Generalizing about the comfiness of corsets is like generalizing about bras, a sports bra is going to be more comfortable than a push-up, but that doesn’t mean that all of them are uncomfortable!
Exactly! And even then they're not nearly as uncomfortable as movies make them out to be Is a pushup bra uncomfortable? If I'll fitting and/or wearing for a long time, absolutely yes Would I want to wear it all day every day? Absolutely not But I'm not going to pass out and die from wearing it And if it was painful or super uncomfortable, I'd stop wearing it and find an alternative, just like they would have!
I can't wear a sports bra because of how tight it feels around my chest. I instead where a bra that fits properly. So with this preference and experience I don't know if I would love or hate corset but I would know that I should at least try the working women one someday.
In my experience, a bad sports bra can be more uncomfortable than a well-fitted push up bra. The fit is absolutely key to the comfort. It’s the same with corsets. Badly fitted corsets are never comfortable, but a corset that fits correctly can be comfortable if it’s worn correctly.
As someone with a bigger chest size, corsets were the best thing happening to me! My back doesn't hurt anymore, and I can do pretty much everything in them. My job requires both desk work and physical activities, and I feel nice and comfy doing both.
Can i ask where you got yours? Ive been thinking about getting one cause i have the same issues sometimes and wonder if i would like one. But i dont even know where to start looking
@kittyizzy5327 I just asked a local seamstress to make two for me. It was hard finding someone who could make them, and I also had to make a few adjustments myself after I got them. But now they're pretty great, and fit me nicely.
They were also: custom made, ESPECIALLY the high society ones. Worn with the proper under layers, which is not always the case in modern uses. And you *could* tight lace, but you didn't have to.
Also, high society women didn't need to do as many things as the working class had to... They could afford to be comfortable in a more restrictive garment
@@especiasuy Most likely even the high society ladies were still wearing comfy corsets during the day at home, and only changing into more fashion-oriented ones at night once their husbands returned. Because that was what women did with clothing as well, not even a century ago. They'd dress comfy in the day, then dress up once it was getting time for the men to get back.
@@LisaMT1218A lot of heel-wearers don't know to stretch their calves upon removing the shoes. This reverses/prevents a lot of the damage. A lot of women wore heels 9-5 before switching to mule-pumps with their loungewear. And they were wheelchair-bound once they were elderly because their calf muscles shortened, meaning they could no longer stretch their feet out.
@@emro164Stretching, unless you are doing it for 6 hours every day, doesn't completely reverse it if your wearing heels almost every single day for multiple hours. Heels need to be worn in moderation _along_ with stretching to avoid any and all long-term problems.
Even the high society ladies didn't wear the more uncomfortable corsets a lot of the time. If there was an event, then yeah that was all about showing off but just going about and uneventful day at home, the rich lady would've likely worn a less dramatic corset. Still beautifully made and tailored but not necessarily tight or uncomfortable.
Just like today. Rich women might still dress nicely at home (although I've seen Kim Kardashian go to stuff in sweatpants) but it's not like they're always wearing their $30,000 Gucci dress that requires 15 pieces of tape to stay in all the time. They wear those things for big events where they'll be sitting for most of the time anyway. So same with corsets - you'd wear the fancy, less comfortable ones to like THE big party of the year and not for 12 hours a day, every day.
@@FrenkTheJoyAnd given that they didn't have photography, only the special occasions were worth painting, giving the impression that this is how they lived all the time.
Let's not forget about the hip pads, bum pads, and even breast pads, not to mention bustles and hoop skirts, that those ladies wore underneath the corsets. In this video you can even see the gaps at the hips where hip pads or a bum pad would fill out the shape. These corsets actually were common for high society ladies in the late 1800s, but for parties they would add bustles and even more exaggerated hoop skirts to get the iconic shape that we see in paintings, and these things were definitely not worn every day as it's quite difficult to sit down in. Photography came out in the 1800s, but that was all posed, usually in photography studios or homes, because the cameras were unwieldy and the subject(s) had to stand or sit still for 30-60 seconds so that the image would not blur, and that's why people don't smile in those photographs, because they would have to hold that expression too long.(My initial college major was photography.) Photographs were extremely expensive, the plates were covered in a light sensitive silver compound and b&w photography paper still uses silver, so snapshots at parties just weren't possible.
that's true but there were definitely people that kept a very very slim figure. parisian shop girls (who also modeled corsets and fashionable clothes) would brag about having 14, 15, 16 inch waists and that was pretty common
As someone who has done ensemble dancing (death drops, splits, cartwheels) in corsets, any time an actor comes forth abt how hard wearing one was for them I want to find whatever costume designer was in charge and shake em. It is so important to keep your actors safe and healthy, and to properly train them in what is healthy to feel/experience in a corset.
They don't break them in, season them, and let people over corset them, so of course they are uncomfortable to downright painful. But I do believe that they change your figure, as well as you change the corset's shape.
They also only have limited resources when it comes to customisation, you're not going to spend hundreds of hours handmaking a custom corset for your actress for a shitty quasi-historical romance
Generally, most people only bring in their waist an inch or two (this is true historically as well). Once the corset is removed everything goes back to where it was before (even if the person is tight lacing -- I've worn steels almost every day for four years now, I speak from personal experience). After all, the primary function of the corset is to support the bust. If the corset is whalebone (baleen) or imitation baleen then it will form to the wearers body the more that it is worn (due to the combination of material & body heat). Steels are not as forgiving. Plastic won't hold the wear's shape. Neither will cording. The rest of the proper proportions are created with padding because it isn't about size, the ideal silhouette is about the bust being X inches larger than the waist & the hips being Y inches larger than the waist (sorry I can't remember the exact numbers off the top of my head). Thusly, most women who were interested in being fashionable were wearing padding of some kind.
@@Ciara_Turner True that, but why don't they just use padding instead of tight lacing? There's no excuse for making it painful. Especially when it's such an easy fix. It's not overly expensive & the padding can be reused.
I think this speaks to the kind of stories we tell. Oftentimes, movies, especially period pieces, focus on the experiences of the wealthy, rather than the working class
@@WisteriAvis dont forget, these are made by costume designers, not fashion historians. When they google 1800s corset or something it more likely than not a rich person's corset will pop up
Even the rich usually did not tightlace, but used padding on the hips and ruffled corset covers under their shirts, giving the illusion of a tiny waist. And photographs have been "photoshopped" for as long as they have existed. Especially for making the waist look smaller. Also the tiny corsets were much more likely to survive to this day than average sized ones, as women simply grew out of them. They were often teens or at least young women and gained weight. Average sizes were more likely used until they fell apart!
Some day they'll talk the same way about stiletto heels. "Did you know they used to make women wear these insane shoes that made their feet deformed??"
Buts Thats true now.... like shoes and corsets were once something women happily wore bc it was fashion but than soecity and mostly men made it a standard. Of you dodnt wear them you werent feminine , you werent like other girls which was bad. Did you know in the 40/50 you wouldnt get a job as a women in certian places if you didnt wear makeup and highheels?. These men took corsets and heels and made it negative but than women reclaimed them, choose to wear them not for men but for themselves how it orginally was.
@@wisewillowgames I'm not sure why you open with "but that's not true". What's not true? I think you might have answered an argument I didn't make, an opinion you imagined I have. But writing this comment I wasn't actually thinking that people in the future will be very silly for saying this, but rather I was thinking that stiletto heels are quite a bit more insane than we think they are. I don't wear heels because I like my feet bunion-free. Do you remember that time when a group of women were denied entry for the premiere of Carol in Cannes because they weren't wearing heels??
@@wisewillowgames It was a myth. The idea that women were fainting all the time when wearing corsets actually only came about once people _stopped_ wearing them and so didn't know what it was like.
@@sadwasdead5065tbh, fainting did happen but it was on purpose. A move for drama to get everyone focused on them. They'd say "I feel faint" then collapse to be the center of attention. And only rarely was the corset the reason for fainting, sometimes, they'd just fake it.
As someone with severe spinal issues, I have a corseted brace that makes plane and train travel as well as walking tolerable. It sounds kind of ridiculous, but the relief I get when pulling those strings is immeasurable
That already happens bc its true. Once corsets, heels, and bras were something women choose to wear but bc of soecity and mostly men it became a standard. In certian times if you didnt wear a corset you were seen as flushy, couldnt get a job if you didnt wear heels and makeup, and gods forbid you didnt wear a bra than you were an uneducated hippie. Soecity took these things women choose to wear and said if you dont wear them your not female, your not feminine your other and thats wrong. Women have been assualted and killed for not wearing heels, corsets, makeup, bras. So dont comment and act as if this is all some myth. Its only been since like 2010 that women have started to reclaim these items and acknowledge we aint lesser bc we dont or do wear them.
