Keep Calm and Lace Up
Imagine waking up every morning and a part of your daily ritual required being yanked and pulled in order to squeeze into something that made you appear skinnier, helped define your waist, make your bust appear bigger, and created an hourglass shape… yet you could hardly breathe. Pajamas probably sound pretty ideal. During the nineteenth and early twentieth century, the corset was like today’s iPod. Every time people were dissatisfied or it was time for an ‘upgrade,’ they came up with a new style to satisfy consumers. According to Merriam Webster, a corset is a woman’s close-fitting boned supporting undergarment that is often hooked and laved and that extends from above or beneath the bust or from the waist to below the hips and has garters attached.
Corsets were made out of cotton, silk, satin, or linen and contained boning. The support was attained by cording or quilting whalebone, steel, ivory, or wood into the front of the stays. Most corsets laced up in the back. From athletic corsets to elegant corsets and everything in between, there was a corset for every woman no matter what size, shape, or style.
The corset is considered to be one of the most controversial clothing items in the history of fashion! “Reinforcing a woman’s allegedly natural inclinations towards helplessness, the corset also made her ill. Virtually everything that ailed womankind was attributed to the corset’s tight stays, from poor posture and ‘feeble muscular power’ to pelvic disturbances and the ‘fretfulness ill-temper and peevishness that darkens many households.” (Joselit 50) Women truly did suffer in order to be fashionistas. However, there is a difference between accidentally poking yourself in the eye with mascara or wearing high heels for a few hours, in comparison to being like a human sausage, not being able to breathe and possibly becoming sick. The average waist measurement of an American woman is about 29 inches. Back in the day, the corset was used to make women’s waists 18 inches! Was how small a woman’s waist was, how much cleavage she had, or how much her bottom stuck out supposed to make her feel better about herself? “The greater public presence and freedom in body display and movement that women achieved in the 1920’s were attenuated by this reformulated and internalized emphasis on female imperfection. Marketing corsets on their ability to solve ‘figure faults’ meant that identification of faults assumed greater importance in persuading women to buy corsets, focusing them on the effort to disguise their defects.” (Fields 67) In fact, saleswomen were directed to classify their customer’s body type and establish their figure imperfections. Nobody’s perfect; woman should embrace their flaws rather than trying to fix them to make themselves societies ideal definition of perfect. The perceptions about female bodies that the corset industry and media displayed, encouraged women to distinguish themselves in terms of their flaws which led to self deprecation.
Young women and girls were being sucked up into the world of corsets as well. “One promotion of the corset in Victorian times suggested, ‘If you want a girl to grow up gentle and womanly in her ways and her feelings, lace her tight.” (Maine 108) From ages 10-12 was when girls started to become more aware of their bodies, noticing their appearance, wanting to be pleased with the size of her waist, wishing to emulate her older sister by wearing a real corset. This was the beginning of girls wanting to grow up faster and dress more provocatively. Today, it is almost normal to see a fourteen-year-old girl wearing a push up bra, crop top, high waisted shorts, and caked on makeup. For centuries, young women have strived to appear older than they are. Clothing companies have done an excellent job keeping up with the hottest trends, drawing girls into the shortest skirt, most padded bras, or most fitted corsets. “To meet this growing demand manufacturers have now placed on the market a range of corset styles that should meet the requirements of this class of trade. Designers especially adapted to create corsets for girls of the undeveloped age have succeeded in producing corsets which not only improve the appearance of a girl’s figure, but which add to her comfort and health.” (Dry Goods Reporter 49) The garment industry had a growing interest in youth. In fact, they developed the term “juniors” in order to increase sales. Why would society want to rob young women of their innocence by practically forcing them to wear clothing suited for ladies far beyond their age?
Furthermore, corset fitting became an art and science. The science of corset fitting taught at certain seminars, which were put together by corset companies. The seminars singled out a young girls first experience in a corset store, making her experience important which led her to be a lifelong customer. The science of the corset also involves linking back to the nineteenth century medical arguments
Which were used to advance corset-wearing, leading to the attack of health claims of corset opponents. Certain doctors created the “Sanitary Corset” and “Health Corset” to acknowledge their benefits. In addition, throughout the 1920’s, the science of the corset relied upon the intelligence and faith of scientific management. “The transformation of industrial work in the early twentieth century to emphasize efficiency and rationalization, as well as the turn to technology for problem solving, required fewer skills of workers which in turn reduced their power in the workplace.” (Fields 64) By creating these new and improved ideologies, the corset manufacturers revamped the exposure of saleswomen and their customers when they sold, bought, and wore corsets.
