Handling

All period garments, although they might appear to be in excellent condition, are subject to the ravages of time. To prevent deterioration, emphasis is placed on cautious handling procedures. Unfortunately, we find that most of the damage that occurs to a costume happens when it is handled and when it is put on and taken off the mannequin. In order to minimize handling, it is better to keep fittings limited to one or two.

Prevention is fundamental and it is essential to remind the mounting team, whether experienced or not, of its importance. For example, a good preventive technique is to copy onto a dressing sheet the areas of weakness that were noted on a condition report. Preventive mounting also entails two people being present when a garment is put on a mannequin; one to support openings to prevent stress on these vulnerable areas, and the other to guide the garment over the mannequin. All dressers must
be instructed that asking for help when handling a costume is a good and necessary step for the garment's well-being. 

Anyone handling garments should wear gloves or have clean hands with cut and filed nails and should remove all jewelry. Long hair should be kept under control so that natural oils will not come in contact with the garments. The working areas should also be kept clean. No food, beverage, pens or other sources of staining are allowed in these rooms. Any part of a garment resting on the floor is shielded from the surfaces below with clean fabric. This shield can also protect the garment from people working
around it by making them more aware of the space the garment occupies on the floor. When work is not in process, dressed mannequins and pieces waiting to be dressed are generally covered with archival paper or clean muslin fabric. 

  
Materials used as protective barriers under garments

Any materials in direct contact with costumes must be chemically inert in order not to destabilize fabrics found on garments.  There are many ways of creating a barrier between the dress and non-archival materials such as finishes of mannequins, floors or hair treatments. Latex paint with a substantial acrylic content can be a stable type of finish. Neutral materials, such as unbleached unsized muslin and white cotton t-shirts, can also be used to establish a barrier. For short term displays, nylon
pantyhose are the most frequently used barrier. In addition to providing a barrier, these coverings provide a surface which can be padded to the shape of the costume. Laundered white cotton t-shirts provide a more effective barrier but, even when t-shirts used are small and close fitting, they add bulk. 

Nylon pantyhose are inert, malleable, cheap, and available in a wide variety of colors. Pantyhose do not stop vapors entirely and their use should depend on the duration of the exhibition and the condition of the item. They are expandable yet form fitting; they do not add bulk and their elasticity holds any padding securely in place. The commercial dyes applied to nylon do not bleed. As a result, all available shades can be used on mannequins of all colors. Nylon pantyhose are used for both upper and lower body covers. When used as an upper body cover, the gusset at the crotch must be cut out to insert the mannequin's head. The waist can then be pulled down and secured to the lower torso by cutting a small hole in the center back and center front of the waistband, attaching a twill tape to the center front, passing it under the crotch and tying it at the center back while pulling the pantyhose down to cover the body. Since the arms of the mannequin are often added after the mannequin is dressed, the cut of the garment needs to be observed before deciding whether or not the former leg portions will remain as
sleeves or will be cut off. If the bottom of the garment's sleeve is large enough, the leg portion of the nylons should remain as sleeves and the top portion of the arm can be introduced through the wrist of the of the garment and nylon's sleeve upward. If the bottom of the garment's sleeve is not large enough, the nylons must then be cut and used to cover the arm. The later can then be inserted through the armhole of the garment.

Unbleached unsized muslin is indispensable for the mounting process. If no other barrier is at hand, it can always be used under garments to protect them. Muslin will be most helpful when creating structural and protective elements such as pads, petticoats, and trains. Muslin petticoats are often needed. When elements that serve as the understructure are made of materials that are harmful to the garment, muslin can be draped over them to create a protective petticoat. A muslin petticoat can also line the train of the dress to protect it from the floor. Extra allowance of muslin can be given to the petticoat in order to safely cover the space the train will use. Once the mount is placed in the gallery, the visible parts can be folded under the garment or cut away.  When a petticoat is needed, the person making it can observe the construction and grain line of the garment's skirt and try to reproduce it in muslin. This way, the petticoat is more likely to fit over the understructure. 

Other possible barriers include cotton knit in the form of eight-inch surgical tubing cut into lengths and stretched over mannequins. Although the materials are different, the use of cotton tubing is similar in practice to that of nylon pantyhose. Acid free paper can be used as a protective barrier, but since it is very fragile, it is likely to tear when the mount is handled. It is sometimes used in a crumpled-up state to fill a spatial void. When used in this way, it can lose its shape rapidly due to the weight of the fabric and is therefore not strongly recommended. Mylar (an archival plastic) can be used to cover the areas on
the floor that will be touched by costumes or parts of the garments that will be touched by a non-archival wig or accessory.  When the barrier is likely to be seen, a transparent material like mylar is more discreet than acid-free paper or muslin.