@@MiljaHahto that definitely happens. Especially with really really high heels it takes some practice to walk in them comfortably, and for some they'll never be comfortable, even painful. But just like with corsets people will fail to see the nuance and just go "All high heels were so painful you couldn't walk!" "Women would get their toes removed to fit into heels!" which is just not the truth, just like with corsets
@@timetravelingpenguin high heels are also inherently unergpnomic and force the feet to an unnatural position, which echos to the position of hips and even the whole back. Which doesn't apply to corsets. They may allow the core muscles to weaken, but most corsets don't force it to unnatural positions.
Great video! People today seem to think their ancestors were stupid🤦♀️ Women had to work horrendous hours under terrible circumstances which just wouldn't have been feasible with a constant rib-breaking oxygen deficit 🙄
Yeah byt tight-lacing is still bad. I MEAN LOOK AT sissi, she has a 46cm waist which even her contemporaries saw as too extreme so ppl still did it... her toght lacing also helped her live more after she got stabbed
@@ΔεαΚ I was watching a video about her not too long ago. She had basically 0 control over her life and it showed up in how she controlled her body, which is not uncommon today either.
@@ΔεαΚhowever, tight lacing was not a common practice. The myth of tightlacing is so debunked by so many reputable historical channels that focus on fashion history.
What I also heard is that movie productions don't leave a lot of room for custom work, so actresses corsets are estimations, instead of the custom fit work someone in the period would've worn. Much more uncomfortable that way.
They're also not seasoned aka broken in. This was very important for making corsets comfortable. You would wear it loose (at home) when brand new, then slowly over a couple weeks tighten it to its proper fit. The baleen would soften from your body heat, and mold to your figure during the process it. If you tried to wear an unseasoned corset without this process, it would be incredibly uncomfortable.
Someone also pointed out on a video about the Muppet Christmas Carol of all things that actors are simply not as layered (clothing-wise) as real people would've been historically. Which makes sense for a lot of reasons - cost, and not wanting actors to have to walk around a possibly already warm set wearing like 8 layers of clothing that may not look flattering. In real life you would possibly have padding/cushioning/layering underneath the corset at the time, which would make it more comfortable than the modern day acting equivalent. I'm sure the fibers are also different. Like, a modern actor's petticoat is probably not going to be 100% accurate material to what someone in 1830s England would've worn.
@@raerohan4241 A lot of movie/tv productions actually rent costumes from costume warehouses, so in some cases I would assume the corsets would also be rented. Of course in that case the corsets would be seasoned but not to anyone's specific body type. And then you have things like Downton Abbey which used actual clothing from when the show was set - genuine historical articles - so again I have to wonder if at least some productions actually have "seasoned corsets", again with the caveat that if they did it wouldn't be "seasoned" to the person wearing it. Sort of like if you get shoes from a thrift store, it's broken in but not to your foot.
@@FrenkTheJoy Yeah, the chemises were mostly linen, very fine and soft linen usually, and worn under the corset. This is mostly to keep the corset clean (you should avoid washing them as much as possible, gentle handwash if you must, and if it has steel bones don't let it sit in the water), but also works as a sort of cushion in between the skin and the corset. Linen is very good at moisture wicking, and will help keep cool in summer. Linen is pretty expensive though, so if a costumer even makes chemises to wear under the corset, they're unlikely to spend lots of money on them, especially if they can't be seen. So they're more likely to be cotton. Cotton is bad at moisture wicking, so more uncomfortable than linen. Natural fibers in general are way better at temperature regulation than synthetic ones. A few years ago we splurged on a duvet filled with wool rather than polyfill, and it's warmer in the winter, and cooler in the summer. Previously in the summer we slept only under an empty duvet cover, and in the winter we had two duvets in the cover. Now we sleep under the duvet year round, it's amazing.
Often when they are made for the actresses, they're made to measurements on file as opposed to actually measuring the actress at a fitting and the measurements on file are pretty much always a kind of vanity measurement or at the very least out of date. They'll not have a chest measurement but instead list a cup size which doesn't tell you enough for a corset. Plus they're often wrong. The number of actresses I've seen bra sizes for being like a 36 band but its clear from swimwear photos that they're a 32" underbust at the most so are wearing bras 2 or 3 band sizes too big to keep the cup letter lower... too many. There are a few actresses who I know got fitted properly and have liked wearing their corsets because they got a chance to wear them off camera to get used to them (like that Sci-Fi Historical tv series that came out at some point during Lockdown which my brain has conveniently forgotten the name of. They got powers from some event that happened.). But its sad that too few get to experience that. And now a bunch of production houses have decided that they'll never corset their actresses again (instead of just making better corsets) so can't wait for the "all these layers dug into my waist and really hurt" to happen instead because they aren't wearing the correct foundations.
I think it is also important to keep in mind that there was a huge range of different corsets available in the market in the past. for much of history corsets and stays were made to measure by tailors , also rich ppl would have had shapewear made to order too.
Right. Like wearing a chunky heeled boot vs. a pair of stilettos, one you could wear all day and be relatively fine and the other, as my Mom would say, are “from the house, to the car, to the table”.
My grandma calls stuff like sky high stilettos "limo shoes" because you only walk in them from the car to the door to your seat, with your hand on someone's arm the whole time.
My back brace, which I wear for medical purposes brings me a great deal of comfort and has a LOT of similarities to corsets I may have worn in my callow youth, lol.
I love the comparison to shoes. A working class woman's daily shoes are much different than a rich woman's dress shoes. The corset discourse is like 150 years from now thinking that teachers wore Louboutins in class everyday.
Even hard corsets I find super comfortable. I dont wear them tight enough to change my shape drastically (maybe other than pushing the really soft movable fat in, but that happens even when I wear tight leggings), but tight enough it holds me up and my back feels sooo good wearing one especially when sitting at a desk or something. It's not "relax in bed" type of comfortable, but its a totally different type of comfort.
I watched a Nichole Rudolph video on the construction of historic high heels once, and I'm convinced past people would be appalled by how uncomfortable modern heels are. In that light, I find it hard to beleive they would really be torturing themselves with corsets all day. They just knew how to do it properly.
Thank you! Vilifying corsets is a short-hand way of saying ((in a current novel) a historical character was ahead of her time! Yet as you say, most of the women in those times would have had different corsets for different applications and they weren’t all draconian. Thanks for educating us!
I wore a corset for years and it was literally the only thing that allowed me to work. I have endometriosis and corsets help with the cramps so much. Some days I would put on my corset even when I wasn't in character just to be able to move around and function.
Earlier was the stays, which was a bit harder to deal with because it's cone shaped, you needed a few tricks to keep them from sliding down. And before that they just tried to hold them in place by making their dresses very tight in the chest area. Both sound kind of bad for big breasts 😂
In the beginning but than men said if you didnt wear a corset yours probs a prostitute. It became a soecital standard that women wear corsets no mater rain or shine. same with highheels, makeup. Bras. If you didnt wear them you werent feminine you werent female. No bra than your a uneducated hippie probs with gross body hair. No makeup than you dont care about yourself, women couldnt even get jobs in the 40/50 unless they wore make up and heels and its only been since 2000 that women in office jobs can wear things other skirts and stockings.
@@naolucillerandom5280 The compressing method works, but you do need to have a very well fitting garment. And there is evidence of a bra type garment from the... middle ages, I think. The Lengberg bra.
I'd love some working corsets!! We need to bring those back into style!! I -have- found comfortable high heels, but the caveat is that they're not too high, the foot section is supportive, and the toe section isn't restrictive and matches your natural foot diagram (some people have a natural curve and some have more of a box pattern of toes). It was almost all clear flexible plastic in the body--almost like leather. The heal was a rainbow silver-ish color and it was a bit more expensive than the normal brands, but not outrageous. They lasted me for years and were great.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I'VE BEEN TELLING PEOPLE FOR YEARS NOW. I regularly wear a corset to help my back pain & it's honestly really damn comfortable to wear. Common mistakes I see a lot of is people lacing them up way too tight & way too quickly. If it hurts to move & breath, it's way too tight.
I love wearing a corset, and while I’m always comfortable when I do wear one I am also just as happy to take it off when I do. Also what people usually see in museums is the exception not necessarily the rule because those were the garments that survived. Think what people will think about our modern day wedding dresses! Those will be the survivors in the future because we don’t wear them daily
Its like the difference between a sports bra or bralette and a pushup bra. There are always crazy body altering garments for women. Then theres what you're average mom, waitress, or student would wear everyday.
Wow! Something I never thought about; yet, I’m so glad you addressed it! THIS is why I subscribed to your page months ago; because I love history & factual information! WOW! Thanks! ❤❤❤❤❤
Exactly! Ain't nobody is gonna tell that really high heels are made to be comfortable. People still wear them. Also, just like bras today, everyday corsets were also made to protect and support a womens body and chest.
THANK YOU!!! Yes, I’ve seen other people try to act like everyone wore one corset or the other when in reality it’s a multi faceted issue depending on a variety of situations and this was by far the best explanation of it. 🙌
Thank you! Finally a more nuanced take on corsets! They're either horrible torture devices or the most comfortable thing ever that has 0 faults. Like they definitely did affect health (muscle atrophy is not something to joke about) and probably had some other problems and they aren't really necessary bust support for a majority of women the same way bras aren't (but were a necessity as structure for the fashion of the time), but it's so hard to find any sort of valid criticisms without it devolving into extremes.
