???

[isabelladangelo]

So. After, yet again, the stays coming out too big, I decided to try to draft my own. I still have to finish the other side. I know the top of the front is wrong. What I did is I took my old 16th c corset that was too big, cut out the front part of it, reused the bias tape around it, and added the 18th c -esque sides to it. At least, I think it looks somewhat like 18th c stays? Yes? No? Anything I can do to make it more correct short of starting over again? I'm looking for shape more than anything.

I'm basing these off of several different extant ones. This page had been helpful. But, other than the fact the top front is curved the wrong way, does anyone see anything glaringly wrong with these?

EDIT: I've changed them slightly. The front piece has been taken in on the sides a bit. It looks similar to this one on. I promise to post pictures when it's not 3 am in the morning.

Still, any suggestions anyone can give me would be helpful.

Comments

[cathgrace.livejournal.com]

how did the other one end up too big when in the last picture it looked like it was pretty much fitting?

[isabelladangelo.livejournal.com]

I had it on over two shirts and modern under clothing. Once I tried it on over the shift, I realized that it was at least a size too big.

[cathgrace.livejournal.com]

that sucks, in the picture they weren't closed all the way, so one would assume you had room to lace them tighter and overlap the front a bit. Is there anyway you could just take out the first section of boning around the front closure and set your eyelets back a bit further? They were so close to done it seems such a shame to not have them work.

[isabelladangelo.livejournal.com]

I know. I'm not trying on corsets/stays/pair of bodies over my modern clothing anymore.

The way the channels are in the stays, I wouldn't be able to take them in. I'm just going to finish that pair and, hopefully, be able to sell it.

Right now, I'm just crossing my fingers that the new pair I made are correct enough to be useful under an 18th c gown. If nothing else, they are comfortable.