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Measuring historic garments Measuring historic garments needs great care. Fabrics can be fragile and stitching weak, so developing a light touch is essential. When measuring the bodice there is much debate over whether to take measurements from the inside or outside. When creating a mannequin to display a garment it is, wherever possible, best to…
Comparing garment measurements to a body, mannequin or bust form The historic garment exists and a body needs to be created to fit inside it for display purposes. This could be an adapted mannequin or bust form (tailor’s garment stand) or a bespoke creation. For a successful result it is very important to understand not…
Length measurements on the body Figure 5.4 These are the vertical measurements on the body and should be taken perpendicular to the floor. © Drawing author, courtesy of Historic Royal Palaces. Description of the vertical body measurements MEASUREMENT LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE VERTICAL BODY MEASUREMENTS (a) Centre front Taken at the front from the…
Measurements Having established the garment’s date, placed it in its historical context and assessed its condition, you will now need to take accurate and informative measurements in order to create an appropriately shaped mannequin for display. This chapter explains the essential measurements you will need to take, where to take them and the most useful…
Silhouette timeline A person can be easily identified by their silhouette. Likewise, throughout history, the silhouette of a garment can be a good indicator of the date it was worn. To create a simple version of a timeline, imagine the silhouettes of garments seen from the distance as a series of geometric shapes like circles,…
Storyboards and Silhouettes This chapter explains how you can adapt a technique used by designers today to give a visual overview of garment styles relating to a specific date. Designers use ‘storyboards’ or ‘mood boards’, to create the ‘atmosphere’ or express a ‘theme’ when designing garments for a new collection. When used in reference to…
1940s In Britain, fashion during the Second World War (1939–45) was greatly influenced by the introduction of rationing by the government. The aim was to produce fashionable but functional clothing without wasting any resources. In 1941 The Board of Trade introduced the ‘Utility Scheme’ with strict instructions to manufacturers controlling the amount of fabric that…
1920s By the 1920s the cut of women’s garments was at its simplest for many years. Waists were low, or ignored. Skirts were shorter, ending above the ankle at the beginning of the decade, below the knee in the mid-1920s and then lowering again at the end of the decade to between the calf and…
CHANELThere is an affinity between the resort town of Deauville and the House of Chanel.This was where Coco Chanel launched her millinery business in 1912, and where actress Anouk Aimée brought her own Chanel bag onto the Un Homme et Une Fille (1966) set one day, immortalising it in the annals of cinema. Thus, Virginie…
Petticoat design was also simpler, creating a smooth line from the waist to the hem (see figure 3. 73). However, although the basic shape was simple, the introduction of elaborate decoration in the form of tucks, frills and lace flounces all gave increased width at the hem to support the wide A-line skirts of garments….