Senin, 28 Mei 2012

The great corset comeback... and it could all be down to the economic squeeze

The great corset comeback... and it could all be down to the economic squeeze

By Laura Powell

PUBLISHED: 19:04 EST, 26 May 2012 | UPDATED: 17:05 EST, 28 May 2012


In these straitened financial times, we are all having to tighten our belts â€" but millions of British women seem to be taking that metaphor literally.

As the economy is being squeezed, sales of corsets are soaring and â€" unlikely as it may seem â€" the two facts could be related.

One-pieces such as corsets, basques and babydolls are seen as better value for money than separate bras and panties â€" and as going out becomes too expensive for cash-strapped couples, women want to look their best for intimate nights in.

Changing shape of corsets: Vivien Leigh is strapped into lingerie in Gone with the Wind

Changing shape of corsets: Vivien Leigh is strapped into lingerie in Gone with the Wind

‘Lingerie buying habits tend to change during a recession,’ says Lotte Debell, editor of Lingerie Buyer magazine. ‘Women buy fewer pieces and want to get more wear out of them, but at the same time they may look for sexier products to spice up evenings at home.’

A more comfortable MarksSpencer one piece item from the shop's range

A more comfortable MarksSpencer one piece item from the shop's range

The boutique What Katie Did has recorded a 35 per cent rise in corset sales over the past year, eBay has reported a massive 826 per cent rise in its trade in basques, while Marks Spencer sells one item from its new corset-inspired Waist Sculpt lingerie line every three minutes.

The boom is also linked to the success of the Mad Men TV series, set in the Fifties when the ‘hourglass’ figure was the height of fashion, as well as to the raunchy stage outfits of today’s pop stars.

‘We have seen an increase in the popularity of corsets,’ says Nicky Clayton of Rigby Peller, the Queen’s brassiere-maker.

‘This is due to  fashion trends such as “underwear as outwear” and celebrities such as Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Jessie J making them popular again.’

Rowan Pelling, former editor of Erotic Review, adds: ‘Mad Men has  led to a stampede for corsets. It hasn’t been a fashionable look, but now the women with waists and busts are striking back.’

Burlesque dancer Immodesty Blaize agreed, saying: ‘We’re now seeing a celebration of the womanly shape. There’s a noticeable shift in the mindset from just aiming to be as thin  as possible to dressing well for the natural shape we have.’

That said, corsets can reduce the waist by between 2in and 4in. Soozie Jenkinson, head of lingerie design at Marks Spencer, said: ‘Mad Men was the big kick-off, but women are generally getting bigger and are losing their curves as they do. Corsets help women get that look back.’

Sixty years ago, women had an average 27in waist and 39in hips â€" now it is 34in and 40in, marking a shift from hourglass to pear-shaped figures. But the corset comeback is also partly fuelled by the increased comfort of modern lingerie.

Instead of the whalebone originals, held in place by laces pulled tightly from behind, modern designs tend to use less restrictiv e materials and can be fastened like bras.

Enlarge   corset


 

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I have to say I have noticed a definite turn towards curvier, less lean figures in the last couple of years (not as a eupemism for 'fat'!). In the 90s and early 2000s it was fashionable to be seriously thin, but now it seems to be becoming more and more desirable to be a healthier, more average size. Still slim, yes, but not emaciated. I think that is why this corset/shapewear thing is taking off, women are looking to have curves, not lines. You only have to look at the coverage women like Kim Kardashian and Kelly Brook are getting to see that people are starting to appreciate womanly figures again.

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The reason women 60 years ago had smaller waists was because they wore girdles, and among the richer people, corsets. A proper woman never went outside without her girdle, never got measured without it either because custom made clothing was made to fit over their girdle, etc. Girdles suck in between 2-4 inches also, so the average natural waist would have been 30-31. Considering we're actually two to three inches taller on average than back then, the proportions remain about the same.

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I sometimes wear a proper corset as a bit of a “figure fixer” for special occasions, they are not the easiest thing to wear and take a bit of getting used to, but the benefits far outweigh any discomfort. I usually reduce my waist by 3-4 inches, sometimes more, depending on what I’m wearing and how tight my husband has pulled the laces before I stop him! I can usually survive 5-6 hours laced quite tightly, but any longer gets uncomfortable. I’m an occasional corset wearer, I’m not into waist training or anything like that. I imagine wearing a corset more often would make it easier, but I prefer to keep mine for special occasions.

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As I recall, with the Twiggy look years ago, women couldn't even find a support panty. Now with the piggy look, corsets are back in style. Let's be honest, there are more fat women who need "support" these days.

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I think this craze comes from Mad Men inspired vintage fashions and from the new Spanx popularity in our culture, not from any kind of economic thing. I love the shapewear-type corset shown.

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Hmmm...as tight as things are in the current economic climate, I'm sure that's one thing the hubby would be happy to help out with. Shame they're not comfortable for us ladies...

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It is because people are getting fatter... - Rach, Shetland, 27/5/2012 06:12 that was my inital thought!

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I don't know what women with kids and/or commitments that has time to tie up a proper corset at 8:45 in the morning

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Bring on the back fat!!

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Are you kidding? Proper corsets cost over £100, and they can't be worn for an entire day - not comfortably anyway!

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