fiftysevenacademics:

professorsparklepants:

newtscamanderismyspiritanimal:

queenofthemorgue:

Could I PLEASE stop seeing period dramas where women aren’t wearing chemises under their corsets

Also to add- corsets were not because of “patriarchical oppression”. In most cases it was how you held up and supported your boobs with the benefit of shaping your figure at the same time. Just like a bra today. I hate it when some actresses refuse to wear corsets for a role that ABSOLUTELY WOULD HAVE WORN ONE because they’re trying to express their feminism. Like, I get it, it’s 100% okay to express your feminism but for goodness sakes do some historical research about what it actually was before making assumptions

Also, also, please no more “I can’t get into my corset without help” because that’s nonsense. I’m sure there were a lot of rich ladies who were laced in every day but a lot of other women managed to put on corsets themselves just fine. There was a study done in the 1887 about how women laced their corsets and the majority of them didn’t lace it so tightly they couldn’t breathe. In fact most women laced it to a comfortable place, with a 3 to 4 inch gap at the back.

There are so many myths about corsets and I’m passionate about accurate depictions of historical clothing

Tightlacing a corset and just wearing one to support your boobs are two different things!!!!

I made these gifs from a couple of short films made by Eadweard Muybridge circa 1872-1885 (link goes to my original post, which includes links to the videos themselves which are better of course than the gifs) because they clearly show how women put on a corset, as well as how much space (2-4″) was left in the back. It’s also obvious that it’s not excessively tight, nor does it overly constrict her waist or torso. They also show the correct underpinnings for the time period.

My mom’s worn corsets for ren fair costumes a couple of times, and I’ve tried hers on. I don’t think I’d want to work out in one, but you can breathe in one. You just can’t take a really deep breath. They’re not that uncomfortable, either, I’ve worn bras that are worse. Heck, if I had big boobs, it’d probably be an improvement on nudity to have that much support.