Making A Supportive and Comfortable Corset: the 1860s Style

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I am starting a new adventure - though you might have noticed that here on the channel there have been a handful of 1860s clothing being made, which, to be honest, was a coincidence, but probably the realisation I needed to start working on this bigger costume. As is typical with historical costume, the best place to start is inside out, and so I decided to tackle making an 1860s corset. This particular extant from the Victoria & Albert Museum in London (collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1...) has been on my mind for years - and so I thought it was finally time to attempt something inspired by it.
I used half a meter of blue silk taffeta and half a meter of white cotton twill (in a lightweight but dense weave). As I mentioned, the pattern I used is by Redthreaded (payhip.com/b/1eU2r) and I altered it to fit me better and added some boning to resemble the extant a little better. For the top stitching, I used silk twist thread from Devere Yarns.
Overall, I'm very happy with this corset! I think the style of it is along the lines of what I imagine the perfect corset to be, for my body and lifestyle. I quite like the fact that the boning doesn't extent beyond the waist, but still continues along the back, giving good support. Keeping the metal boning minimal and using only two layers of very lightweight fabrics keeps this corset lightweight and malleable, but sill well structured.
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[@CatsCostumery]

Check out Serious Lights: try.seriousreaders.com/pages/SR493 You can use the link below and the code SR493 for £100 off High Definition (HD) Lights + free delivery! 💡

[@katadams9941]

From a fellow doctoral student, “I’m getting a PhD in it so I’m always thinking about it” is too true. literally always thinking about my dissertation

[@milliealger3539]

Corsets are vital to clothing history

[@tealduckduckgoose]

I love this style of corset, not really smooshing anything, just kinda supporting and smoothing. The shaping stitching was a very good idea, and the colour you chose was very lovely. Also, your plants look amazing.

[@lauramelvin4046]

I started my mockup for this corset over a year ago but those gores stressed me out. You give me the boost I need to finally cut out my expensive fabric and finish this gorgeous corset ❤

[@franlevaillant6749]

1. Love that topstitching-from-the-reverse trick; am definitely going to try that. I often have issues with my fine machine needles shredding my nice topstitching thread. 2. Love D20. I’m currently 8.5 months pregnant and we’ve been advised to prepare things to read/watch in case we have time to wait at the hospital, so I’ve banked up a bunch of episodes 😎

[@MimsieSky]

I'm currently making a 1865 style Cinderella ballgown and I used the same pattern for my corset! It's a good pattern, but a little bit tricky if you've never done gores before! I'm happy with how it turned out though! Fun to watch someone else make this one! :) Can't wait to see your final outfit!

[@gumfoil]

I am also short waisted and I love 1860s corsets the most! No compressing, just support. I now am inspired to make a silk covered one :)

[@MarloWhetsel]

At "Dimension 20" I got very excited. I understood that reference.

[@TayaSews]

Congrats on starting your PhD! I hold a PhD, it is such a unique time in an academic career. I would love to see a video about your planned project, and I bet others would too. I kept a video diary throughout my phd years and it is fun to look back on now.

[@bunhelsingslegacy3549]

I love watching people sew with their tailor's ham behind their fabric. I would totally sew my piece to my ham. Every stitch.... I'd have to use a steel bowl or something... I love how that shapes you. Then again I'm the opposite shape from you, much narrower hips and much thicker waist by comparison so if I wanted hips like that, it'd all have to come from padding!!

[@tricia2701]

I really like the color, very pretty

[@mrs.knecro7044]

A corset is still on my list of things to try and make even just for myself since I don’t really do costumes so much and I don’t wear dresses often. I love a good corset and having made one myself would be so cool

[@nikilitersky1184]

I was delighted to hear that you listen to Dimension 20 while you work. My partner is a DM and turned me on to dimension 20 and D&D in general.

[@wendymalik6784]

I love daylight bulbs. They have been common in USA for quite a few years. I missed them while I lived in Europe. They are great for people who suffer seasonal affective disorder.

[@becauseimafan]

Whenever you post a new video, after watching it I always come back to watch your corset videos again 🥰 They're lovingly detailed, and so enjoyable! Like all your videos 🤩❤️

[@adrianamancuso4917]

Beautiful!

[@angelaross1]

Very pretty

[@twinnish]

It is quite pretty without the flossing. I love that color and you did a really good job on it.

[@Gandellion]

Oh snap that light looks well good

[@LtSarai]

I bought a pattern for a corset I believe is around 1860s, so this is very good to know. I have a very short torso and will attempt to make it once I've become more comfortable with sewing and have learned some accuracy XD

[@robintheparttimesewer6798]

That turned out so beautifully! With the flosing it will be stunning!

[@paperyakuk]

That looks like such a comfortable corset! I was surprised how much give it had when you were wearing it at the end. I love this style of corset anyway, but it does look wonderful in that pale blue. Can’t wait to see the flossing that you add!

