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2. Look C
- Description:
- By the late 1830s women’s dresses featured boned corsage fitted close to the body, a style of corseting that would continue into the coming decades. Gentlemen in the 1840s saw it as a mark of their social status that their wives “should do nothing at all.” This is reflected through the restrictive nature of bodices and corsets from this period. In addition to the boned structure of bodices and corsets, layers and layers of petticoats were worn to achieve full skirts. The wide, scooped neckline of this dress emphasizes diminutive, sloped shoulders, a desirable look in the 1830s-1840s.
- Attribution:
- Unknown
- Date:
- 1840
3. Look F
- Description:
- This two-piece dress from 1875 has its own corset, which is displayed separately (Look G). In order to achieve the tiny waist while matching the pointed shape of the bodice, this corset was constructed as a perfect match for the outerwear. Skirt volume is concentrated in the backside, which requires a bustle. The bustle is an architectural undergarment that was popularized in the late 1860s and early 1870s and became necessary to support increasing amounts of fabric used to create fullness along the backside of the body. The slender, tightly fitted bodice and sleek curve of the skirt of this time were intended to show off the voluptuous curves of the body, especially the rear end. From 1870-1878 the full bustle, cascade, or waterfall bustles were popular. Crinolines were made with a pillow-like pouch or stiffed ruffles at the back to create this intense visual volume. The bustle fell out of fashion in the late 1870s, but emphasis remained on the skirt back.
- Attribution:
- Unknown
- Date:
- 1875
4. Look G
- Description:
- This corset is a custom piece which was worn under Look F. In order to achieve the tiny waist while matching the pointed shape of the bodice, this corset was constructed as a perfect match for the outerwear.
- Attribution:
- Unknown
- Date:
- 1875
5. Look H
- Description:
- The 1880s saw a dramatic return of the bustle; however, this time the bustle took on new form. Mid-1880s bustles protruded horizontally from the small of the back. Unlike the pillow-like bustle forms used in the 1870s, metal cage bustles were touted as lightweight and therefore easier on the wearer’s back and were also collapsible. This dress, on loan from the Seward House Museum, was constructed with a built-in bustle. Stiffly boned bodices and sturdy metal, shelf-like, collapsible bustles are typical in late 1880s fashion.
- Attribution:
- Unknown
- Date:
- 1882
6. Lace Camisole
- Description:
- This brassiere is made of three bands of ivory machine filet lace with hook and eye closures in the back. The inside view reveals a pink diamond reinforcing the panel in the middle, across the diaphragm. Across the bottom of the camisole there are two elastic tabs with metal hooks to further tighten the waist. This piece was designed by Gossard Lounger Iyne Brassieres and with the commercial closures by Gossard. The wide twill tape straps are not original and much have been replaced.
- Attribution:
- Gossard Lounger Lyne Brassieres
- Date:
- ca. 1905-1919
7. Stay
- Description:
- This entirely hand stitched corset is made from coarse cellulose fiber over a whalebone structure. With a shallow V in front, short tabs all around, and hand finished eyelets that are long gone. Notice that there are no straps and the linen lining is crudely stitched over front and back. Behind the design is a more interesting tale. The story goes that during the 16th Century, after a battle in Scotland, three siblings from the Argyll clan fled to Ireland in fear of their lives. Family lore says that Martha, one of the siblings, stitched a lining into her corset to stow family gold and jewels. However, further analysis has revealed that this garment was likely constructed at the end of the 18th Century.
- Attribution:
- Unknown
- Date:
- 1769
8. Waist Cincher
- Description:
- The front open view of this tan waist cincher with chord lace-up closure shows a unique corset construction.
- Attribution:
- Unknown
- Date:
- Unknown
9. Black Corset
- Description:
- Displayed here is the inside of an 1870s corset designed by Pansy Corset Co. This black boned corset features front hook closures and black string that would tighten at the back. The sheer black cotton, made from a batiste material, compliments the black lace and ribbon trimming. On one of the many boning structures, you can read Mrs. Edwin Cottrell's name written in fading script.
