Corset

Worn since the 16th century, corsets reached their peak in popularity as late as the 19th century. Designed to transform torsos in a desired cylindrical shape, corsets were also worn to narrow the waists. They had straps for the shoulders and stopped at the waist. They also assisted in flattening the bust and providing support for the breasts. Tight lacing of corsets gained attention in the 1840s and remained in demand for a decade after that. Tight lacing required a corset to be tightly tied on to a female's body. This practice was taken to the extreme and in time proved harmful for the wearer's body.

When corsets were in demand, there were two distinctly different kinds available to women, namely the Victorian corset and the Edwardian corset. The Edwardian corset had an 'S'-shaped bent to it. Also known as the 'swan bill corset', the Victorian corset was popular between the 1900s and 1910s. This corset had an unyielding, straight bust inserted in the center front of the corset. The 'S' bent in the corset resulted in the protrusion of the hips and propelled the torso at a forward angle. The Victorian corset, on the other hand, continued waist down instead of ending there. It flared below the waist and ended several inches below the waist line. The Victorian corset gave the wearer an excessively curvaceous body.

The corset lost all popularity in the 1960s, due to the emergence of feminism. Today, corsets are worn by theater or film actors while portraying a particular role from the corset era. Apart from actors, they are worn for costume parties and rare medical reasons. Nowadays, though, tight lacing is a relatively rare occurrence. Some contemporary dresses have brought corsets back in fashion. These dresses are usually worn with a bustier and cause no harm to the body. Some corset dresses are even made of exotic leather.