A Brief Guide: How Corsets Evolved
Historical records show traces that the waist trimming garment was used as early as 1500 to 3000 BC. During the middle age, a slim waist became the order of the day in women. The corset green was also recommended by some doctors as it ensured health benefits in women. Corset making also formed a larger percentage of the garment manufacturing sector. With the rapid development of the fashion industry, corset gained popularity and gradually became instinct.
Historical evidence shows women wearing modern looking ornaments and garments from back in 300 B.C. in Babylonian women. Roman women are also dated back to using the garments made of mostly linen and silk. By the twelfth century, ancient manuscripts show the use of shape making garment which was tightly laced on the waist of both men and women. In the late fifteenth century, the item gained new titles such as “pair of stays” in English and cors in French. The English term corset probably came from a modification of the French term cors. Whalebone pieces were used to make corset by the corset makers from the 16th century. Most women preferred the whalebone corset since it was more confining than other models.History
Health Effects of the Corset
Despite the corset being beneficial to health, it was noticed that it had also some health effects arising from prolonged use. Lack of comfort is one of the most reported effects of using corsets for waist trimming. It is also depicted that the painful nature of tightening the corset on one's waist is also unbearable when used all day long. So you need to be prudent when wearing them on a daily basis.
Raw Materials
A variety of raw materials were used in making corsets. The material used depended on the period of wear and desired results. Linen which was stiffened with starch was the main fabric for the manufacturing of corsets. For the low-class women who could not afford linen for manufacturing of corsets, silk, and satin which were cheaply available was their option. The teeth-like structures commonly referred to as baleen was used to stiffen the corset. The baleen is preferable for stiffening. On softening by steam, the baleen splits along the parallel fibers. The splits are removed and molded to desired shapes. On drying, the fibers keep the designed shape and are stiff hence a useful component in corset making. Cane, steel, and plastic took over as the materials for manufacturing as a result of overfishing which saw baleens deplete.
Design
Corsets were designed to fit the wearer individually. The size and tightness were measured with the wearer physically present at the station of manufacturing.
Despite all the benefits of the corset, it also produced waste. The whale was the biggest waste of corset making. By the end of the sixteenth century, the ocean was on the brink of losing its biggest animal as whales were being hunted extensively.
But, today you can find corsets made from materials that are animal-free and made of steel bones. Since everyone has different preferences for the color you can now also get vibrant colors like corset green among others.