- Attribution:
- Pansy Corset Co.
- Date:
- 1876
10. Look I
- Description:
- In the 1890s the ideal woman was tall and slender, and her body would eventually transition to an ‘S’ curve silhouette (larger protruding bust, small waist, and slight emphasis on the backside). The lightly puffed sleeves of previous decades were transformed into large, voluminous sleeves that brought emphasis to the shoulders. Sleeves reached their peak size in 1895, the same year of Look I. This dress was worn by Mrs. Romyn Hitchcock when she and her husband, a world-famous entomologist, were presented in the Court of the Emperor Meiji Tenno of Japan in 1895. In the backdrop photo, Mrs. Hitchcock is seated with her King Charles Cavalier Spaniel.
- Attribution:
- Unknown
- Date:
- 1895
11. Look L
- Description:
- By 1910, the ‘S’ curve gave way to the narrow sheath dress with a higher, empire-style waistline. A more free-form silhouette came into fashion and the ideal body consisted of slender hips and a more girlish lower body. In 1913 another major fashion change came about: collars were no longer up to the ears and the V-neck became popular, causing a great deal of excitement as more skin of the upper chest was exposed. Keeping with the trend of lavish spending, labor intensive ornamentation characterized of this period. The hand beadwork and exquisite detailing on this 1914 court dress of cut velvet and chiffon is a wonderful example of the physical embodiment of prosperity and wealth.
- Attribution:
- Unknown
- Date:
- 1914
12. Look O
- Description:
- By the end of the 1920s hemlines plummeted and curves began a subtle comeback as the 1930s saw bias-cut, creatively seamed dresses hug the body’s silhouette. Fashions of the time revealed the shoulders, exposed the back, and skimmed the body in narrow sheath dresses that showed off the curves beneath. Height also became newly desirable. This dress was designed by prominent French fashion designer Edmond Courtot.
- Attribution:
- Edmond Courtot
- Date:
- ca. 1931-1932
13. Look Q
- Description:
- After the war the United States saw a nation-wide return to “traditional” gender roles and family values, which resulted in the baby boom. Post-war women’s fashion was influenced by Dior’s 1947 “New Look.” The tiny waist of yesteryear returned to fashion, emphasized by voluminous skirts with longer hems and a dramatic bust that played up the hourglass figure. Advertisements of the time even pushed weight-gain supplements to help women “fill out” their figures. The red suit shown here was worn by the donor to her daughter’s wedding in November of 1951.
- Date:
- 1951
14. Look T
- Description:
- The power of the press in fashion was greatly undermined in the 1970s. No longer could a designer—or the press—declare a style popular, like Dior had done with the “New Look.” The public would make their own decisions. While the fashion press pushed for the midi skirt in the early 1970s, the mini skirt remained in fashion. Hot pants also came into fashion during this time, while maxi skirts gained some popularity in the late 1970s. With women’s liberation and second-wave feminism, alongside implementation of Title IX and greater inclusion of women in sports, women’s fashion in the ‘70s saw increased affinity for health and fitness. The long, lean figure remained desirable, but now included the addition of toned muscle. Women’s manipulation of their bodies shifted from external controls, such as corsetry and girdles, to internal controls, such as diet and exercise, and allowed for revelation of bare midriffs and legs.
- Date:
- ca. 1970
15. Look V
- Description:
- The fitness craze of the late ‘70s became even stronger in the ‘80s with the explosion of aerobics. High-cut leotards emphasized the length of the leg, a key aesthetic component of the ideal ‘80s figure. The thong leotard was highly popular, showing off toned gluteus muscles. With the growing popularity of exercise, control of body shape continued to revolve around diet and exercise.
