Time categories and historical evolution



In the range of Victorian-corsets it is particularly not possible to find accurate delimitations because this period would be allowed to embrace 55-65 years. Most appropriate it is described in the lecture 'History of the underwear 1700-1960' which says, that the apparently uniform appearance of fashion may also dissolve after the process of development into short-lived Single-developments from which some became fashion at later times.The different coloured representation below shows three still relevant categories in coloured demarcation. The non gradated periods have rather no more importance, and should be categorized in before or after prevailing categories.

In the following table you will find an overview of the effects, basic cuts and silhouettes of corsets over the decades. A mouse-click on the respective text-link will open a window with commentated illustrations.


1. shaping the body

3. time-categories and historical evolution

1.1 Upperbody

1.1.1 Unterbrust
1.1.2 Halfbust
1.1.3 Overbust

1.2 Hips and bottom

1.2.1 Girdle
1.2.2 Long
1.2.3 Hipsized
1.2.4 Bottomsized

2. Shape types

2.1 Hourglass
2.2 Stemwaist
2.3 Ice-Cone
2.4 Wasp-waist
3.1 1780 Bodice

3.2 1810 Hourglass without boning
3.3 1845 Stay with bust-gussets
3.4 1850 Hourglass with gussets

3.5 1858 Wasp-waist with front-busk-fastening
3.6 1866 Wasp-waist with Bra-gussets, front-fastener and spoon busk
3.7 1878 conical front busk-fastener
3.7 1885 High victorian
3.8 1891 Late victorian

3.9 1898 Late victorian - overbust with strapes
3.10 1900 Straight-Front
3.11 1902 S-Line

3.12 1908 S-Line - stretched (slender bottom)

3.13 1918 Waist-hip-girdle