hedgehognomoss: ellie-valsin: hedgehognomoss: ellie-valsin: omgthatdress: Corset1820-1839The Metropo
hedgehognomoss: ellie-valsin: hedgehognomoss: ellie-valsin: omgthatdress: Corset1820-1839The Metropolitan Museum of Art wtf 1830s. You really have to be weird under your clothes too? J/k, we love you, 1830s. <3 I actually really love the weirdness of this corset - it makes me want to embroider strange birds and stuff on mine. BUT what on earth is up with that lacing? It’s set up for spiral lacing, so props for at least trying to do that? even though it’s done backwards? and then what’s with the random switch to some sort of cross pattern at the top? Haha, didn’t even notice the lacing. Too distracted by those birdies, I guess. When these museums and auction houses set up these pieces on mannequins, they don’t always seem to know what they’re doing in terms of dressing it in proper period style. Some institutions are certainly better (more artful?) than others about this. But the Met? They should know better. Still, to be fair, those eyelets are pretty weird, no? It seems there’re a few extra ones stuck in there…or maybe they’re just poorly spaced. I’m assuming this is a homemade garment, not professional (the birdies were the first clue, hm ;)), so it may have fit a bit awkwardly anyway…? But yeah, that lacing, lol. Looks like it was laced by the lady’s inexperienced boyfriend after sexytimes. They actually look like they’re spaced well - it’s a little hard to tell with the bunching around the middle, but it looks ok to me. The two closer ones at the bottom left and top right (if that’s what you’re talking about) are actually an important part of a spiral laced corset - they keep the edges straight (unlike the bottom edges in this photo, since they did it backwards) And now you’ve got me thinking about non-corset-wearing people being just as bewildered/useless at corsets as non-bra-wearing people are with bra clasps… The only remaining question is who’s more clueless about lacing corsets: 1830s men or Costume Institute interns at the Met? I’m betting the ‘30s men could lace that corset better…;) -- source link