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Was Henry VIII’s codpiece purely aesthetic or was it for medicinal reasons?

Within this blog i will be looking into Henry VIII’s codpiece and also the use of codpieces during this time period. As well as this i will be looking at how film and TV have portrayed the men within this time period. 

Portrait of Henry VIII by the workshop of Hans Holbein the Younger in   1537 - 1547

Whilst looking into the Tudors and the Tudor fashion for material culture i found a very interesting journal entry by C.S.Reed which talked about Henry VIII’s Codpiece. It was in a series called Occasional Medical History Series. The journal entry was called ‘The codpiece: social fashion or medical need?’ it addresses the question by talking about Henry VIII and also many suggestions which say that they were used for medicinal reasons not only the aesthetic. 

The codpiece was a common feature of high class men’s fashion and were popular during the 1400s and the 1500s. It was often so over sized that it was questioned as to what the real purpose of the codpiece was. Cod pieces evolved from a fabric pocket called a “kodpese” in 1460 by Towneley. this changed throughout time to the shape of the one Henry VIII is wearing in the portrait above. 

In the 1500s Henry VIII’s codpiece was very iconic as it was so obscenely sized in portraiture. There were many reasons as to why the cod piece was use; the first of the reasons was that it was to cover the fact that they had a disease the other reason was to emphasise the male genitalia of which it was of fashionable. Many men during this time who had status and wealth wore cod pieces to draw attention to themselves. 

During 1495 syphilis spread throughout Europe which lead to the genitals being infected and diseased with puss and blood. The codpiece was said to have held the necessary bandages and wadding in to help stop the pus and blood seeping out and damaging the expensive outer garments. 

Overall, i think that the codpiece was part status but also part medical need. As shown by the journal - C.S.Reed which talked about Henry VIII’s Codpiece. It was in a series called Occasional Medical History Series. The journal entry was called ‘The codpiece: social fashion or medical need? 

Codpieces in modern films, TV and performances

In many period dramas set in this time period the cod pieces were not shown to be as big as they were during this time. Or they are not even featured within the costume, For example the film The Other Boleyn Girl portrays Henry the VIII with no codpiece. Many of the TV series and films are over sexualised for dramatic purposes during these time periods. The men had very different looking costumes to the clothing during this time. 

[Above is an image of Henry VIII from The Other Boleyn Girl]

There are other representations of Henry VIII such as the burlesque representation that was created by Rusty Von Chrome. However the costume made for the burlesque act was not made by Rusty Von Chrome. 

The representation of Henry VIII done by Rusty Von Chrome was a very extravagant adaptation with a jewel encrusted cod piece. the rest of the garment was not overly accurate to the time period, however, it is all for a performance and that means that certain aspects of the costumes are to be exaggerated and made with more modern fabrics. 

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Presentation Skills

Presentation skills are needed a lot during my costume course, as it is used within the industry whether that is conversing with a fellow colleague about plans and ideas or to a potential client. Presentation skills are something that are needed during my course as we routinely have group critiques in which we talk through out work in front of a group this helps us prepare for the industry. However, it doesn’t come naturally to all as i have experienced. It is something that i need to work on throughout the course as it is not my strong point. 

When looking at what makes a good presentation i looked at key areas;

- Being loud and clear when speaking, This is a very obvious one. However, when nerves kick in they tend to make it hard to convey exactly what you are trying to say. 

-Limited use of slang, This is a tough one, as in every day life you don’t think about this or even take it into consideration when talking. But it does make you sound more respectable and less 

- Don’t cover your mouth, This makes it hard for people to understand what you are trying to say. Also shows negative body language, Which can indicate lack of interest.

- Don’t Slouch, This gives of negative body language, which could show a lack of interest or care. Sitting up straight will also help project the voice so it is not muffled and quiet. 

- Give eye contact, This is to help create a sense of positive body language. It also shows interest in the subject that your talking about. 

- Try to not fidget, This shows how nervous you are. To combat this breathing techniques could help with calming nerves. 

