Compiled by Miss Margot, margo@northshore.shore.net. Copyright
The corset is a very old garment. If we use the term to loosely describe a garment meant to constrict the waist of the wearer, then there are examples of corsets depicted on statuettes from Minoan Crete dating to approximately 1600 B.C. The corset came into general vogue in the mid-1700's and reached it's height of popularity at the turn of the century and began to decline in the 1920's with the invention of cami-knickers, the forerunner of the modern teddy, and brassieres. The corset that we recognize today, with its stays, front opening busk, eyelets, and laces appeared about 1830.
At the height of its popularity the corset was available in many specialized forms. There were tennis corsets, swimming corsets, hip corsets, inflatable bust corsets, electrical corsets, abdominal strengthening corsets, men's corsets, children's corsets, training corsets complete with crossing shoulder straps and attachable thigh-high boots to prevent the young trainee from removing her corset, and amazingly, maternity corsets. There were several magazines exclusively devoted to corset culture. Most notably among them was "The Wasp", published in London. It was felt that corsets not only moulded a Lady's body, but also her character. It compressed her waist, raised her bosom, flattened her stomach, rounded her hips, straightened her back, lifted her head, shortened her steps to an appropriate 12" gait, kept her from being wild and tomboyish in her behaviour, and "instilled a properly submissive attitude."
Where or whom would you recommend for custom work?
There are four companies that I would recommend for custom work. They are B. R.
Creations, Dark Garden, Axfords, and Voller's. For leather corsets, I would
recommend Paul C. Leather.
B.R.
Creations is run by Ruth Johnson. She is very dedicated to corsetry and
makes what I feel are some of the best corsets on American soil. Actually, for a
long time she produced some of the only ones. Her corsets are meant for daily
wear and are very durable. Materials are satin, heavy cotton, and leather. Her
workshop produces the "curvaceous corset" which was designed by Fakir Musafar.
She also produces a corsetry newsletter that comes out four times yearly. The
Corset Newsletter
(6 issues/year) is $18.00 for the U.S. and Canada, $24.00 for overseas.
B.R. Creations, Post Office Box 4201, Mountain View, California 94040,
U.S.A.
Phone: (415)961-5354 FAX: (415)961-5354
Catalogue: $5.00 US, 8 pages, colour
Dark Garden is a
fairly new company producing corsets based on original designs. They tend to be
much showier than the B.R. corsets and are often favoured by those who wear
their corsets only a few times a year, or are interested in historical
re-creation. Recently they have begun to produce leather corsets as well.
Dark Garden, 2215-R Market Street, Suite 242, San Francisco, California
94114, U.S.A.
Phone: (415)626-6264
Catalogue: $10.00 US, 12 pages, black and white.
Axfords and Voller's are old British corset companies which produce a variety of corset designs. Mostly they are satin, but they also produce corsets in PVC and leather. They also produce men's corsets, which are patterned on the male figure.
Axfords, 82 Centurion Road,
Brighton, Sussex BN1 3NL, U.K.
Phone: 01273-327944 FAX: 01273-220680 Catalogue: $15.00/£7, 64 pages,
colour and black and white
Vollers, 112
Kingston Road, North End, Portsmouth P02 7PB, U.K.
Phone: 0705-799030 Catalogue: £5
Paul C.
Leather makes some of the finest crafted leather corsets. He works
exclusively in leather and PVC and has a real eye for the cut of a "fetish"
style corset.
Paul C. Leather, 2421 West Pratt, Suite 95, Chicago, Illinois 60645
Phone: (800)338-4740 FAX: (312)508-0811 Catalogue: $5.00 US 12
pages, black and white.
If you are inclined to make your own corset, corset patterns and kits are
available from the Amazon Vinegar & Pickling Works Drygoods Company. They
also carry corset fabrics, stays, busks, and laces, as well as a good selection
of books on corsets and corsetry.
Amazon Vinegar & Pickling Works Drygoods Company, 2218 East 11th Street,
Davenport, Iowa 52803
Phone: (319)322-6800 FAX: (319)322-4003 Catalogue: $2.00, 96 pages,
newsprint.
