CORSET HISTORY
There have been records of corsets been worn in some form for thousands of years. These early corsets were made by strapping leather belts around the waist to achieve the desired slim look.
The Renaissance Corset
A ‘Pair of bodies’ as they were called in the 16th century, had a busk inserted down the front. This was made from wood, ivory or whalebone. They where often beautifully decorated and could be given as gifts to loved ones. These corsets were designed to give the body a much flatter shape then the later Victorian styles. They flattened the breasts and stomach therefore gave less shape to the waist. They also had straps and tabs along the bottom, these tabs had eyelet holes which would be used to attach the skirts. The corsets would have been made out of some kind of heavy linen and boned with whalebone, reeds or even strong cording. There are even examples of iron and steel corsets from this period! Some say that these were worn as fashion items others say they had some medical purpose, either-way they must have been incredibly difficult to wear.