Thank you. Though i will also say, the red one being uncomfortable for you might have to do with it being the edwardian shape, for my body type the s bend is perfect, but for others it can be very uncomfortable. Just like bras, everyone needs a different shape.
The experience that an actress has is VERY different from the average corset user. Bernadette Banner address this in part in her video on corset myths, but Actress are going from wearing bras which offer no resistance on the torso to wearing a corset 12 hours a day under often grueling conditions. They are also often required to 'tight lace' in order to try and achieve that classic hourglass instead of using padding and other more comfortable means of achieving that hourglass shape. Reduction is not really possible, let alone comfortable on a slender figure with a very firm midsection. If your midsection is not soft, you can't really reduce much. It's not only in the corset, but in how they are worn.
It's JMO but when underwire bras quit being comfortable one without wires digging into your ribcage is heaven. A moderate daily corset would not only feel better it would be excellent back support.
I love my corsets. I have two leather underbust corsets I wear for horseback riding even across long distances and many hours. They’re incredibly comfortable and supportive.
I love the fact you point out the differences of corsets and why some go down in history for discomfort when it wasn't the same across the board. I'd also add that the reason for the stigma of discomfort in corsets is due to the fact that usually the privilege (whether actors or rich) are louder to talk when they don't like something and working class usually just goes on with their day, therefore not feeling the need to dispute anything
I think about it like, there are your comfortable everyday bras, and then there are the fancy bras you keep for special occasions and secretly HATE wearing because you find them uncomfortable (but that would be less uncomfortable if you committed to breaking them in). Corsets are much the same. Comparing them to shoes is much more useful in getting the point across though, I think I'll use that the next time someone tries to tell me corsets were 'patriarchal torture devices'
I wear them at the renaissance fair and love love ❤️. I'm 55 and they are so comfortable for my sore back..I of course don't go too tight and I wear a D size cup.
I love how you explain it!! Many people think them as torture device which they are not. I am pretty chubby but even I find them not bad ( my friend gave me to try because I thought with my L no corset will fit me ). There is huge misconceptions about these but not every corset out there or even the corset back in those day were bad.
This is the best explanation I’ve seen so far. People have to remember that women wore corsets in prisons. Back support, breast support, there were no bras as we know them today.
I have worn one at conventions for cosplay for at least 12 hours. No problems. I took the time to break it in properly and didn’t overly tighten it. They are great for back support when standing around waiting in lines all day. 😃
I've never thought that thought. Maybe because my doctor said a back braise would make my muscles weak. It's a terrible and debilitating disorder. I hate it.
@@aunt_b3365 That's an absolute lie, wtf?? If you also have fibro, your muscles are going to deteriorate regardless of what you do- in fact, I've found out that mine deteriorate _faster_ if I ignore the issue rather than treat it gently. You... you might wanna find a new doctor like I had to do. 😰
Orchard Corset has corsets for men. Google them and check them out. If that works out for you, having one custom made would be the most comfortable in the long run (and more expensive, but worth it when pain is involved!)
@@aunt_b3365Same, and not true. Painful muscles have to relax and recover before they can get strong enough to bear the everyday strains on them. My corset helps that, and allows me to do more before my core gets too tired. So I end up doing more healthy exercise with it on.
Men actually used to wear corsets too at one point in history. It kept their beer bellies in. And I'm not even joking about that 😅 Maybe you'd be able to find some patterns online for male corsets, or stays if nothing else. As a last resort you could also look up ones for children then scale up to adult size? Idk, maybe it would be better to consult an expert first since you have a medical condition 🤔
I really appreciate your historical insights! Also, I feel like modern media personalities vilifying people and practices in the past is 1.) A cheap way to flatter their audience by implying they're smarter than their ancestors, and 2.) A low key way to reinforce advertising by celebrating modern technology over older sometimes better technology. Not that I'm Amish, I just don't like designed-obsolescence.
and people too - I love underwire bras, I think they are so comfortable and supportive, but my roommate hates them, thinks they are the most uncomfortable thing ever, and refuses to wear them, going with no-wire ones instead.
I've never seen the society-style corset on a regular person in a regular situation. It looks so cool! I have a couple of corsets I got from online sellers and honestly some of the best investments I ever made! I don't have a particularly feminine figure and they give me a nice curvy silhouette and the pressure relieved off my lower back makes every penny worth it. It redistributes the weight of my upper body onto my hips instead of my injured lower spine. It's like a 1950s miracle product infomercial!
Not to forget to mention in addition to corsets women also practiced padding to acquire the desired silhouette, something that is still practiced today! In addition to all of that, contrary to the sensual and seductive portrayal of corsets they were actually worn over a protective layer, sometimes two layers if the drawers were not attached to the chemise.
I personally used to wear a brace for scoliosis for a few years, it became a comfort for me to have something tight and secure holding me around the waist and back and recently I found and tried a pretty tight corset and opposite to what my friend was saying, I found it comforting and secure, so don’t forget that different people will feel different ways about tight corsets as well
Boning matters too! They used to use actual bone (hense "boning") and that would be broken in with wear so it would provide a very custom fit for the woman wearing it.
Specifically, the whalebone used was baleen, which is made from keratin and is super flexible. We now have synthetic whalebone that behaves similarly, and is way better than the cheap plastic boning that was popular.
As someone who sometimes needs the support, I believe it can take a bit of getting used to the movement restriction. Someone can hate that it restricts certain movements, but it just comes off as that it's uncomfortable for them.
I feel like the takeaway from news articles about actresses having bad corset experiences should be less “corsets bad” and more “hollywood execs cutting costs in costuming bad”
I've been saying this forever as a historical seamstress. There is a huge difference plus they don't go from never wearing a corset to wearing one for filming. They start younger and are built for one.
I actually read a historical fiction book that was sort of that issue. It wasn't a corset, but the same concept of "piece of clothing that is supportive". The character in question decided she would only start wearing it once she got married, and found it painful and uncomfortable because she hadn't spent the last several years of her life training on less restrictive versions of whatever it was but suddenly had to wear the tight, adult version (this was like 12th century Wales, the character was Norman, so it wasn't a corset but I can't remember what it was exactly)
I corseted for years. I loved my corsets. I was very comfortable and it was very stable for my back. They even helped with my driving anxiety. Can't say enough good things about them.
Thank you for giving some grace to the performers Even if the corsets were designed specifically for the actor/actress, it’s hard to articulate how unpredictable shooting conditions are: imagine having to shoot a fall scene where your character has to wear a coat/hat/hairpiece/etc. when it’s actually a blazing hot summer day. You might be stuck running those scenes in those conditions for hours. Ballroom scenes might involve lots of people on a soundstage that’s brightly lit by strong, hot lights, and full of running equipment. Having to move about, do multiple takes of a dance sequence can quickly become very uncomfortable and it’s easy to blame the corset because it’s honestly one of the things you feel the most
Exactly! I don’t have a problem wearing a dramatic corset for a few hours at an event, but the poor actresses are having to wear them day in and day out sometimes for 8-10 hours! Even if the corsets are perfectly fitted to their bodies that’s a loooong time to wear a corset.
Yessss!!! As a former tightlacer, i did a LOT of educating when I would wear my corset about how it doesnt actually have to hurt if you do it the right way. Mine definitely helped my anxiety!
im 15 i personal love corsets i think there beautiful and I have back problems too so i find stuff like corsets help my back as well i love one.I agree withh everthing your saying I also only were heels or patforms so i get what you meant when you mentioned the heals
Oh my gosh I LOVE this corset!! I would love to own one! 🖤🤍 The first movie I was ever in when I was 17 I had this stunning corset & GIANT platinum blonde curly ball of a wig with feathers in (I was a vintage lady of the night) - I couldn’t SIT down, but LAYING down was super easy, made my profession make more sense 🤭
I got into a fairly small argument with an art teacher about this one time. She claimed ALL corsets were like the red one and as a kid that had a little too much corset knowledge, it like ENRAGED me lol.
That fancy corset would be comfy to me at least since my hourglass curves are crazy. Makes it so hard to find nice clothes. It doesn't help that I have broad shoulders, either
I think the reason they say the corsets are horrible is because they aren’t wearing the advance corsets but are focused to wear the more expensive corsets because that’s what the world thinks everyone wear in those styles of movies and shows
I reckon at least half of the problem with corsets being uncomfortable/painful in the film industry is that *they keep not giving the actresses chemises.* Some productions are better than others of course, but so many films and shows prefer the "sexiness" of corset lines and bare skin over the comfort and wellbeing of their performers. In addition, many actresses may not be accustomed to historical costumes, which would be extra jarring, and I also have a sneaking suspicion a lot of designers/directors/producers intentionally put actresses into corsets that are too small or deliberately lace them too tight in the name of "The Look." And I hear it's not uncommon for actresses to be instructed to talk about how uncomfortable the corsets/costumes were in order to generate buzz, though I definitely believe that they are uncomfortable a good portion of the time. It's just often because of the people putting them in the corset, not the garment itself.
