Abstract This paper addresses the development and the functionality of the corset over four specific periods of history. Pictures of corsets are included.
Tags: POPULAR CULTURE / FADS, TRENDS, corset over ages
Abstract This paper looks at the use of corsets by women during the Victorian age and discusses the role the corset played in idealizing the image of the Victorian woman. The author describes how young Victorian girls would be gradually prepared for the tight lacing required for wearing the corset and explains how by narrowing the woman's waist as much as possible, the corset was designed to transform the body into a symbol that was much sought after for women in that era - a sick feeble persona that was perceived as erotic. The paper examined the health risks that physicians from the Victorian age thought resulted from the tight lacing of the waist and concedes that while the direct health risks are hard to ascertain even with today's technology, the corset most definitely held indirect health threats as well as threats to a woman's integrity and independence as an individual as it imposed restraint, pressure and pain.
From the Paper "Corsetry throve in an era in which any open display of sexuality was repressed and condemned. The Victorian Age was a puritan period, which ferociously quashed sexuality as a taboo. In this context, the society prescribed a definite gender role for women: they had to be demure, passive, fragile and even languid. The corset played a definite part in this idealized image of the Victorian woman. First of all, the corset was much more than a simple garment. It was a designed to emphasize the feminine form by narrowing the waist as much as possible, and thus transform the body into a symbol."
Abstract This paper presents an examination of the women's dress movement. It is a history of the changes in women's clothing over the years from the feminists who stopped wearing corsets to those who pioneered the acceptance of women wearing trousers in society. It changed forever the attitude that society had about women's obligation to look good regardless of the cost to comfort and health.
From the Paper "The 1870's brought movement to change the undergarment instead of fighting society on the outer garment(Foster, 1984). "Emancipation Waists" were invented to give relief from the corset while still providing shape for the women who wore them. By the 1890's the crinoline was history and skirts began to drag on the ground. This became impossible to deal with as they picked up all sorts of trash, debris and dirt as they dragged. Instead of returning to the undergarments that had been so intrusive in the past the women of the nation began to shorten the skirts. Because health consciousness was in style the skirt becoming shorter was accepted more readily than it otherwise might have been.
With Amelia Bloomer's suggestion that the Turkish trouser would be more comfortable and the later acceptance of shorter skirts the dress reform movement was well underway and today women wear whatever they want to wear."
This paper discusses the changing world of American women's fashions as an aspect of the various women's reform movements from the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Abstract This paper explains that dress was an outward indication of ones wealth and social standing; however, changes within society were often directly reflected in attire. The author points out that the layers of uncomfortable and restrictive clothing were both a symbolic and a physical tool which kept women from being active participants in man's world. The paper relates that the invention of the sewing machine allowed the general public access to fashion as they could make their own clothing and contributed to the "Ready to Wear" industry, which forever changed the face of clothing in America and established New York City as the country's fashion capitol. 2 Illustrations.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Women's Lives
Reform
The Victorian Era
After the Civil War and the Corset Magazines and Fashion
Women's New Roles
The Work Force and Fashion
Sewing Machine
Immigrants
Textile Mills
New Thinking
Consumer Influence of Cosmetics as Fashion
After the War
Conclusion
From the Paper "The Victorian Era was a period in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries that was largely recognized as a period of rigid and unyielding conservatism. Even though it was celebrated as a time that maintained a high standard of morality, beauty, and social grace, the overall Victorian society actually tended to be rather oppressive -- especially regarding women and their position within the society. This was a time when people owned few clothes. A typical country woman might own only three or four dresses with one being dedicated to church and social events. Men also were conservative during this period. A husband would usually only own two or three shirts with one or two of summer and winter trousers. Shoes were even very scarce compared with items of clothing and were only common for men that worked outdoors. Women and children would definitely be the last to receive shoes. Thus fashion can be thought of as very limited at this juncture."
Abstract This paper provides an in-depth look at the style of clothing worn during the times of Queen Elizabeth I. The author discusses the costumes worn by royalty, the royal court, aristocrats and nobility, from undergarments to gowns. The paper contains numerous portraits to illustrate the fashions.
From the Paper "It is undisputed that the Elizabethans were a very interesting, if not puzzling group. It is apparent that many of the customs, rituals and even colloquial speech that are used today descend directly from their time. One of the most interesting aspects of the Elizabethans is their dress. Clothing played a big role in their society, much like it does in present day. Through someone's dress, a person could tell not only their sex, but their precise social position. An Earl, for example would dress better than a Baron. This was especially important in the theatres of the time. Theaters would seat upwards of 2000 people, so in many of instances the audience would need to see the costume of the actor in order to place him in his proper social position, and therefore where he fit into the narrative of the performance. No person's clothing, however, was more elaborate or telling than that of high standing royalty, such as Queen Elizabeth I and those close to her."
Abstract The paper shows that although it is considered a modern trend for women to deprive themselves of food and nutrition in order to starve themselves to become society's 'desirable' size, this trend is in fact not new. The paper investigates how women throughout history, especially during the 19th century, have harmed themselves with clothing and cosmetics in order to conform to society's standards of beauty.
From the Paper "Many women of the time would use cosmetics, face make-up, containing the deadly product ?ceruse.? Ceruse is just another name for white lead, and although it would whiten the face nicely, its use would produce many skin and other disorders. The desired look the women would want to manage was a white face, which the use of ceruse would help accomplish. Apparently the ceruse was somewhat lavishly applied to the face, neck, and upper part of the chest, and afterwards a red color was added to the cheeks and lips. The use of red coloring was thus the next step in accomplishing the ideal of beauty."
Abstract This paper examines how the roots of many of the beliefs, which fostered Emma Goldman's adoption of anarchism and desire to help the working class, were the teachings of her Jewish parents. It looks at how not only she opposed government, but how she believed that all forms of organizations, including that of religions, were frosted with a need to control individuals and was, therefore, detrimental to their freedom and rights to have an abundant life.
From the Paper "In 1886, when Goldman immigrated to America, she was a young woman of 16 or 17. The following year, in 1887, she learned of the Chicago Haymarket massacre and trial. This knowledge affected her in a way that ignited the anarchic course her life then took. Not until she heard the history of the massacre and the trial from the lips of another young woman, Johanna Greie, was her passions aroused to such a degree as to invoke her into action. Goldman first heard Grie at a meeting of German Socialists in Rochester. Grier spoke to the group about the events that led up to the Haymarket incident--how it was a peaceful meeting of organized workers until the police attacked the workers. "
Tags: Kaunas, Kovno, Lithuania, corset, factory, women's, rights
