The History of the Corset

Back in the day,the first corsets were not of the type of fabrics we see today. In fact, they were made of different types of fabric and leather that had sewn-in pieces of wood or metal to give the garment its stiffness, and OMG talk about what an uncomfortable feeling that must have been? The rigidness of the corset was to support the body and not in anyway meant to enhance the bust. In fact, most corsets of that time flattened the bust and gave women a hard, standoffish appearance that was associated with being a lady during that era, and they were so uncomfortable too. It was the female representation of armor that the men would wear. In no way was it designed to become a slimming device or bust enhancement., and lets face it, not all women have the same shape. We all want to show off our curves one way or another. 

However, women of the earlier time periods were not to show themselves in such a way to draw sexual attention like they are today. It would flatten the breasts out and the only female curves allowed to be accentuated was the maternal curves of the hips to show a woman is a vessel for creating new life. It also set apart the upper and lower class women of the society. Only the wealthy could import the desired fabrics from Asia and other countries to have a corset made.

During the time of the late Renaissance era, Queen Elizabeth I transformed the common Tudor style corset into the Elizabethan style corset with the lacing many people have come to associate with the corset today. The lacing of this style was not for cinching the waist. This was done using bandages, yes bandages! The lacing simply made the corset easier to get into and out of.

As the era moved along, some European countries began to style the corset with tight lacing now to thin out the waist. The typical hoop skirts of the time were quickly falling out of fashion and the corset was still popular. The addition, the use of more easy-going lace dresses with bolsters on the hips for that childbearing look fell into fashion. This was France’s lead in fashion during the times. If the corset was boned and got too uncomfortable, such as during meals, the boning could be removed for some expansion flexibility. Once the early 17th century came a major change took place. Women were now allowed to pursue the art of tailoring. Women today are finding that wearing a corset is fun, perhaps still a bit uncomfortable, yes, nonetheless you can dress up a pair of jeans with the right accessories and the perfect corset to accentuate your breasts. 

For the first time, women were now able to cater to other women. Being more familiar with the needs and desires of  females, corsets took on a whole new dimension. This was the first appearance of specialty tailors who only made corsets and bodices. Today, many of the styles remain the same, and women still look exquisite in corsets. Oh, and yes, men still find them stunning and sexy! Today corsets are enticing, intriguing and super erotic, especially to men. Yes ladies, these little numbers, are his is the icing on the cake!