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No other garment in Western history has assumed such political, social, and sexual significance. What is it about the corset? A mere undergarment, designed to enhance the female figure, has become an icon of all that fascinates about the ambiguous sexual codes of the Victorian era. Was wearing corsets primarily about sexual empowerment or restrictive chastisement? Could the corset explain common female maladies of the Victorian era, from fainting fits to miscarriage? How great was the suffering, for how small a waist?
Restrictive
Flamboyance and the Crinoline Craze: 1830-1860
From cage crinolines to bustles and body-hugging corsets, it was often the structures
worn under clothes which gave Victorian fashion its form. Examine the devices
invented to compress the waist, make the skirts look fuller, or to help the
dress project out from behind. Explore how these undergarments really effected
the women who wore them, aiming to dispel popular rumours and open up questions.
From the Crinoline,
to the Crinolette, to the Bustle: 1860-1880
During the 1870s the bustle became a separate undergarment in its own right.
The new form of bustle was known as a 'dress-improver' or by its French name
'tournure' as the word bustle was considered vulgar in polite society.
From
Over-Structured Opulence to the 'Healthy Corset': 1880-1900
By the 1880s the corset had become a very elegant and desirable object in a
woman's wardrobe and much attention paid to its design and execution. The rapid
growth of the corset manufacturing industries meant that there was greater variety
in materials, colour, size and fit.
A Turn Toward the
Bust: Early 20th Century
By 1910, corsets were cut so long that they reached well over the thighs. They
also tended to be shaped very low around the bust line so women would need more
support on top - if at least to preserve decency with the low-cut evening dresses
of the time.
All Tied-Up: The Corset in Contemporary Fashion
The disappearance and reappearance of the corset in 20th century fashion seem
to be linked to the cyclical changing of female shapes, especially to the waist
being enhanced or concealed.
Copyright
the V&A . For other corset information with images see the wonderful V&A website
here
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