Tbh i'll never understand ppl finding corsets sexier without a chemise underneath. Even without the nice bit of lace or ribbon trim, we're talking lightweight, almost translucent fabric that's supposed to be easy to slip into and out of. Going without just seems to prevent any number of saucy little details to further entice the audience and love interest. The delicate draping of the unalterd body? The moonlight shining through to leave nothing to the imagination? Am i really supposed to be more enchanted by opaque polyester satin that's clearly too tight and probably bunching up in stressed areas because the piece is off the rack or the designer didn't get enough time?
Bernadette Banner addressed the actresses hating corsets thing recently, apparently it’s because they are typically slim - Hollywood- they pull the corsets really tight to try and get the shapes right but they neglect to use padding for boob and bum, slimmer women would 100% use padding to achieve the fashionable shape of the day.
Hollywood also patently refuses to provide actresses with chemises or other layers meant to go between skin and corset, typically wanting sex-appeal over practicality, which would also cause discomfort when they over-tighten the corset...it's rubbing on and digging into bare skin with nothing to protect it.
Thank you so much for shedding light on the different corset and the idea that rich people have always wore uncomfortably clothes and or shoes just to look in style is mind boggling. I guess regardless of the time period. We always want look trendy whether we are comfortable or not. 😅
Trust me, nerdy people get it.. I'm talking about the nerds who go to Renaissance Faires and carnivals. People tell me all the time about how comfy they are.. I wore corsets too at one point whenever I wore a dress.. It was so comfortable.
Yup! I've been a Rennie for a long time, and known lots of others, and I've never known any woman who wears garb to faire who thinks that her bodice is uncomfortable. And many of us get up to crazy things while wearing them, and they don't get in the way of most of it. When I got my first one, way back when, I literally was told that there were only two things I couldn't do in a bodice by the saleswoman: run, and _sneeze._ And even that's not 100% true. Running is not easy, but it's doable...sneezing, however, hurts like mad, as I found out while wearing it when I'd come down with a sudden head cold during the closing week of my high school's production of Cyrano. I spent all of the points I wasn't on-stage sitting in a corner of the green room unlaced so that I could sneeze and not fear bruising ribs.
I mean, if we keep the high heel analogy, the average every day shoe is usually comfortable, even some high heels are, but there is really uncomfortable ones, too.
I’d have more sympathy for the actresses if they didn’t act like their brief experiences with badly fitting corsets were in any way representative of how women throughout the ages who actually wore them on a daily basis.
I mean I don't really blame actresses for not knowing the extensive history of clothing throughout all time when they get asked super banal questions about the costumes they are required to wear. Frankly I've also never heard any actress talk about corsets at all, just the woman from Outlander who said she really likes stays.
@@FrenkTheJoy Apparently, there was a big to-do about the corsets on Bridgerton (the lead actress commented in an interview that they're no longer wearing corsets, and how she felt they were _so_ awful, she couldn't eat, it "changes your body" when you wear it, and somehow she believed it made her "tear her shoulder"?), and other actresses such as Emma Stone and Kirsten Dunst have made similar scathing commentary on wearing corsets for roles, talking about feeling restricted, unable to eat or move. And of course, who can forget Emma Watson's infamous refusal to wear any type of period-appropriate support-wear in Beauty and the Beast, citing that Belle's being an "active" Disney princess meant that she wouldn't wear...a perfectly normal piece of clothing for her setting. That the character wore _in the original animation the live-action film is based on._
Post pregnancy I need a corset to put my organs back where they belong. Without one they just shift willy nilly all over the place and I feel bloated all the time
I have back pain for several reasons including sliiiight scoliosis, one leg being a little longer than the other, and terrible posture habits from sitting at a desk. I wore a (cheap!!) corset as part of a Halloween costume and I felt so supported and loved it!!!
Having worked on movie sets, movie corsets probably ARE uncomfortable. Not laced right, done quickly, not fitted properly, etc. - it’s part of the business and you are just supposed to deal with that as an actress. I think the bigger issue is that a: actors comfort isn’t always prioritized, and b: movie sets aren’t real life, but those articles are often people’s first experiences hearing about them, so they assume an actor on a sets experience of wearing a corset is comparable to a historical experience. It’s definitely not
I don’t get the corset slander. They’re just the grandmothers to modern day bra and shapewear. How else did people expect women to support the boobage.
It makes more sense once you learn all the slander initially came from men and was then perpetuated as the truth years later once people no longer had first hand experience of it. Men have always made fun of whatever was perceived to be feminine at the time.
I love that peoples favorite “defense” of corsets is that they are just like bras when I’ve never heard a single woman ever say she likes wearing a bra. They weren’t torture devices, but that doesn’t make them comfortable. Many women wrote their accounts of wearing them when they were still required. Just like many women now complain about bras
@@fart63 I’m a women and I like wearing my bra as it supports my bosom. My original point was that a corset was just part of a woman’s wardrobe like a modern day bra was, so why do some claim “oh mh gosh it was so oppressive”, when all a corset did was support the bosom.
@@sweethistorteabecause they could be oppressive. all depends at what angle you approach it. like why are free swinging boobs bad? studies actually show boobs, even big ones, do better when it comes to sagging later on without bras. it's also WELL KNOWN that women's fashion, when it comes to many items, were not great for movement, restricting activities. something can also be both oppressive and seen as a necessity for some. like large breasted women feeling like bras are a savior, while those with smaller chests might feel they only have to wear them to avoid being called "inappropriate". things are complicated. our trends are complicated. I'm also guessing corsets could be abused and we all know women's history with weight concerns.
@@RR-on4skhave you ever seen what happens to free swinging b and up sized boobs over 40 years? They lengthen. Down..down..down... and they're heavy. A well fitted bra is super comfy.
The actresses who come out with horror stories about the corset they had to wear on set should stoke public concern for the neglect women in Hollywood face, where they aren't even given a properly fitting corset. The problem is usually solved with a correctly fitting corset. We need to stop shaming our progenitors and start pointing the finger at those who run Hollywood who read their actresses so badly.
My leather longline with straps is the most comfortable. Does anyone remember the electric corsets from the turn of the century? I have some ads for them. Now that is the legit OG tens unit 😁
Generalizing about the comfiness of corsets is like generalizing about bras, a sports bra is going to be more comfortable than a push-up, but that doesn’t mean that all of them are uncomfortable!
Exactly!
And even then they're not nearly as uncomfortable as movies make them out to be
Is a pushup bra uncomfortable? If I'll fitting and/or wearing for a long time, absolutely yes
Would I want to wear it all day every day? Absolutely not
But I'm not going to pass out and die from wearing it
And if it was painful or super uncomfortable, I'd stop wearing it and find an alternative, just like they would have!
all my corsetts were way more comfy and di hold my bust better than any bra ever XD damn...I hate bras
@@TheBlakiamost of working womens corsets were used in the way a bra is!!
I can't wear a sports bra because of how tight it feels around my chest. I instead where a bra that fits properly. So with this preference and experience I don't know if I would love or hate corset but I would know that I should at least try the working women one someday.
In my experience, a bad sports bra can be more uncomfortable than a well-fitted push up bra. The fit is absolutely key to the comfort. It’s the same with corsets. Badly fitted corsets are never comfortable, but a corset that fits correctly can be comfortable if it’s worn correctly.
As someone with a bigger chest size, corsets were the best thing happening to me! My back doesn't hurt anymore, and I can do pretty much everything in them. My job requires both desk work and physical activities, and I feel nice and comfy doing both.
Can i ask where you got yours? Ive been thinking about getting one cause i have the same issues sometimes and wonder if i would like one. But i dont even know where to start looking
@@theferalfemalesocietySame.
@@deathsecretary2055 Same x2
Same... my shoulders cannot take much more bra strap injuries
@kittyizzy5327 I just asked a local seamstress to make two for me. It was hard finding someone who could make them, and I also had to make a few adjustments myself after I got them. But now they're pretty great, and fit me nicely.
They were also: custom made, ESPECIALLY the high society ones. Worn with the proper under layers, which is not always the case in modern uses. And you *could* tight lace, but you didn't have to.
Also, high society women didn't need to do as many things as the working class had to... They could afford to be comfortable in a more restrictive garment
@@sadwasdead5065Yup. People thought tight lacing was barbaric even back then, but there’s always a few who think it’s worth it 🙃
@@especiasuy Most likely even the high society ladies were still wearing comfy corsets during the day at home, and only changing into more fashion-oriented ones at night once their husbands returned. Because that was what women did with clothing as well, not even a century ago. They'd dress comfy in the day, then dress up once it was getting time for the men to get back.
@@raerohan4241 that's also true
Hollywood: what's an underlayer?