- Enthusiasm, This is essential in either an interview or presentation because it helps show the audience that you know what you are talking about. It is also essential as it helps show that you care about the topic.

- Think before you speak, This is ideal as it helps getting lost in thought. It also helps to plan some talking point or to have a prompt (text or images that you plan on talking about) as you don’t want to be lost without something to say.

This is something i need to work on throughout my time at university as well as in other aspects of my life. Using tips and techniques like these will help during group critiques and also one to one tutorials.

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Why do modern day bras have a bow in the middle between the cups?

Modern day bras have bows in between the cups, is it just for aesthetics or was there a practical purpose in history?

Looking back in history you can see a pattern of where it was used for aesthetic purposes as well as for practical purposes. 

The image above is of two corsets in the regency period. One is a long-line corset shown on the right and the other is a short stay which is shown to the left.

The bow lies in the middle of the bust where the busk is. The busk is the metal or whale bone in the middle of the bust which lies down the centre front of the corset. The metal or whale bone was fixed in to the corset with a bow which meant that the corset and stays could be washed and then the bone or metal put back in. The bow shown in this corset is used in modern corsets and lingerie even though the busk has now gone. 

The bow is also a feature of wealth and status as it was common to embellish and adorn corsets for the rich and higher classes. The lower classes would have had minimal decorations on their corsetry.

The bow still remains a popular feature within bras, corsets and other areas of lingerie.

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Fashion or Costume?

Is this actually wearable? 

When looking at the website Dollskill i saw a number of items which looked incredibly over the top and almost on the line of unwearable. I had to ask the question “is this fashion or is this a costume?” 

When looking at the picture above on your left of the hippie influenced platform boots you would not be surprised to see these worn by a drag queen, they are very extravagant and have a very bold nature to them. It is easy to think that these are part of a costume worn by drag queens not a piece of fashion.  The image above on the right, of the faux fur hoodie with LED lights, could be seen as something to wear to a rave, festival or photo shoot, where it could've been seen as either a very big fashion statement or a part of an unusual costume to stand out with. The use of LED lights means that the it could not be an everyday fashion piece.

These are some of the more unusual pieces that I saw on the dollskill website and wondered if anyone wore these in their day to day life. The hoodie trouser bottoms on the left are the most unusual thing I came across. Even as a fashion piece I am unable to think of a time where these would be worn. This could be classed as a costume as it would not serve a functional purpose.  The middle image of the see-through vinyl/PVC material could be worn to an alternative festival or to a fetish event. This could it be classed as a costume if it was for an event or for a performance. Although, I think that there would have to be an occasion to go out in this outfit.  This sequin pinafore dress on the far right is not dissimilar to Japanese fashion trends. This is a more of a fashion trend rather than costume however dressed up i think it could be worn as more of a costume for a photo shoot or for an alternative event.

Fashion and costume have a very fine line which can be crossed. 

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The uses of Rubber and Latex in Fashion

Latex comes from natural plant sources. In its early years it had limited uses and was used for erasers and elastic bands which came about in the 1700s. Forms of rubber was first used in 1818 commercially to help weatherproof clothing. The first mass produced product made out of latex was the latex condom which was made in the 1920s. 

In the late 1930s and 1940s there was a new fashion for rubber girdles as they brought something new to lingerie. Due to the war they needed the rubber for war resources which meant that the production of rubber corsets was halted. The war also affected other areas of lingerie and clothing as the materials and fabric was needed for the war, for example the steel which was used for boning in the corsets.

The images above are of playtex rubber girdles from the 1940s.

In the 1960s latex clothing and costumes were first made. In the 70s Vivienne Westwood brought the latex fetish wear to the public, It was highly popular with the punks during this time period. Since then latex clothing has grown more and more popular.

In the modern day latex is used in a whole variety of different types of fashion compared to the 70s, 80s and 90s where it was seen as a very new and risqué. It is used within mainstream fashion as well as BDSM and fetish wear. 

