Ivory Washable Velvet
Ivory Washable Velvet
Ivory Washable Velvet
Ivory Washable Velvet
A corset is a garment used to help shape the upper body into the desired shape for aesthetic reasons or, sometimes orthopedic reasons (and either while wearing it, or for more permanent results). Men and women have both worn and still wear corsets.
The art of making corsets is known as corsetry, as is the general use of them. A person who designs and makes corsets is a corsetier (for a man) or corsetier ยจ re (for women), or simply a corset.
The most popular use of corsets is to shape the body in a beautiful form of fashionable silhouette. For women this usually emphasizes a curvy figure by reducing the waist, and thereby exaggerating the bust and hips. But corsets are also used to achieve a more tubular although this is less common.
For men, corsets are more customarily used to slim figure. However, there was a period from about 1820 to 1835, when an hourglass figure is also desirable for men, which is sometimes performed using a corset.
Shirts are constructed of flexible materials such as satin, leather, PVC denim, and velvet. Stiffened with boning (also called ribs or stays) that is inserted into the channels in the material. Steel and whalebone were favored in the Victorian era, but the plastic is now the most widely used material. Steel is used for high-quality belts. Other materials that have been used for boning include ivory, wood and cane. (A belt usually elasticized fabric, boning.)
A corset encloses the upper body, usually under the arms to the hips. Some corsets extend over but the hips and can even reach knees. A shorter kind of corset that covers the waist area (from below the ribs to just above the hips) is called a 'waist cincher' or underbust corset. A corset may also include links to support stockings.
Corsets are held together by string, usually in the back. Tighten or loosen the tie changes in the firmness of the corset. You may back-laced corset-user to make your own cord, but it may be difficult. However, the corsets many also have a buttoned or hooked front opening. Once the cord fits snugly, you can leave your tie with the settings and take the corset in and out of use of the front opening. This method is incompatible with tightlacing, striving for maximum reduction of the waist. Tightlacers are often tied by the spouses and partners.
In the past, a woman's corset was usually worn over a garment called shirt or shift, low neck sleeveless gown of washable material (usually cotton or linen). They absorb perspiration and kept the corset clean. Now, a jersey or shirt corset is generally used.
