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
Girdle (undergarment)
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A girdle is a form-fitting foundation garment that encircles the lower torso, extending below the hips, and worn often to shape or for support. It may be worn for aesthetic or medical reasons. In spor
Corset
…feature some amount of lacing or boning, but generally have very little, if any, effect on the shape of the wearer's body. Elasticated garments, such as girdles and waist trainers, are still worn today and serve a similar purpose in shaping the waist or hips, although they lack the rigidity of corsets. A corset…
A woman's girdle (in pink), 1933.