The Gymslip: The Governess's Choice Every time

After reading the comment / contribution I featured in my last posting I came upon an anonymous comment posted on my entry entitled "The Perfect Gymslip?" (click to view post if you haven't already) simply stating :"Love the work. Long live the gymslip!"

In the context of the last posting and taking inspiration from some of that anonymous benefactor's ideas as regards rear buttoning garments in particular, and the question of discipline in general, I started asking my self the question: just what would constitute the perfect gymslip in the eyes of our governess or institutional mistress?

The first question I suppose has to be; why the gymslip? I think the answer there lies in the distance between it and most everyday garb a young adult might chose to wear - always assuming that she has any choice in the matter of course. After all general speaking; a skirt is a skirt is a skirt - but a gymslip instantly shouts; juvenile. It is an anachronistic thing to boot and being a full-length garment has a far greater scope for imaginative stylistic refinements - the open-sided bodice style, that I personally would favour, in particular as there is much scope there to work there with different yoke shapes as well as shoulder-strap widths, lengths and buttoning arrangements. Talking about the latter leads to the first refinement I could imagine our governess incorporating.

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The traditional fastening would be by two or three in-row buttons along the top of each shoulder strap but I have seen the buttons running across at a point around a quarter of the way down the front of each shoulder strap - which of course eases the chore of fastening and unfastening in the case of the young child. But our governess is, of course, in charge of recalcitrant young adult women - a pair of young ladies, say, in dire need of strict discipline and unlikely to take kindly to the imposition of uniform as it is, let alone to be enamoured with their new gymslips. The imaginative governess surely would have created for her charges a pretty little confection with a row of three buttons to fasten each shoulder strap, but sited running across each at around a quarter of the way down the rear of the strap. Very, very fiddly and extremely difficult to fasten and unfasten unaided - how galling!

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The second thought that comes to mind is one of practicality. In an institution practicality and functionality may well be considered to be paramount, with the fabric choice being influenced accordingly: easy care, easy to clean, perhaps by simply sponging down , hard wearing fabric etc. But I would think that any governess worth her salt and deeply steeped in the subject of discipline, would actually be more likely to go for the diametrically opposite qualities, if giving careful though to a suitable uniform - or uniforms - for the young women under her supervision. Consider; a fussy design, as difficult and troublesome in dressing as in wearing. A myriad sharp knife-pleats decorate a skirt of a fabric guaranteed to require ironing on a daily basis. The fabric chosen particularly because it is known to crease extremely easily - perhaps it scuffs and marks easily as well. If stockings are worn then surely they would be of extremely fine denier, anything but run-resistant and of course seamed. It goes without saying that dress inspections would be frequent, long and tedious and the slightest crease, stain, button misplaced or left unfastened, would result in sever hard strokes of the cane. Likewise crooked seams or (horror of horrors) a ladder in that expensive but delicate hosiery. Needless to say that a creased skirt would be near impossible to avoid with the utmost care in sitting - and of most relevance to the anonymous contributor mentioned in the last posting - necessitating the absolute minimum of fidgeting throughout the seemingly endless schoolroom day. Then we come to thoughts of suitable underwear, of which more another time...but just imagine semi-transparent knickers, in a suitable colour to match the uniform, as an interesting diversion from the obvious...just look at the pic, above left, and imagine this under a suitably abbreviated pleated skirt. Then there is the possibility of combining this feature with traditional school knickers style, full, high-waisted, nice broad leg elastics - all very traditional...until we get to the gusset.

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Well, that's it for now, Tomorrow I'm off to Broadstairs (a little town on the Kent coast in south-east England) where I shall be until Monday. I'll be taking my trusty pad and pen so I can put together those last little niggling details of volume 2 (I need to come up with a suitably vivid description of a British woman police officer's uniform - don't ask why...I wont tell you - coz it would give too much away...and then you might jump to conclusions). I also hope to come up with some ideas / make some decisions for the blog and/or the upcoming discussion board/website I have planned. Talking of blog posts: I am going to begin a small series through which those that are interested can watch the evolution of the INSTITUTIONALISED volume 2 book cover - starting with the hand drawn layout guide I have come up with (created in the pub, of course - a real mess). I have to apologise if today's effort seems a little error prone, perhaps a bit of a mess, disjointed or just plain rambling nonsense. I have been writing all day and it is now the early hours of the morning - and I have to get up early too! PS: Just to keep you all up to date: volume 2 is currently standing at 221 pages completed.