People in the industry 

William Wilde 

William Wilde is a fashion designer from London who began in 2010. Wilde specialises in handmade rubber clothing and accessories. William Wilde’s collection has been worn by many celebrities some of which are; Taylor Swift, Kylie Minogue, Violet Chachki, Paloma Faith and Lady Gaga.

William Wilde’s work focuses on the shape and form within latex, which is what i like about his work as he uses it to create flowing garments which is a contrast to the usual skin tight latex clothing that you see. 

Gareth Pugh 

Gareth Pugh is a London designer, from Sunderland. He is a designer who specialises in unusual and extravagant fashion pieces, his work at times can look very sculptural. The images above of costumes are from a live catwalk at the V&A in 2007 called Fashion in Motion. 

Pugh’s work is very theatrical and outrageous at times as shown by the pictures above. Within this exhibition he uses; PVC, perspex and latex. He is quite unorthodox with his approach to fashion and looks at it from a very artistic manner.

Pandora Deluxe

Pandora Deluxe is a latex fashion label from London in 2010. The head behind Pandora Deluxe is Mags, she began by creating cosplay inspired outfits using latex as she was influenced by online games. In 2012 she created a super-heroine collection which was featured at the London Sci-Fi Film Festival. 

From her recent collections shown above she has used a lot of latex with a lace design cut out of to replicate the appearance of lace lingerie. She has a wide variety of pieces other than lingerie. 

The images above are of the other areas that she works within, she has a section on latex cosplay and includes thing like superheroes, supervillains and barbie. They create a wide range of clothing and create fishnet leggings with a clear see through latex with a black net pattern, there are also body suits and tops which are all different many of which are tight and contour the body tightly.  Pandora Deluxe creates very wearable pieces with options for made to measure as well as off the rack extra small to extra large sizes.

Due to my interest in latex I am thinking about doing a short course in latex clothing. i would like to learn another material that is available to work in as it will broaden my skill set. The course i am thinking of doing is the Creative Latex Clothing Workshop by Kraken Counter Couture. In this course i would be learning the knowledge to adapt and manipulate a commercial pattern. I would also be learning how the process through cutting gluing the latex would work. There would also be other technical things that i would learn such as including zips, trims and bones. 

Links used:

https://vintagedancer.com/1940s/1940s-lingerie-history/  https://www.latexworkshops.com/history-of-latex/ https://qz.com/299633/200-years-of-latex-clothing-from-secret-fetish-to-high-fashion/  http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/f/fashion-in-motion-gareth-pugh/ http://www.vam.ac.uk/blog/textiles-and-fashion/a-very-brief-history-of-staying-dry https://holdenslatex.com/history-of-natural-latex/ https://www.williamwilde http://fashion-history.lovetoknow.com/fabrics-fibers/rubber-as-fashion-fabric http://www.houseofharlot.com/House-of-Harlot-latex-clothing-Range/ https://www.pandoradeluxe.com/

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BOOK VS INTERNET RESEARCHING - The Pros and Cons

I am going to look at the differences, benefits and also the negatives to researching things from book sources, journals (online and in book format) to other sources like online web pages and blogs.

When researching and referencing using books i found a number of issues such as they were a lot more complex to reference and took a much longer time to reference. Books are also hard to reference as the information is not always easy to find, which compared to referencing from an internet source the information is usually very easily available to find. When using a book to research from i fins that it is easier to find books on the topic in a library as you can find things which are very specific to the topic i need. One thing i found hard is using the images from books as i found that they were complicated to reference, however one good thing is that you know it is from a reliable source which you can count on to be accurate. A downside to having images in books is that they have to be scanned in and often this means loosing out on the quality of the image, unless you can find a online version of the image from the book. 

When using the internet to research and reference, i found a number of advantages and disadvantages. One advantage of using the internet is that it is very easy to reference as all the information is simple to find. Another advantage is that it is very simple to search for anything as many books and journals are now available as eBooks. However, the internet can give some very unreliable sources when searching for topics and information. When using search engines like google scholar i found that it gave me some unrelated searches to the  search i had made which meant that i didn’t use it often. One advantage is that it is very easy to find images on the internet which are good quality for an essay, however they are sometimes hard to reference as they are sometimes on unreliable pages. One disadvantage of internet eBooks and eJournals is that it is hard to find a full extract and it often misses the area that you do need.