  
Mounting equipment 

• scissors; both embroidery scissors and larger scissors
• cotton twill tape (in various widths)
• nylon "fishing" line or invisible thread
• measuring tapes
• safety pins; both small brass safety pins and larger ones
• entomological pins (if allowed)
• needles of different sizes, both straight and curved
• screwdrivers and allen-wrenches to install mannequins on their poles (depending on mannequin type)
• hooks (to tighten laces)
• shoe horns
• thimbles
• nylon stockings (used as a protective barrier or to build a body)
• polyester padding
• ethafoam and a knife to carve it
• unbleached, unsized muslin
• tulle (in different weights)

  
Building a body

The most useful material for building bodies is polyester batting: it is light, resilient, and inexpensive. It is available loose or in sheets and can be found in both neutral and non-neutral forms. Polyester sheets can be found with a finish, such as glazene, which will not deteriorate or attract insects while it holds the batting together.24 Although these sheets are smooth and relatively expandable, the finish does not make it easy for the batting to be used in small puffs. If nylon pantyhose are used, polyester sheets do not need a glazene finish because nylons will keep loose batting in place. Even when the batting is archival, it is not recommended to place it directly on period clothes because the "fuzz" it can create may stick in hooks, eyes, and fabrics and can become difficult to remove. 

It is better to tear the batting by hand than to cut it with scissors. Torn edges blend more smoothly with other pieces. Bodies are built slightly smaller than the measurements of the garment. A smaller mount is also easier to rectify for it is easier to add padding than to take it off. A minimum void is necessary to prevent the mount from looking "upholstered" (too stuffed) and the costume from being stressed.

In a museum environment, period understructures are not used to mount historic garments because they are considered museum pieces in themselves. Their use would cause undue strain on them which might result in their rapid degradation.  Understructures, such as crinolines, bustles, petticoats and corsets, are often re-created in order for the garment to recover its period silhouette. Many materials can be used to build these understructures. Muslin is used to create petticoats, crinolines and corsets. Millinery buckram can be used to prevent the garment from collapsing inward. With the help of buckram, a partial
form can be extended below skirts to approximate the volume occupied by the body or it can re-create the particular shape of a flared skirt. Because of its sizing and sharp edges, it is imperative that a barrier be used on top of buckram. 

Nylon tulle of different weights can also help create volume. Heavy tulle, for example, can be used to fill in the folds of skirts, and fine tulle can help recreate the volume in the chest area and in puffed sleeves. Although nylon tulle is made of a neutral fabric, its use is not always recommended without a barrier because its surface and sharp edges can be abrasive to brittle fabrics. Not only do materials have to be stable and non-toxic, but their fabric structures must also be non-abrasive if they are to be used without a barrier. 

Until recently, using foamed plastics to create the proper shape for a costume or the base for a form was prohibited. Newly developed products, such as Dow Ethafoam, have now been manufactured in archival quality. These synthetic materials maintain their shape and can be carved easily. Ethafoam has also been used to create entire mannequins. The resulting structures are stable and conform to standard conservation practices. Nonetheless, mannequins created with foamed plastics do require dexterity and knowledge of human anatomy on the "sculptor's" part. 

  
Basic procedures 

Whatever the procedures and end results, the mount must be stable and the work reversible. Three-dimensional artifacts such as garments must be provided with as much inner support as possible. For that reason, the process of mounting often requires time, patience, and ingenuity because the support given is specific to the object, varied and complex. 

The time involved in dressing a mannequin can be considerable. To dress a mannequin correctly and safely can take 1-3 days depending upon the costume, condition, underpinnings and accessories. To facilitate mounting and take-down, it is sound to develop a systematic method to guide staff and volunteers. Basic procedures also permit better time management, accurate scheduling and more precise results. The mounting process should ideally end a few days before the exhibition's opening. Time is then available for conservators, curators and dressers to handle mounting problems and accidents with more latitude. The later the mounting team finishes its work, the higher the risk of accidents due to stress and nervousness.

