Titanic Era Corset: Reproducing a 100 year old Antique

Corsets in the 1910s are part of an unusual transition period in fashion. Though we were often taught that they were the dying breath of a tortured garment, in reality they simply (and gradually) changed into the girdles of the 1920s and on (then control top pantyhose, then Spanx- not to mention diets). Unlike their Victorian ancestors, corsets of this era do little to reshape the body. Instead they smooth the figure under the sheath-like fashionable dresses and remind the wearer of good posture. The antique that is being studied is one of many mass-produced corsets from that era. It was made from a plain cotton twill fabric with additional pieces from a variety of plain weave cottons. The strips for the boning channels, back facing, and binding all likely came off of large prepared rolls to facilitate speed. While care was taken to make sure that the garment was practical and durable enough for daily wear, it was clearly not executed for beauty. A simple jacquard ribbon trims the top edge of an otherw