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The history of the corset is quite controversial. At the very beginning, the corset was practically an instrument of torture, mutilating women’s bodies, but today it is a stylish addition to the image of a fatal temptress. In this material we will tell you how a novice craftswoman can sew a corset with her own hands, and also provide a step-by-step master class describing all the techniques. Traditionally, at the end of the article we attach a pattern that is suitable for beginners.
What does a real corset look like and what types of corsets exist?
A corset is often passed off as a narrow top with or without straps, decorated with characteristic stripes imitating whalebone plates. A real shapewear corset consists of several parts and is tightly laced in the front or back (and sometimes on both sides). Today, there are several subtypes of corsets: formal lingerie, slimming for plus-size people, and evening corsets.The names for each of the categories are quite arbitrary; many ateliers use their own names (depending on the material, color, decor or cut), but the main function of these three subtypes remains the same. The most commonplace, popular and least expensive to make is the slimming corset, which performs a completely prosaic function: it is worn under a tight-fitting outfit and allows you to hide excess folds. The second most popular is the “ceremonial” linen corset, which is a beautiful prop, most often made of transparent silk. This option is perfect for a romantic evening with a continuation or a candid photo shoot. In our material we will talk about the least common, evening version of the corset, which will not be embarrassing to wear under a jacket, transparent blouse or solo.
History of the corset
The first corsets appeared in Greece in ancient times and looked like a bandage made of genuine leather. And these corsets... supported the breasts of noble ladies and helped to beautifully design the bodice. So ancient corsets could be worn both under the chest and on the chest itself. This prototype of the corset consisted of two parts that fixed the chest and waist and was distinguished by free drapery. It entered the history of clothing under the name fascia, was later popular in Ancient Rome and existed until the 12th century.
After two centuries of oblivion, the fashion for the corset reappeared in the 14th century in Burgundy (the territory of present-day France). The Gothic corset was already completely similar to the modern one: most often these products were made to order and consisted of a separately tailored bodice, side parts and lining, and such a corset was laced in front. It was then that the corset began to perform primarily a tightening function.Around the same period, the first fasteners appeared, which made it possible to regulate the tension and degree of lacing force. Wooden bars or iron rods were used as tightening elements. Only noble ladies and gentlemen could afford corsets. Moreover, men's corsets were additionally thickened with additional bars to give additional relief. Moreover, in those days the corset was considered primarily a male attribute of clothing. Warriors wore special corsets made of leather and steel, but unlike women's corsets, they were designed to protect the body of their wearer, and not to tighten it to the desired size. During the Renaissance, the men's corset began to be replaced by military armor, and the women's version continued to perform its slimming function.
The first who began to wear corsets on a regular basis and made it a mandatory attribute of everyday life were Spanish women, who were the first in Europe to tighten not only the waist, but also the bust. It was believed that a dress worn over such a corset would fit perfectly without a single wrinkle. In Spain, a corset covered with suede fabric was invented, the frame for which was made of wooden sticks and metal plates. To ensure that it was not so unbearably hot in the corset and that air still penetrated to the body, small holes were made in the frame reinforcement, which dug into the body when the corset was tightened. Fashion historians, not without reason, call the Spanish corset an instrument of torture on a par with the Spanish boot. Noble Spanish women could tighten their waists to 40 centimeters in order to achieve the ideals of beauty, but as a result, all the internal organs of the lower body were displaced.Neither body deformation nor the death of many beauties at a young age stopped noblewomen from wearing the deadly design.
In the 18th century, French fashion designers adjusted the design - and the corset began to look less like an instrument of torture. During the Rococo era, the base of the corset began to be made of whalebone and covered with light silk fabric, so the compression of the body was limited only by the pressure of light materials. Corsets were removed only after the French Revolution, when simplicity and then antique forms came into fashion. The corsets remained, but became less decorative.
