"Stayed" Together with the Corset

Yes, "stays" or the cursed corset - bet you can't say that five times fast. The corset has been part of a woman's wardrobe since -- well, some say it's unknown, others say since the Egyptians. I can't confirm or deny either of those theories, but most will agree corsets were definitely in use at least from the 16th century through the late 19th/early 20th century. Although throughout history they served different purposes. There is some disagreement over that, too. Some say they were early fetish accessories while others say corsets were tortuous attempts at orthopaedics. An entire blog could be devoted to such a discussion, but since my primary goal is to share knowledge rather than to debate, I'll focus on the corset as a 19th century undergarment, or foundation garment.

Without the corset, women would have been unable to achieve the perfect hour-glass figure so prevalent thought the Victorian and Edwardian Era. Of course, the length of the corset changed to accommodate the demands of fashion. And, regardless of many misinformed individuals, women were not all vain "Scarlet O'Hares" insisting they have that 18" waist! There are many priimary source documents, Godey's and Petersons among them, which have letters from medical professionals warning women against the dangers of a corset laced too tight. If a corset is worn properly (not laced too tight), it provides great back support. I speak from experience -- I wear an authentic 19th century reproduction corset twice a week, all day, when role playing. When in my corset, I can stand for long periods of time without any back pain.