Geneology of a Garment: The Corset

Ancient Times:

Some believe that in Ancient Israel, women went corseted. Treasures from four thousand years ago from the Minoan civilization in Crete suggest that even at that far distant date women were accustomed to mold their figures by the aid of some form of corsetry. The Minoans used corsets that were fitted and laced or used a smaller corselette that left the breasts exposed. However, its roots can be traced to drawings from the Neolithic era at an archeological sit in Norfolk, England. Nonetheless, the corset, a cinching garment, that encases the middle torso has been a fashion mainstay.

16^th Century:

During the 16th century, costumes were a symbol of wealth and rank, and the corset played a big part in a person's position in society. Ladies in waiting were instructed to wear a corset, cinching their waist to no bigger than thirteen inches. Corsets of the 16^th century were called “Stays” or “Bodies” (if the corset was constructed from one piece, usually opening in the back, it was called a “body”, and if the corset was constructed in two halves, it was called a “pair of bodies.” ) The term "body" would later refer to the Bodice.

1800’s:

By the 1800’s the corset had evolved and had a high-waisted bodice by the middle of the 1870’. The new corseted look had over the shoulder straps,was more lengthy, and was usually worn over a blouse. The supports were made out of whalebone, and the rigidness alarmed medical professionals of that time. The “spoon busk” was invented around 1873. It had a distinctive shape and was heralded as an important innovation, increased comfort, thus preserving health and reducing unsightly bulges and enhancing the figure.

1900’s:

When Queen Victoria died and was succeeded by her son Edward VII, it officially marked the end of the Victorian era and the beginning of the Edwardian era. From the January , 1901 issue of the Delineator, it discusses the new Marie Antoinette Dip, Juno Bust and how to lace a corset. Three strings are recommended to properly lace a corset. There was an idea in advertising that women had weak spines and that they needed corsetry to support their weight. This idea, as ridiculous as it sounds, probably originated in the 18th century when "stays" were made to support the lower back. However, the corsets of the new century were worn by all women of society. One would always want to be "straight laced." The tightest lacing and stiffest corsets were reserved for formal occasions, and on some occasions if a woman exerted herself, she might have fainted.

It seems that for the 1920’s – 1940’s most corsets and girdles were shades of peach and pink. In the mid-late 1930’s zippers started to appear in corsets, and by 1938, Nylon developed and underwire developed. By the 1960’s the corset brought the elastic strap and flexible underwire. More recently, our lungs and rib cages have been encouraged to develop into the shape that nature intended, allowing greater lung capacity and overall better health. Also to romance of the corset still lives on.