Grey poppies.

Theda Bara in Madame Du Barry, 1917. 

kvetchlandia:

Erwin Blumenfeld     Untitled, for “Harper’s Bazaar”     1939

lostsplendor:

Princess Elisabeth of Hesse, c. 1884 (via Grand Ladies)

kateblogthis reblogged your photo: fripperiesandfobs: durnesque-esque: …

i still regret not corset training, despite the consequences.

There really aren’t many consequences :) you can’t eat as much at one sitting, heavy exercise is harder, and, well… that’s it, honestly. I mean, it puts a dent in your wallet (alas) but it’s not bad for you.

raevyn-amarantha:

lace-me-tighter:

The proper manner in which to lace a corset.

Thank you so much for posting this as I always have a hard time lacing mine properly.

mensfashionworld:

Benedikt Angerer by Andreas Waldschütz for Kaltblut

1920s corset pinup.

Corset illustration, 1910s.

Elaine Stewart, 1950s.

collective-history:

Two sketches from 1884 depicting what, at the time, was believed the way the inside of the body looked when wearing a corset.

Young and fashionable women were most likely to tightlace, especially for balls, fashionable gatherings, and like occasions for display. Older, poorer, and primmer women would have laced moderately – just enough to be decent.

The Victorian and Edwardian corset differed from earlier corsets in numerous ways. The corset no longer ended at the waist, but flared out and ended several inches below the waist. The corset was exaggeratedly curvaceous rather than cylindrical. It was also much sturdier in construction, thanks to improvements in technology. Spiral steel stays curved with the figure rather than dictating a cylindrical silhouette. While many corsets were still sewn by hand to the wearer’s measurements, there was also a thriving market in cheaper mass-produced corsets.

In the late years of the Victorian era, medical reports and rumors claimed that tightlacing was fatally detrimental to health. Women who suffered to achieve small waists were also condemned for their vanity and excoriated from the pulpit as slaves to fashion. It was frequently claimed that too small a waist was ugly rather than beautiful. Dress reformers exhorted women to abandon the tyranny of stays and free their waists for work and healthy exercise.

fuckyeahcorsets:

Me wearing a waist cincher corset from Mme Sher.

Now, this is a properly fitting corset.

cabbagingcove:

The Proper Method of Lacing and Adjusting Corsets.

[Source: W.B. Corsets, 1895]

This is relevant to my interests.

lostsplendor:

Princess Elisabeth of Hesse, c. 1884 (via Grand Ladies)