Another great reason to buy vintage!

If I am going to sew a dress, I always pre-wash the fabric, just to make sure it's pre-shrunk.  When you buy a new (non-thrifted or non-vintage) dress (or shirt or jeans), it's not always the way, and things do often shrink in the wash.  Why?

They haven't been pre-shrunk of course!

Mechanical shrinking (also known as sanforizing ) is a process whereby the fabric is forced to shrink width and/or lengthwise, creating a fabric in which is basically preshrunk. Sanforizing was patented in the USA in 1930 by - wait for it - Sanford Lockwood Cluett.  Chuett eventually joined the family firm of detachable collar manufacturers, but he was also an inventor with around 200 patents in his name.

It appears that anti-shrink fabrics, both cottons and rayons, first arrived in Australia in 1939, judging from the ads I have found in various editions of the Australian Women's Weekly.  The ads also seem to disappear by the late 1950s.

1939

1890s Cycling Fashions for Men

It is often remarked that men's fashions haven't changed much over the years.  Compared to women's fashions they didn't, but each decade did have it's own specialities, such as breeches or lace and embroidery on waistcoats. In looking at cycling fashions for men, I want to start with a little background at the everyday fashions for men of the 1890's.

The military greatly influence men's (and women) clothing, both in style and colour (red jackets from the late 1700's and khaki in the tropics).  During the 1890's there were still of course wars going on, but the fashion also looked towards the cycling craze of the time, and the overall silhouette of the 1890's was long, lean, and athletic. 

British army piper, private and office c 1890 source

When we think of Victorian fashions for men, apart from military uniforms, we often think of the formal and evening wear - tails and top hats. Dinner jackets or tuxedo's were worn in the evening, and tails only for formal evening events, and of course special race days, with a top hat. White shirts were worn with both, with black or bow ties, although they were again popular as day time accessories during the 90's.  The  Ascot tie was also worn, usually as a day accessory, made up as a neckband with wide wings attached and worn with a stick-pin, and a bowler hat and other soft felt hats or caps were worn during the day.

  

The Hon. Derek William George Keppel  Elegantly dressed Vanity Fair Illustration 1895

 and 

Mr Victor Cavendish, MP for Derbyshire West, wearing top hat. Vanity Fair Illustration 1895

source

Although frock coats and the cutaway morning coat was still worn for formal day occasions in Europe and major cities elsewhere, lounge (sack) jackets became popular for day time wear.  These were worn as a suit, either matching three piece affairs with a single breasted jacket, waistcoat and trousers, or with a contrasting waistcoat (vest). Fabric varied, and could be smooth and fine or rougher almost tweed. 

Morning coat and lounge suits c. 1895. source

Perhaps not a realistic cycling outfit of the time?

White Flannel Pants, blazer & Boater - pants rolled up a little at least! 

The blazer was worn for casual activities such as sailing or boating - cut in a similar style to the lounge coat, the fabric was either navy blue or brightly-colored or striped, often in wool flannel,  with patch pockets and brass buttons. These were often worn with light coloured flannel pants, or even shorts, with a straw boater or a cap.

Cycling in a blazer and cap c.1892 source

  

Mr Rudolf Chambers Lehmann, rowing coach,  In flannels and blazer and 

Mr Charles Pittman, rower, in white shorts and sweater.

Tweed jackets (Norfolk jacket) were fashionable to rugged outdoor and winter activities like hunting and shooting.  It featured paired box pleats over the chest and back for greater arm movement, with a fabric belt.  The matching trousers were often replaced with matching breeches (knickerbockers) to make it suitable for suitable for bicycling, and also golf, with knee-length stockings and low shoes, or for hunting with sturdy boots or shoes with leather gaiters. 

Sears Roebuck Catalogue 1897. source

Tourists riding bicycles by A.B. Frost c.1896.

Thomas E. Kent for Bicycle Clothing 1896

Tweed and breeches or plus fours seem to be the most remembered clothing for gentlemen cyclists of this time, as shown by the recent 'tweed ride' or tweed run' phenomena of the last few years. Find out more about this recreation of past cycling tours here.

The poster from the first tweed run 2009

Caps & Breeches, cycling in Norway 1898 source

Cycling c. 1895 source

Many ordinary gents, or those riding to work where breeches would have not been worn, wore their day suits for cycling.  Some would tuck in one leg of there pants into their socks, to avoid it getting caught by the chain, and others would wear bicycle clips.  I can remember my father doing this.

Man and cycle, long trousers and felt cap, c.1895 source

Sear Roebuck Catalogue 1897

This gentleman looks like he did just sell his horse, don't you think!

man and cycle, long trousers, vest and Stetson c 1890s source

Although studio posed, this gent looks ready to go, with his pants tucked partially into his socks, and his tie tucked into his shirt.

Cyclist c .1890s source

French cyclists c 1895  source

There was also specialist sporting clothing for athletes such as swimmers, boxers and speed cyclists, but these were not generally worn by the ordinary man.

