What is a Corset?
A corset is an item of
clothing worn to help shape the upper body into a desired shape for aesthetic,
or sometimes orthopedic, reasons (either while wearing it, or for more
permanent results). Men and women have both worn and still wear corsets.
The craft of making
corsets is known as corsetry, as is the general wearing of them. A person who
designs and makes corsets is a corsetier (for a man) or corsetière (for a
woman), or simply a corset maker.
The most popular use of
corsets is to shape the body into a beautiful, fashionable silhouette shape.
For women this usually emphasizes a curvy figure, by reducing the waist, and
thereby exaggerating the bust and hips. However corsets have also been worn to
achieve a more tubular shape although this is less common.
For men, corsets are more
customarily used to slim the figure. However, there was a period from around
1820 to 1835 when an hourglass figure was also desirable for men; this was
sometimes achieved by wearing a corset.
Corsets are constructed of flexible materials
such as satin, leather, pvc, denim, and velvet. They are stiffened with boning
(also called ribs or stays) inserted into channels in the material. Steel and
whalebone were favored in the Victorian period but plastic is now the most
commonly used material. Steel is used for high-quality corsets. Other materials
that have been used for boning include ivory, wood, and cane. (A girdle is
usually made of elasticized fabric, not boning.)
A corset encloses the
upper body, usually from under the arms to the hips. Some corsets however
extend over the hips and may even reach the knees. A shorter kind of corset,
which covers the waist area (from below the ribs to just above the hips), is
called a 'waist cincher' or underbust corset. A corset may also include garters
to hold up stockings.
Corsets are held together
by lacing, usually at the back. Tightening or loosening the lacing changes the
firmness of the corset. It is possible for a back-laced corset-wearer to do his
or her own lacing, though it can be difficult. However, many corsets
also have a buttoned or hooked front opening. Once the lacing is adjusted
comfortably, it is possible to leave the lacing as adjusted and take the corset
on and off using the front opening. This method is incompatible with tight
lacing, which strives for the maximum reduction of the waist. Tight lacers are
usually laced by spouses and partners.
In the past, a woman's corset was usually worn over a garment called a chemise or shift, a sleeveless low-necked gown made of washable material (usually cotton or linen). These absorbed perspiration and kept the corset clean. Now an undershirt or corset liner is usually worn.
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