Also, if you are interested in making your own corset, you might be interested in this Web site that deals with making your own Elizabethan corset.
Several months ago, my fiancée and I purchased a Voller's corset (Deep Waist
Nipper). At the time, it was 4 inches smaller than her waist. She has, however,
recently lost weight to the extent that when fully laced, the corset fits her
normally. Rather, there is no body modification at all.
You are correct about the 4" of reduction from the normal waist measurement
for a first corset. But given that she has now lost enough weight that the
corset no longer causes any body modification, I would recommend a new corset
with a 2" decrease from her current laced waist.
Where would I go for a custom-job, and would we have to appear in person?
While it's wonderful to be able to be hand fitted for a corset, a perfectly
fitting corset can be made from measurements. Corset catalogues supply an order
form that specifies the measurements necessary for the properly fitting corset.
If you have a tape measure, you can get a well fitting corset.
What are the customs for having a made-to-measure corset done?
Choose the style that you like from the several that they offer in the
catalogue. Choose a fabric that suits your tastes and projected uses for the
corset. On request corsetieres will supply samples of the satins, brocades,
cottons, PVC, leathers, and metallic leathers that they use for their corsets.
Choose any trim options that you wish, such as satin or velvet edging, lace or
ribbon overlay, rhinestone trim, satin lining, or extra garters. Depending on
the style and fabrics you select, a custom made corset costs $150.00-$350.00
U.S. Measure carefully, and order your corset. It will take about 6-8 weeks to
be made by hand and will be sent to you by post. If you have any questions,
contact the company by mail or phone. They are all very knowledgeable and
willing to help you.
What should the reduction measurements on the corsets be? I know from talking
to makers that 4" for a first try is pretty standard but how does one get
into advanced work and how far can one go?
Yes, a 4" reduction from the natural waist is recommended for your first
corset. Before you start serious corsetry training, it is recommended to lose
excess weight. When one trains down to the point that the corset no longer fits
snugly, a new corset should be ordered with a reduction of 2" from the current
laced waist. The first 6" will go fairly quickly, but as a rule, further
reductions go much more slowly.
As you go further into waist training, you find that adjustments have to be made in the lifestyle, especially in eating habits. Meals will have to be much smaller and more frequent. Since the corset compresses the intestines rather severely, a large heavy meal will cause discomfort at best and serious pain at worst. It is recommended to have 5-6 light meals, rather that the three large meals most people eat, and to let out the laces a few inches before eating - retightening an hour or so later. Since the success of the training depends on the amount of time that a corset is worn, rather than how tightly it is laced, sleeping will be altered to include sleeping in the corset. Eventually only a few hours a day for washing will be spent without the corset. Rapidly lacing to a very small waist will appear to have the quickest results, but it is the easiest way to actually harm your body. It is much better to lace the corset snugly, but not uncomfortably so, and wear it for a longer period of time.
How far can you trim a waist over time?
There are three schools of thought on how small a waist can be achieved with
tight lacing. One school says to target a waist that is 10" smaller than the
starting waist. So a woman with a 28" waist could aim for an ultimate goal of
18". The other school says that the waist should a fraction of the bust. The
starting reduction should be 3/4 of the bust measurement, a moderate reduction
should be 5/8 of the bust measurement, and the minimum reduction for a decent
Lady should be no less than 1/2 of the bust measurement. So our woman with the
28" starting waist who has a 36" bust (approximately a 34B bra size) would start
by aiming for a waist of 27", train down to a waist of 22 1/2", and go no
smaller than a waist of 18". This method has the advantage of working for a
visually balanced figure. The final school says to target a waist that is at the
same size, or slightly smaller than the measurement of the upper thigh. This
method has the advantage of being sensitive to the person's body weight and
percentage of body fat. If weight is gained or lost then the waist can be
targeted relative to the thigh measure.
The world's smallest waist belonged to Mrs. Ethel Granger (deceased). At her ultimate her waist measured just 13". This took a lifetime of work to achieve and she lived to the ripe old age of 77. However, her figure was so modified, with her lower ribs collapsed, that few would find it attractive. Her husband, Will, wrote a biography of Mrs. Granger titled "An Exclusive Production". It is available from Insight Books.
