When
scrabbling about the offsite storage room in the process of cataloging, we here
at the Bossier Parish Library
Historical Center
stumbled across a box marked simply as “Women’s Undergarments.” Upon opening
the box, lo and behold, we discovered many items that were indeed part of that
category. Nightgowns, camisoles,
brassieres, and, last but not least, corsets filled the box. While most of
these objects are still normal parts of women’s daily attire, the corsets were
the items that sparked the most awe and, admittedly, some fear.
While
corsets are not typical parts of a contemporary woman’s wardrobe, they were
necessities for most women, and some men, well up into the early-20th
century for creating a more flattering figure. The typical construction of a
corset is a soft cloth that is stiffened with inserted boning. In the 19th
century, material like elephant, moose, or whale bones were common boning
materials. This particular corset comes from the late-19th century.
It was produced by P.N. Corsets and made with cork steel boning, which was
patented by the company in 1880. To
actually wear this, one would ideally have the help of another. The corset
would wrap about the midsection, fastened in the front, and the laces tightened
and tied in the back (this is where help might have been necessary). This would
create the highly coveted hourglass figure. The lengths one will go for
beauty…
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