Bit wary of hearing strangers' comments on my underwear. I'm gonna leave them on for now, but please just be extra kind and thoughtful when leaving a comment.
Oh my goodness THANK YOU. The amount of “historical” tiktoks I’ve seen of people using corsets on bare skin and tight lacing until they can barely breathe is insane. Then they’re like “wow I can’t believe women lived like this” like no they didn’t 😭
Facts. I don't wear one however I do work in theatre. I often help women dress/undress because it takes longer for women than men to dress. Anyways those "historical" videos always piss me off by how wrong they are. Wrong... just wrong. Tho they are fairly popular with most of the theatre women. However they are often coupled with hoopskirts and I've never heard any of them sing the praises of a hoopskirt.
I understood that there was a period and a social group that engaged in extreme tightlacing, but they were a very small fraction of overall corset-wearers even at the height of it.
@@pyritefoolsgold3521 I think this is a case of the 80/20 rule. a small percentage is getting most of the attention because it's an extreme condition rather than the 80% who wear it in a way that is not provoking
my Dad wore a corset every day for best part of two years. Sounds like the hook line for a kinky story but actually he broke his back and was extremely fortunate the break went this way instead of that way, else he would have been paralysed. After a few months he was back at his labouring job and the corset got him through 8 to 10 hour work days.
i have mild scoliosis and constant back pain from posture, and this video is very interesting to me because of that. never heard of male corsets though (i am male) beyond medical back braces (which i am a candidate for, but a proper corset could potentially be more stylish lol)
@@sircalvin hey! I also have scoliosis and i find a corset very helpful - moreso than my brace because a corset has more length in it. Because of how my spine curves, my back brace cuts into me on one side. The corset is longer which means it ends higher up my back where the curve is less intense. They're quite comfortable, and if people comment on them you can just say it's a brace.
@sircalvin so apparently, men wearing corsets isn't unheard of. It wasn't as common as women's corsets, but they were a thing. Most of the time they were worn discreetly rather than as a fashion accessory, but there is at least one period of time where clothiers did make corsets designed specifically for men. What I'm saying here is that it's time for you to go through an 18th/19th century clothes arc.
I wear a corset quite a bit as far as historical dress. Everything you said is spot on. I wear an over the hip and underbrust too. People don’t realize working women wore corsets, and they provided back support. They provided core insulation and warmth too.
Yes, the warmth! I used to have a sort of burlesque-style black corset that I wore to be a goth girl, and it made me so warm I had to take off my velevet jacket while walking about an European city in the middle of winter.
@@rickwilliams967 So you just watched the video explaining how it is not destroying your body and how it has other uses then just looks and you comment this? Ignorance is showing!
The back support was an interesting point - when we lift weights in the gym it's common to use those large belts around your waist, which is basically the same principle.
I know an employee of mine that benefited from trying one as her job was installing servers weighing like 15kg's a piece into racks. Then again I think the boning was helpful here too as she had a bad habit of lifting with her back excessively. Thus it was probably useful as if you physically can't bend over and grab them that way you are forced to squat down and use your legs which wont be damaged by the repetitive movement, I mean walking is a thing those evolved for so repetitive strain is the norm for them.
Guys at the distribution centre of the newspaper company I worked for used to wear similar belts as they were handling hundreds of bundles of papers ready for the delivery vans
My grandmother, born 1908, wore a corset every day of her adult life. When she went into the nursing home it caused considerable problems because they had no experience with corsets. Taken away from her, it caused considerable discomfort and imbalance. The nursing home learned how to measure for, order, and 'install' corsets.
@@centralintelligenceagency9003 not really, it helps when they are already on the weaker side form age or other issue, but you wont lose it from wearing, if anything, it makes them stronger as most action will meet much more resistance. of course, you probably also will change the way you move, to avoid that extra resistance, which is technically force you to lift properly, instead of the injury causing way, so it helps even with that.
@@thorin1045 That is not how any of that works. Bracing causes less load on the braced muscles, which in turn causes their weakening in the long term. Yes, you might strengthen other muscle groups to compensate, but that's called muscle imbalance and is maladaptive.
I'm male and have no intention of ever wearing a corset. But love design, engineering and history (especially the history of normal everyday people). So this was soooo interesting! And the fact that it supports your back never even crossed my mind. Thanks once again for the education.