One thing i have noticed is that people get very reliant on the internet when researching as looking through books to find information takes a longer time, even if it does give you a more reliable source of information. This is something i have now taken into consideration when doing research as i think having a mix of information from internet, books and journals is the best as you can get the advantages of all areas. 

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Visiting the Royal Armouries

On the 15th of February i went on a trip to the royal armouries with some students on my course, in which i looked at the armour and weaponry as well as the portraiture. This helped with the background knowledge into the Roundhead men which i am researching into for my cut and construction module at uni. it also helped when looking at the embellishment techniques that were used on the armour and also what techniques were shown within the portraits around the royal armouries. 

The royal armouries is full of metal, leather and armour in other formats. It is not an area i am particularly fond of however i do appreciate the pieces within the museum. When looking around the museum I was interested in the lavishly adorned swords and the very detailed designs on the swords. 

Images from The Royal Armouries (https://collections.royalarmouries.org/#/objects?search=swords&sort=relevance)

The swords above range in date from 1580-1840. They’re all very ornate and they differ in style. From the swords above you can see what styles were most popular and what features in the swords are popular throughout.  The sword on the far left is a court sword from France, it was made around 1800-1840. I like this sword due to the symmetry and the texture shown on the handle.  The sword in the middle is a Rapier made in Germany and made in 1580-1620. This sword can be shown to have influenced the design of the more modern one to the left.  The sword on the far right is a Spanish Rapier and was from around the 1650s. This has also influenced the style of the more modern sword with the cup hilt which is shown in the 1800s sword. 

When i tried taking photos of these swords i found it difficult due to the flashback on the glass. The pictures i did manage to get of the weapons show a different side to the weaponry as they are not as decorative and they were made for practical use rather than aesthetic or status purposes. 

When walking around the museum i found a section on the armour of roundhead men which was useful for the topic within my cut and construction module. 

These images show the variety of the roundhead uniforms and also the different elements within the armour uniform. The colour yellow was a recurring theme throughout the roundhead uniform, this was because it was a easily sourced natural dye which would've been much easier and cheaper to create than a more vibrant and unusual colour which are harder to find which were used by the cavaliers. 

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Are vintage burlesque costumes different to more modern burlesque costumes?

In this i have looked into the differences between modern and vintage burlesque and how their costumes compare and contrast throughout history. 

Vintage Burlesque

The images above are of various burlesque and circus performers which show the variations within burlesque costumes and show the span of what burlesque costumes are like. In the image above to the right the woman has created a costume purely on humour rather than the striptease act that burlesque is known for. Compared to the more modern costumes used within burlesque these are very similar to what performers wear now, they use the same ideas and concepts to create new and inventive costumes. 

These images show the mass difference between all performers within burlesque. there are the more traditional burlesque performers which use fans which is still used within modern day burlesque as shown by Dita Von Teese as well as many more modern day burlesque performers. 

Modern Day Burlesque

Dita Von Teese wearing more traditional burlesque costume.. She is shown here to wear the more seductive and elegant costumes which she follows through even when creating a more modern and unusual costume. Her style is very symbolic of the 1940s and 50s which were full of Hollywood glamour. Looking at her teen idols you can see how they inspired her style and creativity one of which was Marlene Dietrich who was a popular singer and actress in the 1930s and 40s. Rita Hayworth was another of her icons who was an actress in the 1940s and 50s. Their styles are shown within Dita Von Teese’s iconic look.

Dita Von Teese’s silhouette is very corseted and is a throwback to when Victorian corsettry was brought back into fashion in the 1950s for showgirls. 

Above is Dita Von Teese in motion during her martini glass performance. 