Can You Guess What it is Yet: Prelim Cover Layout Part 1 & A Blog Comment / Contribution

Hi folks. I am still at the seaside (Broadstairs, Kent) and will remain so until Tuesday most probably, so I did not plan to make a posting. However, as I have been talked into helping setup a home computer network; here I am. As it turns out an anonymous contributor has left a comment on the post "A Well Deserved Regime?" (Click to read the original posting) so as is my custom I have re-posted it below. Other than a bit of spell checking it is as sent to me. I also though you could do with a laugh, and so I thought I’d provide you with a little bit of insight as to how I go about things. In this case, I am talking about the cover design for volume 2. Call it ‘An anatomy of a cover’ if you will, but as I said in my last posting I am going to put up the development of the cover design step by step as it evolves. Up on the left is the very first biro scribble to that end. Not much to look at and looking like a pissed spider has staggered through a pool of red ink; but this is the prelim layout guide and amazing as it may seem, tells me the relative position of the various picture elements that will go to make up the final design. I know; it looks like a kid drew it - but I was somewhat inebriated...and in any case, it will all come out ok in the wash, so to speak (Remember; it is only a layout guide)

Now back to anonymous posting. Remember none of the following is my work and it has little to do with the INSTITUTIONALISED storyline – but it does have a lot to do with discipline, so read on…

“ I think that the discipline which you have imposed on Judith is very appropriate given her poor behavior and there would be fewer problems generally if others followed your example. In the US individuals like this used to be dealt with by their parents or if not by a stay on the County Farm. Many errant young girls benefited from being back in a uniform being educated in a disciplined environment and made to perform arduous labor with frequent application of the switch to guide them. Although Judith’s regime is less severe, it is certainly of the right nature and I think there are several ways in which the punishment could be increased in severity - and imposition of these changes for no particular reason will I am sure help to further underline to Judith the deservedly isolated and powerless position she has earned herself. I would suggest firstly that, assuming the wearing of these woolen items is both humiliating, because they are like a school uniform (color, etc.) and physically uncomfortable to wear, that she should wear her cardigan, jacket (including mitts) at all times in addition to her existing uniform. Next toilet visits should be limited to one per day, at a time of your choice. If she wets her knickers then the punishment should be very severe including time using a bucket and no toilet in addition to the other punishments, which you quite rightly impose for even much more minor misdemeanors. Eating meat is a privilege and I would limit this to no more than 2 or 3 times per week. For someone who has continued to lie like your niece mouth washing should be at least daily if not twice daily. In addition, you might like to consider the regular dispensing of castor oil to her. I quite agree with your incorporation of corporal punishment into her regime, but would suggest she is given a spanking every Sunday in front of your guests. This should be long and hard, given her age, so that she feels not only the humiliation but also severe pain. To accentuate the pain her two hours of vigorous exercise should follow immediately afterwards. I would also like to suggest that, now she has completed 2 months of this regime, you tell her of the severity and longevity of the next stages so as to remove any hope she may have of much improved conditions in the future. I would assume she would be kept at least 2 more years in some form of uniform.”

As you probably realize this contribution is addressed to Judith’s aunt (Judith being another past contributor).

Meanwhile while I’m here I am making the most of the lack of distractions to continue refining the last few parts of INSTITUTIONALISED volume 2 and I have to report it is well on track for publication mid-March

See Y’all

Gath

Restrictive Clothing and Cramped School Desks

A while ago I received an emailed comment from an anonymous reader, to whom I must apologise for not getting to it sooner, regarding restrictive discipline clothing. As usual I have run it through the good old spell checker, but unusually I have also carried out a little bit of editing - not because there was anything wrong with it as it stood, but rather because I enjoyed the ideas presented and couldn't resist embellishing it a bit. Also it led me to think more about a prospective governess's thought processes if presenting her take on a school uniform suitable for a young lady continuing her education in somewhat private circumstances (see next post)...now read on...

