Lets look at why that is and why infact, steel boning is the boning of choice for couturiers. Here is another example of a dress foundation boned with spiral steel, and I am particularly interested in this one because it has toile panniers which I have been fascinated about ever since hearing about them from my showgirl friend and vintage couture conniseur, Immodesty Blaize who found them in the vintage wedding dress she wore to her civil wedding ceremony in France. This dress foundation also uses steel boning, again clearly visible by the grey colour under the net bodice, and there is a very good reason for this.
As you can see from this particular example, this dress foundation is doing alot of work - As a whole it is transforming the body by smoothing the torso with the corsolette and creating the illusion of larger hips with the petticoats and panniers. The bodice is not only smoothing the wearers body, it is also supporting those petticoats and panniers and the whole thing will then support the heavy satin dress that goes over the top of it.
Dress foundations therefore serve two purposes. Boning is used because without it, the foundation would collapse and would not support the weight of either the petticoats or the over garment. Steel boning is usually used but in some cases, sturdy plastic boning such as synthetic whalebone could also be used. Rigline boning cannot stand up to the job because it is far too thin and flexible. The boning of choice for couture houses from the golden age, right up to the present day and I supply many of them with steel boning, never plastic , is steel.
Steel boning is more widely available than decent plastic boning and it is much more flexible for curvy areas such as over the bust. Also, steel does not degrade in the same way that plastic does over time, and what I mean by this is that spiral steel retains it's original properties for a very long time, plastic does not. So although we all know that once plastic is made, it can never be 'unmade', the properties which made it useful when new, will degrade over a relatively short period of time.
Therefore, apart from the other environmental considerations , plastic boning will not produce an heirloom garment. This dior foundation is light and 'fluffy' and boned with 5mm spiral steel. You could probably use synthetic whalebone 6 x 1. What about the argument that plastic is lighter, and that metal can rust? Both of those statements are of course true, however, in a couture foundation, 5mm spiral steel boning is commonly used in combination with fine cotton bobbinet which is strong yet very light.
In other words, a dress foundation, although it performs light corsetting duties, is not heavy but it does need to be strong and durable. The steel will never rust if the garment is looked after properly and also because it is galvanised to protect against rusting and because of it's structure two flattened springs squashed together it's properties will not change over time.
It is possible to use plastic whalebone for the same purpose and with the same effect but the integrity of the material over time is not so guaranteed and of course where steel could rust if not looked after, plastic can warp if not looked after. The pros and cons are almost equal so again, we come back to choice when it comes to your own work.
Having personally examined a number of couture dress foundations, and having had clients with collections of vintage couture, and friends who have not only studied fashion but have also studied couture garments for particular reasons and having customers from famous couture houses and production companies who order steel boning by the roll, I can quite categorically state without a shadow of a doubt, that spiral steel boning is more common in couture dress foundations than plastic boning because more often than not, it is the best thing for that particular job.
So I am standing by my statement with the following caveat perfectly captured by Robert Dyer in his seminal book "Wasited Efforts' which includes a whole chapter on couture dress foundations that he has studied from the House of Dior who routinely use 5mm spiral steel boning and cotton bobbinet:. Sewing after all is simply a series of seams, some straight, some curved.
While it is most often used in a corset, bustier, swimsuit or strapless gown, it can also be used strategically in other garments. Use boning to stand up a collar, keep folds or pleats in place, and keep necklines from sagging. It is very rigid and strong, and can be bent in one direction to make a curve. It can also twist or buckle. This is perfect for corsets or costumes, and should only be dry-cleaned. When cut, this it needs to have tips to prevent it from poking through casing and other fabric.
It is made for flexible support, and prevents rolling of fabric on garments. It cannot be sewn in a curve, and would not work for a "waist-reducing" corset. This is perfect for costumes or garments that require very light support, and can withstand machine or hand-washing.
When cut, this boning does not require tips. It is able to flex around the curve of a supportive garment meant to fit the torso.
In most cases, boning will prevent you from having to wear a bra or any type of body shaper. You are commenting using your WordPress. You are commenting using your Google account. You are commenting using your Twitter account. You are commenting using your Facebook account. Notify me of new comments via email. Notify me of new posts via email. This gives your dress structure and prevents puckering and drooping.
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