Schlagwort: fashion

Corsetry II

So, my last post introduced the question why and since when people started wearing undergarment on top of outergarment, especially the corset.

First, I want to make clear what is in my opinion out of this question:
Wearing a corset in tradition of costume history
Below garment, fe. a dress:
Marriage gowns, like of the louche grande dame and known corset-lover Dita Van Teese
Vintage Clothing. As a reference, a genuine photograph approximately taken around 1900,
Museum Display in Fairbanks Dress, ca.1900
Re-Enactment as seen here, 1890ies.

As part of lingerie/underwear, worn with a Chemise
As seen in many Costume Movies, sometimes accurate, sometimes not: Elisabeth Swann/Pirates of the Carribean (Mrs Swanns Corset would most likely not have caused her fainting)

Further Dessous,

Erotica/Fetish Photography
Latex
Tightlacing

An Exception being displays for Fashion Photography/Advertisement (fe. Corset Manufacturers), for obvious promotional reasons
1874, „Thomsons Underthings“
2002 until to-day, To.Mto Berlin

Whereas part of that question is the
„new“ fashion of wearing the corset on top:

Vintage Fashion with a modern twist (made by a corset enthuisiast)
This could be taken even further away, as seen here and here (resembling a „vintage taste“ now, rather than taking „genuine vintage“ references)
Typical Goth Girl Party Outfit

Many pictures of famous Gothic Music Icons show that new fashion:
Amy Lee/Evanescence
Blutengel
Both are rather „fashion corsets“ than actual corsets for waist reduction. The second one might be with steel bone but the back’s most definately not closed.

I found another way of wearing underwear on top of outerwear
Wave Gothic Gathering (German: WGT) at Leipzig
2008 wearing lace hipsters (or sometimes boyshorts) on top of pantyhose (or nylons) – this also shows the mode à la françoise, wearing the garter underneath the pantyhose (well, at least one? of them. Why this became a „french“ fashion I leave to the wild imagination of the dear reader!)

I asked in two forums, one specialized on Gothic Fashion and one for Corset Enthuisiasts, why people would wear a corset on top. As far as I can conclude, many were not even aware of the fact that a corset was underwear once.

Corsetry

I wonder why so many girls these days wear their corsets (sometimes even beautiful, handcrafted ones) on top of their clothing. It does not make any sense to me, and it’s very ugly in my opinion. To me, it’s like wearing your bra on top of your shirt. I ask you, why would you do that?

I don’t mean the many girls showing lingerie in general, like corset+stockings+heels or similar. They’re just about to get naked in my opinion, not specifically bad dressed. What I am talking about is the fashion of wearing a corset (no matter how beautiful) on top of outer wear.

When and where did this fashion develop?
Why would a girl wear a corset on top of a dress?
Did the innovation of the modesty flap enhance this lapse of taste?

Golden Obsession

It is very easy for be to become ridiciously obsessed with tiny details. This time, I’m presenting you the results of my hunt for a truly golden makeup. I wanted an effect like melted gold, not the sissy weenie glittery makeup they usually sell under a „gold“ label.

This took me through several pro make up stores in Berlin, with no satisfying loot.

Finally, I searched the second-hand-online boutique Kleiderkreisel and was successful. I got a sample of MAC’s „Yellow Gold“* from the spring 2011 collection and a whole jar „Golden Vision“ from AVON (a brand I have never heard of before).

Both are metal pigments. The magic behind it is the applying technique. To create the melted gold effect, you need to foil the pigments. Watch this video if you want to see how that is done: MAC Pigments 101 by julieg713.

So there! I got different kinds of golden rings in my vanity, and I thought it would be fun to compare. Here’s my swatch (daylight, indirect sun):

MAC, Avon, Swatch
Comparative Swatch of Gold, Faux Gold and "Golden" Makeup.

I’m glad I did not spent my money on the whole MAC pigment jar (which would be around €33) but a sample instead (which was €3 for 1/4 tsp). Side note: For the same price as the MAC sample, I got the whole AVON jar… So tell me about reputation!

Preferring AVON or MAC might be left to taste of yellow parts, brand, etc, but I can conclude both are not really getting to the point of melted gold.

I learned a lot about Gold and Gold effects. I also wonder about different types and usage of Gold in illuminated manuscripts. I’m still into pigments and colours in art, after all.

Alternative view

*For more on MAC’s metal pigments, check this swatch video: Metallic Pigment Swatches! Gold, Silver, Bronze, Copper! MAC (by twixtbetwixt) I think the Gold is the most lousy one, maybe that is why they took it off their regular sale. The (pure, plain, simple) MAC Gold pigment is almost impossible to aquire now, they only got a really shabby „Old Gold“, and the Spring 2011 collection some greenish and yellowish Gold tones.

some notes

gaijin in kimono. a difficult topic.
women sewing all night and day to compress their bodies in selfmade victorian corsets. same thing.

i believe you can take a thing and develop it into something new.
my new obsession is kanzashi (hair ornaments), especially the type びらびら簪 bira bira kanzashi (dangling ones).
i would love to get the chance possessing one. same thing with victorian garment, i love the looks, i would also love to touch and feel it… but going out wearing that? no way.
authenticity is not my main focus. i don’t like making fun out of people playing with authenticity because i see no point in that, people always took traditions and developed them into something new, until those eventually became tradtional looks, and so forth… as we live, we’re already part of history.

still, seeing pictures of those women gives me similar shivers as when i’m at the museum.
i am very thankful i was born in the 21st century, and even if there was some time machine, i would not even dare going 30 years back in time.

fashion of every couleur is pleasurable to look at for me,
the items i like to wear are usually of one kind: plain and simple. when i was younger, i broke that unwritten rule sometimes; but for now, i like a non-distracting, reduced style on myself best.

https://www.kanzashigarden.com/briefintro.html
https://www.kanzashigarden.com/basic.html

making tsumami kanzashi
https://kurokami-kanzashi.deviantart.com/art/Kanzashi-Tutorial-Part-I-43067797
https://www.vivcore.com/kanzashi_core.html
https://www.kanzashigarden.com/howtofold.html

a very lovely piece
https://myloko.deviantart.com/art/The-Visitor-From-Kyoto-53509122