Corsets - Edwardian Age Onwards

Owing to health concerns - whether real or feigned for political considerations, the straight-front corset or the swan-bill and S-shaped corset was considered to be healthier to wear. This was apparently designed by a corsetiere qualified in medicine, to ensure that there was no pressure exerted in the abdominal area. These are very stiff and straight especially in the centre front because of a busk inserted into the corset. The torso in this case is pushed forward and the hips were made to protrude backwards. The effect was a slimmer waist but the unnatural posture that the wearer had to maintain gave way to brassieres and corsets aimed at reducing the hips rather than the waist.

The long-line corsets were the rage in the Post-Edwardian era and the skirt width no longer remained at the waist but reached the ankles. The corsets too in keeping with the trend, now covered the thighs too, and made it cumbersome especially the use of elastic fiber. The waist too being pushed higher looked wider.

The need for metal for World War I encouraged women to give up corsets altogether and women now took to brassieres and girdles. Although for short while before the World War II, corsets did emerge, the advent of the War led to its disappearance. A short revival again in the name of Merry Widows in the 1940's made the corsets trendy once again. In the last two decades of the 20th century the corset made their appearance not as undergarments, but rather as top garments by themselves. These modern corsets are embellished with frills, laces, boning but do little to the wearer's figure.

Corsets for men too made their appearance to achieve the slim look. For a short while prior to the Victorian Era men's corsets too were designed for a wasp-waisted figure. Men's corset though encompasses an over bust corset to cover the torso from under the arms to the hips and an under bust torso starting from under the breasts extending till the hips. Some did cover the hips to reach up to the knees. Some were made to order just to encircle the waist area. At times graters to hold up stockings too formed part of the corsets.

Corsets were rarely worn next to the skin on account of the steel boning and metal eyelets and needed to be covered by a light chemise in lawn cotton or silt to protect the wearer in case of rusting. Medical reasons - like spinal injury too popularized the corsets used to protect the torso from unnecessary jerks caused due to movement. Corsets did become a fetish and were used as outwear especially in the BDSM and Gothic subcultures.

Revival of the corset after the two World Wars mainly for cinching the waist and hence nicknamed as the waspie - were used to give the hourglass figure. This new look was the baby of Christian Dior and was dominant only in the haute couture circles. Modern trends of course dictate that the corsets be worn more as outerwear. The dawn of the new Millennium saw Moulin Rouge revive the corsets in an unprecedented manner.