"Dear Garth, I read your blog of February 16th with great pleasure. Restrictive clothing has always been a favorite of mine, underwear especially. What can be more restrictive than a tight corset? I am all for the inclusion of a long chapter with a number of girls in a classroom where the (stated) goal of the experiment is to study the influence of “proper dress” on learning. Of course the girls as they sit in the classroom cannot forget for a minute their appearance. Be it the tight constricting, lace-up oxford shoes; sized far too small and that hobble them, imprisoning their feet so tightly that nothing can move inside. Walking in these shoes is painful; sitting in the classroom is the only way to alleviate the pain. But then the corset takes over, as it has been equally carefully designed to dig into the pubic bone and under the arm when sitting. The back garters are positioned so that it is impossible not to sit on them and not leave their imprint on their skin - with time, angry red marks develop.

The stockings are support stockings or wool or maybe both just to keep warm in the winter or summer! The backboard, integral to their corsetry ensures that there can be no stooping in the classroom - or anywhere else for that matter. I like the idea of a smock or tunic, back buttoned and with a starched cotton blouse underneath and a high tight collar, also buttoned in the back; the girls can help each other dress up in the morning… I could go on and on, suffice it to say that the idea gets my vote."

Yes and yours would get mine too... Especially if they are crammed into the typical Victorian schoolroom desk-and-seat combo or some modern variant. The most interesting point about that type of design is that...in actuality it is so poor when it comes adaptability. Even in its original for it was designed to accommodate comfortably only a narrow size range - and of course the pupil has no control over the relative positions of the desk and chair, there can be no slovenly swing back on the chair or twisting nonchalantly to one side or the other and facing outwards with legs crossed...or even crossing the legs under the desk if the design has been engineered correctly. In short it is that very lack of flexibility that makes the Victorian schoolroom desk so amenable to enforcing the standards required for the imposition of strict discipline - it represents a little more of the aspect of personal choice rested away from the governess's charge.

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In the context of the above writer's ideas; the incorporation of such furnishings into the schoolroom when dealing with girls in their late teens or even early twenties, especially if scant regard has been paid to their physical maturity, would be the icing on the cake, so to speak. I have rustled up a couple of suitable pics (above) to illustrate what we are talking about here : if you imagine such a design having been realised in a tough white molded plastic, all smoothly-curving lines but otherwise just as restrictive (perhaps more so, having been especially put together for that very purpose) then you have something of the atmosphere of the schoolroom depicted in INSTITUTIONALISED volume 1.

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There is scope here for further refinement of course: for example the chair back (straight-backed of course) could be increased in height as far as the back of the girl's head to enforce a correctly alert and disciplined posture and restrain her from stretching and throwing back the head in an unladylike manner.

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On the other hand the chair could be reduced to the dimensions of a narrow bench seat and her posture be maintained by discipline (and the fear of the cane) alone. But then, of course, one looses that cramped feeling of restraint - and I do think that the desk edge should fit snugly against the midriff at all times, with the girl's hands kept where the governess or schoolmistress can see them; above the desk and demurely clasped or kept flat with palms uppermost (my choice!) when not writing. I think that I would recommend a combination of aspects of the two approaches: a high straight back to the chair but the seat itself reduced to a narrow bench, little more than a perch, and a gap between the two sufficient for the swell of her bottom cheeks to protrude. Very uncomfortable, very humiliating.