Cycling race, 1899 source

c 1890 source

French Olympic cyclists 1896 source

Where the military had influenced fashion, now the bicycle influenced the military.  Cycling squads were formed, and uniforms altered slightly to accommodate cycling soldiers. A look at those next time.

Deb xx

Madame Elise of Regent Street

I am still researching for my next post on Victorian Fashions (riding habits), and am getting distracted by actual riding, as the weather here has been so good and the children have been on holidays.

I did find this stunning dress though, and just had to share it. Its made of silk and dates from the late 1870's.

Source

  The dress was made by Madame Elise of Regent Street, the premier shopping street of the time.



Apparently Madame Elise (owned by the Isaacsons)  was not the best of employers.  In 1863 one of her dressmakers wrote an open letter to The Times exposing the dreadful conditions   Twenty three ladies worked in one room, from 6 in the morning until 11 at night, and overnight on Fridays to get dresses ready for Saturday balls.  They also slept on the premises, two to a bed, and the writer was prompted into action by the death of one of her fellow workers.  Apparently things improved a bit after the outrage sparked by the ltter, but working conditions remained harsh.  A month later Punch published this cartoon by John Leech, in which the ghost of the dead seamstress can be seen in the mirror of the lady in her new dress. Subtle!

source

You can read more about dressmaking in London and workers conditions in  The London Look: Fashion from Street to Catwalk  By Christopher Breward, Edwina Ehrman, Caroline Evans.

Deb xxx

A Short History of Corsets - Edwardian

Although popular in the Victorian era, the curved busk began to be thought of as unhealthy, and along with “health corsets” (mentioned in an earlier post), a straighter busk came into use during the end of the 1890’s. 

Corset Ad c. 1903

This new straight busk did not press against the internal organs quite as much, and gave a more upright posture. 

  

French cotton, metal, elastic, bone and silk corset c. 1905  source

After 1907 the wasp waist became less acute with the introduction of the “Directoire” style in dress by Paul Poiret, inspired by post French Revolution fashions, and high waists and long slim figures were fashionable once again.  Corsets therefore became straighter and longer, starting just above the waist to well down the thighs almost to the knees, resulting in a long slim silhouette.  They  no longer came up to support the breasts, although a full bust was still fashionable.   

The new corsets still used a straight busk and had a straight front but their function was not to compress the waist but to minimize the stomach and hips.  The look was no longer the hourglass - waist, stomach and hip measurements had to be more or less equal.   Some early long line corsets were very long, often reaching near the knees, which made sitting down quite difficult.  These corsets often had elastic gusset inserts which were supposed to increase comfort level and allow bending, one hopes. There were also deep hip gores on the corset to allow for the natural shift backwards of the hips and buttocks. Many corsets now also had stocking suspenders attached to them, rather than separate garters.

  

This new straight fronted corset relied on clever cutting techniques, such as cutting on the bias,  rather than boning, to give the corset a shape it never had before.   Some boning was still used, but it had to be long and flat, and on average most corsets only had about 12- 20 bones, spaced evenly around the body, and it not extend the whole length of the corset.  Whalebone was also becoming rare and very expensive at this time, and steel was often used where boning was needed.  Warner’s introduced “Rust Proof” steels (which were watch-springs covered in paper) and the Spirella company introduced the spiral bone (which is still used in corsets today).  

 

French silk corset c. 1905 source

Traditional corset fabrics such as coutil, cotton and linen were used, but damasks and silk became more popular, and  the famous corset colour, Tea Rose pink, was introduced.  Trimming was used, but was usually in the form of just a little ribbon around the top, although some, like the one above were more decorative. 

 

Ribbon waist cincher in Tea Rose Pink c.1908 source

  

For sporting or active wear, and also for sleeping in, shorter corsets made out of strips of ribbon (ribbon corsets and waist cincher corsets) became popular.   Once again corsets became the symbol of wealth, as the longer corsets were difficult to function in and to put on, and wearers really needed a servant to help them dress and complete everyday tasks.   

As the bust was no longer supported by the corset, a bust bodice became essential.   Simple darted bands a few inches wide that covered the nipples ,with fine straps, were  worn by about 1914, and  elastic belts were also popular with younger women when they were active during the First World War. Several countries maintain that they produced the first version of the bra , but Mary Phelps Jacobs patented her 1908 invention in 1914, under the name of Caresse Crosby (before selling it to Warners).

  

By 1918, once the First World War was over, women's attitudes and fashions shifted. There could be no return to the heavily boned corset as it had been in former times, and a shorter and a lighter boned model of corset would start to replace it.  This new style of corset ended just above waist level and although it still came low down onto the hips, paving the way for girdles and the changing role of woman.

 

American cotton, bone, metal, elastic corsets c 1915 and 1917 source

I mean, can you imagine wearing a corset while nursing wounded soldiers?

source

I think the late Victorian and early Edwardian periods are my favourite for corsets.  What about you?

Next I’ll look at some of my favourite dresses and accessories from those periods, including parasols.  Meanwhile, if you want to make you own corset, have a look at this site:

 

There are vintage corsets for sale here at Corsets and Crinolines, or handmade corsets here on Etsy.

It doesn't hurt to look, does it!

Deb xx