Moreover, by 1914, there was a period of corsetlessness. Women wanted to wear more loosely fitted clothing such as flapper dresses. The corset manufacturers responded to the customer’s rejection and rebellion by modernizing their products to fit the new trends. The fear of losing interest of their female market, invoked corset manufactures to reinforce more extensive structures of power.
In conclusion, the corset was more than just a tight fitted piece of clothing. It became a revolution. So, suck in, lace up, pull tight, its time to be a part of fashions most controversial clothing item.
Corsets were made out of cotton, silk, satin, or linen and contained boning. The support was attained by cording or quilting whalebone, steel, ivory, or wood into the front of the stays. Most corsets laced up in the back. From athletic corsets to elegant corsets and everything in between, there was a corset for every woman no matter what size, shape, or style.
The corset is considered to be one of the most controversial clothing items in the history of fashion! “Reinforcing a woman’s allegedly natural inclinations towards helplessness, the corset also made her ill. Virtually everything that ailed womankind was attributed to the corset’s tight stays, from poor posture and ‘feeble muscular power’ to pelvic disturbances and the ‘fretfulness ill-temper and peevishness that darkens many households.” (Joselit 50) Women truly did suffer in order to be fashionistas. However, there is a difference between accidentally poking yourself in the eye with mascara or wearing high heels for a few hours, in comparison to being like a human sausage, not being able to breathe and possibly becoming sick. The average waist measurement of an American woman is about 29 inches. Back in the day, the corset was used to make women’s waists 18 inches! Was how small a woman’s waist was, how much cleavage she had, or how much her bottom stuck out supposed to make her feel better about herself? “The greater public presence and freedom in body display and movement that women achieved in the 1920’s were attenuated by this reformulated and internalized emphasis on female imperfection. Marketing corsets on their ability to solve ‘figure faults’ meant that identification of faults assumed greater importance in persuading women to buy corsets, focusing them on the effort to disguise their defects.” (Fields 67) In fact, saleswomen were directed to classify their customer’s body type and establish their figure imperfections. Nobody’s perfect; woman should embrace their flaws rather than trying to fix them to make themselves societies ideal definition of perfect. The perceptions about female bodies that the corset industry and media displayed, encouraged women to distinguish themselves in terms of their flaws which led to self deprecation.
Young women and girls were being sucked up into the world of corsets as well. “One promotion of the corset in Victorian times suggested, ‘If you want a girl to grow up gentle and womanly in her ways and her feelings, lace her tight.” (Maine 108) From ages 10-12 was when girls started to become more aware of their bodies, noticing their appearance, wanting to be pleased with the size of her waist, wishing to emulate her older sister by wearing a real corset. This was the beginning of girls wanting to grow up faster and dress more provocatively. Today, it is almost normal to see a fourteen-year-old girl wearing a push up bra, crop top, high waisted shorts, and caked on makeup. For centuries, young women have strived to appear older than they are. Clothing companies have done an excellent job keeping up with the hottest trends, drawing girls into the shortest skirt, most padded bras, or most fitted corsets. “To meet this growing demand manufacturers have now placed on the market a range of corset styles that should meet the requirements of this class of trade. Designers especially adapted to create corsets for girls of the undeveloped age have succeeded in producing corsets which not only improve the appearance of a girl’s figure, but which add to her comfort and health.” (Dry Goods Reporter 49) The garment industry had a growing interest in youth. In fact, they developed the term “juniors” in order to increase sales. Why would society want to rob young women of their innocence by practically forcing them to wear clothing suited for ladies far beyond their age?
Furthermore, corset fitting became an art and science. The science of corset fitting taught at certain seminars, which were put together by corset companies. The seminars singled out a young girls first experience in a corset store, making her experience important which led her to be a lifelong customer. The science of the corset also involves linking back to the nineteenth century medical arguments
Which were used to advance corset-wearing, leading to the attack of health claims of corset opponents. Certain doctors created the “Sanitary Corset” and “Health Corset” to acknowledge their benefits. In addition, throughout the 1920’s, the science of the corset relied upon the intelligence and faith of scientific management. “The transformation of industrial work in the early twentieth century to emphasize efficiency and rationalization, as well as the turn to technology for problem solving, required fewer skills of workers which in turn reduced their power in the workplace.” (Fields 64) By creating these new and improved ideologies, the corset manufacturers revamped the exposure of saleswomen and their customers when they sold, bought, and wore corsets.
