Monday, December 7, 2009

Talking Corsets


...No, not corsets that speak (literally) but corsets that speak to me artistically! When I was thirteen a friend of mine offered to loan me a (dog-eared) copy of 'Gone With The Wind'. When I read about Scarlett O'Hara's 17 inch waist, and all the pomp and circumstance it took to get her dressed (chemise, pantalets, crinolines, corsets, bustle cages, etc) I was enthralled. I had never seen or comprehended what women went through in previous eras to get a "whittled" waist and the perfect (if not unnatural) hourglass figure. It started me on a quest to learn about traditional construction techniques for corsets and waist cinchers. It turns out that historically, corsets were made of layered fabrics (silk, leather, coutil and heavy cottons) lined with whalebone, ivory or steel stays. Of Course whalebone and ivory are out of the question for me as materials these days.
In the modern era, weakling corsets made with stretch fabrics and flimsy plastic "bones" are available at every "Hot Topic" and in mail order catalogs. When I see these poorly constructed facsimiles, I get a little chill in my bones (not that I have never purchased a pre-made corset of poor quality). After wearing one of these synthetic creations, I decided that for my wedding I would make my own historically accurate Victorian era corset. I found several resources online where one could purchase amazing natural coutil fabric, spiral steel boning, extra strong cotton cording for tie-lacing, and virtually unbendable steel hook closures. I made my corset out of ivory close-weave silk with hand-dyed red silk lining. I even purchased historically accurate thread for the project! I also found that there is a whole community of corsetieres that exist happily making corsets for the hourglass inclined figure (for both men and women) or for the corset curious set. The sites give tutorials on how to corset train your body for achieving a permanent whittled waist, corsets throughout the ages and funny quips about corsetry.
I know that in the past, corsets were used as a sort of control garment (in more ways than just cinching waists) for women. There are studies that show that women who died in childbirth during heavily corseted eras may have done so due to the extreme re-alignment by corsets of their internal organs. There are also things to be said about what it means to be so enslaved to an unnatural standard of beauty that one would contort one's body to please the fashion of the era. After wearing corsets for myself, I can tell you this: wearing corsets provides support which modern undergarments have not been able to do. My usually aching back was suddenly invigorated. On the down-side at my wedding reception, I developed a welt on my hip where the corset had folded in on itself after 12 hours (due to a quick bathroom trip early in the day where I did not check the corset's placement properly). I also have felt more evenly supported in a corset than in any modern control-top whatevers or gut squeezing Spanx-type of apparatus beneath my clothes!
Whether you agree with the constriction both literal and ethical that corsets provide(d), there is no doubt that corsets are and were works of art. Museums have dedicated exhibits to the corset, and designers continue to incorporate them into modern couture. If you are interested in finding out more about corsets, check out the link, or message me.
The link: http://corsetiere.net/

Friday, December 4, 2009

so-and-so sews

When I am at a party, networking event or any gathering, inevitably people will ask what I do for a living. When I respond that I am a dressmaker/designer, people are usually surprised. I do not look like a quilting granny or a stereotypical dress designer, so people start asking questions. They usually ask where and how I learned to sew. They also usually reminisce about a time when they either had something made for them, or tell me about a person in their life that sews. The conversation is usually pleasant and comforting. I love to hear about other people's sewing experiences or learn about people that sew in any form. When I tell whomever I am speaking with that I also give sewing lessons, their eyes usually light up with interest.
My sewing classes are getting more and more popular with kids these days. I took some time recently to investigate why. It turns out that anything your parents don't do is cool with "the kids" (surprise, surprise!). It also turns out that most parents have not got the time or learned experience to teach their kids how to sew. In fact, most parents come to me and say "I can't even sew a button on!" or "I can't even thread a needle!".  I was intrigued by the multitudes of parents and peers that came to me with stories of embarrassing tries at sewing, and botched hems, etc. They would shyly look down admitting the defeat of "bringing the garment to the cleaners" for alterations (and paying through the nose for it!!). They marvel at the idea that I can sew at all, let alone sew a variety of items from hand beading and kids toys to couture evening gowns. I have taken my skills for granted! 
I learned how to sew from my grandmother (hand stitching), and from a 6th grade sewing class, which remains one of my favorite teacher/student memories. I asked some of my peers if they took Home Ec in school, and subsequently if sewing was even taught in their Home Ec courses. Most people my age (graduating HS in the 1990s) said they indeed took Home Ec in middle school, however 75% of them told me that sewing was not part of the curriculum. This surprised me. I must have grown up in a town where Home Ec was not limited to cooking and laundry. I also got the impression that most of the women in my peer group thought that sewing was somehow not "feminist", placing women behind the sewing machine instead of out in the workforce (i.e. Corporate America) and that it would somehow ruin their "Fem-Cred" (I use this term when two or more of my feminist friends are gathered, one-upping each other with their feminist ideology!). I have always considered myself a feminist and never felt that sewing a button on a jacket or repairing a hole in my jeans would deem me unfit for my "We can do it!" compatriots. In fact, I feel it is the very essence of feminism! However, I can see where there might have been a label (sewn) on people who stitched in the past. It was certainly not common among my childhood friends to sew, but some of their mothers were great sewers. I think the generation gap between my peers and their parents was evident; "mom sews, so sewing is NOT cool". Now, of course, the children of my peers are in the opposite boat; "mom doesn't sew, so sewing IS cool!".
Whenever I meet another sewer, I get excited to "talk shop" with them (much like a musician or artist would do) and find out where and how they learned to stitch, what kind of machine(s) they use, and where they get fabrics and supplies. I like that I may be the "where and how" for the kids I teach, and that someday when they are at a party, they might mention me or my classes as a part of their sewing history. Do you know anyone who sews?