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The corset had its beginnings at the end of the fifteenth century with the "boned body" bodice. Through the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth century, the corset, when worn at all, was chiefly used to control the upper body and waist. By the beginning of the nineteenth century the corset had elongated, encompassing the hips as well. The shape changed from the previous century's conical shape that made little allowance for the bust, thus forcing it upward, to a more rounded shape like an hourglass. The basic shape remained much the same for the Victorian period of 1837 until 1900, though there were constant variations and refinements. After 1900, during the Edwardian period, the "straight-fronted S-curve" corset was fashionable.
Early in the nineteenth century, the bust and hip areas of the corset were fit by slashing a flat piece of fabric and inserting gores. In 1840 a new corset was introduced that did away with gores entirely. This corset was made of between seven and thirteen separately shaped pieces of fabric. Both types of corsets, with bust gores and without, were popular all through the Victorian period. The corset of the 1840's was long in the hips. It shortened in the 1850's and 60's. The corset lengthened again in 1870 and stayed long.
Early corsets used whalebone for boning though reed, cording, cane and horn were also used. Steel bones were used in corsets from 1810. Lightly boned or corded corsets were worn by the very young, infirm, or those engaged in heavy work. The very fashionable woman would wear a heavily boned corset, laced as tightly as she could muster. Metal eyelets were invented in 1828, or eyelets were worked by hand. The front fastening busk was invented in 1829 and was popularized by the Great Exhibition of 1851. Previous to 1870 most corsets were made at home, though ready-made corsets were available from 1830. After 1870 manufactured corsets were widely advertised. Sewing machines were invented in 1847 but were not in common use in the home previous to about 1860. Elastic was invented in 1840. Please note that Victorian corsets came up to the bust point. Underbust corsets, also called "waist cinchers" were made after our era and do not provide the same silhouette.
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