[@Gandellion]

I currently work in doctoral funding at AHRC so I’m always super interested when someone says they’re doing a PhD in anything arts and humanities

[@ABC1701A]

Not sure which part of England you are in but I'm in Dublin - roughly level with Manchester and Liverpool. I'm still sewing without needing extra lights until nearly half five - weather permitting, heavy dark clouds means lights go on around 1700 - and it always bemuses me when people in the UK try to tell me that they are in the dark at 1600 for most of the winter while here it is dark at that time for maybe a couple of days in the middle of a storm. Most of the winter it gets dark around 1630 and by the end of January it is back to being light by 1715, 1730 by Valentine's Day and 1800 by the end of February. Given we are in the same time zone I've never managed to fathom out how the UK gets dark so much earlier than we do. I realise lack of windows might have problems for some people but there are a couple of journalists notorious for complaining that in Cornwall it is dark by four before December and doesn't start getting light again any later until well into January (they want all year Summer time) and when I ask why - given Cornwall is so much further south than Dublin therefore stays light longer anyway - they have it dark for so long when we only have at worst a few weeks of darkness around 1630 they oddly ignore my questions and refuse to answer. Have fun with the corset, I hate anything tight around my stomach area so would find it uncomfortable I suspect - really must make myself a pair of regency short stays though - and much as I like the clothing from that era it isn't really practical when living in a tiny house which we do.

[@MrsBrit1]

Honestly, it looks beautiful as is! The flossing will just bring that extra flair to it. The color also looks stunning on you, Cat!

[@AnniundLilo]

Its so pretty

[@Meredith36]

Beautiful! Thank you for the lovely video and the info about the light; I will check it out now. Happy creating 💚🪡💚

[@juniperjr2017]

Beautiful corset! I'm also short-waisted and have been wanting to try my hand at making a proper corset. I think this may be the pattern I decide to use one day.

[@leannemedhurst9662]

That blue is absolutely gorgeous on you! Great job xx

[@CrystalPegasusCostumes]

It's lovely! I've used the Redthreaded pattern and made myself a red corset, but am also drawn to that extant inspiration piece! Maybe one day I'll make another 😊

[@Glowing_cactus]

That is so pretty!

[@dorota1504]

I officially love you Cat :D. You're making exactly the corset and ensemble that I need to reference for my next LARP. This is perfect! Cannot wait for the next videos.

[@jenninstitches]

That is a lovely corset. It looks so good on you as well. Cannot wait to see the flossing.

[@moonbasket]

What a lovely corset! I hope you had a great holiday and I am excited to see the flossing when it's done. I love a well decorated corset. Though the plain version is very nice as well. You are an extremely accomplished seamstress.

[@BethAge95]

Very pretty!

[@kateatschool]

I love hearing about your PhD progress - as a fellow academic it's so fun! Let us know when papers come, I will read them!

[@makeda6530]

This is great! I’m hoping to make something 1880s for my steampunk inspired birthday dress next year, in early January, so more corset content is always welcome. It’s a dream color, as I love blue. Maybe I can do 1860s, not like anyone at my party would notice. 🌚 Thankfully, as you said, I found a corset to make on period corsets and it was in my size (I’m quite tiny) so I’m excited and I hope mine comes out half as pretty as yours being my second attempt at a Victorian era corset. Heheh

[@pv6450]

Such a lovely corset and video! I have watched your channel for quite awhile and you content, explanations and editing have improved fastly. Always a pleasure spending time here.

[@Accentline1145]

Random Advise Needed: If you have a Victorian or Edwardian style walking shirt that you would love to wear as part of your everyday wardrobe, what under pieces do you use? Like just a petticoat and go for it? I keep thinking that I need to still wear a corset, but then that's just dressing historical...

[@woodenkat8971]

Random advice given: the only thing I have seen online is the need for a bum pad to keep the back of the waist/hem from pulling down. The extra material and weight from the pleats in the back need the support. Beyond that, a petticoat might only be needed if you want the added fullness or dont want it touvhing your legs. Have fun!

[@melissamybubbles6139]

I am a very beginning sewer. I am also very short waisted. My bust, waist, and hips are practically the same measurement. Would a corset pattern modified for my shape look historically correct (for pretty much any period?)

[@makeda6530]

You could always pad it, corsets can shape you if you have the squish to shape but it was common to pad in several eras if you didn’t have the proportions naturally. Bust enhancers, fluffy corset covers, bum pads, and hip pads built into the corset. Remember, a lot of those eras focused on making the cut of clothes achieve the silhouette, not the body itself.

[@nerl7473]

The first Enola Holmes movie has an example of how much shape a corset can add to a non curvy figure, I believe they didn't use padding

[@cimalurie]

I got a question, I'm trying to make the cinderella ballgown from the 2015 movie and I've made a 1860's corset to support the really heavy skirt (like 15 pounds if I remember correctly) The corset rests on my hip bone and because of the weight, it can hurt quite a bit, so I'm wondering if it's because the corset isn't supposed to rest on top of it and I made it too short or if it's because the corset is just not good for carrying such weight

[@cimalurie]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eWenlJlnbp2IlZosi=UagCYhFLpyKwZJG4 This is the video I'm following if you want to know what the corset looks like