Corset History: Part 2
Corset History: Part 2 Late 18th Century-Victorian Era
This is the second part of our series on the history of the corsets, looking at the late 18th century to the Victorian Era.
Stays were less constricting by the end of the 18th century and although most women would still wear a stay as underwear, many now wore ‘short stays’ that extended to just under the bust but still helped raise the bust and improve posture. Jumps were another 18th century undergarment and these were used for informal occasions, as they were only partially boned.
The early 1800s saw the corset emerge as the primary method for supporting the breasts and these created a high waistline. By the 1830s, however, the waistline returned to its natural position and more emphasis became placed on creating a narrow waist and an hourglass silhouette. The women at the time fashioned wide shoulders and big skirts so corsets did not have to be laced tight to create the illusion of a small waist.
By the Victorian era when large shoulders had disappeared from fashion, the waist had to be cinched in tighter too create the hourglass effect. Later, the 1840s and 1850s saw tightlacing first became popular. The corset at this time had changed shape and was worn long, ending several inches below the waist. The market for cheap mass-produced corsets also increased although hand-made made-to-measure corsets were still popular.
If you would like to see beautiful corsets like these, visit Manchester Art Gallery
Tags: beutiful corsets, corset history, hourglass figure, victorian corsets, waist