Corset
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A corset is a support garment worn to constrict the torso into the desired shape and posture. They are traditionally constructed out of fabric with boning made of whalebone or steel, a stiff panel in
Pair of stays, c.1780s. Fashion Museum, Bath, England.
Humorous illustration of a variety of corset styles and designs published in La Vie Parisienne in 1881, including one for young girls (lower-left), one from the Regency era (upper-left), and one from the 18th century (upper-right). The caption in the gold frame reads: "The best thing is, without a doubt, not to wear a corset, but you have to be able to do without one, and that is, frankly, rare. One needs them, more or less (generally more than less); some corsets are beautiful, some are ugly and stupid."
Actress Bianca Lyons shows the exaggerated female curves achieved by corsets and padding, c. 1902
An award-winning advert from the back cover of the October 1898 Ladies' Home Journal
Corset controversy
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Unhealthy overuse of corsets was a topic of public concern throughout the 19th century, at times escalating to a moral panic. Female fashion trends such as tightlacing or wasp waists encouraged excess
Corset
…Bustier Corset controversy Dudou, a Chinese undershirt sometimes known as a "corset…
Women in 1870s gowns wearing corsets
"Tight Lacing, or Fashion before Ease"
Evening dress, 1838
"A cutting wind, or the fatal effects of tight-lacing", a satirical cartoon from around 1820