My first post

Hello Everyone,

This is a big day for me. My first blog entry. It has taken me a while to get to this point, but with some determination I think I have made it.

As some of you will be aware I am a mature student in the final stages of a Creative Textile Degree which I have been studying part time, by distance learning, for the past 5 years. Just one year left, well actually, 9 months if I am being precise, so a great deal to do. Last year I completed my dissertation, the title of which was:-

Fast and Loose: Fastenings as indicators of social and technological change in 19th and 20th Century Britain.

During the research for this I was fortunate to be able to visit Bath Museum of Fashion and the Symington Collection in Leicester which both hold collections of corsetry. These wonderful items reflect brilliantly the society of the time and how women lived their lives. The corsetry industry was at the forefront of fastening technology too which provided excellent evidence for my studies.

This endlessly fascinating subject has provided the inspiration for the creative work that I will be doing for my final degree show next May. I plan to use corsetry as the basis for my work as a metaphor for Freedom. The freedom women fought so hard to achieve which has provided us with the choices we enjoy today.

Working with corsetry meant that I needed to collect some examples so I put out...

A call for corsets.

As part of my Textile Degree studies I have been researching corsetry styles and how they affected women’s lifestyles during the 19^th and 20^th centuries. I am now planning to use old corsetry as the focus for my next practical assignment.

I would be very grateful for donations of any corsets, girdles, suspender belts or similar items which may be lurking in the loft, wedged in the wardrobe, curled up in the cupboard, discarded in a drawer.

Items of any age and condition will be gladly received along with any stories they have to tell. If you have some little treasure that you are willing to part with please contact me – Marilyn Hall, Warwickshire, . marilynhalluk@yahoo.co.uk Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from any of you who can help. Marilyn Hall

I sent this to every lady on my email, put printed copies our local village shop and farm shop and gave a copy to anyone who I thought might be able to help. What a talking point it proved to be!! it led to endless comments about memories of mum, grandma, auntie and their 'amazing contraptions'. It also led to a very welcome selection of contributions of corsets, panti girdles, suspender belts and odds and ends. So a huge thank you to all who have shown an interest or have contributed items and memories. As a way of keeping you all informed I plan to use this blog as a diary and visual record of my progress. I will endeavour to upload posts and photos a couple of times a week and would welcome your responses and input.

Please pass the blog address on to all who you think may be interested. I will be including other useful and relevant information too and would be pleased if you would do the same.

I look forward to hearing from you all. Creative Marilyn