Period Corsets' Top 9 Looks for 2017

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Period Corsets' Top 9 Instagram looks for 2017

The votes are in! Based off of our highest ranking posts in Instagram, these are the top 9 Period Corsets photo stories for 2017! 

1. Undressing the Green Silk Cavalier Ensemble

Our fabulous bespoke forest green corset gown and the many layers needed to create the look

2. Revealing the layers of the 17th century 

Our simplified 17th c. ensemble constructed for designer Todd Thomas. Read more about this outfit in our blog post:

Designer Todd Thomas Dresses up with Period Corsets

3. Dressing Salem

One of our many looks created for television's Salem with designer Joseph Porro:

Period Corsets and Salem

4. Brocades for Every Woman

Our perfectly vintage inspired Dusty Rose brocade, a fabulous choice for any of our corset styles.

Ode to Brocades

5. The bigger the hair, the wider the pannier...

Part of our 20 Year Retrospective, these extra wide panniers were made for Marie Antoinette, a co-production by the American Repertory Theater and Yale Repertory.

6. View From Below

Part of our Period Corsets Vintage Corset collection, this fan lacing girdle corset caused a stir.

7. Interchangeable Renaissance Wear

Our Renaissance Faire boned bodice with removable and reversible stomacher

8. Behind-the-scenes with our Pannier Cage

This turquoise version was made for a custom ensemble for Teatro Zinzanni. 

9. Embroidered Stomachers for Salem

These two custom boned bodices were constructed for the television's Salem for their final episode. The center front stomacher area was adorned with intricate embroidered insects with beaded details. 

Period Corsets and Salem


Thanks to all of our fans and followers for the amazing support and kind words. We love sharing our work with you and giving you a peek behind-the-scenes at what goes on at Period Corsets.
Follow us on Instagram to see our latest news and current projects in the works.
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Period Corsets®: "Famous Corsets from a Shop in Seattle" a TV interview with Evening King 5

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The Period Corsets® studio was summed up perfectly in 2 minutes and 37 seconds. Everything from  "This Corset!, it's so comfortable!",  (the quote we hear most frequently from our clients), to our ethic of   "Corsets for Every Body", and the launch of  our newest retail line:  Palatine Bridal, Exquisite Plus-Size Gowns, was discussed.   Period Corsets® was honored to be featured on TV again on Evening  King 5.  We opened up our studio for a full tour of our work space to provide an inside look at how Period Corsets® works and what we've been working on.
take a look--
Period Corsets interview for King 5 Evening Magazine from Hilary Specht on Vimeo.

And if you prefer to read it, here is the transcript from our interview:

SEATTLE, WA -- This salon in Seattle's Greenwood neighborhood makes custom corsets:  Both silhouettes from the past...and shapes that are pop-culture present:

"So this one was actually worn by Fergie," explained Period Corsets' owner Hilary Specht Coffey. Madonna, and the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show models also wear their work.

 "It's pretty fun to see the things coming down the aisle that we made," said Specht Coffey.

Bespoke corset construction has its challenges:

"This year (for 2010) in the show a designer said 'I wanna make a corset out of straw, and maybe another corset out of barbed wire.," she explained, showing the mockup of the straw corset. The barbed wire corset didn't make it beyond idea stage. 

Corsets they're currently making for WGN'S 'Salem' present another challenge: Deadlines are  tight in the custom corset world.

 Sara Lanzillotta, the office manager, explains:  "People call up from all manner of backgrounds, either it's an individual that has a wedding coming up, or a designer working on a Broadway show, or a film company,  they usually need it last week. And so, we do it."

These pieces aren't just for costumes and models -- anyone can order.

Model Deana volunteered to undergo a transformation to a corseted wedding gown from their plus-size  bridal line called Palatine Bridal.

"I just feel kind of like a goddess or a queen," she said after Specht Coffey helped her into the gown.

Everyone here thinks that's what the corset has always been about.

