KissMeGoodnight
Article Series: Lingerie
Wearing Lingerie: Sizzling Secrets
The
Corset: History and Usage
The first corsets were not of the type of
fabrics we see today. They were made of different types of
fabric and leather that had sewn-in pieces of wood or metal
to give the garment its stiffness. The rigidness of the corset
was to support the body and not in anyway meant to enhance
the bust. In fact, most corsets of that time flattened
the bust and gave women a hard, standoffish appearance that
was
associated with being a lady during that era. It was the female
representation of armor that the men would wear. In no way
was it designed to become a slimming device or bust enhancement.
Women of that time period were not to show themselves in such
a way to draw sexual attention. It would flatten the breasts
out and the only female curves allowed to be accentuated was
the maternal curves of the hips to show a woman is a vessel
for creating new life. It also set apart the upper and lower
class women of the society. Only the wealthy could import the
desired fabrics from Asia and other countries to have a corset
made.
During the time of the late Renaissance era, Queen Elizabeth
I transformed the common Tudor style corset into the Elizabethan
style corset with the lacing many people have come to associate
with the corset today. The lacing of this style was not for
cinching the waist. This was done using bandages. The lacing
simply made the corset easier to get into and out of. As the
era moved along, some European countries began to style the
corset with tight lacing now to thin out the waist. The typical
hoopskirts of the time were quickly falling out of fashion
and the corset was still popular. The addition, the use of
more easy-going lacey dresses with bolsters on the hips for
that childbearing look fell into fashion. This was France’s
lead in fashion during the times. If the corset was boned and
got too uncomfortable, such as during meals, the boning could
be removed for some expansion flexibility. Once the early 17th
century came a major change took place. Women were now allowed
to pursue the art of tailoring.
Women were now able to cater to other women for the first
time. Being more familiar with the needs and desires of their
female clients, corsets took on a whole new dimension. This
was the first appearance of specialty tailors who only made
corsets and bodices. In tune with the playful times, the corset
became more playful, as well. Instead of the flattening of
the past, a woman’s curves and bust were enhanced. The
corsets of this time were immensely expensive and mostly used
by the
higher monarchy. Sometimes over a hundred thin whale bones
had to be used to get the desired stiffness had to be sewed
into the corset. The fabrics used were so valuable they became
part of the outer garment instead of just merely the under
garment. This is when shoulder straps began to appear on the
corset and the hip area was made to blend into the skirt portion
of the outer garment in a smooth transition.
The corsets of this era were designed for the lady who had
her maid constantly with her and so were laced and tightened
from behind. The hooks on the front were not available during
this time. For those ladies who did not have a maid, there
were designs that laced up the front for self-tightening. This
was a time when many national and/or regional corsets were
originated. One the French monarchy fell; everything representing
them fell too, including the corset. During the time of Napoleon
I, the corset came back into popularity with the Empire style.
It had a distinguished waistline that started just under the
bust. It was worn with a long, straight skirt. The breasts
were separated and enhanced individually. The divorce corset
followed and was more like a very early uncomfortable bra.
The Empire styles became so popular they swept through many
of the European countries, as well. The Dandy-Look for men
came into fashion during this time and male corsets to slim
the waist were made. Mostly men only wore waist cinchers. This
slimming of the waist created the appearance of wider shoulders
for men and made them appear more masculine. As one can see
the corsets that lead up to the 18th century had many functions
and designs as well as many users.
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KissMeGoodnight.com
: 2006
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