In this classic book, Norah Waugh explores the changing shapes of women's dress from the 1500s to the 1920s. Simple laced bodices became corsets of cane, whalebone and steel, while padding at shoulders and hips gave way to the structures of farthingales, hoops and bustles.
Corsets and Crinolines explains the cyclical nature of these fashions, and how waists and skirts changed shape and size through three distinct eras:
Each section describes how these garments originated, how they became popular and how they emerged as central to the fashions of the time. Extracts from diaries, journals, poems and newspapers, as well as over 100 illustrations, demonstrate the variety of these ubiquitous items of clothing throughout modern history.
Corsets and Crinolines also contains a wealth of practical notes and resources for today's costume makers and designers, including: