I don't wear corsets for the sole purpose of bringing my tummy in "yet" ...lol, but I just love the sexiness of wearing one on occasion even though they are not really comfortable.
Has anyone else ever worn one? ...anyway, let's explore some history and some examples of the world's sexiest, sometimes practical and sometimes impractical, corsets!
THE CONDENSED HISTORY OF THE CORSET
From VOGUE...
"Corsets were worn by women – and sometimes men – in the Western world from the 16th to the early 20th century, although corset-like garments can be traced as far back as 1600 BC. What began as a close-fitting sleeveless bodice evolved into an undergarment with stays made of whalebone, and then steel, that encircled the ribs and compressed the natural waist. The shape of the corset evolved over the centuries, alternating between longer varieties that covered the hips and shorter versions that centered on the waistline. Corsets helped shape the body into distinctive silhouettes, from the hourglass shape popular in the 1800s to the “S” figure of the 1900s."
"Discussions about the corset being detrimental to women’s health came to a head in the 19th century, when the popularity of the corset was at its peak. Available in a wide variety of price points, corsets were worn by upper and middle-class women and, increasingly, by working-class women as well. Some doctors blamed the corset for respiratory diseases, deformity to the ribs, damage to internal organs, birth defects and miscarriages, while others approved of “moderate” or “health” corsets that were less rigid and helped support the body. Fashion historians Valerie Steele and Colleen Gau have argued that while corseted women may indeed have suffered from depleted lung volume and changes in breathing patterns, this would not necessarily have led to respiratory diseases. It may have caused fainting and lowered vitality, though. Steele also argues that examples of tight lacing, or the practice of lacing corsets to create the smallest possible waist, cannot be taken at face value. The letters, descriptions and images that describe this practice may have represented sexual fantasies, she says, rather than descriptions of authentic experiences."
"Today, corsets are still worn by enthusiasts and as part of fetishistic, cross-dressing and burlesque practices; and while they may no longer be part of the average woman’s everyday routine, they have never truly disappeared from fashion. In the '70s, Vivienne Westwood began using corsets as part of her historicist punk aesthetic; Westwood imagined her corsets as empowering women rather than binding them. Jean-Paul Gaultier and Thierry Mugler incorporated corsets into their designs in the 1980s. Madonna made Gaultier’s pink satin corset famous on her 1990 Blond Ambition tour. Stella McCartney, Yves Saint Laurent, Tom Ford and Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga have all experimented with corsets or corset-like tailoring in their designs, sometimes layering the corsets over garments rather than under them, subverting them from underwear into outerwear. Corsets also have a long tradition in fashion photography, where they are used to symbolise female sexuality. And if the AW19 catwalks are anything to go by, corsets are still very much on trend."
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF WEARING A CORSET
BENEFITS
- Wearing a corset can improve your posture as it forces you to straighten your back and squeezes your body into a perfectly straight standing position
- Possible relief of back pain
- Great Bust support
- Can aid in weight loss
- Can help boost self-esteem
- Can aid against depression and anxiety
DISADVANTAGES
- Cannot be worn for long periods of time
- Can be uncomfortable for some
- Can cause trouble with breathing if fastened too tightly
- Cannot be worn while exercising or preforming any strenuous tasks
Corsets are definitely not for everyone, but for some of the more daring among us, a sexy night out to enjoy some of the benefits listed might "lift" more than just your spirits ...lol
Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to read my myTake.
I so hope you enjoyed it! ...I LOVE YOU!
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