Have you ever wondered what it is really like to wear a corset? Perhaps you have watched a movie in the past and thought, "Did they really wear that?" Historically, corsets and codpieces tell us about gender roles in particular time periods and places. Just as today’s suit and tie carry a different message for us than jeans and a t-shirt, historic fashions which may look silly to us now, once conveyed detailed information for those who observed them in their original context. In this class our presenter Melanie Schuessler Bond will cover several topics in costume history that tend to mystify modern people. She will give special emphasis to the way clothing is represented (and mis-represented) in the movies. 
Melanie Schuessler Bond is Professor of Costume Design and faculty Costume Designer at Eastern Michigan University. In addition to numerous university theater designs, her professional costume design credits include productions at the Michigan Shakespeare Festival, the Williamston Theater in Williamston, Michigan, and Tipping Point Theatre in Northville.