I've heard about serious back problems that are associated with corsets, are
there ways that these can be prevented, that allow the fun of corsets to be
enjoyed?
If you have a properly fitting hourglass corset, then the amount of pressure
that is put on the lower back is reduced. A wasp-waist or S-Curve corset will
put more pressure on the spine and bend it at severe angles. An hourglass or
pipe-stem corset is designed as a small hemisphere above a larger hemisphere,
connected by a short stem. A wasp-waist corset is designed as a small cone over
a large cone. An S-Curve, Gibson Girl, straight front, or "ice cream cone"
corset is designed like an ice cream cone with the ice cream stuck on the wrong
end, with a small cone over a larger hemisphere. These types of corsets have had
various periods of popularity. To properly wear a wasp-waist corset one must
begin training in adolescence, to prevent the rib cage from growing normally.
However, some tight lacers do wear them. A properly fitting corset should not be
painful to wear.
To keep the pressure on the lower back to a minimum have a well fitting corset; this will help to support the body rather than crimp it. Do not overlace it; pull the laces snug and tight, but not uncomfortably so. If the compression is painful, unlace the corset and start again. Do not lace it too rapidly; lace it snugly and if necessary tighten the laces after the corset has been worn for a few hours. Do not try to lace the corset tight in one pass; tighten the laces in stages to allow your internal organs time to adjust to the compression. Lace from both ends to the middle pullers rather than from top to bottom; this will help to keep the laces from sliding and also help to keep from overlacing the bottom of the corset relative to the top. Do not try to force positions that the corset will not allow. Especially harmful to the back is bending forward from the waist. Instead, bend the knees and reach down. Keeping your body in good shape will also help to strengthen your back. You might want to start a regime of "crunches" (not straight leg sit- ups) or other exercises that strengthen the muscles of the abdomen and lower back. Eventually, you'll feel more comfortable in your corset than out of it.
You also need to take special care of the skin under the corset. Since the corset compresses and rubs against the skin it can cause skin damage. It is recommended that you powder the skin all around your torso before you put on your corset. You should also not wear your corset over bare skin. It should be worn over a leotard or chemise to help prevent chafing and pinching when the corset is laced. Some people use a tube top pulled down around the waist, so that nothing shows over or under the corset. After wearing, wash the skin well and apply lotion to any areas that feel rough or are red.
Even though I've been reading SKIN TWO for awhile and hanging out on the
local perverts and weirdoes board, I can't find very much information on
corsets. All help and any knowledge you wish to give to me are appreciated!
I would recommend "Body Play" magazine to you. It is put out by Fakir Musafar
and almost every issue contains something about corsetry or body modification.
There is a nice series on corsets that begins with issue #3.
The Fakir is sometimes too much into the Shamanism of body modification for
my taste, but he is very knowledgeable and writes well. There is also a
nice article on corsets in an S&M context in Sandmutopia Guardian", issues #11
and #12. Amazon Drygoods offers several books on corsets and corsetry, as well
as reprints of some turn of the century magazine articles on corsetry.
Body Play, c/o Insight Books, Post Office Box 2575, Menlo Park, California
94026, U.S.A.
Subscriptions: $45.00 U.S. and Canada, $55.00 overseas. (4 issues/year) Back
issues: $12.00 U.S. and Canada, $14.00 overseas.
Sandmutopia Guardian, The Utopian Network, Post Office Box 1146, New York,
New York 10156
Phone: (516)842-1711 FAX: (516)842-7518
Subscriptions: $29.00 U.S., $39.00 elsewhere. (5 issues/year) Back issues: $7.00
US each. However, QSM Books offers the back issues at $5.95 US each.
QSM Book, Post Office Box 880154, San Francisco, California 94188
Phone: (800)537-5815FAX: (415)550-7117
Ms. Margo
Baleine (baleen) Whalebone of the type used for corsets.
Basque Section of bodice below waist, shaped to hips; late c20th name for
corset.
Basquine (vasquine) (16th century) Close-fitting bodice with tabs, or a
basque, but in England the word has been used for a petticoat.
