Late 1910s Warner's Corset

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Warner’s brand corset Style # D-359 

I have it advertised in my Spring of 1919 Warner’s catalog though the style was also available earlier. Stamped on the inside of the busk with the size “19″ this corset has a 19″ waist / 31″ hip, this is the smallest size this corset was offered in. When you add the preferred 2" gap at the back lacing, this would have created a 21" waist / 33" hip.

Constructed with a total of 4 pattern pieces per side. The fabric is a single layer of cotton coutil cut with the grain running horizontally, around the body. Corset has a 1″ cotton waist tape held in place with white cotton bone casings applied to the interior. 8 bones per side two of which are the 1/2″ wide side steels.  All boning is flat enameled steel. The bones do not go all the way down to the edge in this type of corset. The front bones stop at the hip level, allowing the wearer to sit. The Center back bones come to 1″ above the lower edge. 

Embroidered eyelet trim is sewn to the upper edge from the inside then flipped over the upper edge, towards the outside and tacked in place.  The lower edge is bound in the traditional plain cotton bias tape. Four elastic garters are applied to the lower edges, two at center front and one on each side. 

Center front length of 14 3/4″ with a 10″ tapered busk (in the catalog they called it a “graduated clasp”). A hook & eye below the busk reinforces the hip line and helps to secure the busk. Center back length of 17″ with 22 grommets per side evenly spaced at 3/4″ apart.