The corset has been part of female undergaments for many centuries; and is still worn today, but not by many women. It was most famous at the turn of the century, some 100s of years ago. Corsets are usually made of very firm materials, such as satin, brocade and cotton (though centuries ago they used materials such as iron and wood, as well as whalebone)
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| Corsets today |
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| 1600's Iron Corset |
As you can see in the two pictures above, there has been some major improvements on the corset from the 1600s till now. Back then I personally think, fashion was some sort of punishment. The phrase "suffer for beauty" meant a whole lot back then, today we have so many options. Corsets have an amazing history and I wish that they were as "famous" now as they were back then.
Some facts about The Corset:
- The wearing of undergarments which pulled in and accentuated the waist were worn by the wealthy in France in the 1300s and 1400s
- The wearing of corsets became widespread in the 1500s and 1600s, and were made form materials such as iron or wood, as well as whalebone.
- In the 1700s corsets we long and straightened with cane and whalebone, and worn by children of both sexes as young as 7 and 8 years.
- Towards the end of the 18th century tight lacing became popular; however during the French Revolution it was seen as a symbol of decadent aristocracy, and hence life-threatening to the wearer. Even Napoleaon described corsets as "the murderer of the human race". This change spread to the outside of France and by the mid to late 1790s the corsets we shortened or abondoned altogether.
- For those who had a thing for long and tight corset; they made a come back in the beginning of the 19th century.
- In the 1880s and 1890s the corset came into full flower, being worn over a petticoat, and were made in beautiful materials such as silk and satin.
- Corsets were worn by men, for health reasons such as back problems, and were also recommended for men who were overweight to give them a trimmer figure.
The Inclusion of The Corset Today:
Today, you mostly see corsets as part of a wedding gown;
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Also very popular is the corset dresses (which I absolutely love); you can wear to a cocktail party, prom or as a party dress.
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| Rihanna and Paris Hilton wearing the corset dress by Alexander Wang |
Some "everyday corset wearing" wearing can be done with my favorite; the jumpsuit and just a corset with jeans is also very beautiful and feminine.
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| The Corset Jumpsuit |
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| Rihanna wearing a corset with a pair of jeans |
3 reasons I love The Corset; 1) Makes the waist smaller, 2) Lifts and supports bust, and 3) Improves posture. Put those 3 together and you get a beautiful shape, that accentuates the female form and shows off your assets. It gives a gown a classy and elegant look, that any woman would appreciate.
