June 24, 2014

an excuse to wear stays


There aren't many places where one can wear a taffeta petticoat over panniers, stays covered in pearls, and a glittered ship perched on a pompadour and feel underdressed, but the Coney Island Mermaid Parade is one of them.


I did not bring a camera with me. Big mistake. But a talented parade goer shared this beautiful portrait with me, and I found the picture below on Gothamist.


This ensemble felt extravagant when I was getting ready but was nothing compared to the fabulous costumes on display once I arrived at the staging area. Look at these photos at the Village Voice to see some fine costuming. 

My favorite thing about this costume is that I knocked it out without a pattern.  I wasn't worried about perfection, there was none of the regular pattering, fitting, re-patterning that I normally do. I didn't even use a ruler. Fabric was just draped on a dress form then sewn together. The panniers were made first, then the petticoat was draped over them, and the stays were done last. They are reed sandwiched between two layers of linen, and a outer layer of cheap taffeta. They're just three pieces, a front cut on a fold and two sides that wrap around to the back. They work. I felt secure in them and I can easily rip the taffeta off if I need stays for another costume. Which I'm sure I will. Dressing up in 18th century garments is so fun.

I should acknowledge the long absence. I could make excuses, but we're all busy, right? I just couldn't seem to find the time to pattern, sew, and document. But the Corsets and Crinoline corsets aren't going to sew themselves so I have to find a way to make the time. Thank you for your continued interest!

9 comments:

  1. Your costume is fantastic. I love stays and these are brilliant. It is hard to find the time to sew, especially something so involved as a corset.

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  2. Thank you for the compliment!

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  3. I love your costume and I was ecstatic to see a new blog post from you! I can't tell you how much I appreciate this whole blog. It's so incredibly helpful in learning how to sew corsets! It's really my go-to reference. Did you ever finish your 1920s corset?

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  4. Thank you for the compliment Jennifer! I have finished the 1920's corselet. I really need to photograph it. So many things to catch up on!

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  5. You look fabulous, and I'm so happy to hear you're still sewing (and yes time to blog can be hard to find).

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    1. Thank you Ista! There were some big changes over the last year that really cut into sewing time, but I feel like things have settled down a bit and it's time to get back to the machine.

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  6. That blue is sooo pretty! Great blog by the way ;)

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    1. Thank you for reading! That cheap $3-a-yard taffeta looked way better than I thought it would when I bought it and proved to the perfect color for showcasing the blue.

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  7. Looks so amazing. I like it very much. Thanks for sharing.
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