- Date:
- ca. 1980s
16. Look B
- Description:
- Once Empire waistline dropped to the natural waist, the ideal waist size inevitably became smaller and smaller. The corset therefore came back into fashion as an important, if not critical, undergarment—even for young girls. As waistlines shrunk, skirts grew larger, which further emphasized the tiny waist through contrasting proportions. The child’s corset displayed here is dated between 1825 and 1835.
- Attribution:
- Unknown
- Date:
- ca. 1825-1835
17. Look D
- Description:
- The ensemble shown here is meant to be worn with a hoopskirt. The silhouette of this time period largely depended upon the shape of the hoopskirt: in the 1850s it was symmetrically round and grew larger and larger. Eventually the cage crinolines became flatter in the front and fuller in the back. The cage crinoline featured here is not perfectly circular and some of the fullness has shifted to the back.
- Attribution:
- Unknown
- Date:
- 1863
18. Look E
- Description:
- The hoopskirt, also known as a cage crinoline underskirt, was introduced to the world of women’s fashion in the 1850s. The steel-hooped cage crinoline was patented by R.C. Milliet in 1856. Though this style of undergarment may appear cumbersome to us today, scholars argue that it was actually an “instrument of liberation” for women of the time because it was much more lightweight and therefore less restrictive of movement as compared to the layers and layers of petticoats that were previously worn.
- Attribution:
- Unknown
- Date:
- ca. 1850-1865
19. Corset
- Description:
- This tan corset appears to be wired with hook closure in the back. The piece is adorned with pink laces in front and tan lace trim at the top.
- Attribution:
- Unknown
- Date:
- Unknown
20. Look J
- Description:
- During the period between the turn of the century and the beginning of World War I, Americans and Europeans were spending increasingly amounts of money on clothing and accessories. The ideal female figure at this time featured a small waist, modest skirt, and larger chest that was sometimes called a “pigeon breast.” This dress is another of Mrs. Romyn Hitchcock’s, worn when she and her husband were presented in the Court of St. James, London. Corsets of the time pushed the bosom up and forward, while shifting the hips back in an attempt to prevent downward pressure on the abdomen. This corsetry gave the body a dramatic and voluptuous ‘S’ curve. The “Gibson Girl” look was the ideal of the day in the early 1900s, and often included a shirtwaist blouse that elongated the neck with high-boned collars and lightweight fabrics that puffed out from the small waist of a tailored skirt.
- Attribution:
- Unknown
- Date:
- 1903
21. Look M
- Description:
- By 1919, the slender silhouette evolved into a completely tubular “barrel” line. The waistline of dresses dropped to the hips and in some cases completely disappeared. By 1925 short skirts revolutionized and scandalized by revealing women’s calves. The shortened hemlines were widely denounced and even punishable in some places. The new ideal body ideal was more androgynous than ever before. The desire for a curvy body was gone and boyishness was the new craze. The streamlined, petite, flat-chested figure became the look of the day. This dress was purchased at the Lucile Ltd. salon in Paris, one of the outposts of Lady Duff Gordon’s international fashion enterprise.
- Date:
- ca. 1924-1927
22. Look N (Maternity Girdle & Bust Flattener)
- Description:
- In the 1920s, women began to wear bust flatteners, like one shown here, to form their bodies to the boyish tubular silhouette that was considered ideal at the time. Corsalets, which combined the brassiere and girdle, were popular foundation garments used to flatten the abdomen and hips into a smooth, almost imperceptible curve. The girdle featured here was designed for a pregnant woman and is adjustable to accommodate the changing body. Maternity corsets of the 19th century and maternity girdles of the 1920s onward were less tightly laced but still shaped women’s bodies and minimized the appearance of pregnancy.
