The Changing Fashions of Corsets
Throughout history it seems as though men have had it easy when it comes to wearing what makes them comfortable, whereas ladies have been forced to adopt styles that are borderline torture devices. You think of tight fitting clothes and shoes that come to a point, crushing toes in the process. Women’s fashions were traditionally designed by men with the onus placed on making the female form look more fragile and dainty that it really was. There was nothing more true to that fact than the corset which, way back in the day, pulled women in so tight as to have a Barbie physique.
To make matter worse, the 1800′s, which was when corsets were at the real height of their popularity, perhaps the reason that ladies were forced to wear them was because they were considered to be weak in body and mind. Maybe the opinion was that the tightening of the corset around the middle would allow these poor weal creatures to be able to stand on their feet for the course of the day. Women who came from nobility or the upper classes would be wedged into their corset on a daily basis, often with the help of several servants who would tug on the cords to pull it tighter. The fact that the lack of circulation and ability to breathe freely often caused fainting only served to promote the idea of their weakness.
Corsets were also worn by the less well to do ladies of the time, although they weren’t necessarily required to wear them quite so tightly. The fact that they actually had to work meant that their corsets had to be much looser so that they could more readily perform their duties. What’s interesting to note is that the term “loose woman” came from those working ladies who were deemed to be lesser than their noble women, although given that all women were regarded with something close to contempt, it really isn’t saying much.
Thankfully we are now well beyond those days, with women proving that they are much more than just a pretty face. That doesn’t mean that the corset disappeared when women’s rights finally entered the picture, but it does mean that how corsets are viewed is completely different. The modern corset is made in styles and materials that make it a very stylish garment, as well as being one that still serves the function of slimming the waist, without crushing the internal organs in the process as they once often did.
The sexual revolution has also helped women realise that the corset can be a very effective weapon in their arsenal when it comes to soothing the savage man beast. There is nothing quite like a beautiful looking corset to accentuate the figure in all the right ways, and that has helped turn the tables in the favour of the ladies. Let’s face it, when that corset is revealed, it’s the man who becomes a weak, fragile thing who is nothing but putty in the hands of his woman.
Nina Young designs and makes corsets. To see a delightful selection of her designs please visit her boutique loveburlesque.com
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