Corset history
The history of the corset differs and it is often argued that corsetry first appeared in Greece or Minoan Crete
(Steele, 2001, p. 2). According to Steele, clothing during this time was based around draping rectangular pieces of cloth, and stiffening, as well as lacing was not typical of ancient garments. She also states that museum collections do exhibit iron corsets that date around 1580 to 1600, but modern scholars examined these and have been inclined to think that they were purely made for orthopaedic reasons. Furthermore, Steele states that “the first true corsets date from some time in the first half of the sixteenth century when aristocratic women began wearing “whalebone bodies” (Steele, 2001, p. 6). According to Steele, the whalebone bodies originated in Spain and/or Italy and then spread through the rest of Europe. During the 16th century the bodies were only worn by aristocratic women and girls.
In the 17th century a corset or a boned lining which supported bodice shaping had a higher waistline, and a longer stomacher after 1620 (Thomas, P, W. n.d., para. 17).
Thomas states that in the 17th century after 1630-40 the corset was mounted onto a boned lining, and therefore became part of the top fabric bodice. Thomas also mentions that during this time this was actually considered tailoring as the stays and the bodice became one piece. “This fashion virtually dispensed with stays as an item” (Thomas, P, W. n.d., para. 17).
By the start of the 18th century the stays were worn long and pointed at the front and sat over the front of the skirt with the back stays cut higher. The waistline at this time often featured small tabs at the side and back which splayed over the hips and helped to keep the skit in place.(The Metropolitan Museum of Art , 2000, para. 2)
At the beginning of 19th century corsets were lightly boned, quilted and had a deep busk. Later on corsets became longer and were more rigidly boned. A boned corset during this time was worn over a
(Steele, 2001, p. 2). According to Steele, clothing during this time was based around draping rectangular pieces of cloth, and stiffening, as well as lacing was not typical of ancient garments. She also states that museum collections do exhibit iron corsets that date around 1580 to 1600, but modern scholars examined these and have been inclined to think that they were purely made for orthopaedic reasons. Furthermore, Steele states that “the first true corsets date from some time in the first half of the sixteenth century when aristocratic women began wearing “whalebone bodies” (Steele, 2001, p. 6). According to Steele, the whalebone bodies originated in Spain and/or Italy and then spread through the rest of Europe. During the 16th century the bodies were only worn by aristocratic women and girls.
In the 17th century a corset or a boned lining which supported bodice shaping had a higher waistline, and a longer stomacher after 1620 (Thomas, P, W. n.d., para. 17).
Thomas states that in the 17th century after 1630-40 the corset was mounted onto a boned lining, and therefore became part of the top fabric bodice. Thomas also mentions that during this time this was actually considered tailoring as the stays and the bodice became one piece. “This fashion virtually dispensed with stays as an item” (Thomas, P, W. n.d., para. 17).
By the start of the 18th century the stays were worn long and pointed at the front and sat over the front of the skirt with the back stays cut higher. The waistline at this time often featured small tabs at the side and back which splayed over the hips and helped to keep the skit in place.(The Metropolitan Museum of Art , 2000, para. 2)
At the beginning of 19th century corsets were lightly boned, quilted and had a deep busk. Later on corsets became longer and were more rigidly boned. A boned corset during this time was worn over a