Dita Von Teese stated within an interview with Time Out London that “what makes them different, makes them great. Instead of thinking ‘that’* is what burlesque is” *when she refers to that she is referring to herself as a inspiration of what new burlesque performers think of at first. Her statement about being different in the burlesque scene is what burlesque is all about, it is about expressing themselves in a fun and creative way. 

Rock Hart wearing wooden corset made by Richard Stubbs. Rock Hart is known for wearing unusual costumes, some of his most popular are; his boxer act in which he wears common boxing wear which has been embellished with his name and lots of glitter, within this act he wears matching boxing glove pasties which follows the whole theme on. 

However in this act he wears tribal wear and to go with it he wears a wooden corset made by Richard Stubbs. the wooden corset is a unique take on the traditional corset which dates back to the mid 16th century. The boning used in a corset tended to be, bone, metal or wood. 

Shir Madness wearing a costume made by herself, with led lights. Shir madness takes a very modernistic approach to a burlesque as she makes costumes which look best in motion. She performs acts with a hula hoop in which she utilised movement which he costumes reflect as she uses a lightweight fabric which conveys movement very well which will work for her in her act. the LED lights she uses within her costumes create a blur of light as she moves around the stage making it mesmerising to watch. The skirt and lights are almost ethereal and angelic. 

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Symbolism within nature and how it is used within clothing [Willow]

In this i will be looking into the symbolism of plants, trees and flowers within nature. I will be looking at how this affects fashion and costume and how it portrays the wearer of the garment. 

Willow trees are used to symbolise recovery or spirituality this is because of the extreme shapes that the trees can bend without breaking. There are other meanings of the willow tree such as the fact that the tree can survive and thrive in challenging conditions.  This is used in lots of Oriental artwork.

The first picture from the left is an example of a willow tree and the somewhat unnatural shapes that they bend into, this shows the strength within the tree and shows where the symbolism derives from.  The middle image is oriental artwork showing willow trees and how they are portrayed. This oriental artwork was produced within China and was hand painted in the Xuetiao artists style.  This Japanese robe on the right is made from Silk and has a range of embellishment techniques such as having couched gold threads, silk embroidery, paste-resist yūzen dyeing. Paste-resist yūzen dyeing is a form of a resist dying, the resist for this technique is glutinous rice paste. This robe was created in the 1700s in the Edo period. There are a lot of Chinese motifs and characters used within the robe.

BIBLIOGRAPHY (links)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (2018) ‘Robe with Willow Tree and Chinese Characters‘ [online] https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/view?exhibitionId=%7B0FFD4537-CC07-4067-B93F-B53755F33FA8%7D&oid=78467 [Accessed on 7th March 2018]

Art Research Center, Ritsumeikan University (N.D.) ‘Kyoto Handpainted Yuzen Dyeing’ [online] https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/YQKCHSr5HAI7Lw [Accessed on 7th march 2018]

CNArtGallery (2014) ‘Willow - CNAG000903‘ [online] http://www.cnartgallery.com/willow/903-willow-cnag000903.html {Accessed on 8th March 2018]

Willow Place (2016) ‘Symbolism of the Willow Tree‘ [online] https://willowplaceforwomen.com/symbolism-of-the-willow-tree/ [Accessed on 6th March 2018]

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MR SELFRIDGE COSTUMES

Within this i will be looking at the different costumes within Mr Selfridge. I chose this as it is one of my favourite TV series’s for costume as it spans the early 1900s up until the late 1920s. It shows the development throughout the time period as shows how women's roles changed and how that affected the fashion of that time. 

I am very interested in how different characters wear different clothing and how they style them to show the different characteristics. This can be seen within the way the characters above wear their suits, As Mr Selfridge wears his very smartly and also with the jacket open which i feel shows that he is approachable as compared to Mr Grove on the left who has his jacket very tightly fastened which makes him look very reserved and insecure. 

Mrs Rose Selfridge and Mr Harry Selfridge watching Anna Pavlova performing her performance of the dying swan. The clothing within this scene is some of the most elegant dresses within this series. It shows a variation of the different styles of the most wealthy of guests. 

