18th Century Stays for Historical Sew Fortnightly Bodice Challenge

This is going to be a 'quick and dirty' blog post because I'm in a rush. I finished these for the most part last weekend and didn't get a chance to post the picture. Stays or Pair of Bodies, is just the older term for corset. (essentially, for the layman, I'm sure there are costume historians that would have more information). These were completed for the Historical Fortnightly Challenge #5: Bodice. I made mine from Reconstructing History's 1740's to 1790's downloadable ePattern.

The back is supposed to have a 2 inch gap, but I just keep losing too much darn weight

The original pattern had a back closure only, but it's virtually impossible to fasten by myself. Since my ladies maid quit in a huff after I asked her to stop boffing the stable boy, I've had to dress myself.I cut the front down the middle and added lacing, so I can get it on without help.

This photo makes me want to yodel

The stays are made from Silk Dupioni on the outside with linen interlining. I bound the edges with pre-made bias tape (cheater!) and the bones are all 1/4 inch cable ties. These are not historically correct of course, but whales are so hard to catch these days and they don't give up there bones easily.

The Lost Weekend or How I survived a Pig Roast and and Oscars Party

Every year, I throw an Oscars party. Every year I make something original to wear. Oh Boy. What a weekend. I had intended to finish my 18th century stays, and use them as the top for some kind of Balenciaga type gown. However, I barely got them bound, never did get the straps done and, I don't care what kind of circus performer you are, those back closing stays are NOT going on without help. They didn't look anything like a Balenciaga dress top, so I scratched it.

This didn't happen

So, instead, I went to a rocking pig roast of a party if memorial for a very good hard living friend. I just tributed the everlovin' heck out of him. So I woke up Sunday morning, the morning of my party, in my clothes, to the dulcet tones of my lovely boyfriend and daughter cleaning my whole house so I could sleep it off. I am keeping both of them.

So rather than make something new, I hauled out my 1920's pub crawl dress, and won one of my own trophies.

Ken and I holding out trophies

My friend Carrie and actually gave me the idea, when she showed up with a Gatsby outfit. No I did not get dressed until an hour after my own party started. He we are. She is holding her best dressed female trophy

You can see better close-ups of the troll dolls in this Troll Post