Material Culture, Dress and Fashion History
What should we call the torso-shaping female foundation garments of the seventeenth century? Were they pairs of bodies? Bodices? Stays? Moreover, how were they worn? Were they underwear or were the outer wear? This post clears the air about terminology!
After many months of hand sewing and many pricked fingertips I present my reconstruction of the Filmer Bodies c. 1630-50 from Manchester Galleries.
Constructing the Dame Filmer Bodies & finishing touches.
The term 'stomacher' can refer to various parts of early modern female dress. The first use of the term refers simply to a V-shaped piece of cloth, usually decorated with embroidery, lace, metallic thread or even jewels, that was worn with open front gowns, waistcoats or bodices (concealing the kirtle, petticoat, bodies or stays underneath) from the sixteenth to late eighteenth centuries.
The busk is one peculiar element of early modern dress that continues to fascinate me the more that I research it. Understandably, most people have never heard of a ‘busk’ before
The second 'bodies' reconstruction that I'm undertaking for my PhD research is of the Dame Filmer Bodies at the Gallery of Costume, Platt Hall, Manchester Art Gallery.
After blogging about the process of reconstructing the earliest pair of surviving English bodies that were found on the 1603 effigy of Queen Elizabeth I at Westminster Abbey, one of the most frequent questions that I received was: do you think these bodies actually belong to the Queen? My answer: no… and yes, maybe. Funerary records… Continue reading Effigy Bodies: did they really belong to Elizabeth I? | Speculating about the appearance of Gloriana through Dress Reconstruction
The process of creating the eyelet holes and lacing the reconstruction of Elizabeth I effigy bodies.
Effigy Bodies Part One: The Pattern & Materials Effigy Bodies Part Two: Cutting & Sewing Effigy Bodies Part Three: Boning & Binding Effigy Bodies Part Four: Eyelets & Lacing Effigy Bodies Part Five: The Finished Product The first reconstruction that I will be making is the effigy bodies of Queen Elizabeth I that are now… Continue reading Elizabeth I Effigy Bodies Reconstruction | Part One: The Pattern & Materials