Miss Ellen Love (pictured on the left) was the spirit of Selfridges in the first series of Mr Selfridge. Due to this she always wore the latest fashion and the most expensive things as she was the face of selfridges which meant she was a walking advertisement for the store. Miss Ellen Love’s outfits are my favourite throughout of the whole of the first series.  The images of Anna Pavlova (pictured to the right) are shown of her performing the dying swan ballet performance.

There are clear classes shown within the Selfridges. Agnes and George Towler in the first series are shown to be a lower class more of a working class. (Pictured below) They are shown to have come from a humble basic beginning as their clothing is ill fitting and they have a very plain home with only the essentials. Agnes and George aren’t the only ones who are shown to be in the lower classes within Mr Selfridge there is also Miss Bunting who is shown to be unemployed which shows the complete range of classes within Selfridges. They are shown to be of lower classes by their clothing as they are aged and worn.

Another example of the classes within Selfridges is when they are wearing the uniform as each of the staff wears the uniform slightly different (As Pictured above). Agnes  (Pictured on the far left) is shown to be wearing a very basic version of the uniform without any embellishment or detailing it is also slightly ill fitting which shows it was not made for her specifically. Comparing this to the other staff Kitty Hawkins and Doris Millar who had a more middle class upbringing. Both Kitty and Doris have a more flattering uniform as they are fitted more to their figure and they’re embellished in their own style which shows their own style within the uniform. 

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Anna Pavlova

Whilst watching the first series of Mr Selfridge i saw this ballet costume which is worn by the character of Anna Pavlova a famous Russian ballet dancer.  

The images above are of the real Anna Pavlova in the swan dress which is for the 1905 ballet performance of the dying swan. The costume for the performance is very symbolic of a swan with the ruffled and tulle of the skirt, the tulle represents the feathers of the swan. The curved areas around the waist of the dress remind me of the soft feathers of the swans. The movement from the skirt and the feathers around the arms work within the performance.

The photo above is of Anna Pavlova in Mr Selfridge played by Natalia Kremen. This is a very accurate representation of the dress that the real Anna Pavlova. However there are some changes in the dress that was remade for Mr Selfridge which are that the remake doesn’t have as much feather detailing on the bodice. from the image above it also looks as if it doesn’t have the curved areas around the waist that the original dress had. 

This is a small clip of Anna Pavlova performing The Dying Swan.

The image above is of Anna Pavlova in Mr Selfridge, She is shown here in the Selfridges store. This will have been set in the very early 1900s in the beginning years of the Selfridges store which opened in 1909.

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Starting a new module

Tomorrow i start a new module in my costume interpretation with design course. starting a new cut and construction module in which i have to make a medieval costume. Looking forward to the opportunity to make something for an actual client for the first time. i just hope that i become more prepared for this time making a costume. 

Fourteenth-century English Princess and Lady-in-Waiting by Tom Tierney

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Unexpected Discoveries

Whilst looking for evening gowns for my 1920s work i found this beautiful dress from the 1950s. 

The structure of the gown is very unique and fascinates me as it looks almost sculptural. The form of this dress remind me of nature and leaves. The curves and flowing form give the dress a big sense of movement even when still, the dress also looks completely different from all angles as it is designed in a way that it has a different fold and curve in the skirt of the dress and every angle.  The name of the dress is the For Leaf Clover, it was made from silk in 1954, the dress itself was a piece of structural engineering with the curved nature of the dress. 

The designer of the dress was Charles James creates dresses inspired by his love for mathematics and science to create the shape within his ball gowns and tailored suits. Construction techniques of the dress are unique and very interesting as they are constructed in panels in different shapes which gave the dress its unique shape and form.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (2000) Charles James Ball Gown [online] https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/158468 [Accessed 9th January 2018] The Metropolitan Museum of Art (2000) Charles James: Beyond Fashion - At The Met Fifth Avenue May 8-August 10, 2014 [online] https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2014/charles-james-beyond-fashion [Accessed 28th January 2018]

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Women’s undergarments in the 1920s [BREAKDOWN]

I am looking into female undergarments of the 1920s for one of my projects within my uni work. For this I will be looking into what was fashionable and how it changed from the time period beforehand. I will also be looking into the differences and similarities between modern day lingerie and 1920s the birth of lingerie.