Moreover, by 1914, there was a period of corsetlessness. Women wanted to wear more loosely fitted clothing such as flapper dresses. The corset manufacturers responded to the customer’s rejection and rebellion by modernizing their products to fit the new trends. The fear of losing interest of their female market, invoked corset manufactures to reinforce more extensive structures of power.
In conclusion, the corset was more than just a tight fitted piece of clothing. It became a revolution. So, suck in, lace up, pull tight, its time to be a part of fashions most controversial clothing item.
Bibliography
"Girls' Corsets." The Dry Goods Reporter, Volume 47, Issue 1. P.49 N.p., 1 Jan. 1916. Web. 22 Nov. 2013. <https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=IMscAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&authuser=0&hl=en&pg=GBS.PR17>.
Fields, Jill. An Intimate Affair: Women, Lingerie, and Sexuality. Berkeley: University of California, 2007. Print.
Gone With The Wind. Dir. Victor Fleming. Perf. Vivien Leigh. Hattie McDaniel. Warner Bros. Pictures, 1939. You Tube.
Joselit, Jenna Weissman. A Perfect Fit: Clothes, Character, and the Promise of America. New York: Metropolitan, 2001. Print.
Maine, Margo. Body Wars: Making Peace with Women's Bodies : An Activist's Guide. Carlsbad, CA: Gürze, 2000. Print.
"Girls' Corsets." The Dry Goods Reporter, Volume 47, Issue 1. P.49 N.p., 1 Jan. 1916. Web. 22 Nov. 2013. <https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=IMscAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&authuser=0&hl=en&pg=GBS.PR17>.
Fields, Jill. An Intimate Affair: Women, Lingerie, and Sexuality. Berkeley: University of California, 2007. Print.
Gone With The Wind. Dir. Victor Fleming. Perf. Vivien Leigh. Hattie McDaniel. Warner Bros. Pictures, 1939. You Tube.
Joselit, Jenna Weissman. A Perfect Fit: Clothes, Character, and the Promise of America. New York: Metropolitan, 2001. Print.
Maine, Margo. Body Wars: Making Peace with Women's Bodies : An Activist's Guide. Carlsbad, CA: Gürze, 2000. Print.
Primary Source Document: Dry Goods Reporter Girls' Corsets
The source I chose is from the Dry Goods Reporter. It is an article called Girls' Corsets, written on April 15th, 1916. This source is significant to my topic because it explains the effects of corsets on young girls. In addition, it emphasizes different varieties. The source also demonstrates how manufacturers attempt to meet the requirement of the class of trade.
Link to source: http://books.google.com/books?id=IMscAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA6-PA48&dq=The+Dry+Goods+Reporter+%22Girls'+Corsets%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=FtOfUvzEI4r6qwHUzoH4Dg&ved=0CEwQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=The%20Dry%20Goods%20Reporter%20%22Girls'%20Corsets%22&f=false
Link to source: http://books.google.com/books?id=IMscAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA6-PA48&dq=The+Dry+Goods+Reporter+%22Girls'+Corsets%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=FtOfUvzEI4r6qwHUzoH4Dg&ved=0CEwQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=The%20Dry%20Goods%20Reporter%20%22Girls'%20Corsets%22&f=false
This clip is from the film Gone With The Wind. It demonstrates how far women would go to get their 18 1/2 inch waist! "The woman battles against the restriction of her undergarments but to no avail. She is doomed to her position in society: a slave to fashion, cosseted and striving to be pleasing to men, whatever the cost." (Corsets & Crinolines in Victorian Fashion, http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/c/corsets-and-crinolines-in-victorian-fashion/) In addition, it emphasizes the body image battle women struggle with.
This particular image emphasizes the severity of corsets. It depicts what the corset does to your body.
This image is an illustration of how the corset evolved over time. Garment industries did their "homework" by keeping up with the latest trends and styles by creating new and improved corsets.
This picture is similar to the clip of Scarlett O'hara being laced into her corset. Women literally needed to hold on to something while being dressed, otherwise they would fall over. Women went through such extreme measures in order to portray what they thought was beautiful during the time.