"We got into this business because we like to create beautiful things," Specht Coffey said.

"Some people, when they think of corsets think 'Oh that's oppressive, it's keeping the woman down," said Lanzillotta. "But it's not. It's about the completely opposite thing. You feel powerful when you have that corset on. You feel strong."

See our previous post about our first interview with king 5 from 2003 here:
http://periodcorsets.blogspot.com/2010/09/period-corsets-is-interviewed-on.html

Period Corsets® at the USITT Conference in Fort Worth, Texas

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This year these corset girls from Seattle kicked up our heels in Fort Worth Texas. Every year we travel to a new city to visit with our Period Corsets® fans and like minded costuming and performing arts colleagues at the USITT Conference. (United States Institute for Theatre Technology) 

The Period Corsets booth at USITT

 Period Corsets® is a sustaining member of USITT and has been attending the conference since 2001. The institute's goal is to host an event which provides networking, and educational seminars for people in the performing arts. It brings students and educators together with professionals in all aspects of the performing arts and entertainment industry.

  It's one of the highlights of our year where we have the opportunity to meet our customers and colleagues in person, share our new designs, and make new contacts.

The corset girls with one  of this year's new contact 

As per tradition, Friday is "dress up day". Attendees are encouraged to try on corsets and petticoats to get a feel for the true Period Corsets® experience and they took our ensembles for a spin.

Lacing up for dress up day

Our Bustle Petticoat and Tulip Petticoat are beautiful free-standing, but seeing them in action brings on a whole new element. The romantic sweep of the skirts as one walks is captivating.

Our Five Ruffle Petticoat looks absolutely royal while testing out proper curtsying skills.

Our Late 19th Century Petticoat swirls and twirls beautifully as this lovely lady takes it for a spin.

Feeling inspired? We have several of our ensembles available on our Etsy site.

 When asked how they feel as they wear the garment, here are a few of the comments we heard.

"I really like corsets"--Kaitlin

"I feel good. It's more comfortable than I thought it would be, not for everyday though!"- Kelly

"It's more comfortable than I expected"-Courtney

"It makes me feel like a lady!"--Katherine

"I'm really glad they aren't a thing anymore!"-Christina 

"I love corsets"-Ashley

Another USITT tradition is our drawing for a corset give-away. This year's winner was Leslie Malitz. Leslie chose our classic 1880 c. Alice in black brocade.  Sign up for our quarterly newsletter to make sure you don't miss out on this opportunity next year

To see more photos and read more about the event, check out our Facebook Page

Check out our slide show with more photos of the event!

After a long 3 days we were done kicking up our heels in Fort Worth.

See you next year in Cincinnati!  March 18th to the 21st 2015

Period Corsets® Grommet Machine in Action

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Meet the  Period Corsets® Grommeter-- the Machine and the Man.

O'Rion, long-time Period Corsets® employee, demonstrates grommeting the center back panels of a corset using our mechanical foot press grommet die setter, otherwise know as a grommet machine and fondly referred to by our shop as... The Grommeter!


#1-- One must focus on the task at hand while grommeting.

Also Take note:

#2-- The top lever has two positions; while the lever is over the left side it engages the cutting die.  Observe as O'Rion cuts the holes in the garment.

#3--O'Rion switches the lever to the right side engaging the setting die. He adds a grommet washer, followed by the garment, then the on-top grommet. 

#4-- In  orchestrated motion O'Rion employs the foot press when needed for each cutting and setting action.

In conclusion:  a Simple, Elegant and  Efficient process, by-words for our work at Period Corsets®.

Meet the Period Corsets® Rabbit Punch

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What is a rabbit punch?
Watch and see it in action. A skillful Period Corsets® employee punches 3/4" holes in a corset pattern and hangs it on the pattern rack for efficient storage. She is using a rabbit punch, which gets it's name, not surprisingly by looking a bit like a rabbit.

Etsy Store is Now Open!

