Antique Corset Bodice - Pointed Busk Closure - Help Dating?

[Circa Vintage Clothing]

Melanie, those pieces look similar to some Victorian aprons I've got - so they may not be related to folk costume.

Thanks for reviving this interesting post though. I studied a unit of folk dress at college and it rarely comes in handy. In fact I'd forgotten about it - I specialised in French and Welsh dress, so if anyone ever finds one of those tall beaver hats, I'm your gal

Actually, studying Welsh dress was really depressing - the Welsh were traditionally so poor some of them didn't even have shoes, much less tall beaver hats. I read stories about servant girls who would work for months to save up for a pair of shoes to wear to church, where they would walk bare footed and then put them on at the door.

France was much nicer, I particularly liked the big lace hats they wore in Brittany.

 

[Pinkcoke]

Funny you should say that Nicole! did you go into Welsh tapestry? (see my other post!)

 

[Circa Vintage Clothing]

I love Welsh tapestry! Such lovely quality - no, sadly, I don't really know anything about it but I love your pieces, especially the set with the cap.

 

[Midge]

Melanie, I had a look at that. Never seen a neck piece like that before. I'm still convinced that bodice is part of a Berner Sonntagstracht in some version.
Unfortunately I never heard back from that association...
Oh yes, France has some nice folk costumes. and the lace head pieces from Brittany are amazing. They differ by town/region. I have a little booklet on them somewhere, which I bought when I was in Brest for a summer language course. We went to Quimper one Saturday and saw a whole parade of people in traditional costume.