ABSTRACT
The 1890 wasp-waist corset is part of the Symington Corsetry Collection and demonstrates the increased technical ability of the corset maker. The corset is made from black cotton lasting and is decorated with gold feather stitching, black lace and a gold ribbon that is slotted through the lace trim; it is lined with white cotton twill. The corset has a spoon busk with five studs that shaped the front of the corset over the abdomen, providing the popular hour-glass silhouette of the period. The corset is heavily boned having upwards of 40 strips of bone in narrow machined-stitched casings held in place with decorative flossing. The second half of the 19th century saw the corset become a decorative article of female clothing. The pattern for this corset is relatively straightforward as the panels are mainly vertical. A combination of bone channels and cord were used to stiffen the original corset.
