A Lady's Garment Designed to be Worn in place of a Corset.
Year: 1899

page_text: .Date of Application, 21st Feb., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 25th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 6th Jan., 1900
A Lady's Garment Designed to be Worn in place of a Corset.
I, CONSUELO FOULD, Wife of Foulques de Grasse, of 21, Rue de Prony, Paris,
in the Republic of France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:
--
This invention relates to a new kind of lady's garment designed to be worn
in place of a corset. My invention consists essentially in the combination of
a peculiar cut with a very limited stiffening so as to constitute a garment
which will well adapt itself to the bust and figure of a woman without squeez-
ing or hurting her as is the case with corsets.
The effect of my garment is also to reduce the apparent size of the person
which result I obtain by avoiding any useless increased thickness of clothing,
since I dispense with the corset, the corset covering and a portion of the ordi-
nary linings, and to place the body in its normal position, by curving the back
and giving due consideration to the situation of the ribs, and rounding the figure.
The flexible steel springs are very limited in number and the bones or stiffenings
of ordinary corsets are to a large extent replaced by hip flaps which, by drawing
or pulling upon the garment prevent any kind of fold and allow unrestricted
movement of the figure.
The garment is composed of four double pieces viz.:-the two back pieces,
the two small side pieces, and the two front pieces with pointed pleats.
When it is desired to avoid the use of pleats the front pieces are doubled
over. These pleats are very wide in the direction of the height in order to
leave the sides free and give room for the breast. The fabric of strong and
fine linen is held in a straight line from bottom to top between the pleat and
the fastening.
The back which is flat at the top and narrow supports the shoulder blades;
it is curved to the figure with two small pleats exactly in the curve of the,
waist. The small side comes well in front to fit the hips.
These flaps are pieces of linen of a greater or less width according to the
requirements of the figure and have attached at the bottom several cords or
pieces of elastic. The flaps are sewn to the lower part of the garment and
serve in this part the purpose of the bones or stiffenings of a corset. In order
to effectually keep the abdomen from protruding they can be connected by a
straight linen band serving as an abdominal belt and being sewn to the bottom
of the body of the garment and serve to support the hips.
The number of seams can be modified according to the person who is to wear
the garment. On the contrary, the upright seam in the front, the relatively
large width of the pleat and of the two front pieces are invariable.
The body is laced in the front with metal or silk evelets.
The small number of steel springs are placed at the seams, they are covered
with leather and stitched into the body, that is to say, enclosed in a sheath of
galloon which is itself stitched to the body.

page_text: In front are the two busks, or a single busk is employed if the garment is
fastened at the back.
Very often there will be occasion to add to the steel springs at the rear side
a small spring or two crossed springs on the front side in the case of rather
stout persons.
My garment can also be made low in the neck and in this case it is preferably
laced at the back. It comprises a fan-shaped stiffening accompanied with a
metal wire which surrounds the neck and prevents the fabric being left bare.
Over the body thus made is applied the final stuff of the garment which thus
retains in itself the elements of the corset which is dispensed with. The under-
petticoat is sewn to the lower part, and the outer petticoat is fixed at the level
of the waist.
Finally, in cases where the lady does not put on her robe and is in indoor
dress (morning-gown, tunic, under-vest etc.) the body of my garment is reduced
to a night waistcoat. This night waistcoat is cut and boned or stiffened in the
manner hereinbefore described but it does not extend above the breast and is
supported by means of shoulder straps, united by a cross-piece and wider on
the back in order that it may fit better over the shoulder blades.
Dated the 20th day of February 1890
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
A Lady's Garment Designed to be Worn in place of a Corset.
I, CONSUELO FOULD, Wife of Foulques de Grasse, of 21, Rue de Prony, Paris,
in the Republic of France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :--
This invention relates to a new kind of lady's garment designed to be worn
in place of a corset. My invention consists essentially in the combination of
a peculiar cut with a very limited stiffening so as to constitute a bodice or
garment which will well adapt itself to the bust and figure of a woman without
squeezing or hurting her as is the case with corsets.
My garment also tends to reduce the apparent size of the person by avoiding
useless thickness of clothing, since I dispense with the corset, the corset covering
and a portion of the ordinary linings, and to bring the body into its normal
position, by curving the back, giving due consideration to the situation of the
ribs, and rounding the figure. The steel springs which are very flexible are
also very limited in number and the bones or stiffenings of ordinary corsets are
to a large extent replaced by hip flaps which, by drawing or pulling upon the
bodice prevent any kind of fold and allow unrestricted movement of the figure.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a view of a bodice or garment made according to my invention,
opened out or developed and unsewn at the shoulders.
Figures 2 and 3 are side and back views respectively of a woman wearing
the garment:
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are front, side and back views respectively of a woman
wearing modified forms of the garment:
Figures 7 and 8 are front and back elevations respectively illustrating a
further modification.

