No other garment in Western history has assumed such political, social, and sexual significance. What is it about the corset? A mere undergarment, designed to enhance the female figure, has become an icon of all that fascinates about the ambiguous sexual codes of the Victorian era. Was wearing corsets primarily about sexual empowerment or restrictive chastisement? Could the corset explain common female maladies of the Victorian era, from fainting fits to miscarriage? How great was the suffering, for how small a waist?
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![]() | Fashion | Page 1 | ![]() | Charles Frederick Worth | ![]() | Court Fashion | ![]() | Fashion Plates |
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Victorian Age Fashion Galleries | |||||||
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