And just like shoes, a proper fit matters. Even in stilettos, fit is the difference between discomfort and pain.
They all screw up your feet, knees, hips, and back.. I wore very well-made heels in my youth. Now I am an old lady in pain.
@@LisaMT1218A lot of heel-wearers don't know to stretch their calves upon removing the shoes. This reverses/prevents a lot of the damage. A lot of women wore heels 9-5 before switching to mule-pumps with their loungewear. And they were wheelchair-bound once they were elderly because their calf muscles shortened, meaning they could no longer stretch their feet out.
@@emro164Stretching, unless you are doing it for 6 hours every day, doesn't completely reverse it if your wearing heels almost every single day for multiple hours. Heels need to be worn in moderation _along_ with stretching to avoid any and all long-term problems.
Even the high society ladies didn't wear the more uncomfortable corsets a lot of the time. If there was an event, then yeah that was all about showing off but just going about and uneventful day at home, the rich lady would've likely worn a less dramatic corset. Still beautifully made and tailored but not necessarily tight or uncomfortable.
Just like today. Rich women might still dress nicely at home (although I've seen Kim Kardashian go to stuff in sweatpants) but it's not like they're always wearing their $30,000 Gucci dress that requires 15 pieces of tape to stay in all the time. They wear those things for big events where they'll be sitting for most of the time anyway. So same with corsets - you'd wear the fancy, less comfortable ones to like THE big party of the year and not for 12 hours a day, every day.
@@FrenkTheJoyAnd given that they didn't have photography, only the special occasions were worth painting, giving the impression that this is how they lived all the time.
Let's not forget about the hip pads, bum pads, and even breast pads, not to mention bustles and hoop skirts, that those ladies wore underneath the corsets. In this video you can even see the gaps at the hips where hip pads or a bum pad would fill out the shape. These corsets actually were common for high society ladies in the late 1800s, but for parties they would add bustles and even more exaggerated hoop skirts to get the iconic shape that we see in paintings, and these things were definitely not worn every day as it's quite difficult to sit down in.
Photography came out in the 1800s, but that was all posed, usually in photography studios or homes, because the cameras were unwieldy and the subject(s) had to stand or sit still for 30-60 seconds so that the image would not blur, and that's why people don't smile in those photographs, because they would have to hold that expression too long.(My initial college major was photography.) Photographs were extremely expensive, the plates were covered in a light sensitive silver compound and b&w photography paper still uses silver, so snapshots at parties just weren't possible.
@@Just1NoraInteresting
that's true but there were definitely people that kept a very very slim figure. parisian shop girls (who also modeled corsets and fashionable clothes) would brag about having 14, 15, 16 inch waists and that was pretty common
As someone who has done ensemble dancing (death drops, splits, cartwheels) in corsets, any time an actor comes forth abt how hard wearing one was for them I want to find whatever costume designer was in charge and shake em. It is so important to keep your actors safe and healthy, and to properly train them in what is healthy to feel/experience in a corset.
They don't break them in, season them, and let people over corset them, so of course they are uncomfortable to downright painful. But I do believe that they change your figure, as well as you change the corset's shape.
They also only have limited resources when it comes to customisation, you're not going to spend hundreds of hours handmaking a custom corset for your actress for a shitty quasi-historical romance
Generally, most people only bring in their waist an inch or two (this is true historically as well). Once the corset is removed everything goes back to where it was before (even if the person is tight lacing -- I've worn steels almost every day for four years now, I speak from personal experience). After all, the primary function of the corset is to support the bust.
If the corset is whalebone (baleen) or imitation baleen then it will form to the wearers body the more that it is worn (due to the combination of material & body heat). Steels are not as forgiving. Plastic won't hold the wear's shape. Neither will cording.
The rest of the proper proportions are created with padding because it isn't about size, the ideal silhouette is about the bust being X inches larger than the waist & the hips being Y inches larger than the waist (sorry I can't remember the exact numbers off the top of my head).
Thusly, most women who were interested in being fashionable were wearing padding of some kind.
@@Ciara_Turner True that, but why don't they just use padding instead of tight lacing? There's no excuse for making it painful. Especially when it's such an easy fix. It's not overly expensive & the padding can be reused.
@@becca1189 Padding was used to enhance the figure, but tight lacing was easier and less bulky, I would imagine.
Plus there is also the tendency in Films to wear a corset on bare skin
I think this speaks to the kind of stories we tell. Oftentimes, movies, especially period pieces, focus on the experiences of the wealthy, rather than the working class
This is so true
Because there's way more record about the rich people than the working class, it only flipped after internet
But even then, it's not like the upper class women were wearing torture devices. Unlike what those movies depict corsets as.
@@WisteriAvis dont forget, these are made by costume designers, not fashion historians. When they google 1800s corset or something it more likely than not a rich person's corset will pop up
Even the rich usually did not tightlace, but used padding on the hips and ruffled corset covers under their shirts, giving the illusion of a tiny waist.
And photographs have been "photoshopped" for as long as they have existed. Especially for making the waist look smaller.
Also the tiny corsets were much more likely to survive to this day than average sized ones, as women simply grew out of them. They were often teens or at least young women and gained weight. Average sizes were more likely used until they fell apart!
Some day they'll talk the same way about stiletto heels. "Did you know they used to make women wear these insane shoes that made their feet deformed??"
Buts Thats true now.... like shoes and corsets were once something women happily wore bc it was fashion but than soecity and mostly men made it a standard. Of you dodnt wear them you werent feminine , you werent like other girls which was bad. Did you know in the 40/50 you wouldnt get a job as a women in certian places if you didnt wear makeup and highheels?. These men took corsets and heels and made it negative but than women reclaimed them, choose to wear them not for men but for themselves how it orginally was.
@@sadwasdead5065it wasnt a myth
@@wisewillowgames I'm not sure why you open with "but that's not true". What's not true?
I think you might have answered an argument I didn't make, an opinion you imagined I have. But writing this comment I wasn't actually thinking that people in the future will be very silly for saying this, but rather I was thinking that stiletto heels are quite a bit more insane than we think they are. I don't wear heels because I like my feet bunion-free.
Do you remember that time when a group of women were denied entry for the premiere of Carol in Cannes because they weren't wearing heels??
@@wisewillowgames It was a myth. The idea that women were fainting all the time when wearing corsets actually only came about once people _stopped_ wearing them and so didn't know what it was like.
@@sadwasdead5065tbh, fainting did happen but it was on purpose. A move for drama to get everyone focused on them. They'd say "I feel faint" then collapse to be the center of attention. And only rarely was the corset the reason for fainting, sometimes, they'd just fake it.
As someone with severe spinal issues, I have a corseted brace that makes plane and train travel as well as walking tolerable. It sounds kind of ridiculous, but the relief I get when pulling those strings is immeasurable
You get support and pain relief so of course you'd feel great- wonderful you were able to get help
My father wore a corset for the same reason.
i really would love to get myself one for a similar reason
Why? Corsets can be used for support. It makes sense that you get some relief while wearing one
@kas7145 where does one shop for a medical corset?
Can't wait for the day when we start seeing movie tropes about stilleto heels breaking women's ankles and pushup bras making their arms fall off
That already happens bc its true. Once corsets, heels, and bras were something women choose to wear but bc of soecity and mostly men it became a standard. In certian times if you didnt wear a corset you were seen as flushy, couldnt get a job if you didnt wear heels and makeup, and gods forbid you didnt wear a bra than you were an uneducated hippie. Soecity took these things women choose to wear and said if you dont wear them your not female, your not feminine your other and thats wrong. Women have been assualted and killed for not wearing heels, corsets, makeup, bras. So dont comment and act as if this is all some myth. Its only been since like 2010 that women have started to reclaim these items and acknowledge we aint lesser bc we dont or do wear them.
It actually started in the 70's with burning the bras, but society never changes uniformly.
People stumbling on high heels isn't that uncommon, though. I see plenty of women on heels who are unsteady as newborn fawns.
@@MiljaHahto that definitely happens. Especially with really really high heels it takes some practice to walk in them comfortably, and for some they'll never be comfortable, even painful. But just like with corsets people will fail to see the nuance and just go "All high heels were so painful you couldn't walk!" "Women would get their toes removed to fit into heels!" which is just not the truth, just like with corsets
@@timetravelingpenguin high heels are also inherently unergpnomic and force the feet to an unnatural position, which echos to the position of hips and even the whole back.
Which doesn't apply to corsets. They may allow the core muscles to weaken, but most corsets don't force it to unnatural positions.
Great video! People today seem to think their ancestors were stupid🤦♀️
Women had to work horrendous hours under terrible circumstances which just wouldn't have been feasible with a constant rib-breaking oxygen deficit 🙄
Yeah byt tight-lacing is still bad. I MEAN LOOK AT sissi, she has a 46cm waist which even her contemporaries saw as too extreme so ppl still did it... her toght lacing also helped her live more after she got stabbed
@@ΔεαΚ I was watching a video about her not too long ago. She had basically 0 control over her life and it showed up in how she controlled her body, which is not uncommon today either.