I will be looking into male undergarments next as to get an understanding of the differences between the previous times and also how they compare to the undergarments worn in this day and age. 

From the 1900s to the 1920s underwear changed a lot which was due to the changing body ideals, which went from an hour glass shape with lots of emphasis on the small waists to a flat almost teenage boy body shape. With the war ending in 1918 the 1920s was the era of excess meaning all the expenses they used on the war they could then spend on frivolous things like expensive clothing, perfume. Previously underwear consisted of a corset which was very tightly laced to achieve an hourglass shape which then in the 1920s changed to the simplistic box shape easily accomplished with a bandeau, bra or binding of the chest. Then a girdle to hold up the stockings and to flatten the stomach. A slip was then used to soften the overall shape of the body. 

Some examples of the types of undergarments worn in the 1920s

Night caps were very popular in this time period as they kept the coiffure hairstyle tidy whilst get dressed. Boudoir sets were also commonly purchased as gifts for to be brides which usually consisted of slippers, garters and a cap. They came in a variety of colours however, the most popular were nude, peach and pastel pinks.

There were multiple versions of the brassiere which could be boned like a corset but have the qualities of a brassiere. It could be made out of rubber to give the same flattening affect the corseted one would. There was also a semi boned corset which was partially boned to give structure.

1920S LINGERIE COMPARED TO MODERN DAY LINGERIE

Lingerie from the 1920s compared to modern day lingerie have many similarities and differences, for example, The 1st picture below from the left is very similar of the Bandeau bras worn in the 20s however in modern day they are factory mass produced and made from cheaper fabrics. This bandeau bra is made from a stretchy fabric which is common among modern day versions of the bandeau bras. The middle picture below is similar of the bandeau bras however is much more modern, this is shown in the minimalist binding of the chest. In the 21st century the women's ideals are very much different to the ones of the 20s. In the 20s the ideals were to have a flat chest almost boy like, where as in 2017 the body ideals are more towards embracing natural looks with enhancing the natural body. The main Similarities between the 20s and the modern day are that they began thinking that women could have their own body in their own hands which meant not pressuring body ideals like the 20″ waist of the 1900s. Much like now as women are not pressured to fit a certain body ideal. The main differences between the two time period are that in the modern day the women can choose between what works for them and they have a lot more choice, where as the 20s didn't have so much as it was the beginning of lingerie.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. (2013) Paul Poiret [online] https://www.britannica.com/biography/Paul-Poiret  [Accessed on October 10th 2017]

Rosenberg, J. (2017) Flapper in the Roaring Twenties [online] https://www.thoughtco.com/flappers-in-the-roaring-twenties-1779240 [Accessed on October 10th 2017]

Sessions, D. (2009) fabrics and colors of 1920’s fashions [online] https://vintagedancer.com/1920s/fabrics-and-colors/  [Accessed on October 10th 2017]

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (2000) Poiret: King of Fashion [online] https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2007/poiret [Accessed on October 10th 2017]

The Pragmatic Costumier, Liz (2012) Antique Measurements: That waist is how big?! [online] https://thepragmaticcostumer.wordpress.com/2012/06/14/antique-measurements-that-waist-is-how-big/ [Accessed on January 1st 2018]

Victoriana Magazine (1996) Hidden from view – 1920s Lingerie [online] http://www.victoriana.com/Fashion/1920s/lingerie.htm [Accessed on December 12th 2017]

Vintage Dancer (2010) 1920s Lingerie History – Slips, Steps Ins, Robes, Night Gowns and Bed Caps [Online] https://vintagedancer.com/1920s/lingerie-history/ [Accessed on January 1st 2018]

[tilleymarrencostume-blog]

Personal Inspiration Post { PART TWO - Fantasy Gowns and Costumes }

In this series of posts i will be talking about my inspirations and my interests within the costume industry and the surrounding closely linked industries. This post will be about the fantasy side of the costume industry and people within that interest and inspire me. 

