Summary: Avro laced back corset with belt
Maker: Avro
Model: UB902F Utility 1941/1942
Place of Origin: Britain C1941/42
Materials and Techniques: Cotton Coutil, rayon elastic inserts, metal eyelets, steel
Outer: Two part corset comprising of 5 panels either side in a single layer of coutil. It has a split front busk and lacing at the centre back supported each side with two bones of flat steel. The centre front and centre back panels are faced. Seams are backed with single casings of herringbone weave tape encasing the boning. The top and lower edges are bound in a ribbon tape.
Inner: The corset features A deep underbelt with wide elastic panels attached into the side seams of the outer corset. It features a hook and eye fastening at the front that sits directly beneath the busk.
The underbelt is constructed with a double layer of coutil which sandwiches the woven elastic panels. The additional underbelt in the garment would have been constricting, providing firm support to the abdomen and flattening the stomach.
The corset features 2 sets of 28mm suspender joining the outer and inner corsets with metal suspenders and adjusters.
21.5cm Busk
19 sets of eyelets spaced 2cm apart
Construction:
The corset is machine stitched (13 stitches per Inch). The panels are joined together using the felled seam method encasing all the raw edge and pushing the seam toward the back. The seams have a double row of stitching. 18mm bone casings are applied to the inside of the garment. The front two bone channels do not follow the panel shape stitched down vertically instead.
The corset is boned using flat steels either side of the eyelets at the centre back and wide 9/10mm spiral steels in the bone casings. The spiral steels do not finish the entire length of the bone channel providing some ease of movement for the wearer
Dimensions
Cf depth: 34.5CM CB depth 37cm
Waist circumference 26″: Hip: 35″
Label:
UR170G, Avro Corsetry- UB902F, Laced back corset with belt, Specification 9033, Type 3, Size assortments, 26 x 32, 33 x 36
UTILITY CLOTHING
The Utility scheme was introduced toward the end of 1941 in response to the shortage of raw materials and labour for the war effort. Utility clothing was marked with the CC41 ‘controlled commodity’ mark. The mark meant the item met the governments austerity regulations and assured customers that the clothes were reasonably priced and of good quality.
The board of trade sponsored the creation of several ranges of utility clothing which were subject to austerity regulations. They restricted the amount of cloth, type of decoration and also the amount of time for manufacture. (Limitation of supplies cloth and apparel order 1941).
These restrictions also applied to the manufacture of corsetry. Steel that would have been used for corsets was used in favour for munitions. As men went to war women replaced mens roles in the the factories and the demand for practical clothing grew.
With regulations in place and CC41 marked clothing became popular skirts hems rose. Waists were nipped in conserving fabric for the war effort. Slacks were also worn made popular by the film star Katharine Hepburn. Silk and wool were highly uncommon. Silk was used for parachutes and wool for soldiers blankets. Cotton was also rationed though not so heavily. Rayon became the number one choice of fabric for the 40’s as it was readily available and relatively inexpensive.
To further economise, the Making of Civilian Clothing (restriction orders) was passed in 1942. This forbade wasteful cutting of clothes and set list of restrictions that Tailors and dressmakers had to work to. For example, dresses could have no more than 2 pockets, 5 buttons, 6 seams in a skirt, 2 inverted or box pleats or 4 knife pleats and no more than 4 metres of stitching. No unnecessary decoration was allowed.
The term ‘Utility’ became synonymous with austerity shortages and rationing.
LACED:UNLACED 
A lovely site…..I guess there’s a lot of hard work done for your research?
I’ve worked in theater wardrobe and I’ve tried wearing a corset very like the one here. It’s not so much uncomfortable but it does take a bit time and thought processes to get used to it. The underbelt gives a wonderfully flat tummy, and the back steels are good for posture (or you can’t bend easily, depending how you look at it!). Judging by the adverts of the 1940s this corset was sold to the older woman – probably born pre 1900. She would have grown up with substantial corsetry and would have thought this type of garment completely normal.