It is important to keep track of what is shown on the mount and how it is fixed in place. Accessioned as well as non-accessioned items must be recorded on a dressing sheet. In the case of accessioned items, their numbers should be noted and a descriptive note included. Only in the most extreme cases should an accession tag be removed. Inventive ways to conceal labels are preferable. If none is found, visible accession labels can be taken off and attached with a safety pin to the dressing sheet. If the use of pins become necessary,large silver safety pins are better than straight pins because, once attached
to the understructure, they present no sharp points which could injure either the garment or the worker. They are more visible and are less likely to be lost or forgotten on the mount. The only pins allowed in contact with the garments by some institutions are entomological pins. In extreme cases, these very fine pins made of stainless steel can be used on the garments themselves.  However, their number and positions must be clearly noted on the dressing sheet because if their presence is left undocumented, the garment is likely to be damaged during dismounting. Their removal must be noted carefully: the first pin encountered in the undressing process is noted first, and so on until the last. 

Ladies' garments dated before World War I necessitate special mannequins which allow flexibility in body shapes.  Contemporary display mannequins do not allow changes in torso lengths nor can they accommodate the small waist of corseted silhouettes. Special "period" mannequins are used for such garments. A list of suppliers of period mannequins is supplied at the end of this section.

Basic steps for creating a customized female body using a 3/4 length period mannequin or form: 

• Wash the mannequin or form and its stand with cleaners and wipes approved by conservators.
• Measure the garment carefully.
• Cover the mannequin with nylon pantyhose or another type of barrier.  Pull the pantyhose as far down as possible using the center front tie and center back hole of the nylons. Attach the tie loosely so that padding can be inserted easily.
• Starting with the measurement of the torso (the points from the nape of the neck to the waist), recreate the body of thewearer using polyester batting.  
• It is necessary to observe where anatomical components of the lower body should be placed. The pelvic bones, belly, buttocks and hips should be added according to the wearer's proportions. Do not wrap the circumference uniformly with batting sheets until the hip measurements are reached. Unfortunately, the skirt's measurements cannot always provide the size of the lower body. The volume of the skirt often included the presence of bustles and petticoats; therefore, the size of the lower body often has to be deduced. The construction of the skirt portion, the other measurements, and the study of period undergarments will help find the measurements and substantiate them.  
• Once the lower body has been created, tie the twill tapes securely. Be careful not to disturb the recently created body by pulling the stockings too much.
• After having observed the garment's construction and some possible corset shapes worn during the period, create the upper body by inserting batting under the upper pantyhose through neckline and armholes. Keep in mind that many  types of corsets did not allow much volume in the rib cage and pushed the breasts upwards and to the sides. It is important to figure out where compressed volumes were "relocated". It is also crucial to leave the "ease" between the garment and mannequin so the mount will not look upholstered.
• Once the customized body form is obtained, verify its measurements. Make sure the mount is symmetrical and proportioned unless otherwise desired.  The measurements obtained and fashionable silhouettes found in printed documents can suggest particular types of undergarments. If they are available, the shapes they create can be studied and their structures can be copied.
• Secure the undergarments and cover all un-archival surfaces with the proper barriers. Try the garment on the mount for size (refrain from buttoning and hooking all closures) and note all corrections to be made and how they are going to be done. Take the garment off the mount and make all corrections.
• Once the mount is satisfactory, dress the garment fully. An experience dresser should cut the nylons carefully an inch or so above the edge of the garment's neckline when the mannequin is fully dressed. Nylons usually shrink once cut and become invisible. If the neck opening is very wide, the nylons will shrink and loose their hold. In this case, it is better to sew a ribbon, compatible in color with the mannequin, onto the nylons where the garment's edges will rest. This ribbon will help maintain the position of the nylons while remaining undetected. 

  
Suppliers of mannequins customized for historical garments

GOLDSMITH INC. 
10-09 43rd Avenue 
Long Island City, NY 11101 
TEL (718) 937-8476
FAX (718) 937-4525
Web: www.goldsmith-inc.com
E-mail: manic2@ix.netcom.com

Dorfman Museum Figures, Inc.
6224 Holabird Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21224
Tel.: 410-284-3248
Fax: 410-284-3249
Call 1-800-634-4873 for free literature on realistic figures, flexible foam figures,
standard and economy conservation forms and accessories
www.museumfigures.com

GEMS Display Fugures
2 The Acorn Centre, 30-34 Gorst Road,
Park Royal, London, NW10 6LE, England
Tel +44(0) 1923 855858
Fax +44(0) 1923 855185
Email: info@gems-figures.co.uk
Web: www.gems.dircon.co.uk

WACOAL CORPORATION 
c/o Naotaka Shishikai, Assistant Manager
Wacoal Corp., Cultural Operation Division 
7, shichi-jo goshonouchi nakamachi shimogyo-ku
Kyoto, 600, JAPAN
TEL (075) 321-8011
FAX (075) 321-9219