Belle Époque The period of beautiful clothing (pre-1914)
Bents (16th century Stiffening for stays made from bunches of
hollow-stemmed reeds.
Bodies, bodys, bodyes, boddice (a pair of) (16th, 17th century) Rigid
covering for the upper body made in two halves laced together, the most
primitive form of corset. The outerwear of the whalebone-stiffened 17th century
bodice becomes underwear in the 18th century when this garment is termed a "pair
of stays".
General term (still in use today) for the top part of a dress, covering a
woman's body; originally "bodies", from the plural of Body. (In earlier times,
sometimes used to mean "corset": the great English lexicographer Dr Johnson
(18th century) defines this as "A kind of waistcoat quilted with whalebone, worn
by women."
Boning The word bone is used to describe the stiffening stays and
supports of the corset. The word originates from the fact that until around
1900, whale bone was the primary material for these pieces of the corset.
The bones used come from the long horny plates or blades, that in the "Right
Whales" take the place of teeth.
Whale bone was early recognized as an ideal material for stiffening boned
bodices and petticoats, but because it was at times a very expensive material,
there were through out the nineteenth century constant efforts to find
substitutes.
Steel was not very suitable, since flexible steel could not be manufactured
until the twentieth century. A substitute called feather bone was very popular
in the late nineteenth century due to its cheapness. Modern corsets are boned
with spring steel or plastic.
The boning plays a very important part in the corset: It helps to keep the
fabric stretched out, so that the constriction is even from top to bottom. It
also aids in stiffening, although the fabric can also be stiffened by itself, as
it was in the 1870s and '80s. Last, but not least, the boning (especially those
in the front busk) keeps the body of the wearer erect.
In the eighteenth century, corsets were often boned to complete rigidity, i.e.
each bone was placed just adjacent to the other. Throughout the Victorian
period, where the feminine curves were fashionable and corset technology
evolved, the bones were placed very strategically. This is especially the case
with corsets from around 1900 to 1910, where the bust was pushed forward to form
the famous S-curve silhouette. The placement of the bones in these corsets is
very important to give the forced sway that was fashionable then.
Busk (busc, buske) Piece of wood, whalebone, ivory, horn or steel slotted
into front of stays to hold the torso erect. The integral front section of 19th
century corset shaped to control the abdomen, and also its steel stud and eye
fastening. The removable types were often given as gifts of endearment by men to
their women, many times adorned with words of poetry.
The busk is the front stay of the corset, usually where the front opening is.
Its purpose is to keep the body erect, and therefore it plays a central part in
the corset. The busk is wider than the other pieces of boning, and it's usually
made of steel, whereas whale bone or today: plastic, is commonly used elsewhere.
Early busks were made of wood, but during the nineteenth century the well known
metal busk with studs on one side and eyes on the other became common.
Busk Point The lace which tied the busk in position.
Bustle, tornure The bustle was an important part of a lady's dresses in
the 1870's and 1880's. It is an extension to the lady's behind adding fullness
to the skirt in the back only, unlike the crinolines worn in the decades before
which added fullness all the way round. Tornure is the French word for bustle.
The bustle was sometimes part of the crinoline and petticoats. At other times it
was a separate item. At first the bustle was used mostly to give the skirt extra
fullness, but in the late 1880's, the skirt protruded horizontally out from the
back.
In the 1880's where the skirts became narrower, the crinoline ceased to be worn,
but the bustle was still used. At the front and sides the skirt was drawn tight,
shaped only by the corsets that were worn in that period. Some cotton bustles
from 1884 had an additional "cage" (top), whose size could be adjusted by the
lacings. The bustle disappeared in the 1890's when skirts became tight all way
round.
Bust Bodice (c1890) Covering for bust, usually with straps and sometimes
lightly light boned at side and/or front for "mono-bosom" effect.
Bustier (c1947) A long-line brassière, often strapless.
Cache Corset Camisole (earlier: petticoat bodice) - see "corset-cover."
Cane Hollow stem of giant reeds, or solid stem of slender palms, used as
a substitute for whalebone in corsets. Extremely fine round or flat strips of
cane are found in corsets until the end of the 19th century.