page_text: The bodice is composed of several double picces riz.:-the two back pieces a, a,
the two small side pieces b, b and the two front pieces c, e with pointed pleats or
darts 1, 2, 3, designed to fit the garment to the body.
When it is desired to avoid the use of darts the front pieces are doubled over.
These pieces are very wide at the top in order to leave the sides free and allow
room for the breast. The fabric of strong and fine linen is secured with its warp
threads in a vertical straight line, that is to say, in the direction of the height
of the person.
The back pieces a, a
are narrowed downwards in order to conform to the
curve of the waist. The small sides b, b are cut in such a manner as to form an
enlargement adapted to fit the hips.
The flaps are pieces of linen 7, p of a greater or less width according to the
requirements of the figure and have attached at the lower edge several cords r, r
or pieces of elastic designed to be attached to the stockings of the wearer and
thereby allow of keeping taut the flaps 2, which descend over the hips. The
flaps are sewn to the lower part of the bodice and serve at this part the purpose
of the bones or stiffenings of a corset. In order to effectually keep the abdomen
from protruding they can be connected by a straight linen band serving as an
abdominal belt and are sewn to the bottom of the bodice and serve to support
the hips.
The number of seams may vary according to the shape and figure of the
person. Generally, for stout persons or those who have irregular projections of
the body, it will be necessary to increase the number of the seams. But the
direction of the warp threads of the fabric, that is to say, the upright warp
threads, and the two front pieces are elements of the bodice which it is neces-
sary to retain; the dimensions however may vary according to the figure and
shape of the person.
The body is laced in the front through metal or silk eyelets.
The small number of steel springs g, g are placed at the seams, they are
covered with leather and stitched into the bodice, that is to say, enclosed in a
sheath of galloon which is itself stitched to the bodice.
In front are the two busks h, h, one of which carries the hooks adapted to
engage in the eyelets or the like on the other busk. But if the bodice is closed
by lacing it at the back, it is obvious that a single busk will be sufficient in
front since it serves solely as a support.
The oblique lines indicated at s, s in Figure 5 represent a strengthening piece
which should be provided on each side in order to support the breasts and which
consists of a small piece of whalebone introduced into a sheath or pocket at
the proper place.
Frequently it will be necessary to add to the steel springs at the rear side a
small spring i, as shewn in Figure 6, or two crossed springs o on the front side,
as shewn in Figure 5, in the case of rather stout persons.
In cases where the bodice is cut low in the neck (as shown in Figure 4) it is
laced at the back and the front stiffenings are arranged or spread out in the
form of a fan, as shewn at g¹ g¹, and a wire k surrounds the opening for the
neck, and prevents the fabric from gaping open.
Over the body thus made is applied the final stuff of the bodice of the dress
which thus retains in itself the elements of the corset which is dispensed with.
The under-petticoat (Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) is sewn to the lower part, and
the outer petticoat 7 is secured at the level of the waist.
Finally, in cases where the lady does not put on her robe and is in indoor dress
(morning-gown, tunic, under-vest, etc.,) the body of my garment is reduced to a
night waistcoat, as illustrated in Figures 7 and 8. This night waistcoat is cut
and boned or stiffened in the manner hereinbefore described but it does not
extend above the breast and is supported by means of shoulder straps m. m.
united by a cross-piece and wider at the back than at the front in order that
it may fit better over the shoulder blades.

page_text: •
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. The improved garment or bodice consisting of several double piecès com-
bined with hip flaps, the front pieces being very wide at the top and provided
with pleats or darts for allowing the free play of the ribs and for affording
room for the breast, substantially as set forth.
2. The employment of stiffening composed of a very small number of strips
or springs placed near the seams and the modified arrangements hereinbefore
described and illustrated which may be found necessary in the case of stout
persons.
3. The addition of the hip flaps for preventing folds by drawing or pulling
upon the body of the garment or bodice and serving to hold the lower part by
cords or pieces of clastic.
4. The night-waistcoat form of the improved bodice with shoulder straps and
hip flaps for an under garment.
11 0741, 1....
1000
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.