History Of Corsets

History Of Corsets

A corset is a close-fitting piece of clothing that has been stiffened by carious materials e.g. whale bone in order to shape a woman’s figure (also a man’s, but rarely). The term ‘corset’ only came into use during the 19^th century; before that the piece was referred to as a pair of bodices, a pair of stays or, simply, stays. In French 18^th century texts, you can find the term corset as referring to a lightly stiffened bodice with tie-on-sleeves, whereas proper stays are called corps. A corset is thought of something more popularly worn in the past but closely looked at the corset has been in and out of fashion throughout the decays. Even in our modern day I see it being worn as a fashion statement on the high streets. It is said that the first recorded corset originated from Crete in Greece, worn by the Minoan people. The corset ideally showed off a women’s figure of curves and often exposing bare breasts. Both men and women of Minoan culture wanted small waists, so this garment was very popular for all genders. Although as time goes on the corset is more popular and referred with women. As well as men and women also, children of both genders wore a girdle around their waists which then grew tighter as they grew in order to stop growth in the waist area.

In the 18^th century the corset wasn’t meant to be worn to be seen but they often are quite decorative with finely stitched tunnels for the boning, precious silk is supported by small pads sewn to the tabs.

In the 1790, when dress waists begin to wander upwards, the stays become slightly shorter. Since paniers were not worn anymore, the skirt is supported by small pads sewn to the tabs. From 1794, the waist moved higher and arrived just under the bust around 1796. A new kind of corset is needed: The torso, hidden under flowing muslin, doesn’t need shaping anymore. The breasts still need lifting, but they’re supposed to stay apart. To keep them apart the cup was introduced. The busk, which in the 17^th century had served to keep the front of the stays straight, now came back to keep the cups apart.

In 1828, lacing eyelets with hammered-in metal grommets are invented (before this eyelet had been stitched in).  A year later, the planchet came in: Two metal strips, one with little mushroom-shaped heads, the other with eyelets, used to close and open the corset in front without having to undo the lacing every time. This busk then makes I possible to change the lacing completely; Both ends of the cord are threaded through the eyelets crosswise and knotted together at the end. At waist level, one loop is formed on either side and used to pull the lacing tight. This type of lacing is still used today.

As a new era of the Late Victorian and Edwardian became another demanded corset. A new shape was invented where its straight front, it was supposed to take pressure away from the stomach front. It ended just below the breasts to give them room. The corset also pressed the belly and hips backwards and forced the wearer into a hollow-backed posture, the so-called straight-front or S-line. Due to this structure being unnatural it caused the wearer to feel uncomfortable as it with being harmful to their body as it caused damage to the musculoskeletal system.

From the 1920s to 1950s corsets slid downwards and became more elastic. The straight, waist-less Garconne fashion of the 1920s favoured only lightly stiffened hip girdles partly made of elastic. They were not supposed to constrict the waist, but to control the belly and hips. The chest was supported by a bra.

Corsets have probably been worn for erotic purposes during all that time, even while they had been gone from fashion. Only in the 1980s, Madonna brought them back into public attention with the help of her favourite designer, Gaultier – as top garment. Her version, however, was more like a tight bodice than a proper corset. Nowadays, real corsets are only rarely worn. Sometimes a celebrity or lover of historical fashion may wear it visibly as a fashion statement, but mostly, it still is worn underneath for erotic reasons. Whether they be waist-cinchers, under-bust, half-bust or full-bust: The basic shape is still the same as 1860-80, only that they usually don't compress the waist nearly as much.