An Anonymous Contribution and A Couple More Links

Hi Folks; An anonymous contributor has left a new comment on the post "One Girl's Pyjama Discipline" (click to read original the post). As is my habit I have reproduced it here as comments don't seem to automatically display in full. As for my own taste; I prefer to think of the disciplinarian as being in loco parentis – the stern guardian with somewhat suspect, perhaps exploitative agenda, the strict governess with her rigid, outdated hypocritically Victorian views on the control of young ladies or perhaps the angrily-repressed and devout wrath of the fallen 'man of the cloth'. But others have different tastes – and this offering does possess something of the flavour of some of those early Janus letters, so I thought it only right to share it with you. Actually I get the feeling from the style that the contributor might be one of our visitors from the 'white socks' discussion board that I have told you about before and that I have suggested might like to continue there discussions here if that site becomes too unfriendly – actually I am considering opening a discussion board linked to this site, a yahoo group and perhaps, later, a full-blown website...but all that will have to wait for the completion of volume 2. I am going to have a couple of months off before starting volume3 and will tackle these projects then – vol 3 is at least one third complete so I can afford the time. Talking of volume 2: it is now standing at 212 pages with most of the rest written and waiting to be inserted after a bit of tidying up and with the addition of a bit of linking text to stitch it all together. as I've said before; I may have to pare it down a bit at the end if it ends up looking too 'wordy' but other than that, thats about it!

I have also added / updated a couple of links in the resource list in the sidebar on right.
(1) 'British Spanking' (A fantastic free resource for spanking pictures; F/f, uniforms, discipline and humilation.

(2) 'Bare Bottom Spanking' (A good gateway to British Spanking and other resources)

I have taken the liberty of running the following through the spell check, but otherwise it is as received...now read on:

“I had a similar experience when I was found to have been smoking during my summer holidays when I was 17. My parents were furious and punished me in a very severe manner which thankfully I had not experienced previously or thereafter. As I had behaved in such a distrustful and stupid way they decided I would be spending the next two weeks of my holidays in detention dressed in school uniform. I was shocked at the thought of being dressed for 2 weeks in my school skirt, shirt and blazer and having to do school work all day but as I was taken to the guest bedroom where I was to serve my detention I could not imagine the severity of the consequences of my action. The room had a desk and hard wooden chair in the middle of it and here the full extent of my punishment was revealed. I had to dress not in my normal school uniform but in something more junior befitting my behavior and so that it was clear to everyone who saw me that I was being punished. Having removed my jewelery and make-up I had to dress in plain white knickers, grey knee socks, my black laced shoes, a blue shirt, maroon and blue striped tie, grey pleated pinafore dress and finally a V-neck grey cardigan. Finally my mother made me put my hair in a ponytail. This was how I was to dress for the next 2 weeks. I was fearful that I would not escape a spanking despite my age but I had underestimated the extent of my parents anger. I was to be spanked every week of my punishment and receive four strokes of the cane immediately. I argued and the punishment was increased to six stokes. It was the first and final caning I have ever received and was both painful and humiliating. The two weeks which turned into three because of my lack of discipline were a severe lesson. I was confined to my room writing endless lines not doing useful school study. I had to attend meals with the family, explain my predicament in front of visitors and was made on occasion to stand in a corner or facing the wall hands behind my back or on my head. On the three Sundays during my punishment I had to attend Church in my uniform for everyone to see - it was awful. The most humiliating moment was when my father decided that, as I was continuing to be non-compliant during my first week of punishment, my first spanking would be carried out in front of my brother and sisters. Being bent over his knee in front of them, my dress lifted, my knickers stripped to my knees and then spanked until I was crying uncontrollably with pain is not something I have ever forgotten. I was certainly taught my lesson and made an example of - suffice to say I have never smoked again.”

A Very Quick Update and a Couple of Links

Hi folks: A quick update and a couple of links to follow. First of all: Yeseterday and today I managed to get all the new stuff that I wrote in the pub on Friday into the computer. I had spent most of the day in Southgate, North London in a pub called The Well (The Southgate Weatherspoons had suffered a power cut - the shape of things to come in Brown-ed - out Briton?) and got around three quarters of the outstanding stuff finished. I have also today added in to the book a couple of previously written parts, done a small bit of proof reading and rearanging of chapters. The finished book-form volume 2 now comprises 205 pages and I now expect the finished article to be in the region of 250 pages - although I may pare it down a little. Estimeted publication date is mid-March at the latest, 2nd week at the earliest.

