The first recorded use of corsets comes from ancient Crete. Cretan woman were usually bare breasted, but wore a waist and hip corset. Corsets were also worn in Greece and Rome.



Modern History of the Corset

The corset has never really gone completely out of fashion. They have consistently remained a very popular item in the fetish community. However, its popularity has risen and fallen based on popular culture. The disappearance and reappearance of the corset in twentieth century fashion seem to be linked to the cyclical changing of female shapes, especially to the waist being enhanced or concealed.

Corsets in the Age of Jazz

The flat and square dresses of the 1920s became an ideal canvas to display the artistic and sophisticated motifs of the Jazz Age period. In order to achieve the flapper look, the rigid corset was abandoned for a softer one that flattened the female form.

The Victorian Revival

A Victorian revival, including soft corsets and bodices on evening gowns became popular in the 1930's. This style change was largely driven by popular movies like Gone with the Wind, starring Vivian Leigh, and Little Women.

The Corset as Outerwear

The twentieth century has also seen the rise of the corset as outerwear. This trend too has been driven by popular culture, such as the rise of Madonna in the 1980's.

The wearing of corsets underwent another strong revival in 2001. This corresponded to the release of the movie Moulin Rouge, which starred Nicole Kidman. Many of the costumes worn in the movie featured corsets.

Today, traditional corsets may be worn as outerwear. They are perfect for a night on the town or at a club and can be combined with a jacket. In addition, some fashion designers now include corset-like features in their designs.