Case (casing) Strip of material stitched to another along both edges to
make a slot to contain bones.
Combinations were an undergarment contemporary with the sheath-like
dresses of the late 1870s. They were chemise and drawers in one garment designed
to reduce the volume of underwear beneath these dresses.
It was often made of knitted woollen fabric, but elaborate combinations in silk
and muslin with full wide legs trimmed with lace were worn in the 1890s.
Cord (cording) Strands of twisted or woven threads stitched between two
layers of material for stiffening (used in corsets and petticoats and the such).
Corps (16th, 17th, 18th century) Body, whaleboned body, stays.
Corselette (c1921) Occasionally a term for a diminutive waist-encircling
corset (corselette 1893), but generally the term for a garment combining the
functions of a brassière and girdle.
Corset (1789 Lady's Monthly Museum) the new term for the c18th stays or
c16th pair of bodies. The stiffened garment which supported and shaped the
torso. Principally a female fashion garment but occasionally worn for male
fashion. Generally back-lacing and front-fastening.
Corset-Cover (c1840) the cotton underbodies which provided the easily
laundered buffering layer between dress and corset, less prosaically termed a
"camisole."
Corset Dress A fetish costume comprised of a dress laced as a corset. In
practice, it is a corset designed for outwear and reaching the lengths of a
standard dress, in many cases hobbling the wearer. If not worn as outwear, it
could be termed a "hobble-corset."
The Corset Question A term used to describe the controversy revolving
about question of whether the wearing of corsets had a deleterious effect on
women's health and the fashionable practice of tight lacing. While the term
became generic in use, its roots are a books of correspondence edited by the
Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine.
The letters were written and printed until long after the practice of tight
lacing subsided.
Corset Waist American term for early brassière, and also for a type of
snug-fitting "liberty bodice" worn by children. Other term: Liberty Bodice
Corselette Diminutive of corset, used from the 1920's onwards. A
corselette is a controlling garment usually containing bust, waist and hips, but
generally stretchy rather than rigid.
Crinoline General term for any large stiff underskirt used to hold out the skirt
of a dress in early and mid 19th-century fashion. Correctly crinoline refers
only to petticoats stiffened with horsehair thread, but it is generally used to
mean all supporting underskirts of this period, including those held out by
hoops or wire cages.
Cuirass(e) (c1870) Form of bodice that was boned and lined to fit closely
to the upper body and hips, therefore resembling an external corset.
Divorce corset A corset design of the early nineteenth century: it had a metal triangle fixed point upward into the front of the corset to separate the breasts. This idea didn't last long.
Eyelet Eyelets were invented in the early nineteenth century. In the eighteenth century the limit on how tightly a corset could be laced was the strength of the material: the laces under tension would tear through the holes made for them, and eventually the corset would burst open. When eyelets were fitted into the lace-holes they spread the load through the material, and it became possible to lace corsets tighter; the limit was now imposed by the strength of the lace.
Farthingale The usual term for the hooped underskirts used in the 16th
and early 17th century to hold out the skirts of formal gowns.
Featherbone Substitute for whalebone made from goose quills.
Fetishism The practice of using an inanimate object as the focus of
sexual pleasure.
Figure regulator A feature of some corsets around 1900. By that time
fashionable dresses had skirts which were very tight around the hips, and so it
was important for ladies not only to have wasp-waists but also to be slim below
the waist even when tightly corseted.
To make this possible some corsets were made with figure regulators. As well as
the ordinary laces down the back they had slits cut in the fabric from the
bottom up to a few inches short of the waist, and these were also laced across.
When the corset had been laced until the waist was as tight as the wearer
wanted, the regulators could then be tightened further to reduce her hips to the
desired size.
Figure Training Although largely anecdotal, the term refers to the
practice, in the late c19th, of sending a young girl to finishing school, where
part of the curriculum was the reduction of waist size by the use of, in many
cases, forced corsetry. Many fetishists fantasise this concept, hence published
stories relating to such are thought by historians to be exaggerated.
Garter Suspender Device on the bottom of the corsets for the attachment
of stockings. A relatively modern development.