Now for a couple of Links: The first is an interesting little blog to explore: Zille Defeu's Fetish Fantasies, Click to visit or look in blog section of sidebar on right. A multi-fetish blog that makes for an interesting read (even if it does take an age to load). The second is a new and imaginative web site called 'Electronic Bondage & Chastity Belts' and dealing with...electronic bondage & chastity belts - damn, you guessed. It is still very early days for this site but some of the ideas such as the use of those lovly dog collars, the type that shock dogs when they bark, and perimeter detection with shocking devices to detain and restrict a subjects movements within a limited area or within a room or building seem highly plausable, taking into account today's technology and is something I have explored, albeit to a limited extent, in my work of late. Again click to visit. As I say, it is very early days, but perhaps one or two of you might have views or ideas to contribute and help build it further.

Truth Stranger than Fiction: A House of Chastisement for Difficult Girls in Victorian Bristol -

It feels like I have neglected the blog for far too long this week. I have been staying at a mates place for a few days with no Internet access handy - the guy's some kind of modern Luddite I think...but he drinks well!

Its odd where inspiration can come from sometimes: For example I have previously mentioned the guarded references in Mozart's Magic Flute on this blog. Today I have been fitting the finishing touches to a section of volume 2 dealing with the description of a school uniform. I know that doesn't sound so galling, but I am something of a perfectionist and I ( in common with certain scheming behind-the-scenes plot-line characters) have a very specific view of what I am trying to achieve here. It has to suit an adult female form, yet seem juvenile enough to rob the wearer of any kind of credibility, both in her own eyes and those of others. It is not enough that it belittles the girl - it should also, by the very image it subconsciously inspires, encourage others, her betters if you will (even you and I if we were to come across her) to automatically treat her in the appropriate manner without thinking. And this should be so even if meeting her for the first time; even if one has not been briefed as to how to react one should find oneself taking an authoritative stance - it should seem quite natural to do so. This is what uniforms are supposed to do, depersonalise and underline a particular role and attitude to fulfil. In a similar way the uniforms that the nurses (and wardresses in volume 2) wear should subconsciously underline their authority and automatically place their charges, the girls, quite naturally on a submissive footing from the get go. Then the is the question of whether there should be any aspect to the design that might be thought 'sexy' in any way - personally I think that would be a mistake, although certain features might be incorporated that make use of the female form to titillate the onlooker, but always with the proviso tat it should not make the girl feel 'attractive' in any way. On the contrary - she should feel shame. In fact I came upon a view about some aspect of this while searching for the origin of the artwork I have used at the top of this post and that was sent to me anonymously (I hope the artist doesn't mind, it is a brilliant piece of work but if he or she objects obviously I will remove it instantly). Anyway, click on it to read a lovely discussion of school uniform discipline or CLICK HERE. Interestingly the writer bemoans having to wear rubber pants (Knickers), presumably rather than school knickers or possibly under them (it isn't clear) which she describes as 'degrading' but the goes on to say 'as it should be' - a sentiment with which I wholeheartedly agree! Going back to today's assignment: I think I would prefer to see some combination of the features of the underwear she describes - I am thinking along the lines of the 'crisp, sweaty bottle-green polyester' school knickers she so evocatively describes, so of a quite conventional, if old-fashioned, appearance externally, but lined with latex or perhaps having a removable rubber lining. I am not sure that they would need to be 'really big and baggy' as the writer suggests, but I am certain of the necessity of broad, tight leg elastics - with 17 hours a day spent crammed in a little cramped Victorian school desk and with toilet visits by necessity limited to specified times, there are bound to be one or two little accidents from time to time. Actually I think a case can be made for the diametrically opposite, ie of extreme and carefully engineered close fitting - but then again a more voluminous garment does lend itself to the inclusion of various additions, taking into account differing expediences, some features of which might well be adapted where it is felt that a little additional shame wouldn't go amiss. And to this point we haven't even began to discuss the outerwear - Skirt or pinafore / gymslip? Pleated or plain or should it be a dress? Long or short sleeved blouse? If long sleeved, puffed Victorian style shoulders and long stiff cuffs buttoned with three in-line buttons, high stiff starched shirt-style collar with school tie or something a little more feminine, childish, perhaps flouncy wit a 'peter pan' collar. Poplin, Crisp, sweaty nylon, or even crisper starched and stiff cotton. Stripped (my present favorite) or plain, white or coloured? The questions go on and on, but I am slowly narrowing down the design. Bear in mind that I am only talking about the design of the uniforms worn by the 5 or 6 girls housed in the institution's 'Schoolroom' wing and the imposition of an actual school uniform is something that the Powers-that-be have only just begun to consider (along with a considerable tightening up of the already very tight discipline). Maybe you'd prefer they be kept in the type of nylon dress-style overall that I have mainly concentrated on up until now, that you will have met in INSTITUTIONALISED volume 1 and that is basically supposed to approximate to a prison uniform. But I think this new aspect opens up some excitingly new disciplinary avenues to explore...what do you think? Views anyone?