FIREFLY PATH

Firefly Path is a company from the USA which create fantasy costumes are garments for all occasions, many of which are used for weddings. They use a multitude of different fabrics and materials to create their costumes and accessories.

This is one of my favourite costumes that they have created, it is because of the use of materials and the way the gown is fitted with the iridescent sequins that cover the body minimally and give a ethereal look to the costume.

One reason i am particularly fond of this company is because they show the process of how they make the garment. They also show the designs they do before hand including swatches of the fabrics they will use and how it will look on the model.

When they show the designs as well as the finished garment it really interests me as i like to see how they have translated the design into the costume.

They are also inspired by oriental-ism and history within their designs and costumes. They create pieces with a twist on history and of other costumes they have be inspired by.  The types of fabrics they use vary from, velvet, lace, tulle, satin as well as many others. 

[tilleymarrencostume-blog]

Personal Inspiration Post { PART ONE - Lingerie (2) }

In this series of posts i will be talking about my inspirations and my interests within the costume industry and the surrounding closely linked industries.  This post will be about the lingerie industry and people within the industry that interest and inspire me.

YANA SINNER - SINNER COUTURE

Sinner couture is a lot different to the other lingerie shops i like, they use a much different colour palette compared to the others. They use darker colours within their pieces.

Yana Sinner is the designer for all the pieces in Sinner Couture, she is influenced by historical architecture of the baroque and rococo period which she has brought in the design of the corset above. 

the baroque and rococo period was heavily embellished and extravagant and has the Rocaille which is shown in the pattern on the corset. the Rocaille is the common motif used in the rococo period. 

DOTTIES DELIGHTS

Dotties delights is another US brand which makes lingerie, their work is usually vintage inspired as they use fabric which reflect the time. 

The first of these for example is very similar to sugar lace lingerie as they use tulle and mesh in very similar ways much like they did in the 1950s in the Hollywood movies to portray glamorous women in their night dress.

Their other lingerie styles are very vintage inspired with lots of mesh, lace and what looks like stretchy polyester. I am very interested in the silhouette of the gowns and lingerie. 

[tilleymarrencostume-blog]

Female Fashion within the Regency Era   {PART ONE}

The regency era was a time in history that women wore very little clothing, the clothing they wore was sheer and they wore very little undergarments compared to previous years of women’s clothing. Clothing from this period followed a very similar theme with usually a high waist below the bust a long skirt and a low neck line showing a moderate or more amount of cleavage. 

Colour scheme of the dresses were usually muted colours whites or off whites with a very plain decorative pattern on, the less decorative dresses would’ve been more aimed towards the lowers classes where as the more embellished and detailed dresses were for the higher classes which could afford the more expensive fabric and more embroidery put onto their dresses. 

Patterns that were popular were; stripes and spots as they added a small amount of detail.  I think the colours below would be best suited for women’s fashion in the regency era. As they would’ve used natural dyes to colour their fabrics which meant they wouldn’t have got as strong colours as people can now with modern technology and chemical dyes. The colour schemes from that period in time would also have been very neutral and earthy as that was what they had access to at the time.

Many of the darker colours which were more pigmented and stronger colours would be used in evening wear (half dress or full dress) this is because it was more expensive to manufacture than the lighter colours.

Most day dresses (undress and half dress) were in the colour scheme above.

Sleeve lengths varied between dresses with the time, early on in the regency period the fashion was to have long sleeves and then they developed and got looser and developed into puff sleeves. 

Within women’s fashion in the regency period there were three variations of clothing;  Undress which was the casual simplistic look of the time which was usually worn from morning till early afternoon, half dress which was between casual and dressy and then the last was full dress which was the formal dressed up outfits that they wore usually for balls and parties.