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We’ve opened an Etsy Store!

Since 1996 we have made custom costumes, historic corsets and fancy underwear ensembles. In 2001 we focused our talents exclusively on “Period Corsets®: Your Complete Source for Historic Undergarments”. Today we’ve come full circle and are offering distinctive costumes and garments made-to-order at our Etsy store. On Etsy you will find fanciful corsets and petticoats using our classic period shapes, high quality standards, and our trademark clean construction techniques that our customers are used to.

You’ll find one-of-a-kind garments and ensembles, each fabric lovingly picked for its resonance with the historic period and superior quality. If you are looking at our circa 1660 Cavalier ensemble and the colors start to hum in your mind—that’s when we know we’ve achieved the harmony of style, shape and color to which we aspire. You might also find some whimsy tossed in for good measure (perhaps something for your inner pirate wench). We’ll also be offering supply remnants and other unique items. If you aren’t familiar with Etsy, now’s the time to check it out. Etsy is “…a place to buy and sell all things handmade”. There are many ways to search for treasures including by category (over thirty to choose from), color, or location. Etsy is an online treasure of handmade goods.

See you on Etsy!

Meet Period Corsets® "Phil"

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Here at Period Corsets® we have a wide and deep variety of talents. With this breadth of knowledge we have created our line of historic period undergarments; we research, test patterns, and streamline our construction methods. When we put our products into production, we continue to perfect and update them. In short we pour our love and skill into our work. Over our 12 years in business we have had many wonderful personalities contribute to our success: patternmakers, cutters, first hands, stitchers….and today we are happy to introduce to you one of our favorite personalities:





“Phil”—our Industrial Stuffing Machine.
Phil saves us time and money, and comes to the rescue every time.




As costumers know bustle pads and bum rolls come in all shapes and sizes. But when they come in large quantities to stuff by hand, Phil is our favorite friend.







I am speaking tongue in cheek as we prize our flesh-and-blood employees over our metal counterparts. Yet costumers worth their salt know how important it is to have the right tools and machines for the job at hand. At Period Corsets® we specialize in the ever-exciting pursuit of finding and employing the perfect tool for the job—whether it’s honing the technique of constructing a corset or using the right size needle for stitching a certain fabric or stuffing bum pads with alacrity. Creating the highest quality products is part of our mission.
We hope you enjoy meeting "Phil" as much as we enjoyed introducing him!


"Phil" and employee in action stuffing a 17th C. Bum roll



See this video on the Period Corsets Youtube channel.

Period Corsets® Interviewed by Madonnalicious about making a corset for Madonna

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 madonnalicious meets....Period Corsets®

Welcome to the first madonnalicious meets....in this interview we speak to Hilary Specht, the Production Coordinator at Period Corsets®, the company behind the cinch-waist corset that Madonna wore in the Sorry video.

The interview will cover how the company staff did not believe it was for Madonna at first, and how they made the corset to the sounds of Madonna and what it feels like to see a corset you have produced being worn by one of the most famous women in the world:

Welcome to madonnalicious Hilary, when did her assistant call you and what was the brief you were given and did they tell you exactly when the corset would be worn?

Early in January one of Madonna's assistants called looking for a corset. She said only that it was for Madonna, and did not say when or if it would be worn. Late in January she called to say that Madonna had worn our Lilly corset in her Sorry video and that Madonna wanted to wear it for the Grammys. (She did not say that it was for her entrance as an animated character with Gorillaz.) I asked how Madonna picked our Lilly for the video, they said that Madonna liked ours best out of the couture selection she had to choose from.



Did you liase with Arianne Phillips (her stylist) or another member of her team on the exact requirements for the corset?

I spoke only with an assistant on Madonna's team. The requirements for the corset: the assistant wasn't sure what she wanted but we looked through the products on our website and she decided on the Lilly corset in white satin, which they later ended up dyeing a fabulous shade of purple. They requested we customize our regular corset; Madonna preferred the opening in the front to be a specific length. So we altered our Lilly corset to her requirements. She needed it sent overnight.