@@ΔεαΚhowever, tight lacing was not a common practice. The myth of tightlacing is so debunked by so many reputable historical channels that focus on fashion history.
Not everyone’s ancestors wore corsets, im pretty sure some random farmer woman living in like 1901 Japan wouldn’t be wearing a corset
@@Me-hm6fvthey wear a wrap instead and bind them around lol like literally a step down given their type of people so yeah sush.
Corsets are WAY more comfy than any underwire bra I've ever worn!
What I also heard is that movie productions don't leave a lot of room for custom work, so actresses corsets are estimations, instead of the custom fit work someone in the period would've worn. Much more uncomfortable that way.
They're also not seasoned aka broken in. This was very important for making corsets comfortable. You would wear it loose (at home) when brand new, then slowly over a couple weeks tighten it to its proper fit. The baleen would soften from your body heat, and mold to your figure during the process it. If you tried to wear an unseasoned corset without this process, it would be incredibly uncomfortable.
Someone also pointed out on a video about the Muppet Christmas Carol of all things that actors are simply not as layered (clothing-wise) as real people would've been historically. Which makes sense for a lot of reasons - cost, and not wanting actors to have to walk around a possibly already warm set wearing like 8 layers of clothing that may not look flattering. In real life you would possibly have padding/cushioning/layering underneath the corset at the time, which would make it more comfortable than the modern day acting equivalent. I'm sure the fibers are also different. Like, a modern actor's petticoat is probably not going to be 100% accurate material to what someone in 1830s England would've worn.
@@raerohan4241 A lot of movie/tv productions actually rent costumes from costume warehouses, so in some cases I would assume the corsets would also be rented. Of course in that case the corsets would be seasoned but not to anyone's specific body type. And then you have things like Downton Abbey which used actual clothing from when the show was set - genuine historical articles - so again I have to wonder if at least some productions actually have "seasoned corsets", again with the caveat that if they did it wouldn't be "seasoned" to the person wearing it. Sort of like if you get shoes from a thrift store, it's broken in but not to your foot.
@@FrenkTheJoy Yeah, the chemises were mostly linen, very fine and soft linen usually, and worn under the corset. This is mostly to keep the corset clean (you should avoid washing them as much as possible, gentle handwash if you must, and if it has steel bones don't let it sit in the water), but also works as a sort of cushion in between the skin and the corset. Linen is very good at moisture wicking, and will help keep cool in summer. Linen is pretty expensive though, so if a costumer even makes chemises to wear under the corset, they're unlikely to spend lots of money on them, especially if they can't be seen. So they're more likely to be cotton. Cotton is bad at moisture wicking, so more uncomfortable than linen.
Natural fibers in general are way better at temperature regulation than synthetic ones. A few years ago we splurged on a duvet filled with wool rather than polyfill, and it's warmer in the winter, and cooler in the summer. Previously in the summer we slept only under an empty duvet cover, and in the winter we had two duvets in the cover. Now we sleep under the duvet year round, it's amazing.
Often when they are made for the actresses, they're made to measurements on file as opposed to actually measuring the actress at a fitting and the measurements on file are pretty much always a kind of vanity measurement or at the very least out of date. They'll not have a chest measurement but instead list a cup size which doesn't tell you enough for a corset. Plus they're often wrong. The number of actresses I've seen bra sizes for being like a 36 band but its clear from swimwear photos that they're a 32" underbust at the most so are wearing bras 2 or 3 band sizes too big to keep the cup letter lower... too many.
There are a few actresses who I know got fitted properly and have liked wearing their corsets because they got a chance to wear them off camera to get used to them (like that Sci-Fi Historical tv series that came out at some point during Lockdown which my brain has conveniently forgotten the name of. They got powers from some event that happened.). But its sad that too few get to experience that. And now a bunch of production houses have decided that they'll never corset their actresses again (instead of just making better corsets) so can't wait for the "all these layers dug into my waist and really hurt" to happen instead because they aren't wearing the correct foundations.
I think it is also important to keep in mind that there was a huge range of different corsets available in the market in the past. for much of history corsets and stays were made to measure by tailors , also rich ppl would have had shapewear made to order too.
Right. Like wearing a chunky heeled boot vs. a pair of stilettos, one you could wear all day and be relatively fine and the other, as my Mom would say, are “from the house, to the car, to the table”.
My grandma calls stuff like sky high stilettos "limo shoes" because you only walk in them from the car to the door to your seat, with your hand on someone's arm the whole time.
My back brace, which I wear for medical purposes brings me a great deal of comfort and has a LOT of similarities to corsets I may have worn in my callow youth, lol.
I love the comparison to shoes. A working class woman's daily shoes are much different than a rich woman's dress shoes. The corset discourse is like 150 years from now thinking that teachers wore Louboutins in class everyday.
Those eyes can melt any male heart…..beautiful!
Thank you! Of course a sundress is gonna be more comfortable that a sequin bodycon dress. You wear them for different reasons, same as corsets.
Even hard corsets I find super comfortable. I dont wear them tight enough to change my shape drastically (maybe other than pushing the really soft movable fat in, but that happens even when I wear tight leggings), but tight enough it holds me up and my back feels sooo good wearing one especially when sitting at a desk or something. It's not "relax in bed" type of comfortable, but its a totally different type of comfort.
I watched a Nichole Rudolph video on the construction of historic high heels once, and I'm convinced past people would be appalled by how uncomfortable modern heels are. In that light, I find it hard to beleive they would really be torturing themselves with corsets all day. They just knew how to do it properly.
Thank you! Vilifying corsets is a short-hand way of saying ((in a current novel) a historical character was ahead of her time! Yet as you say, most of the women in those times would have had different corsets for different applications and they weren’t all draconian. Thanks for educating us!
I wore a corset for years and it was literally the only thing that allowed me to work. I have endometriosis and corsets help with the cramps so much. Some days I would put on my corset even when I wasn't in character just to be able to move around and function.
I've actually heard that, compared to what women had to deal with previously, the corset was actually massively liberating
Earlier was the stays, which was a bit harder to deal with because it's cone shaped, you needed a few tricks to keep them from sliding down.
And before that they just tried to hold them in place by making their dresses very tight in the chest area.
Both sound kind of bad for big breasts 😂
In the beginning but than men said if you didnt wear a corset yours probs a prostitute. It became a soecital standard that women wear corsets no mater rain or shine. same with highheels, makeup. Bras. If you didnt wear them you werent feminine you werent female. No bra than your a uneducated hippie probs with gross body hair. No makeup than you dont care about yourself, women couldnt even get jobs in the 40/50 unless they wore make up and heels and its only been since 2000 that women in office jobs can wear things other skirts and stockings.
@@naolucillerandom5280 The compressing method works, but you do need to have a very well fitting garment. And there is evidence of a bra type garment from the... middle ages, I think. The Lengberg bra.
Personally i love corsets, especially historical corsets like the first one. They're very comfy
I'd love some working corsets!! We need to bring those back into style!! I -have- found comfortable high heels, but the caveat is that they're not too high, the foot section is supportive, and the toe section isn't restrictive and matches your natural foot diagram (some people have a natural curve and some have more of a box pattern of toes). It was almost all clear flexible plastic in the body--almost like leather. The heal was a rainbow silver-ish color and it was a bit more expensive than the normal brands, but not outrageous. They lasted me for years and were great.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I'VE BEEN TELLING PEOPLE FOR YEARS NOW. I regularly wear a corset to help my back pain & it's honestly really damn comfortable to wear. Common mistakes I see a lot of is people lacing them up way too tight & way too quickly. If it hurts to move & breath, it's way too tight.
Love the Edwardian corset tutorial but that Art Nouveau wallpaper in the background is just soooo eye catching!!
A properly made ‘average’ corset is more comfortable than a bra in my experience. So we’ve apparently taken some steps back over the years 😂
I love wearing a corset, and while I’m always comfortable when I do wear one I am also just as happy to take it off when I do. Also what people usually see in museums is the exception not necessarily the rule because those were the garments that survived. Think what people will think about our modern day wedding dresses! Those will be the survivors in the future because we don’t wear them daily
Its like the difference between a sports bra or bralette and a pushup bra. There are always crazy body altering garments for women. Then theres what you're average mom, waitress, or student would wear everyday.
Wow! Something I never thought about; yet, I’m so glad you addressed it! THIS is why I subscribed to your page months ago; because I love history & factual information! WOW! Thanks! ❤❤❤❤❤
Exactly! Ain't nobody is gonna tell that really high heels are made to be comfortable. People still wear them.
Also, just like bras today, everyday corsets were also made to protect and support a womens body and chest.
THANK YOU!!! Yes, I’ve seen other people try to act like everyone wore one corset or the other when in reality it’s a multi faceted issue depending on a variety of situations and this was by far the best explanation of it. 🙌
You've gotten me excited about historical costumes of the past...thank you
Thank you! Finally a more nuanced take on corsets! They're either horrible torture devices or the most comfortable thing ever that has 0 faults.
