The History and Evolution of Corsets

Corsets boast an incredible history stretching back thousands of years. The earliest traces come from the Minoan civilization around 1000 BC. These garments gained popularity among both men and women, adapting to match society’s changing values and beauty ideals.

Women in ancient Greece wore simple overbust corset-style garments called “Zone,” made from linen or wool. Their goal was to create a smaller waist, an early form of body shaping. The structured corset we know today took shape in the 16th-century French court. People used whalebone bodies to flatten the stomach and emphasize the chest and hips, laying the foundation for what would later become Victorian corsets.

Corsets grew more elaborate through the 17th and 18th centuries. Craftsmen decorated them with gold trim and silk brocades. These pieces served two purposes: creating a rigid posture and lifting the chest. Some designs had such extreme shoulder straps that they forced the wearer’s shoulder blades to touch!

The Victorian era brought corsets to their peak popularity. The 1830s saw the waistline return to its natural position, and the term “corset” came into official use. Victorian women’s pursuit of the perfect hourglass figure led to designs using 60-100 whalebones for structure, creating the iconic silhouette associated with Victorian-era corsets.

The early 20th century introduced a new “S” shaped corset that pushed the chest forward and hips back. A fascinating turn came during World War I when the government asked women to stop wearing corsets to free up metal for ammunition. This change provided enough metal – about 28,000 tons – to build two battleships.

Corsets experienced a remarkable comeback in the 1970s. Vivienne Westwood reimagined them as symbols of female empowerment rather than restriction. Her 1987 Harris Tweed collection boldly presented corsets as outerwear on the runway, paving the way for the fashion corset as we know it today.

Modern corsetry blends historical elements with new designs that prioritize comfort alongside style. These pieces have transformed from symbols of constraint into expressions of personal choice and fashion statements. This evolution demonstrates how fashion constantly reinvents itself across generations, with corsets now embodying both timeless elegance and contemporary trends. Home » Shop » Corsets