Gestation Stays (c19th) A maternity corset with adjustable hip gores,
side lacing, and breast openings, to be worn during pregnancy and in order to
restore the figure after childbirth.
Gibson Girl Corset See S Curve Corset
Girdle A girdle is a piece of underwear designed to shape and smooth a
woman's figure from the waist to the thighs. A girdle is similar to a corset
because both garments are designed to control and reduce. It is unlike a corset
because (1) it is generally lighter (2) modern girdles are often made of elastic
material, whereas a corset is always made of non stretching fabrics, (3) a
girdle shapes waist, hips, derriere and thighs, whereas the corset shapes only
waist and sometimes hips and (4) the corset extends to and sometimes over the
bust, whereas a girdle extends from waist down.
According to Tiepolo, the girdle was originally invented around 1910, around the
time when the S-curve corset went out of fashion. Like corsets were in an
earlier era, girdles were worn by most women throughout the period 1920-1970.
Godeys Ladys Book (1830-1898) Ladies practical fashion magazine.
Gore (gusset) Triangular piece of material inserted in a corset garment
to give extra width.
Guepiere A type of corset which appeared in the 1940s.
Hip Spring Hip measurement minus waist measurement usually calculated at 9" - 13".
Jump (c18th) Underbodice similar in shape to stays but looser and without bones.
Lacet Corset lacing, twisted or woven cord of silk, etc. Earlier called
"point" (med. 17th century)
Lacing Bar Horizontal bar positioned high enough above a corsetee's head
that she might grab and hang from it whilst being laced in. The technique
lengthens the body and narrows the waist so that extreme tight lacing is
possible.
Merry Widow (1951) A usually non-lacing corset introduced by Warners in
1951 and named after Lehars operetta or the film "The Merry Widow", which came
out that year and features a woman in a corset of this description. It had a
half-cup bust support and long stocking suspenders. The term has come to be used
to denote most any corset-like strapless long-lined brassière.
Metal Mannequin Mould Dress stand of metal. Corsets when finished were
starched and fitted on to these moulds and heated from the inside to dry out,
moulded to the mannequins shape.
Modesty (modesty-piece) An extra strip of material attached to the top of a
corset.
New Look Nostalgic fashion introduced by Christian Dior in 1947 as a
reaction to the dull and military-looking clothes of wartime. The New Look's
principal features were very long full skirts, often with multiple petticoats,
and very small waists. Models for his first show were laced to eighteen inches
or even less in special short corsets known as waspies.
Night Corset Since tight lace training requires consistent wear, devotees
will wear a corset at night. It is usually a larger-waisted version than the
day-time corset; alternatively, a wide belt is used to keep the organs in place
until the next morning. Some will use a tight lacing ribbon corset for this, and
for exercising as well.
Experts state that it is best to wear a corset 24 hours a day to train
effectively, but ladies who are already ardent tight lacers, will often not be
able to do without the corset, even at night.
There is no agreement as to whether the night corset should be light or severe.
Some seem to prefer the light one for sleep wear, for example a ribbon corset,
whereas some chose to wear a heavily boned garment, perhaps even with shoulder
straps to help improve posture.
Whether the night corset has a smaller or greater waist measurement than the
ordinary day corsets, seems to be a matter of dispute too. From a medical point
of view, it should be possible to lace the night corset tighter than the day
corset since during the day the wearer is more active, in an upright position,
and digesting (at least at times). Therefore there may be discomfort connected
with lacing the corset too tight, whereas at night when the body is at rest, it
should be possible to lace the corset somewhat tighter without unwanted side
effects.
Paste Sticky substance, usually made from flour and water, used to stiffen material for corsets and petticoats.
Quilt, quilting Two layers of material, sometimes with padding in between, firmly held together by stitching, used to stiffen corsets and petticoats.
Ribbon Corset (c1904) A lightweight corset worn for sport or relaxation.
Formed of horizontal elastic strips mounted on a shaped side seam, it encircles
the waist and top of the hips and gives abdominal support. . It was invented
around 1900 for sport and negligée wear.
