Corsets and Crinolines
Corsets, crinolines, and historically inspired undergarments hand made in Scarborough
G Hughs & Son are able to produce corsets for wearing either beneath clothing to alter the shape and silhouette of the figure, or can be worn as decoration over clothing.
Historical and historically inspired corsets come in a wide range of styles and varieties, with corsets designed for wear whilst riding or during pregnancy offering modern wearers a historically accurate corset which allows for a greater degree of body movement, flexibility, and freedom.
Corsets designed for outwear as part of a steampunk inspired look are often more focused on elaborate designs and feature exaggerated fastenings and fittings.
Victorian Corsets
Our historically inspired corsets are closely based on surviving examples of corsets worn in the Victorian period. Although we describe these as being "Victorian", they are well suited to wear as part of a steampunk aesthetic, or with contemporary evening or formal wear.
From approximately 1800-1900 women's silhouettes were enhanced and defined by corsets of several styles, corsetry has a much longer history, and many of the historical costumes produced by G Hughs & Son feature boning, boned panels or some form of underpinning.
To accommodate a range of lifestyles and activities during the height of the corset's popularity, including riding and pregnancy, corsets were designed in numerous styles. The ingenuity of 19th century corset makers leaves us as modern designers a lot of flexibility to develop historically inspired garments which continue to tell the fascinating story of High Victorian fashion, but adapted to suit the requirements of a modern wearer.
Illustrated above, a longline corset (in black) and late Victorian riding corset.
Bustles and Panniers
In addition to boning and corsetry designed to compliment and enhance the wearer's silhouette, G Hughs & Son also produce the full range of historical underpinnings.
Crinolines, Bustles, Hoops, Panniers, and Padded Petticoats are all produced to give historical, steampunk, and historically inspired dresses, skirts, and gowns pleasing and flattering shapes and to recreate the styles and shapes which typify the elegance of the High Victorian Period.
The black lobster tail on the left is designed to compliment the hang of the skirts and provide the foundations for the petticoats, they're particularly necessary with dresses which feature an elongated train.
Please visit our Victorian Costume page for more details on our Victorian dresses and gowns.
Bodies and Stays
Bodies and Stays are more commonly associated with the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and provide shaping and support to the wearer. Unlike corsets, bodies or stays can be worn on the outside of the garment as part of a historical garment.
Tudor Costume
For a complete outfit to complement stays, further details can be seen on our Tudor Dresses.
Contact us to order made to measure corsets and Underpinnings
G Hughs & Son consider that reproductions of the elegant costumes of the later Victorian age are incomplete without the appropriate undergarments. Even an existing dress can be beautifully complimented with historically inspired underpinnings available from G Hughs & Son, contact us to discuss your requirements.
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