back in the day only did it for a certain ball gown, etc... not every day.

And like you said, having the 2 inch spring in back and breaking in the corset is so important.

I can't believe that you got a corset for $35.. what a 'steal'....

Miss Tayva thanks for the links, they are great!!

Annalai your photos are amazing, thanks for sharing! I like the pink wig~

~O

 

[Alpine Glamour]

Unmentionables

Dear Ladies,

Picking up on the trhead of hourglass figures, I hope you will eb able to solve this dilemma for me:

How does the sizing work with vintage girdles and corsets???

I find lots of them on ebay and in thrift shops, but since I cannot try them on right there I have shied away from buying them. Also, I don't do inches very well, so if you could help me figure out what I should buy, my measurments are: bust98 cm, waist 70cm and hips 98. And what types do you suggest?

 

[Naama]

Hello Alpine Glamour!
Nice to meet someone who's from europe too and apreciates the good old metric system!

I also have problems with inches but try http://www.manuelsweb.com/in_cm.htm for inces converter! And for sizing I found that; Your corset size should be four inches smaller than your natural waist, and don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t worry about trying to lace your corset completely closed. A bit of space for ?¢‚Ǩ?ìspring?¢‚Ǩ? in the back is helpful; if you can lace completely, the corset may be too big for you. Ribbon corsets are fairly light and can be sized 2" smaller than your natural waist.

It's actually from a gothic site, but it should work as well for you(?) I think, but I don't know I'm more from the later 20's early 30's, so I don't care much aboute corsets....

Naama

 

[Matt Deckard]

So this is where these things are mentioned!

 

[MissQueenie]

First, Mr. Deckard, shame on you for peeking Better hope Lauren doesn't catch you!

Secondly, Alpine Glamour:

Since I'm not very knowledgable about girdles, I will do my part by providing you with the inch equivalents of your measurements:

Bust 38.5 inches
Waist 27.5
Hips 38.5

As far as the recommendations for fit, corsets (18th & 19th century styles that are popular with Goths) do not work the same way as vintage girdles for the most part -- Vintage girdles usually have zippered closures and thus will not provide any room for "spring" (aka the gap in the back) the way a laced corset would. I would not recommend getting a girdle 4 inches smaller than your natural waist -- you will never be able to get it on! I think most people would recommend getting one that is just an inch or two smaller than your natural waistline so that it will give you a firm hold and some reduction in size but you will still be able to get in on and get it zipped up. Hopefully one of the other girls will chime in here with sound advice!

My concerns about vintage girdles (and the reasons I haven't bought one to wear) are first -- that regular wear would destroy the vintage garment and second -- that the elasticity and flex of the materials used will have degraded over the years making them brittle (fragile) and ineffective as a support garment. Has anyone found this to be the case?

~ Queenie

 

[magneto]

My concerns about vintage girdles (and the reasons I haven't bought one to wear) are first -- that regular wear would destroy the vintage garment and second -- that the elasticity and flex of the materials used will have degraded over the years making them brittle (fragile) and ineffective as a support garment. Has anyone found this to be the case?

I think it really depends on the garment. One example, I have a late 50s/early 60s girdle ("Rogers Formfit"(?)) I bought 8 years ago, and it is still in the same springy elastic state it was in on purchase, despite frequent wear. OTOH I have seen plenty of limp stretched out items commanding high ebay/vintage-shop prices. If it's in good condition when you buy it, with care it will stay that way it seems.

 

[Alpine Glamour]

I'll test it out

Thank you for your feedback. I will just go for it and try one out. I also think that trying one 4 inches smaller is a bit too optimistic, no? After all, looking fabulous should still permit me to breathe...

I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Tourbillion]

There are 2 kinds of girdles that you find on ebay.

1. Elastic: these are usually small, medium and large, you would probably need a medium. Your waist is already pretty small, so you would not get much reduction from most elastic girdles, they are made for girls with a bit more in the waist--that is average figures.

For some reason the old elastic seems to last longer than the modern stuff.

2. Non-elastic corset girdles: I have a couple of these. They have either busks, hooks or zippers or a combo of the three. They usually lace up the back (sometimes in front), and can have elastic laces at the bottom so you can still sit in them. There is usually room for a "gap" in the back. My dad said girls used to wear these in the 30's and 40's (lets not discuss what he was doing having knowledge of women's underwear).

These you can buy up to 4" smaller than your waist, but unless you can find one that is about 25" with a full hip (I have one that is about that size), then it might not fit right. They seem to be made to reduce hips more than waists. One with a 2" smaller measurement might work better.

Are you looking to make your waist or hips smaller (or both)? If you are trying for your waist, a waist cincher or regular corset might work better.

I should add that none of these are particularly comfortable.

 

[RetroModelSari]

Hi Alpine!

I can give you some cool adresses where you can ask for this stuff and also get it

[Moderator Edit: Links removed due to content. Please use caution when sharing lingerie related links.]

I think they even ship to Switzerland and I´m sure they are willing to help you out. You wouldn´t have to calculate in inches either. Ars Vivendi has nice vintage underwear repros (unless you want a really old girdle or/and corset)

 

[mysterygal]

girdles and corsets

Got a question here....are girdles and corsets a 'staple' as far as clothing wear? and do they even really do anything? I know I"ve read something about this before but can't seem to find it again....I don't have any big need of tucking in anything, but if they do give you a more 'figure flattering' look I want to buy a few.

 

[Vanessa]

Well, the thing that I find with girdles and other 'foundation' pieces - is that it's just that, a foundation for your clothes. From personal experience, I find clothes of the period fit smoother and hang better with the right underpinnings. You will also tend to reflect that support in how you carry yourself and overall have a more polished look.
This is true for any period for me- be it a bustle & corset for the Victorian era or a garter & girdle combo for the 40's.

 

[Lauren]

I admit that I don't really wear a girdle unless I need it. But I have a neat garter belt that sort of does the minor tucking trick, so it's not a full blown girdle, but does help out with those clingy 30's dresses.

The thing about underwear is that ours today simply won't look right with period clothes. To get the correct silhouette for the period you should wear what they wore underneath. For regency, you wear the busk front corset, for civil war all the corsets, petticoats, and hoops, and for "vintage" you have the all in ones, or tap pants, bras, and garter belts.

 

[mysterygal]

sounds like then I need to pick up a girdle then since I want to wear mostly 40's type clothes......thanks!

 

[Irena]

I'm very new to this - what type of girdle would you recommend for someone who needs very little tucking, just that foundation?

 

[Tabitha]

You have to try girdlebound.com I recently purchased some from this sight and love them. They finish off the 40's and 50's look. My dresses look so much more "polished" now. I am sure you will find something even for light "tucking" I don't think you will be sorry.

 

[mysterygal]

Irena, I'm glad you asked that, cause I was wondering the same thing also..can't wait to see the difference myself!

 

[Irena]

But just what type of girdle - which materials are easier on you?