Embrace The Corset
Corsets have been around for a very long time - centuries, in
fact, or perhaps even longer. The very first indication of
corset usage was discovered at a Neolithic archaeological site
in England. The find was a picture of women wearing a corset
type piece of clothing made from animal hides. So they've
definitely been around for quite a while!
Corsets popped up again in the history books at around 1700 BC.
The Minoans were quite fond of the style, and it was used on
both men and women to tighten the waist. Their corset design
left the breasts exposed. The use of corsets continued on
throughout history, from Ancient Egypt to Greece.
Throughout the centuries improvements to the corset were made.
In the 13th century, corsets were worked directly into gowns, as
the era favored a smaller look. In the 14th century, a number of
new fabrics began to grow in popularity (more details at
http://www.SpicyRelationships.com/lingerie/ ). These fabrics
were more free flowing than that which was used before, and
corsets were used to provide a tight shape back to the top.
In the 16th century, they even used steel in the corsets. Many
noble women were ordered to have a waist size that was not
bigger than 13 inches - it was rather extreme, but the demands
of fashion often are. This was also a time when the corset began
to separate from the gown as well. The look for skirts leaned
towards a full, heavy fall, while the top needed to be tight and
form fitting. Because of how elaborate the corsets and
undergarments became during this time, gowns were often designed
to strategically flash the corsets or otherwise reveal them.
The 18th century as a huge time for corset improvement. The main
cause of this? A doctor inventing the metal eyelet. This meant
that corsets could end up even tighter (much to the chagrin of
the ladies, I'm sure). While they remained popular in the 19th
century, it wasn't until the 20th century that Madonna
popularized corsets once again.
And today? Today corsets are used for lingerie, outerwear,
fetish wear, and just about anything you can imagine! They are
definitely a staple in fashion, and just keep getting better and
better. The best thing about it? With modern corsets, you can
actually breath!