Ribbon corsets are practical for every day wear, as they are light and easy to
wear. They are generally not made for tight lacing, but there are corset makers
that make them for just that. They are also popular for wearing over a dress, to
show off an already corseted waist.
S Curve Corset This is the general term for the type of corset
fashionable from about 1900 to 1910.
During the nineteenth century corsets were made with an inward-curving busk at
the front, and some people were concerned that this was bad for the health; so
they promoted corsets with a straight busk.
Fashionable ladies were not concerned with health over attractiveness. If they
could breathe more easily in their "health corsets", that was just an excuse to
lace them even tighter. The heavy straight busk tended to push the hips back,
but fashionable straight-fronted corsets had to be low in the front if they were
to be bearable, so the bust was pushed forward over the busk. This produced a
bending-forward stance with great swellings of bust before and hips behind, the
famous S-curve.
Shaping-Bones (c18th) Extra strips of whalebone, etc., placed inside
stays to give shape.
Spoon Busk (See also "busk") Busk which is "spoon shaped" at the bottom
to provide additional compression and rigidity. Such a busk moulds the body in
such a way as to present a much thinner side-view when wearing a corset.
From about 1870 on, fashionable dresses were increasingly flat in the front, and
sometimes (for instance, in the 1870's and 80's, and again in the 1900's) had
very tight skirts which showed off every curve or bulge of the figure
underneath. A tightly-laced corset tended to push flesh up and down, and at the
bottom it created a lump. The spoon busk was invented to control this. The busk
was widened at the bottom into a steel plate which forced the stomach back into
position.
Corsets from that time were often very stiff, and the spoon busk added extra
severity to them. In the 1890s the spoon busk again disappeared as the
silhouette changed into the longer shape and the concave dip into the waist in
the front disappeared.
Around 1900 the busk was entirely straight and quite stiff to form the beginning
of the s-curve shape.
The busk serves a dual purpose, to function as the front stay and the opening of
the corset.
Stays (a pair of) 17th and 18th century term for the boned underbodice
previously known as a "pair of bodies." The term persisted into the 19th century
but was more usually replaced by its French equivalent, the "corset." The term
was also applied to the stiff inserts of whalebone or steel which shaped this
garment.
Straight Front Corset See S Curve Corset
Tabs Tongue-shaped pieces of material obtained by slitting round the edge
of a corset to give extra width; or separate pieces of similar shape attached to
form a basque.
Tango Corset (c1914) Short, lightweight corset for dancing in, forerunner
of the girdle.
Tight lacing The practice of applying corsetry to its extreme. Safe when
done properly, but caution must be practiced. Tight lacing was the subject of
the Corset Controversy in the late 19th century, as physicians and others
debated the health ramifications of the propensity of many ladies to attempt to
corset their way to very small waists, much in vogue then.
Truss To tighten upwards, e.g. shoulder-straps to corset.
Vasquine (basquine) (16th century) Close-fitting bodice with tabs, or a
basque, but in England the word has been used for a petticoat.
Victorian corset The term "Victorian corset" refers to the kinds of
corsets that were fashionable during the rule of Queen Victoria, 1837-1901. The
term is often just used to refer to real lace up corsets placing the garment in
the context of the 19th century England and the attitudes and values that people
had then. From fashion historians point of view, the period of Queen Victoria's
rule is very long, and actually the corset did undergo a very great development
in that period. It seems easiest to describe what's not a Victorian corset: The
rigid corsets of the 18th century and before. the straight fronted corsets of
the early 20th century, the softer garments of the later periods, including
today.
Waspie A special type of corset especially associated with the New Look
of Christian Dior in 1947. Most of the early New Look clothes had hugely full
skirts, so there was no need to control the hips, but they also had very small
waists and a lot of control was needed there. The waspie was a very short
corset, stretching only between the top of the hips and the bottom of the ribs,
boned and rigid, possibly with elastic panels and often back-laced.
Wasp Waist Small waist created by tight lacing. Term used by Mrs. Delaney
in 1775, reappearing in the late 1820s and the 1890s, as well as the 1950s.
There are a number of sites dealing with corsets. Set your search engine to "corsets" and check the results. Click here for a small selection.
Last Modified 18 Jan 2002