Despite the common misconceptions surrounding Victorian fashion, corsets were actually designed to be functional and comfortable, even if they weren’t the perfect solution for back support.
Throughout history, no garment has been more unfairly criticized than the corset. Often portrayed as a painful and constricting item in women’s wardrobes, it has been vilified by period dramas, historical novels, and social media users alike. This myth about corsets shapes our understanding of the fashion and beauty ideals of the Victorian era. Keep reading to uncover the truth about corsets, Victorian style, and the evolution of women’s undergarments!
What Was the Reason for Women Wearing Corsets During the Victorian Era?
The history of undergarments, often a neglected aspect of fashion history, is filled with debates and unanswered questions. Among these discussions, none have sparked as much controversy and media attention as the ongoing conversation about corsets. For many years, the media has portrayed corsets in a way that resembles medieval torture devices, depicting them as oppressive tools of patriarchy that caused women to faint and harmed their internal organs. However, it’s interesting to note that women wore corsets for centuries before transitioning to mass-produced cotton or lace bras. The desire for bust support stemmed not just from aesthetics but also from health and comfort needs. Although historical undergarments rarely survive due to their frequent use, historians have found evidence of breast-supporting garments dating back to ancient times.
The first recognizable form of corset appeared in the 16th century, known as stays, which consisted of a two-piece conical design laced together to create a smooth torso and enhance the bust. Initially, stays were laced at the front or sides, but they eventually evolved into the classic back-laced corset style.
Most corsets were custom-made, allowing for adjustments to accommodate changing body sizes thanks to their lacing system. Like other clothing of the time, corsets were quite expensive and could last their owners for many years. Over time, the shape of corsets adapted to fit new fashion trends, but the idea of a structured torso-covering garment remained constant. Early corsets were lined with whalebone (also known as baleen, the bristle-like material found in the upper jaws of whales), and later, metal boning was introduced as an alternative.
Corsets for the Pregnant
Pregnancy and motherhood played significant roles in the lives of women during the Victorian era. No expectant mother would intentionally jeopardize her health while looking forward to giving birth. Instead of forcing pregnant women to tighten their corsets, they often wore them with a looser fit, sometimes adding extra panels for comfort. Tailors even created special pregnancy corsets designed with supportive panels at the bottom to accommodate growing bellies. Breastfeeding was made easier too, thanks to low-cut designs and detachable shoulder straps.
It’s a common misconception that corsets restricted movement; in fact, they could help improve mobility by redistributing pressure on the back. However, it’s important to note that the types of movements Victorian women engaged in were quite different from those today. Working-class women often wore stays that aided them in their physical tasks. Additionally, there were sports corsets available during this time, which served as practical and comfortable alternatives to modern sports bras.
Lastly, to clear up another myth often seen in movies, corsets were never worn without a chemise or shirt underneath. Cleaning intricate garments like corsets was labor-intensive and could damage the fabric, so wearing cotton or linen undergarments was essential to protect them from sweat and skin oils.
Men Also Wore Corsets!
During the Victorian era, men occasionally wore corsets, though not as often as women did. These male corsets helped achieve an ideal posture. In the military, soldiers used stays during lengthy physical activities or hunting to relieve back strain. When it came to beauty ideals, a slender waist, broad chest, and muscular legs were seen as the epitome of male attractiveness. As a result, many men opted for corsets and calf padding to create a stylish physique.
The Beginnings of the Corset Legend
Many of the corset-related horror stories we hear today trace back to the late Victorian era, a time when the use of corsets and stays was starting to decline. As medical research progressed, it began to uncover various issues related to women’s health—particularly reproductive health—and sought to identify the causes.
During this period, medical discussions suggested that corsets could lead to deformities in the chest and internal organs, as well as malnutrition. It was believed that women, driven by fashion trends, laced their corsets so tightly to achieve a certain look that they struggled to eat properly. However, modern historians have found little evidence to support these claims.
The true concerns of Victorian doctors become clearer when we examine some anti-corset pamphlets from that time. Often, corsets were accused of causing deformities in unborn children during pregnancy. As we noted earlier regarding pregnancy corsets, this notion wasn’t entirely accurate; it merely shifted the blame away from genetic issues or inadequate medical care onto women themselves. Another unfounded claim suggested that some women tightened their corsets to prevent unwanted pregnancies. While there’s no historical evidence to back this up, it highlights that the main medical concern was less about women’s health and more about controlling their autonomy over their bodies.
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Modern Medical Examination: Were Corsets Truly Hazardous?
To either support or challenge the idea that corsets caused harm, modern experts have carried out thorough investigations. Many of these studies revealed that a well-fitted, custom-made corset actually offered significantly better support for the back and bust compared to most undergarments available today.
In 2020, a team of medical anthropologists studied various remains from women who lived in the 18th and 19th centuries. They found that while some skeletons showed minor deformities in their lower rib cages, these were not severe enough to cause any daily discomfort or serious injury. Interestingly, these women lived long lives, and their deaths had nothing to do with the clothing they wore. The slight rib cage changes could be attributed to the fact that many of these women likely grew up wearing corsets from their teenage years into old age. So, while corsets may not have been the ultimate solution for women’s health, they served a practical purpose and weren’t nearly as detrimental as often portrayed in the media.
The Victorian Fashion Essential: The Snatched Waist
To start, a proper corset couldn’t magically reshape your bones or internal organs to create such a waist. Instead, a corset worked best on larger body types that had enough fat to help form an appealing silhouette. This is why modern actresses in period films often express discomfort with corsets; they typically fit into today’s beauty ideals of slim and toned bodies, which weren’t as favored during the Victorian era.
In addition to lacing, various other techniques were employed to achieve a striking bust-to-waist-to-hips ratio. Rather than just reducing their waist size, many women added volume elsewhere. Padded shoulders, hips, crinolines, and puffed sleeves helped alter body proportions, allowing them to achieve the desired fashionable look without any pain or discomfort. Extensive research into fashion history reveals that people from all times and ages generally avoid discomfort. While they may tolerate some level of it, no one would willingly endure the extreme discomfort of torturous clothing.
Another way to achieve that enviable thin waist was through good old-fashioned photo editing. Since the advent of photography, individuals have found ways to enhance their images. Elements like skin texture, facial features, dresses, and body shapes could—and often were—modified by Victorians. To create the illusion of impossibly slim waists seen in the portraits of rare Victorian beauties, photographers would sometimes paint parts of the image black or scrape away sections, effectively sculpting a new waistline.
