Fashion Design Commons^™

Historical Corsets Retrospective 1558-1890, Jacquelyn Marks

Honors Theses

Women and men have worn corsets for centuries, primarily in Europe. Throughout the years, the style of the undergarment changed. A corset was an undergarment that served the purpose of adding warmth or coverage, gave support to the wearer’s body, gave structure to outer garments and created visual appeal. As styles transitioned throughout history, undergarments had to accommodate to the changes. Modesty prioritized the garment’s purpose but the late 1800’s encouraged more attractive corsets. After researching an archive of historical patterns, I selected several corsets that I would create and conduct research for a gallery display in Korhman Hall’s Design …