Like they definitely did affect health (muscle atrophy is not something to joke about) and probably had some other problems and they aren't really necessary bust support for a majority of women the same way bras aren't (but were a necessity as structure for the fashion of the time), but it's so hard to find any sort of valid criticisms without it devolving into extremes.
Thank you. Though i will also say, the red one being uncomfortable for you might have to do with it being the edwardian shape, for my body type the s bend is perfect, but for others it can be very uncomfortable. Just like bras, everyone needs a different shape.
I love corsets.sooo comfy. The way they hug
The experience that an actress has is VERY different from the average corset user. Bernadette Banner address this in part in her video on corset myths, but Actress are going from wearing bras which offer no resistance on the torso to wearing a corset 12 hours a day under often grueling conditions. They are also often required to 'tight lace' in order to try and achieve that classic hourglass instead of using padding and other more comfortable means of achieving that hourglass shape. Reduction is not really possible, let alone comfortable on a slender figure with a very firm midsection. If your midsection is not soft, you can't really reduce much. It's not only in the corset, but in how they are worn.
I love corsets. I wish they were in style today.
It's JMO but when underwire bras quit being comfortable one without wires digging into your ribcage is heaven. A moderate daily corset would not only feel better it would be excellent back support.
I love my corsets. I have two leather underbust corsets I wear for horseback riding even across long distances and many hours. They’re incredibly comfortable and supportive.
I love the fact you point out the differences of corsets and why some go down in history for discomfort when it wasn't the same across the board. I'd also add that the reason for the stigma of discomfort in corsets is due to the fact that usually the privilege (whether actors or rich) are louder to talk when they don't like something and working class usually just goes on with their day, therefore not feeling the need to dispute anything
Beautiful. That clothing looks so classy.
It looks stunning regardless!
Love your history lessons and your sewing projects. They are both extremely inspiring and fun. Thank you for sharing…❤
Corsets were like bras. Sometimes they are torture, and sometimes they're necessary because being unsupported is also uncomfortable
I actually love the super curvy corsets. They fit to my spine and pull everything into alignment
I think about it like, there are your comfortable everyday bras, and then there are the fancy bras you keep for special occasions and secretly HATE wearing because you find them uncomfortable (but that would be less uncomfortable if you committed to breaking them in). Corsets are much the same. Comparing them to shoes is much more useful in getting the point across though, I think I'll use that the next time someone tries to tell me corsets were 'patriarchal torture devices'
I listened to a podcast about corsets, and found out that most women used to wear them and mostly it was a typical accessory and pretty comfy
I wear them at the renaissance fair and love love ❤️. I'm 55 and they are so comfortable for my sore back..I of course don't go too tight and I wear a D size cup.
I love how you explain it!! Many people think them as torture device which they are not. I am pretty chubby but even I find them not bad ( my friend gave me to try because I thought with my L no corset will fit me ). There is huge misconceptions about these but not every corset out there or even the corset back in those day were bad.
This is the best explanation I’ve seen so far. People have to remember that women wore corsets in prisons. Back support, breast support, there were no bras as we know them today.
Look up the lengberg bra, a bra like and somewhat look-alike from way back then.
@@Me-hm6fv Isn't that from like the 1500s? They definitely did have stuff that's close to the "modern bra" back then!
@@FrenkTheJoy It's a chemise with cups that works as a sports bra! Apparently it's comfy.
I have worn one at conventions for cosplay for at least 12 hours. No problems. I took the time to break it in properly and didn’t overly tighten it. They are great for back support when standing around waiting in lines all day. 😃
Even tho I'm a guy, I have fibro so I desperately need the back support an average corset provides.
✨ Everything hurts ✨
I've never thought that thought. Maybe because my doctor said a back braise would make my muscles weak. It's a terrible and debilitating disorder. I hate it.
@@aunt_b3365 That's an absolute lie, wtf?? If you also have fibro, your muscles are going to deteriorate regardless of what you do- in fact, I've found out that mine deteriorate _faster_ if I ignore the issue rather than treat it gently. You... you might wanna find a new doctor like I had to do. 😰
Orchard Corset has corsets for men. Google them and check them out. If that works out for you, having one custom made would be the most comfortable in the long run (and more expensive, but worth it when pain is involved!)
@@aunt_b3365Same, and not true. Painful muscles have to relax and recover before they can get strong enough to bear the everyday strains on them. My corset helps that, and allows me to do more before my core gets too tired. So I end up doing more healthy exercise with it on.
Men actually used to wear corsets too at one point in history. It kept their beer bellies in. And I'm not even joking about that 😅 Maybe you'd be able to find some patterns online for male corsets, or stays if nothing else. As a last resort you could also look up ones for children then scale up to adult size? Idk, maybe it would be better to consult an expert first since you have a medical condition 🤔
I really appreciate your historical insights! Also, I feel like modern media personalities vilifying people and practices in the past is
1.) A cheap way to flatter their audience by implying they're smarter than their ancestors, and
2.) A low key way to reinforce advertising by celebrating modern technology over older sometimes better technology. Not that I'm Amish, I just don't like designed-obsolescence.
This is like they diffrence between diffrent bras. Wearing a sports bra is just different from wearing a fancy bra
and people too - I love underwire bras, I think they are so comfortable and supportive, but my roommate hates them, thinks they are the most uncomfortable thing ever, and refuses to wear them, going with no-wire ones instead.
I've never seen the society-style corset on a regular person in a regular situation. It looks so cool!
I have a couple of corsets I got from online sellers and honestly some of the best investments I ever made! I don't have a particularly feminine figure and they give me a nice curvy silhouette and the pressure relieved off my lower back makes every penny worth it. It redistributes the weight of my upper body onto my hips instead of my injured lower spine. It's like a 1950s miracle product infomercial!
Not to forget to mention in addition to corsets women also practiced padding to acquire the desired silhouette, something that is still practiced today!
In addition to all of that, contrary to the sensual and seductive portrayal of corsets they were actually worn over a protective layer, sometimes two layers if the drawers were not attached to the chemise.
I *loved* wearing my corset!! I had one similar to your first one in this video. Made all of my button blouses look so much better lol
I fell asleep wearing my everyday corset last night 😅 laid on the couch for a minute and woke up 8 hours later. They are more comfortable than a bra.
Please tell us what brand of corsets you buy and where we can get them too!?
I personally used to wear a brace for scoliosis for a few years, it became a comfort for me to have something tight and secure holding me around the waist and back and recently I found and tried a pretty tight corset and opposite to what my friend was saying, I found it comforting and secure, so don’t forget that different people will feel different ways about tight corsets as well
These people haven’t worn Spanx. I felt like I was in a sausage casing
Boning matters too! They used to use actual bone (hense "boning") and that would be broken in with wear so it would provide a very custom fit for the woman wearing it.
Specifically, the whalebone used was baleen, which is made from keratin and is super flexible. We now have synthetic whalebone that behaves similarly, and is way better than the cheap plastic boning that was popular.
As someone who sometimes needs the support, I believe it can take a bit of getting used to the movement restriction. Someone can hate that it restricts certain movements, but it just comes off as that it's uncomfortable for them.
I feel like the takeaway from news articles about actresses having bad corset experiences should be less “corsets bad” and more “hollywood execs cutting costs in costuming bad”
I've been saying this forever as a historical seamstress. There is a huge difference plus they don't go from never wearing a corset to wearing one for filming. They start younger and are built for one.
I actually read a historical fiction book that was sort of that issue. It wasn't a corset, but the same concept of "piece of clothing that is supportive". The character in question decided she would only start wearing it once she got married, and found it painful and uncomfortable because she hadn't spent the last several years of her life training on less restrictive versions of whatever it was but suddenly had to wear the tight, adult version (this was like 12th century Wales, the character was Norman, so it wasn't a corset but I can't remember what it was exactly)
I corseted for years. I loved my corsets. I was very comfortable and it was very stable for my back. They even helped with my driving anxiety. Can't say enough good things about them.
Love your content - keep up the great work!
Thank you for giving some grace to the performers
Even if the corsets were designed specifically for the actor/actress, it’s hard to articulate how unpredictable shooting conditions are: imagine having to shoot a fall scene where your character has to wear a coat/hat/hairpiece/etc. when it’s actually a blazing hot summer day. You might be stuck running those scenes in those conditions for hours.
Ballroom scenes might involve lots of people on a soundstage that’s brightly lit by strong, hot lights, and full of running equipment. Having to move about, do multiple takes of a dance sequence can quickly become very uncomfortable and it’s easy to blame the corset because it’s honestly one of the things you feel the most
Exactly! I don’t have a problem wearing a dramatic corset for a few hours at an event, but the poor actresses are having to wear them day in and day out sometimes for 8-10 hours! Even if the corsets are perfectly fitted to their bodies that’s a loooong time to wear a corset.