Now the unexpected / truth stranger than fiction bit. While doing the above research and having chucked 'high buttoning stiff collared blouses - or some such combination of search terms - into google, by a kind of tortuous route I came across a nice little piece of writing about an admission procedure and a young girl incarcerated in a strict woman's prison (this is not the truth etc bit - this is the unexpected bit) CLICK HERE to read.

Then, on Flickr of all places (The Truth is Stranger than Fiction bit) I came across a piece, purporting to be true, about a house of chastisement for difficult girls in Victorian Bristol. I do remember reading something similar, reported and elaborated upon at some length it must be said, in Janus many, many moons ago. To read it CLICK HERE (the Flickr version that is - if I find that old copy of Janus I'll scan it in for you lucky folks). To quote from the article:

"Taking the birch, I measure my distance and, standing at the side, I proceed to strike slowly but firmly’ Mrs Walter explained. ‘By moving gently forward, each stroke is differently placed and six strokes may well be enough if given with full force. If the fault has been such as to need severe correction, then I begin on the other side and work back again. For screams, increased strokes must be given. If a girl tries very hard to bear it bravely, then perhaps I give 10 instead of 12" Blimey O'reily!!!

And apparently she used to dress in a nurse's uniform too!!! Most probably exactly for the point I made earlier; and to aid legitimacy of course

Finally: talking of uniforms and their character-defining effect, I couldn't resist quickly knocking up this little confection (left). a little something I entitle: "Just Three Strokes Today Dear". But it has a serious purpose also - it serves as a nice illustration of a 'Tippet' (the little cape worn by the nurse in the foreground); it is something I think mention in INSTITUTIONALISED Volume 1 but I definitely do in volume 2. So now you know what it is, if you didn't already - it all helps picture the scene in your head.

A School Uniform Mock-Up

You're probably thinking, quite rightly, why is he f%$£!!&g around knocking up silly pictures we he should be writing and getting volume 2 damn well finished the lazy b'stard. Well in my defence I have to say that I'm at the point where I'm having to give some serious consideration as to the cover design and having gone nowhere near The Gimp (a sort of Linux version of Photoshop for those that don't know - I can't afford the real thing, I have a drinking habit to support) for one hell of a long-time I. need the practice (as you can probably see, I am not that good at it). The real reason is of course that I got completely hammered yesterday and couldn't face writing today -it would be different if I was putting down new ideas but the stage I am at now with volume 2 it is all about rearranging stuff that I have finished, proofreading and adding odd paragraphs here and there to keep the continuity flowing. Rather than end up doing nothing at all I thought I would combine getting a bit of practice in with a little whimsical thought as to the design of a uniform suitable for young ladies undergoing, shall we say, a somewhat rigorous and well structured educational regime... the sort of regime that might be instigated at the hands of a strict governess... or that might exist vouchsafed behind the barred windows and locked gates of a certain institution.

