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The History of  the Corset

This article is a short but very informative history of the corset from the 20th century. The corset is a unique garment in a way, for it has symbolism and power over and above the normal aspect of changing a woman's body contour. The corset can be looked at as being a symbol of male dominance over a female. In the past, women were frequently required to wear constricting garments such as corsets, since this is what society dictated. The corset also served other purposes such as fitting into what society, at the time dictated as acceptable as far as lingerie fashion went. Not only did the corset mold the shape of the female body, but the corset was also a kind of discipline to the body, thus having a sadomasochistic connotation attached to it. Wearing a corset tends to also have an auto-erotic tendency to it. Having said all this it is fair to say that the corset was worn for a number of reasons. Historically, wearing a corset has also symbolized the morality within society as it was known to be. Corsets have been around for centuries and existed as far back as Greek and Minoan times. However, when the subject of corsets is mentioned, many of us instantly think of the tight lacing that is associated with the Victorian era. Combined with this, are the horror stories of practices that took place during this period in order for women's shapes to be molded to the accepted norm. Also one must not forget the corset stories of daughters being forced into tight-laced corsets, so they would have a slim waist. There were also stories of girls having to lie on the floor while their mothers tightened their corsets. Further more there were the stories of corset lacing breaking under such pressure. There are also stories of figure training, with girls being laced into tighter and tighter corsets in order to achieve the figure that society demanded. Some women were so tightly laced in their corset that they fainted, and women went to the extreme of having their ribs removed surgically so that their corsets could be fastened even tighter. Some museums around the world have corsets displayed with waists of less than 20 inches. The corset was looked at as a necessary garment for women to wear, and teenage as well as younger girls, were forced to wear corsets as a  priority. Some women were expected to wear a corset at all times, to the extremes that girls would have to sleep in their corsets, and the next day the corset would be tightened a little more in order to achieve the desired figure. At the time corset wearing was probably very uncomfortable. It would be safe to say that many women's corsets were not fitted correctly, unless they had been made to measure. We have come along way from the days gone by, and today women are wearing corsets in their correct sizes giving them a more comfortable fit and a feeling of femininity.

Through time, the style of the corset has changed. The corset became much lighter than in the past,  some women who  worked in factories found it to be a great way of support. Not only have corsets become lighter but some went to the extent of using elastic material for support, or the more traditional cloth and steel supports. Suspenders also became an integral part of corset design in order to assist in holding up stockings, and instead of the solid shelf that had characterized the appearance of women's breasts, the breasts became separated, in what was to become the forerunner of the modern brassiere. As far as the lingerie fashions went, the corset was viewed as being an essential lingerie  garment for well-groomed women to have, and the corset was marketed heavily in shops. Around this same time frame, the corset was also considered as a girdle, and an alternative to the traditional back lacing corset came about the corset with the hook-fastening wrap around. Also introduced in stores for the more traditional women, was the front lacing style corsets, as they were easier to put on by oneself. Around this same time came the “all in one” corset. This was almost tubular in construction, causing a flattening of the breasts and giving a boyish look that was demanded by the fashions of this period. These corsets were heavily boned with spiral steel and often consisted of a corset with a controlling under belt. Corsets were fairly expensive garments during this period of time. There are very few corset companies today that are still around that existed during this era. The corset was heavily promoted as being essential to fashion, and many companies promoted their products in the national press. Corset weeks were also popular, with manufacturers promoting their products in shops, and providing advice on the fitting and wearing of their corsets. With all of the corset advertising, the corset was a very personal article of clothing, and marketing was mainly geared towards the wearer and the strictly functional aspects of the corset. The corsets were heavy, unfeminine garments, so women often kept them on a special stool at the end of their beds when not being worn. The corsets were covered up so that their husbands would not see them. Such corsets had little to do with eroticism, and in fact women at that time did not wear attractive underwear or lingerie. The corset was worn over panties and a slip, and so produced a fussy, un-smooth appearance with the slip coming out of the bottom of the corset. The corset could not be worn next to the skin because it was too uncomfortable, and owing to the heavy materials used, the corset was difficult to wash. Thus the corset was kept clean by not being in direct contact with the skin.