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The Secret History of the Corset and Crinoline
Fathom
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| Seminar Introduction |
![[bookcover]](whitecorset.jpg) | | V&A | |
No other garment in Western history has assumed such political, social, and sexual significance. What is it about the corset? A mere undergarment, designed to enhance the female figure, has become an icon of all that fascinates about the ambiguous sexual codes of the Victorian era. Was wearing corsets primarily about sexual empowerment or restrictive chastisement? Could the corset explain common female maladies of the Victorian era, from fainting fits to miscarriage? How great was the suffering, for how small a waist?Lucy Johnston, curator at the Fashion Department of The Victoria and Albert Museum, takes us through the history of the corset, from the ascension of Queen Victoria through the first decade of the twentieth century. Most of us are not aware of the many different phases, shapes and fabrics of the corset, as well as the technological innovation involved. Suzanne Lussier, also of the Fashion Department, sees the corset through to contemporary fashion, to reveal how our obsession with the corset has persisted and evolved to incorporate modern sexual and aesthetic tastes.
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| Learning Objectives |
- Trace the technical changes made to the corset from the 1830s to the beginning of the twentieth century.
- Describe how the ideal female shape evolved and changed during the Victorian era.
- List contemporary fashion designers who have appropriated the corset for a modern context.
- Quantify how life for women today might be different if bustles, crinolines, corsets and other heavy undergarments were required for daily wear. How would activities the modern woman takes for granted be limited?
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| Sessions |
| Session 1 | Restrictive Flamboyance and the Crinoline Craze: 1830-1860 |
| Session 2 | From the Crinoline, to the Crinolette, to the Bustle: 1860-1880 |
| Session 3 | From Over-Structured Opulence to the 'Healthy Corset': 1880-1900 |
| Session 4 | A Turn Toward the Bust: Early Twentieth Century |
| Session 5 | All Tied-Up: The Corset in Contemporary Fashion |
| Contributors |
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| Credits |
Copyright the Board of Trustees of The Victoria and Albert Museum, 2002.
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| Technical Requirements |
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