HWW Mannequins
Dorpsstraat 23
1678 HD Oostwoud, the Netherlands
Tel: +31 229 202 207
Fax: +31 229 202 152
Email: info@museummannequins.com
Web: www.museummannequins.com

Suppliers of non-archival dressforms that can be carved to fit historical garments

Manex USA
126 West 25th Street
New York, NY 10001
Phone: 1-800-699-6466
Fax: 212-366-0575
E-mail: sales@manex-usa.com
Web: www.manex-usa.com

Making non-archival buckram forms

For short term display, the staff of the Kent State University Museum has made some forms using milinary buckram encassing mannequins and dress-forms. For visuals, see the website of the exhibition "Textured Reflections: Greek Regions and Their Costumes." Although the process gave pleasing result, the work was hard physically, extremelly messy and time consuming and required access to saws to cut through metal poles and wooden disks. Although costs attatched to the initial supplies were less than buying a proper mannequin made for historical garments, the results are not archival as the glue can attract insects. The resulting "clones" were fragile and had a heavy toll on the staff's time, physical space and on the mannequins and dressforms used to create these forms. As such, this process is not recommanded. No such "clone" will replace a proper mannequin.

Step 1: Cover base form

Select a base form to clone. Dressforms, mannequins of other tree-dimensional objects need to be wrapped in plastic bags. These bags need to be secured with masking tape to mold the form precisely. Although plastic will protect the base form, the use of scissors or hexato knives in later steps often causes the plastic to tear and the form underneath to be dammaged. As such, be aware of the potential damage when selecting a base form. Chossing a cloth covered dressform can, for example, cut the muslin cover and transfer the glue of the buckram. As the buckram needs to dry before it is removed, this glue can become extremely hard to remove from the base form.

Mannequin covered with black plastic bag and secured to the form with masking tape.

Step 2: Cut buckram in various strips
Once base form is covered with plastic and taped securely to mold the form, cut pre-glued milinary buckram in various widths. Think of it as bandages which will cover the body. Some 12"x12" rectangles can be used to cover a man's chest or back while some long and narrow bands (3"x 30") can countour the waist and hips. The widths of the bands depends on the form to be covered.

Step 3: Wet buckram strips in small increments and drape form
Easy access to a sink and protection of flooring is recommanded before burckram is handled. Dip small increments of various widths of buckram in hot water long enough to dissolve the glue to enable the strips to stretch diagonally (5 minutes is usually plenty). Start draping the form with buckram strips but always leave the center-back of the form uncovered but for a few narrow horizontal consolating strips at the neck, waist and hips. Always supperimposed one band over the next. Once the form is fully covered, repeat the process 3 to 4 times to produce a strong end product. Replace water periodically to retain warm temperature.

Mannequin covered in head and chest and separately on legs with black buckram

Step 4: Drying
Let the form dry for 24 hours of more. With surgical scissors or inserting a cutting surface under the few narrow horizontal consolating strips in order to use an hexacto knife, cut center back and spread the buckram shell open to remove it from the original form. Let dry another 24 hours.

Step 5: Cut shell base

Cut the hem of the buckram shell evenly and superimpose the center backs as they will be glued in step 6. Trace hem of form on honeycomb board or plywood to form shell base. Establish stand and width of pole to be used. Trace and cut slightly bigger hole for pole at the center of the shell base.

Step 6: Gluing center back
Insert base in buckram shell. You may screw the plywood base or glue the honeycomb board to the hem of the shell base. Superimpose center backs of buckram shell by using a hot glue gun. Tie to ensure it will not pry-open while drying.

Volunteers holding white buckram shell to enable center back to dry

Step 7: Decise on exterior treatment
It is strongly recommanded to cover the abrasive buckram exterior with padding and cotton jersey. A multitude of surface treatments are possible. If paper-maché is selected, recover the surface with masking tape or any other protecting treatment that will prevent the buckram from getting wet and collapsing on itself.

Paper-maché applied in narrow strips of kraft paper

Suppliers of pre-glued white milinary buckram (30" wide):
When ordering, estimate how much buckram will be needed to cover the surface desired four time (3 to 4 layers are necessatu). An upper torso usually requires 1 to 1.5 yard.

Greenburg & Hammer, Inc.
24 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019
TEL (212) 246-2835
FAX (212) 765-8475

Bilbliography

Flecker, Lara. A Practical Guide to Costume Mounting. Oxford: Elsevier, 2007.