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Friday 17 January 2020

Post me your Favourite Corset

Small ad seen in an old Women's Institute magazine from 1952:  "Post me your favourite garment - Corset, Brassiere, or Corselette, no matter how old fashioned you may think it is.  I will gladly send you a free estimate for copying it.  Satisfaction or money refunded."


I found this image on pinterest
though i have lost track of where it originated.
I bought the magazine from an ebay seller. 

I don't belong to the WI, but Miss Read was a very active member for much of her life, so I want to scan and greatly enlarge some items which I think may be of interest to her.    She may be losing her sight, but she is most definitely not losing her 'marbles'.   

I think she will enjoy doing a bit of 'time-travelling', she may even remember some of the events and discussions which are mentioned, though the only mention I can find of our village is that three members gave a demonstration on pastry-making and pastry fillings. 

Meanwhile, just five or six miles away, a Dr B gave a talk about his alpine adventures with Lincolnshire schoolgirls, which was probably much more fun than the talk given by Mr L on the care of the feet.   There was a  talk on electric cleaners, another on dress-making, though I think I would probably have enjoyed the talk which ex-Police Sergeant R gave on 'A Policeman must have nerves of iron', rather more.

During her reminiscences Miss Read has often made mention of the plays which were performed in the village hall and the magazine is full of advertisements for play scripts, comedies seeming to be the most abundant.     There is an item on theatrical makeup, another one about village drama and the coronation, drama reviews and, most helpfully, what to cook when funds are low.

It makes for an interesting read for me and, I hope, for Miss Read.

15 comments:

  1. What a lovely find - hope Miss Read enjoys the bits you do for her.

    Instead of putting the East Suffolk and National WI mags in the re-cycling I'd better keep them for the future! Although I don't think the ads are half as interesting now

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    1. They make excellent reading, Sue. Right now I am struggling to really get into any of my library books so these have been most welcome! I bet the magazines cost a tad over Fourpence these days!!

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    2. "Struggling to really get into my library books..."

      -sigh- Same here. I am so glad, I am not alone. Seems "everyone" has wonnnderful books to read. Not me. -pout-

      But the drought will end, for both of us.

      ♫♪•*¨*•.¸🔥💛🔥¸.•*¨*•♪♫

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  2. Oh mercy! A magazine from 1952! I was a sophomore in High School (10th Grade), in 1952. I assure you, that photo is not from my day. -gigggggggles-

    But yes, we did wear bras, totally unneeded girdles, and what was called "A Merry Widow" (a corselette maybe?) Also unneeded, other than to make the wearer feel, they had "more, on top, than they did." >,-))))

    Oh yes, and I have worn a girdle, again unneeded in those days, other than the garters, to hold stockings up.

    Ohhhhhhh the memories!!!!! Of all that "underpinning." And of having a tiny figure, which did not need any of it!!!!!!!!!!

    I'm sure Miss Read and you, will put together, lovely reminiscences.

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    Replies
    1. I have strong memories of seeing my mother's corselettes coming (from the shop) rolled in a long tube. The tube was of more interest to me than the garment!!

      The torture women have put themselves through, hey wow? I'm sure Miss Read will enjoy her read and it will remind her of more tales to entertain us with. I'd better get ready to take down some more notes!

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  3. Such a lot of underwear was worn at one time - so different to today's garments that try to be 'invisible'. I am sure Miss Read will have a very interesting afternoon with you and the old adverts. x

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    1. I suppose we wear shockingly little in the way of undergarments these days - thank goodness! The magazine advertisements are very entertaining, and that's before we begin on the features.

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  4. I will not let my favorite (and only) corset leave my house, for fear of losing it.

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    1. Given the state of our postal services I think that is very wise of you, Joanne!

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  5. I was born in 1950 but do remember that as a young girl my mother insisted I wear a girdle because it was good for back support and helped to hide my "pot belly"! Pictures prove I was thin so it's small wonder I was lacking in self esteem as a teenager! 💖

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    1. Hello Susan, Corsets, girdles, panty-girdles - what a nightmare! Thank goodness things have moved on, or have we just learned to love ourselves? (Old photographs are interesting, I also grew up feeling like a chunky-monkey, yet the photographs show that I was not...)

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  6. What an interesting way to prompt memories, they sound a fascinating read to someone who wasn't alive at that time. I do Miss Read enjoys them as much as you sound like you have.

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    1. I had originally intended to simply give her the magazines to enjoy, but soon saw that the print is impossibly small for her to read, even with all her glasses, magnifiers, etc. I am hopeful that the items will trigger some memories and then some tales.

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  7. Enetoday you could say the photo was risqué but very nice. Not been to a talk in ages myself

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Lovely to hear from you.
I will try to answer comments in the next post.