Restrictive Fashion
This corset is from the mid 18th century (c 1740-60). Corsets were used as underwear to shape a woman's body into the fashionable shape of the era. Although commonly called a corset, early examples are in fact 'stays', a solid piece of underwear that shapes the whole torso. Stays have their origins in the boned bodices of the 17th century. Their design was to give the body a long conical shape, making the waist look slender against a large volume of skirts. These stays are fully boned and are very rigid. The thickness of the bones depended on where they were place within the stays. The diagonal direction of the bones helped to slenderise the body and prevent any movement. These stays are made from heavy white cotton with a canvas backing, stiffened with paste or glue. There are no shoulder straps on these stays anymore, but it is highly likely that they did have straps originally. #SUBHEADING#The Art of the Stay-Maker#SUBHEADINGEND# The stay-maker has to be admired since all stays are hand-made. Every piece of whalebone is placed and stitched either side to hold it in place. There are 180 bones in these stays. Larger pieces of whalebone are at the seams to maintain roundness at the front and straight pieces on the shoulder blades to hold the back straight. Stays were a very individual garment since every woman had different requirements to achieve the fashionable shape. These stays are from a similar date and have much lighter boning but the same basic construction and benefits to the wearer. #SUBHEADING#Fashion and the Whale#SUBHEADINGEND# Hull's whaling industry was big business in the 19th century. Parts of whales were used for many different purposes, and corsetry was one of them. Whalebone stays are not actually made from the whale's bones. The 'bones' are made of baleen which is a horn-like substance that comes from a whale's mouth. Inside a whale's mouth there are approximately 300 triangular fibrous blades which sieve the small fish and crustaceans from the sea water. When the blades arrive at the factory, the hairs are removed and then they are soaked in warm water for two-three weeks. When this is over, the blades are steamed for an hour before being cut into strips. The number of blades that can be extracted from whale's mouth varies depending on the species and size of the whale. Baleen is used in corsetry for its flexible qualities. It can be softened by hot water or steam and will retain its shape if secured until it has cooled. #SUBHEADING#Near Extinction#SUBHEADINGEND# During the 18th century most baleen came from the Greenland Fisheries which were fished to almost extinction. Later in the 19th century the American Arctic Fisheries dominated the market and the bones came from Bowhead whales which were also fished to near extinction. It was only advances in processing steel, and the eventual decline of corset wearing in the 20th century that saved the Bowhead whale in the Arctic Ocean.
Flirty Flapper Fashion
The 1920s saw a radical change to the fashionable silhouette. In contrast to the previous decades, the tightly corseted shape was abandoned in favour of the slim line boyish figure. Read on to explore the radical fashion of the daring twenties.
1940s Fashion - Rationing and Making do
War time shortages had a big influence on fashion in the forties. Discover how the government introduced a clothing rationing system, which meant people had to 'make do and mend' with the clothes they already owned.
1940s Fashion - Utility scheme
War time shortages had a big influence on fashion in the forties. Find out how the shortages in resources led to a government restrictive fashion scheme, which placed limitations on how clothes looked and how much material they could be made from.
1940s Fashion - 'Keep young and beautiful'
War time shortages had a big influence on fashion in the forties. Discover how women managed to keep looking young and beautiful, and what hairstyles and make-up were popular during the wartime years.
Madame Clapham: Hull's Celebrated Dressmaker
Madam Clapham was Hull's most celebrated dressmaker. She established her business in 1887 in Kingston Square, and continued until her death in 1952. Read on to discover how she developed her dress making business, when she reached the height of her fame and how she became a Court dressmaker.
The Mitchell Collection of Costume
The Mitchell Collection is one of the most extensive and impressive collections of costume Hull Museums' own. From corsets to capes and bodices to boots, the collection contains many exquisite examples of historic costume. Explore the history behind the collection and how it came to be in Hull Museums.
Hull and the Whaling Industry
At its height Hull could boast one of the largest and most successful whaling fleets in Britain. Discover how it all began, how the whalers' braved arctic conditions to catch their whales and how the introduction of steam powered vessels signalled a decline for the Hull whaler.
Do you know your Utility wear from your 'New Look'?
How much do you know about 1940s fashion? Get out your Clothing ration book, put on your Utility wear dress and test your knowledge on fashion in the forties. Remember, all the answers to this quiz can be found in the 1940s fashion stories - so keep up that wartime morale and check them out if you get a bit stuck!