Hilary with the Madonna corset in the workshop.



How did you feel when you realised you would be making a corset for Madonna which would be seen worldwide by millions of viewers during the Grammys and in her video (and now featured worldwide on her tour posters)?


The funny part of this story is that I did not believe that it was for Madonna. The whole first order was normal except that this new client was claiming it was for Madonna. She didn't ask for anything unusual; she just picked her style, ordered it and paid for it.


When the assistant called and said Madonna wanted to wear our corset to the Grammys, I took the order to make another Lilly this time in pre-dyed lavender silk satin. After the call, I put the phone down, paused and told my co-workers. 'If there were one person in the world that you would choose to wear our corset, who would it be?' I think nine out of ten people said Madonna.

She transcends any other performer who we've seen wearing corsets. Our company is used to making corsets and undergarments for renowned performers in the entertainment industry. Madonna wearing our work in front of the world is cause for celebration! I bought the 'Confessions' CD and took out all my old Madonna cassette tapes. We had a Madonna retrospective hour for a few weeks and the shop was sewing to the tune of Madonna.

Anticipating the Grammys on February 7th, we were unsure if and how she would wear our garment. The Grammys opened with the Gorillaz and Madonna. When she came up out of the stage and I saw our Lilly corset emerge from the darkness on Madonna, I took in a deep breath....I felt like I was at one of those early Beatles concerts where all the girls in the audience are screaming and crying. Except I was watching Madonna dancing in the corset we just made. She was just wearing our corset, jewels and a leotard; the curves of our Lilly corset balancing in harmony with Madonna's perfectly toned body.

Period Corsets® has been enjoying a wave of publicity after Madonna wore our corset. After the Grammy performance, websites picked up our press release. Madonna released the Sorry video which features our corset as one of her main looks and can be seen on many billboards. Our local NBC station called us for an interview, and W magazine called. Madonna seems to be everywhere in our corset; in magazines, talk shows, and on tour posters throughout the streets of New York City. I went to the east coast and her Confessions album was a listening choice on the flight!

It was an honor for Period Corsets® to be singled out by the discerning eye of Madonna, an icon of global fashion especially in the realm of corsetry.

How many people were involved in the production of the corset, and how long did it take to produce? Did you produce more than one corset?


It was a team effort. The project had a tight turnaround so everyone in the studio had their hand in one aspect or another of the construction. The bulk of the work involved the usual team consisting of the pattern maker, the cutter, stitchers, and the shopper. We made two corsets, one for the video and one for the Grammys.

Hilary with the Confessions Tour posters in New York City.


You say you had fun making the corset, can you tell me why?

Having a Madonna corset on order was fun. It's not everyday you make a corset for the Grammys for an audience of millions. We had a short deadline which required pressing, prepping the fabric and sewing the garment then shipping it out the same day. It's always fun when everyone in the workroom works together for an exciting project. Madonna was flying in to LA for her fitting. It couldn't be late.

For anyone who desires to dress like Madonna (maybe during the Confessions Tour!)    Here is a direct link to the Madonna Lilly corset

Madonna's "Sorry" Video on the Period Corsets® Youtube Channel

Interview © 2006 Clare Parmenter/madonnalicious.com

Period Corsets® thanks Madonnalicious.com  for this interview

Corsets are a Cinch: Seattle desginers' tight fitting business expands

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CORSETS ARE A CINCH

SEATTLE DESIGNERS' TIGHT-FITTING BUSINESS EXPANDS.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Seattle, WA); 8/7/2003; Phinney, Susan
Byline: SUSAN PHINNEY P-I reporter

Corsets have been shaping up segments of the fashion industry for years - and not always under cover, as entertainers such as Madonna can attest.

Now designers are creating dresses with built-in stays, or shaping bodices with corsetlike seams to achieve a close fit and emphasize the waist.

