Waist Not, Want Not!

Another busy but non-eventful week...I've been dispatching my on-line shop orders over the last couple of days, so your parcels should be with you soon.

I've also briefly been in conversation with my solicitor again, but it looks like another week has past without any more news on the physical shop...frustrating...but I'll get there in the end...I hope...

I have started to think about some of the items that will be moving in there, once I have the key...

I recently bought this vintage mannequin quite reasonably, because she has a rather large watermark across her hips. This doesn't actually bother me; it shows she's lived a life and has a story or two to tell, but some visitors to my shop may not see her in such a favourable light.

I want to use her to display vintage costume brooches that I will have for sale, which I shall pin across her chest, as well as necklaces, feathers etc - just like Tallulah in my bedroom...

A rather gorgeous vintage corset hides her imperfections and adds another point of interest to my display. I thought I'd try to find another corset or girdle to fit my newest lady, so as to create a similar looking arrangement...

I bought this beauty on-line. It came all the way from France and is completely unused. Unfortunately is is just too large and won't stay on my mannequin. I thought if I really pulled the lacing tight that it would do the job, but it really was designed for a more ample figure!

I love how it is constructed, and to think most women wore these, once upon a time...

This smaller white corset came from Sue at the V&H Fair. I thought it might be borderline size-wise, so chanced it....sadly no matter how hard I pull at the hooks and eyes, its not going to go around my girl's hips...

and the more I look at her, the more I think she wouldn't actually suit a tight, restrictive undergarment. She's a more straight-up and down kind of a girl, probably from around the 1920's/30's, well after the 1800's when women we expected to do awful damage to their internal organs in the name of fashion.

Perhaps I shouldn't inflict this on my poor girl!

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As much as I find the old advertisements of the late 1880's fascinating, there is no way I would ever wish to go back to a time when women put their health at such risk.

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Having said that, I was rather surprised to find some images on Google which show a few women who practice corset training. A corset is worn virtually around the clock to slowly alter the figure over years. Of course the back muscles become weakened, so the corset can never be removed for any length of time, once this tiny size has been reached.

This is Cathie Jung, who has her place in the Guinness book of records for being the woman with the smallest waist with a measurement of just 15".

Yes, moving on...

I've decided to call my new mannequin Clara, after the stunningly beautiful Clara Bow.

I've tried several options today to dress her up a little, but have decided to go for a simple idea. I'm going to tie a wide pastel coloured velvet ribbon around her waist and hips and I shall tuck lengths of lace, handkerchiefs or vintage head scarves that I have for sale at any one time into it. This should create almost a flapper, handkerchief point hemline, which I think will suit her far more than any corset would!

And I can still pin the brooches and hang necklaces across her front.

Fingers crossed that I'll soon be able to try it out when she moves to her new home on the Market Square.

Have a lovely weekend,

Niki x