My Tudor Corset / pair of Bodies

It is a long running joke that I am making my Tudor style corset. This I have been making for the past year or more.

These corsets were called bodies. It is believed that is where we get the term Bodice from. They were called a pair of bodies (as a plural) because they are made in two matching parts or they may have been originally. They later became known as stayes.

These came into fashion for most people through the first Queen Elizabeth's reign. The wealthy had silk bodies that were later stiffened with whale bone. But the bodies for most women would have been made from linen and stiffened with rushes and wood.

There are lots of blogs and books on how to make these and lots of advice around the net.

But here are some pictures of how mine is progressing:

Here I have tried to make a mock up or making a toile or muslin. Ideally I would have another assistant to help me do this part of the process on me but I have my husband..... say no more.....

This is what one half of it looked like when I took it off the dress form. As you can see it may be possible to make it all from one piece. The originals were not so I will not.

This is as far as I have got! There are two layers, one a heavy linen canvas fabric and the other an old linen sheet. Here I am sewing the channels by hand in a back stitch. In these channels would have been inserted hard rush, these were referred to as bents. I have sourced some hard rush which would have been used:

Here I have some fresh and some dried.

This picture may help in it's identification if you come across any. These were harvested in September

Hard rush seems to like open wind swept damp places. Try damp fields that are grazed by sheep. They do not like to eat these so leave them standing so they are easy to see.

This is the inside. I will line them with another piece of linen so all this will eventually be covered up.

Not all the bodies' area need to be sewn into channels.

 

 

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Some research.....

I have used what are called the 'Dorothea Bodies' as a template. These were worn by Pfalzgrafin Dorothea Sabina von Neuburg when she was interred in 1598.

Here is a cropped part of a painting made in 1565. Here this high class kitchen servant may be wearing something like a pair of bodies under her petticoat.

Elizabeth Vernon Countess of Southampton in a painting made in approximately 1600

 

Here are a pair of bodies made for an effigy of Queen Elizabeth the first in 1603

This is what they look like off the effigy.

Market scene with a pick pocket. In the first half of the seventeenth century possibly 1630s.

Here the stall Holder is wearing a garment sewn in channels and stiffened.

 

And a paining in 1660 by Gabriel Matsu

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I have used a mid weight linen thread, and a water soluble dress makers/quilters pen. Also you can see a lump of beeswax and the wood splint I used as a spacer for marking out the channels.

The centre channel is wider for the insertion of a busk. This was/is a piece of wood, what looks like an old fashioned ruler. This may be laced into place as it was sometimes removable. Men would have them made for their sweet hearts and have them engraved with pictures or messages.

Mine is plain in keeping with the status of person I represent.



 

I recommend Patterns of Fashion 3 by Janet Arnold. This is a great book with photos of original garments and then a section on patterns to make some of the garments.

 

 

Well that is it so far. I am working on my little exhibition on historical clothing at the moment (under the guise of art). I will try to update that some time soon....