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Obviously the young Lady would in reality be anything but smiling, there should be a neatly knotted school tie of course...and a striped blouse, well starched and with a suitably high, uncomfortable and stiff collar - buttoned tightly needless to say.

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And that hair would have to go... we can't have her running around with her her hair up in a bun like that, far too sophisticated. She should be grateful if her guardian or governess - or the staff at the institution, if she is so housed - let her retain her locks at collar length. It should certainly be no longer and even then only if kept neatly and tightly braided and tied off with ribbon bows of a suitable colour, perhaps striped to match the blouse. Of course a young Lady in her late teens or even early twenties may well be expected to object, citing the style to be too juvenile for

her - and for her the clippers and razor are always awaiting.

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Then, unseen, there is the underwear of course - seventeen hours a day, seven days a week, spent crammed into a cramped little Victorian schoolroom desk and chair combination is bound to result in her gaining a little...plumpness, shall we say, even allowing for the hour long supervised and strictly enforced physical education session she undergoes before breakfast each morning. The best way to deal with that, if one is to avoid unsightly bulges ruining the smart lines of a uniform that has not only been carefully designed but that has been rather expensively made-to-measure for the wearer so as to ensure a snug fit, is by way of suitably strict and restrictive corsetry. Should a certain degree of plumpness be considered appropriate, or even somewhat becoming for that matter, depending on one's personal taste, then by way of good firms 'stays' that plumpness can be encouraged to develop in those regions where one might wish it, for example around her bottom, bosom and / or thighs.

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Then there is the question of posture, both when seated and standing -and with her expected to spend a least one to two hours of every single day standing with her nose pressed into a corner, with hands on head or fingertips on shoulders with elbows out to the sides, some back strain is likely to be inevitable. This is where the corset's backboard comes in to its own of course.

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It is possible that even with the restriction of a stiffly backboard each corset, if she is given to somewhat tomboyish ways, then she might still be thought still somewhat too active or boisterous and one way of dealing with this without upsetting the lines of the uniform, the pleasant flare of the pleated skirt for example, is by way of a tightly fitting under-slip. Although not really required conventionally as one would expect the tailor-made gymslip to be properly lined in any case, nevertheless the full-length slip / petticoat in some practical and hard wearing man-made fibre, for example nylon, should always be a required part of her apparel in any case. Given the above expedient then the slip would be exceedingly close fitting, tightly sheathing her thighs and bottom and ended at a hem tightly girdling her just above her skirt hem. It is possible that such a garment would have a sprung steel hoop sewn within the hem and another at the waist, the latter parting at the rear and fastened by a clasp, the whole thing fastening by zip running from the waist to the upper part of her back, just below the neck, the tab of which might well locate into some sort of locking arrangement, should a particularly stubborn or recalcitrant young lady be encountered who might be in the habit of divesting herself of these arrangements. The aim here is of course to present an image of relative normality, of the free and easy flowing lines of her uniform skirt or dress while still enforcing an enticingly feminine gate, appropriately small-stepped and graceful - there is going to be no more running about hither and dither for her, I'm afraid.

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As for yesterday, I got absolutely nothing written because every pub a went into was totally packed and I couldn't get a seat with a table. I ended up in the flask in Hampstead - nice beer but just as packed as everywhere else. Incidentally, on Saturday (Valentine's Day) I went with the 'other half' first to the Design Museum on the Southbank (River Thames) and then to the opera, The ENO (English National Opera are) at the Coliseum in St Martin's Lane. I'd never actually seen the Magic Flute (Mozart) before although I know the music well. I was somewhat startled therefore by references to bondage and implied guarded references to a woman's corporal punishment - blimey... it's everywhere.

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PS: If you click on the pic you'll be shuffled of to a very early section of the blog where I discussed an alternative title and cover design of Volume 1- one possibility for volume 2 is to recycle part of the alternative design that I had for volume 1 and that I never used...what do you thing...please let me know.