Hereford Museum Collections Centre

Study Session

At the Hereford Resource Centre

(All Images courtesy of the Hereford Museum Resource and Collections Centre)

Just a quick post...

Asc no.1621

What an amazing place! We STRONGLY advise anyone wishing to study costumes to get themselves down there - it's a perfect blend of amazing staff (friendly and informative) racks of interesting artifacts and that magnificent study room where it's just you and your garment and all the time in the world.

Brown Stays - c.1790

However, this time round we'd taken the trip up to see for ourselves the pair of Half Boned 1790's Stays (the Brown Jean ones on p.23) of Jill Salen's Book 'Corsets' and the White Linen Jumps on P.103. Which meant that not only did we get to see the construction techniques first hand but also got to draft our own pattern and take as many photos as we were able.

The Stays are stunning - I know it's easy to say that about most Stays but there is something indescribably simply sweet yet maturely complex about the pattern that goes way beyond just fashion. Stays somehow manage to blend craft, engineering and fashion all rolled up into one and the cut of these ones is perfect. Dated c.1790, these Stays embody the rising waistline and pushing forward of the bust that is essential to getting the silhouette that was fashionable for this period. More info on these Stays will follow.

White Jumps - c.1790

The second item we got to study was the pair of linen Jumps - these were pretty but plain and a really basic shape - very interesting to go (wow, how hard it is not to use the word 'jump'!) from the curvaceous, body altering Stays to these Jumps that barely have much contour in the pattern. More info on these to follow as well!

We also managed to finally finish drafting a pattern of a 1770s silk Anglais - we started it last time we were at the Centre but never had time to get the sleeves done - so that's a happy completed job! We'll try and do a study page on this one.

We also managed to just about squeeze in another pair of late 18th c Stays - very similar to the Brown jeans one but slightly different. the pattern is better if that's possible but they have been possibly re-covered as the stitching is very basic. It's up for debate as the rest of the Stays is fantastic quality - again more to follow.

Also (this was supposed to be a quick post!) but check out these AMAZING safety pins - est. date of 1600s - 1700s.

Safety Pins - est dated of 1600s-1700s

And some buttons - there's a 4 hole small, a shank plain metal and a rimmed button with stamped lettering - so so similar to our modern day jeans buttons!

Historical Buttons