Yessss!!! As a former tightlacer, i did a LOT of educating when I would wear my corset about how it doesnt actually have to hurt if you do it the right way. Mine definitely helped my anxiety!
im 15 i personal love corsets i think there beautiful and I have back problems too so i find stuff like corsets help my back as well i love one.I agree withh everthing your saying I also only were heels or patforms so i get what you meant when you mentioned the heals
Oh my gosh I LOVE this corset!! I would love to own one! 🖤🤍 The first movie I was ever in when I was 17 I had this stunning corset & GIANT platinum blonde curly ball of a wig with feathers in (I was a vintage lady of the night) - I couldn’t SIT down, but LAYING down was super easy, made my profession make more sense 🤭
I got into a fairly small argument with an art teacher about this one time. She claimed ALL corsets were like the red one and as a kid that had a little too much corset knowledge, it like ENRAGED me lol.
That fancy corset would be comfy to me at least since my hourglass curves are crazy. Makes it so hard to find nice clothes. It doesn't help that I have broad shoulders, either
I think the reason they say the corsets are horrible is because they aren’t wearing the advance corsets but are focused to wear the more expensive corsets because that’s what the world thinks everyone wear in those styles of movies and shows
Rather interesting. Not only was I unaware of the range in corsets, but it is an enlightening perspective to make the comparison to heels.
I reckon at least half of the problem with corsets being uncomfortable/painful in the film industry is that *they keep not giving the actresses chemises.* Some productions are better than others of course, but so many films and shows prefer the "sexiness" of corset lines and bare skin over the comfort and wellbeing of their performers. In addition, many actresses may not be accustomed to historical costumes, which would be extra jarring, and I also have a sneaking suspicion a lot of designers/directors/producers intentionally put actresses into corsets that are too small or deliberately lace them too tight in the name of "The Look."
And I hear it's not uncommon for actresses to be instructed to talk about how uncomfortable the corsets/costumes were in order to generate buzz, though I definitely believe that they are uncomfortable a good portion of the time. It's just often because of the people putting them in the corset, not the garment itself.
Yep all of this! Also theyre often not tailored & they dont season them or take tims to get used to them
Tbh i'll never understand ppl finding corsets sexier without a chemise underneath. Even without the nice bit of lace or ribbon trim, we're talking lightweight, almost translucent fabric that's supposed to be easy to slip into and out of. Going without just seems to prevent any number of saucy little details to further entice the audience and love interest. The delicate draping of the unalterd body? The moonlight shining through to leave nothing to the imagination? Am i really supposed to be more enchanted by opaque polyester satin that's clearly too tight and probably bunching up in stressed areas because the piece is off the rack or the designer didn't get enough time?
You look absolutely gorgeous on the red edwardien corset
Bernadette Banner addressed the actresses hating corsets thing recently, apparently it’s because they are typically slim - Hollywood- they pull the corsets really tight to try and get the shapes right but they neglect to use padding for boob and bum, slimmer women would 100% use padding to achieve the fashionable shape of the day.
Hollywood also patently refuses to provide actresses with chemises or other layers meant to go between skin and corset, typically wanting sex-appeal over practicality, which would also cause discomfort when they over-tighten the corset...it's rubbing on and digging into bare skin with nothing to protect it.
Thank you so much for shedding light on the different corset and the idea that rich people have always wore uncomfortably clothes and or shoes just to look in style is mind boggling. I guess regardless of the time period. We always want look trendy whether we are comfortable or not. 😅
Trust me, nerdy people get it.. I'm talking about the nerds who go to Renaissance Faires and carnivals. People tell me all the time about how comfy they are..
I wore corsets too at one point whenever I wore a dress.. It was so comfortable.
Yup! I've been a Rennie for a long time, and known lots of others, and I've never known any woman who wears garb to faire who thinks that her bodice is uncomfortable. And many of us get up to crazy things while wearing them, and they don't get in the way of most of it.
When I got my first one, way back when, I literally was told that there were only two things I couldn't do in a bodice by the saleswoman: run, and _sneeze._ And even that's not 100% true. Running is not easy, but it's doable...sneezing, however, hurts like mad, as I found out while wearing it when I'd come down with a sudden head cold during the closing week of my high school's production of Cyrano. I spent all of the points I wasn't on-stage sitting in a corner of the green room unlaced so that I could sneeze and not fear bruising ribs.
I have a couple and have to say I love them. They're simple and help my back. I was surprised.
I mean, if we keep the high heel analogy, the average every day shoe is usually comfortable, even some high heels are, but there is really uncomfortable ones, too.
I love my corset...I wear it Monday-Friday and it's great!
Remember also padding. They also padded out the hips and bust. It isn't just the corset making the curves!
Thank you for clarifying the ups and downs of women's clothing from our past.
I’d have more sympathy for the actresses if they didn’t act like their brief experiences with badly fitting corsets were in any way representative of how women throughout the ages who actually wore them on a daily basis.
I mean I don't really blame actresses for not knowing the extensive history of clothing throughout all time when they get asked super banal questions about the costumes they are required to wear. Frankly I've also never heard any actress talk about corsets at all, just the woman from Outlander who said she really likes stays.
@@FrenkTheJoy Apparently, there was a big to-do about the corsets on Bridgerton (the lead actress commented in an interview that they're no longer wearing corsets, and how she felt they were _so_ awful, she couldn't eat, it "changes your body" when you wear it, and somehow she believed it made her "tear her shoulder"?), and other actresses such as Emma Stone and Kirsten Dunst have made similar scathing commentary on wearing corsets for roles, talking about feeling restricted, unable to eat or move.
And of course, who can forget Emma Watson's infamous refusal to wear any type of period-appropriate support-wear in Beauty and the Beast, citing that Belle's being an "active" Disney princess meant that she wouldn't wear...a perfectly normal piece of clothing for her setting. That the character wore _in the original animation the live-action film is based on._
I love wearing corsets
Post pregnancy I need a corset to put my organs back where they belong. Without one they just shift willy nilly all over the place and I feel bloated all the time
I have back pain for several reasons including sliiiight scoliosis, one leg being a little longer than the other, and terrible posture habits from sitting at a desk. I wore a (cheap!!) corset as part of a Halloween costume and I felt so supported and loved it!!!
Having worked on movie sets, movie corsets probably ARE uncomfortable. Not laced right, done quickly, not fitted properly, etc. - it’s part of the business and you are just supposed to deal with that as an actress. I think the bigger issue is that a: actors comfort isn’t always prioritized, and b: movie sets aren’t real life, but those articles are often people’s first experiences hearing about them, so they assume an actor on a sets experience of wearing a corset is comparable to a historical experience. It’s definitely not
From a historical costuming perspective, you need those garments so the actors can move as the historical people would have.
I don’t get the corset slander. They’re just the grandmothers to modern day bra and shapewear. How else did people expect women to support the boobage.
It makes more sense once you learn all the slander initially came from men and was then perpetuated as the truth years later once people no longer had first hand experience of it. Men have always made fun of whatever was perceived to be feminine at the time.
I love that peoples favorite “defense” of corsets is that they are just like bras when I’ve never heard a single woman ever say she likes wearing a bra. They weren’t torture devices, but that doesn’t make them comfortable. Many women wrote their accounts of wearing them when they were still required. Just like many women now complain about bras
@@fart63 I’m a women and I like wearing my bra as it supports my bosom. My original point was that a corset was just part of a woman’s wardrobe like a modern day bra was, so why do some claim “oh mh gosh it was so oppressive”, when all a corset did was support the bosom.
@@sweethistorteabecause they could be oppressive. all depends at what angle you approach it. like why are free swinging boobs bad? studies actually show boobs, even big ones, do better when it comes to sagging later on without bras. it's also WELL KNOWN that women's fashion, when it comes to many items, were not great for movement, restricting activities. something can also be both oppressive and seen as a necessity for some. like large breasted women feeling like bras are a savior, while those with smaller chests might feel they only have to wear them to avoid being called "inappropriate". things are complicated. our trends are complicated. I'm also guessing corsets could be abused and we all know women's history with weight concerns.
@@RR-on4skhave you ever seen what happens to free swinging b and up sized boobs over 40 years? They lengthen. Down..down..down... and they're heavy. A well fitted bra is super comfy.
I had to wear a medical corset for 4 months after back surgery. I loved it, super comfy!
The actresses who come out with horror stories about the corset they had to wear on set should stoke public concern for the neglect women in Hollywood face, where they aren't even given a properly fitting corset. The problem is usually solved with a correctly fitting corset. We need to stop shaming our progenitors and start pointing the finger at those who run Hollywood who read their actresses so badly.
I only have one corset; and it’s not bad to wear. I love that it forces me to sit up straight. ❤
My leather longline with straps is the most comfortable. Does anyone remember the electric corsets from the turn of the century? I have some ads for them. Now that is the legit OG tens unit 😁
I have a handmade corset that I honestly paid a lot of money for. I absolutely love it! One of the few times my back doesn't hurt.