And the growing interest has given a local company a boost.

Period Corsets, a Seattle company founded by Susan Davis and Rebecca Kaufman, got a mention in the August issue of Elle, along with a report on all the corset-inspired looks designers have shown for fall 2003.

Keith Wagner, Northwest fashion manager for Nordstrom, said he's been seeing corset looks for the past couple of seasons. Gucci used them. So did Roberto Cavalli. They've also been seen in Yves Saint-Laurent collections.

"This year it's part of our femininity trend. It's a return to emphasis on the waist. It's not necessarily as literal as a corset, but the corset details - lace-up blouses, hook-and-eye closures, ribbon details, lace. Along with that trend you're seeing high-waisted pants that give that effect - obi sashes, cummerbunds, wider belts, dresses with boning on top. I definitely think you'll see a lot of that in evening wear," Wagner said.

Period Corsets' basic cotton creations in black, white or peach are $175 to $275. They do special corsets for a bridal shop in Santa Fe, N.M., and their corsets have embraced cast members from "All My Children."

Although corsets - the laced-up garments reinforced with bone, metal or plastic stays depending on the era - faded from everyday fashion early in the 20th century, they remain in demand for theater and opera.

With plays by Ibsen and Chekhov in perpetual production and operas ever in need of period costumes and their necessary corsets, theater costume designs were an important part of Davis and Kaufman's business.

But maintaining a costume business in Seattle is tough when customers are in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas and other major cities. So when they finished the costumes for Teatro Zinzanni, they decided to focus on corsets.

"We knew we couldn't expand the costume business in this location. We'd maxed out," Davis said. "But there was a market for corsets, petticoats and bloomers."

Both women are experienced costumers. Davis got involved in theater while a student at Vassar. She worked in the costume shop, went on to backstage work in summer stock and opera festivals. She worked in Santa Fe, Houston and New York before moving to Seattle in 1989 to work for Seattle Opera.

Kaufman has a similar background. She got into costuming through the Chicago Art Institute, worked for the Hartford Stage Company and took an intensive one-year course in costume construction at Yale where she worked in wardrobing for their shows.

"Yale School of Drama is the basis of a great networking system that helps people throughout their careers," Davis explained.

Davis and Kaufman met while working at Seattle Opera and began planning their business. They took classes through the Small Business Administration, saved money and gathered equipment. They both learned how to type, and mastered computer programs before opening for business in 1996.

They keep corsets in stock so they can be sent overnight to any part of the country, a business that has boomed since the launch last year of their Web site (www.periodcorsets.com).

Corset styles from the 1860s (Ibsen) and 1890s (Chekhov) are in demand. They also have a V-shaped 1770 "ice cream cone" corset, and an hourglass shape circa 1905. All are easy to alter and adjust so they can fit different bodies.

Davis returned to Seattle Opera last year as manager of the costume shop. She's also chief patternmaker and financial expert for their business. Kaufman, mother of two, handles sales, marketing and procurement.

"I love the thrill of the hunt, finding the best fabrics," Kaufman said. She's also very good at making and keeping business connections.

Hilary Specht, a drama graduate from Colorado College, handles the day-to-day business, setting up production lines, handling calls and e-mails, and monitoring stage and film projects that might need corsets.

"As we grow, we'll be more and more convenient to people," Kaufman said. Theater people move around and take their suppliers and contacts with them, she said.

About 10 percent of Period Corsets' business is from "typical" women, perhaps looking to nip in their waistlines a couple of inches, or enhance their decolletage.

Christine Shea, the writer who explored corset-inspired fashions for Elle, ordered a black cotton model from Period Corsets.

"Once I had struggled with the laces and strapped it on, it felt empowering to stand up straight, to shave a couple of inches off my waist. It sent the exact Don't mess with me, you nut job' message I was looking for."

COPYRIGHT 2003 Seattle Post-Intelligencer. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of the Dialog Corporation by Gale Group.