The History of Corsetry From the Victorian Era to Present Day

Corsetry has long been a fascinating topic. Many today see the corset as the ultimate item of sexy womens underwear. Others see the corset as a symbol of the binding and restriction that women once faced. This dichotomy of power and lack of power gives the corset a very important role in today's fetishist subcultures. Some women use corsets for waist training, reshaping their bodies with the compressive garment. In the mainstream, true corsets are rarely worn, replaced instead by corset tops and bustiers. Provided here is a brief history of the corset and information on the corsets available today.

The 16th Century

Corsets were first popularized in the mid-16th century. At that time, the garment was used not to minimize the waist but to enhance the bust. Early corsets were handmade, stiffened with multiple layers of linen and other heavy fabrics. Boning was introduced, generally in the form of wooden shafts inserted into a pocket along the front. This type of corset remained popular until the mid 1800s, when the sewing machine created an industry.

1800s

The Victorian era brought many changes to the corset that are still with us today. Modern corsets are shaped in the same way as the 1800s corset. Steel stays were introduced in this area, allowing corsets to reshape the body. Tight lacing was common, further reducing the waist and enhancing the bust and hips.

Edwardian Corsets

A strong backlash reaction to tight lacing developed near the turn of the 20th century. It was believed that tight lacing could lead to a range of health problems. In response the straight front corset was introduced in approximately 1900. It was believed to create less pressure on the abdomen, but forced the wearer into an unnatural hips-back, bust-out position.

World War I

During the War, steel was rarely available for civilian use. Combined with the invention of the bra, this helped contribute to the decline of corsets. Nonetheless, some forms of corsets continued in popularity through the 1920s.

1930s-1980s

Corsetry experienced brief periods of renewed interest throughout the next decades, but never made a solid recovery. It was the fetish fashion of the 1980s that brought about corsets' latest renaissance.

1980s-2000s

Modern corsets are largely inspired by the punk and gothic subcultures. Those communities' dual interests in historical fashions and fetish gear made the corset a natural choice. Today's corsetry involve both the Victorian tight-#lacers with steel boning and more comfortable corset-look tops. They are popular with women seeking legitimate waist reduction, fetishists and those seeking a romantic old-fashioned look.

If you have never worn a corset, it is highly recommended that you enter into corsetry slowly. Begin with a corset-look bustier containing stiffening fabric but no actual boning. From there, consider moving into a soft corset with flexible plastic stays. Corsets with steel stays must be carefully fitted due to the risk of injury. Consult with an expert corset maker to have a steel-containing corset specially designed for you.

Amanda Cotterill has been involved in the sexy lingerie UK market for many years. This article outlines the history of sexy corsetry as if that needed much explaining! Please include this credit if you use this article.

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