Press release:
Did you ever wonder who wore corsets? Why did they wear them for over 500 years? Did you know men wore corsets in some time periods? What were the benefits of wearing them?
A review of the fashion corsetry in the 18th and 19th centuries will be presented by Gail Argetsinger at the Holland Land Office Museum, 131 W. Main St. Batavia, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 25.
She is an associate professor and costume designer in the Department of Theatre at SUNY Brockport who designs and builds the costumes for the plays and teaches costume-related courses at Brockport.
A favorite class is History of Costumes, which studies many corseting techniques. Her costumes have been seen frequently onstage in the Rochester area, particularly at National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Rochester Institute of Technology and the Jewish Community Center of Rochester. She has designed several outdoor dramas throughout the country, including the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, the musical UTAH! for the Tuacahn Amphitheatre in St. George, Utah, and the Hill Cumorah Pageant in Palmyra. She lives in Greece with her husband, Jerry, and two sons.
This lively and informative presentation is the last of the Spring 2013 series of lectures brought to you by the Holland Land Office Museum. It is open to everyone – all ages will enjoy this – general admission is $5 per person or $2 for museum members. Refreshments and a question and answer session with Professor Argetsinger will follow.
For more information or to make a reservation, please call Jeff Donahue, Director, at 343-4727.