- Attribution:
- Unknown
- Date:
- ca. 1920s-1930s, 1920s
23. Look S
- Description:
- In the 1960s, the fashion model Twiggy introduced and inspired a new silhouette: the thin and boyish figure. Long skinny limbs and narrow hips came into style. In contrast to the weight-gain supplements of the 1950s, a record number of amphetamines were prescribed for weight loss in the ‘60s. With the post-war baby boom, the mid-late 1960s became a youthful era, which saw bright colors, psychedelic prints, and the introduction of the miniskirt. The miniskirt was possible because of technological advances in synthetic fibers (particularly nylon) and knit manufacturing processes, resulting in the invention of pantyhose, which were originally patented as “combination stockings and panty” in 1956. Previously, garter belts were used to hold up over-the-knee stockings, but would have been visible on the mid-thigh. Pantyhose covered the entire leg all the way up to the waist, and therefore made the mini-skirt possible. The vinyl dress shown here is characteristic of the “mod” look of the time.
- Date:
- ca. 1964-1967
24. Look U
- Description:
- The fitness craze of the late ‘70s became even stronger in the ‘80s with the explosion of aerobics. High-cut leotards emphasized the length of the leg, a key aesthetic component of the ideal ‘80s figure. The thong leotard was highly popular, showing off toned gluteus muscles. With the growing popularity of exercise, control of body shape continued to revolve around diet and exercise.
- Date:
- ca. 1980s
25. Look W
- Description:
- The toned ‘80s babe gave way to the waifish, “Heroin chic” supermodels of the early ‘90s. Miniskirts and jeans were widely popular, showing off slim legs. Camisole tops emphasized slender shoulders. Thin was in: the ideal female figure was small and slim-framed.
- Date:
- ca.1990s
26. Look X
- Description:
- Pant-rise reached an all-time low in the early 2000s. The low-rise jean sat on slender hips and showed off toned abs and sometimes the top of a thong on the backside, while tight baby Ts emphasized breasts. The Juicy Couture tracksuit was a fashion staple of the early 2000s. Celebrities and everyday youth alike donned the low-rise velour sweats and zip up hoodies, showing off flat stomachs, toned behinds, and perky breasts. In the world of undergarments, Spanx were introduced in 2000, once again bringing an element of external control to the body.
- Attribution:
- Juicy Couture
- Date:
- ca. 2005-2006
27. Look Y (Waist Trainer)
- Description:
- The Kardashian-Jenner family has become a major influence in the world of fashion, especially in terms of female body ideals. With the increased prevalence of cosmetic surgery and widespread Photoshopping of models and celebrities, body ideals have become more unrealistic than ever. Therefore, it is not all that surprising that a new form of corsetry has come into fashion: the waist trainer. Look X includes a waist trainer and butt lifter from Waist Gang Society, the brand endorsed by the Kardashian-Jenner family. The company claims the waist trainer “helps you lose those extra inches, and provides abdominal support. This reshaper may reduce the appearance of your waist up to 2 sizes and straightens your torso and back for great posture instantly. This garment helps you lose those few inches at the waist that just won’t go away with exercise or diets.”
- Attribution:
- Angel Curves
- Date:
- 2017
28. Look Y (Butt Lifter)
- Description:
- The butt lifter comes with instructions to “wear it daily for 6 hours minimum or sleep in it nightly. It will enhance your buttocks naturally!”
- Attribution:
- Waist Gang Society
- Date:
- 2017
29. Look Z
- Description:
- Today fitness continues to impact ideals of the female body: just look at the 2017 Victoria’s Secret Angels, pictured on the backdrop. Victoria’s Secret started their “Angels” line two decades ago with commercials featuring high profile models. Over the past 20 years the Victoria’s Secret Angels have become a symbol of the ideal female body. While they have always been tall and slim women, it wasn’t until this decade that the models started showing muscle definition. Magazines and fashion news sources encouraged this trend by asking the models for details of their workout routines. In 2017, Victoria’s Secret started their Victoria Sport line, of which this ensemble is part. Now, a toned figure with a slim waist and ample buttocks appear to be the ideal female form.
- Attribution:
- Victoria's Secret
- Date:
- 2017