However, by 1925, the fashion for ultra-thin waists returned, as noble ladies emphasized their position, because doing housework in a corset was absolutely impossible. At that time, neglect of corset fashion in certain circles would have been considered philistinism and a sign of simplicity. Cunning bourgeois women, in order to follow fashion, put on a corset only before leaving the house. Throughout the 19th century, the fashion for corsets in Europe remained unchanged, which cannot be said about dresses, the fashionable silhouette of which changed literally every season: voluminous crinoline, skirts with triangular frames, an S-shaped silhouette with a bustle and many other fashion trends. By the end of the 19th century, many hygienists and dedicated women began to speak out against the corset. Fashion historians Valerie Steele and Colleen Gow believe that corsets of that time were quite safe, but girls, for the sake of fashion, tightened themselves, exploring their limits.Fashionistas were not so easy to give up corsets; at the beginning of the twentieth century, the silhouette of the corset ceased to resemble an hourglass and the difference between the waist and hips became more natural, and the unnatural deflection at the back disappeared. Corset models of the 1930s had a much lesser impact on the health of their owners.
Later, in the 1930s and 40s, the corset was transformed into a lingerie set consisting of a bra and a belt. By that time, it had completely lost its slimming function and only emphasized the shape. By that time, corsets began to correspond to the anatomical shape of women, were not imposed by fashion and caused minimal harm. The period of the 1950s was the last time when wearing a corset was widespread among ordinary women; this fashion was associated with the phenomenon of the new look trend and the influence of the Dior fashion house. In the 1970s, with the blessing of the “grandmother of British fashion” Vivienne Westwood, the corset became an attribute of a strong woman. A decade later, images with corsets again appeared on fashion covers thanks to Thierry Mugler and Paul Gaultier. And Gaultier's corset with cone-shaped bras became world famous thanks to Madonna and her world tour. During the same period, corsets as independent clothing items began to appear en masse in the collections of other designers.
Corset fashion today
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Today, corsets are worn either at fashion shows or at evening events. Modern corsets are quite soft and are designed primarily to straighten your posture. Of course, corsets are primarily an option for evening looks, but fashion trends and norms make it possible to wear a black satin corset under a jacket and go to the office during the day and to an event in the evening.A formal pencil skirt, jeans, and classic trousers will look harmonious with a modern corset. It is enough to add heeled shoes and jewelry to turn the look from formal casual into evening. The corset is also good because minimal manipulations turn it into a carnival costume for Halloween, a themed party or the New Year. In this look you will definitely be the center of attention at any meeting. If you wish, you can order a personal corset for your wedding dress from the studio.
What you need to sew a corset
- A piece of thick fabric
- Sewing supplies (strong thread, scissors, pins, etc.)
- Plastic imitation whalebone for the base of the corset (Regilin)
- Pattern adjusted to fit the model's dimensions
- Sewing machine (optional). Additional equipment will significantly speed up the work on the corset.
- Braid
Step-by-step master class on sewing a corset
It is important not to rush into creating a cut and work on each fragment step by step.
- Adjust the pattern according to the model parameters.
- Fold the fabric right side inward and secure the pattern with pins, focusing on the position of the grain thread. The waist line should run parallel to the weft thread line.
- Trace all the shapes, retreat 1.5-2 cm and duplicate the shape for subsequent processing of the edges of the parts.
- Sew together the bodice front and side pieces.
- Press the resulting seams.
- On the line where the parts of the corset frame should be located, we attach a plastic base, secure it on top with tape and stitch it on a machine or stitch it by hand. We secure the ends and cut off the protruding plastic.
- The relief can be further secured by adding another layer of fabric from the seam fold (if the width of the fold allows you to stitch or stitch another line at a distance of about 0.7 cm from the edge).
- All of the above steps for securing the plates must be repeated with the back.
- Secure the seams, duplicating them near the bones.
- Connect all the parts.
- Using an ironing pad, fix the shape of the bodice.
- Sew the tongue lining under the lacing.
- We make holes for lacing and thread the tape to secure it.
- To decorate the seams, you can use contrasting trim tape.
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