There were corsets for men! This is actually where a lot of the misinformation about corsets comes from. Women used corsets much as we use bras, mostly to support the bust and back. The men who wore them tended to use them to hold in the beer gut. Hence, it was hella uncomfortable for men, and they made the assumption from their own experience that women's experience was the same.
As a male motorcyclist, I do not wear a corset but I completely confirm all you said. It's almost impossible to ride for long journeys without wearing a supportive elastic band around your belly, contructed exactly with the same purpose and function as a corset (but for the fact you close it with velcro and the "ribs" are made of teflon). The waist band keeps you in the proper position, don't let you slouch, protects your back from excessive strain, holds your bowels and makes riding for long journeys more comfortable. When you have arrived you remove it of course, but this aside it is a corset. Therefore, I deny it is an instrument of the patriarchy: it's just an object made for a very sensible purpose.
I grew up when the mini-skirt first came out (1960's). Round about 1971, I remember a newspaper article where a doctor pointed out that the mini-skirt had been good for women's backs because it forced them to bend from the hips and knees when they went to pick things up, instead of bending from the waist. This is similar to what the corset is forcing you to do. (I do remember my mother and grandmother doing the waist-bend to pick stuff up in their knee length skirts as they complained about my minis, lol.) As someone who's dabbled in historical costuming, I'd say your points were spot on.
a bit late to the party, but speaking of, depending on how flexible your hips are and the exact style of corset you're wearing, you might are in fact, be capable of of touching your toes and putting on shoes easily while in a corset even if you waist cannot bend.
Another situation example for "It is kind of inconvenient in modern life": having to take off your corset at metal-detector body scanners... I'll never wear historical fashion again when I have an appointment at an embassy.
Re. helping with backache: no, it's absolutely not just you. I worked at two historical museums. One had the budget to put us in 1770s-era stays; the other, set in the 1830s, had a much more modest budget and did their best with affording accurate gowns and petticoats, but couldn't afford corsets for us. Despite having been taught the misguided corsets-as-torture-devices myth, I found myself *wishing* I had a corset becuase of the combined weight of all the other garmets (especially the corded petticoat and canvas fire-repellent apron, which a woman would often have worn all or most of the day.) My back muscles were really tired and sore after a day in that. In contrast, wearing a set of stays under my clothes (for the uninitiated, "stays" were an earlier word for "corset") felt *much* better than wearing my clothes without them, especially because I had a bunch of petticoats that tied at the waist, which without the stays somehow managed to feel bulgy and gross and too tight and not tight enough, all at the same time. What drove me nuts, if anything, was the length of the skirts (namely, having to lift them up with your hands whenever you go upstairs or through water or step over anything), not the stays themselves. (It vexed me to the point where I wrote an entire poem about how much I hated my petticoat, which I titled "The Tomboy's Lament.") TL;DR, pre-20th century women's clothes do restrict your movement, but it's the length of the skirts, not the undergarments.
The skirt length thing is why so many working women (outside of domestic service) had shorter skirts. Skirts being an inch or two above the ankle really helps with movement.
Did the men have to dress in period-appropriate clothing too? I now wonder what their experience was like. Must've been fire, since men's fashion has only been going downhill ever since the Victorian era
@@adorabell4253 Those couple of inches up or down from the ankle make so much difference! I wear long skirts daily as a matter of preference. I feel very comfortable in anything from mid calf to just above the ankle. That's quite a spread of lengths, but they feel pretty much the same (except in the depths of winter when the wind picks up). But that inch going from above the ankle to below it means I'm constantly having to pick up my skirt. I live in Canada and you see a lot of historical cases of nuns getting dispensations to shorten their habits by those few crucial inches when working in areas with less infrastructure.
Fun fact: the photo of a woman tight laced is almost certainly retouched. Light clothes on plain/dark backgrounds (or vice versa) were often scraped and painted to reduce the waist even more. This was common practice in the Early 1900s to give that Gibson Girl fashion illustration look. So while she was likely tight -laced, she was also likely not that small even tight laced.
Karolina Zebrowski, who has a channel devoted to fashion history, often goes ballistic about people who day their corset was harmful. I'm sure she would like this video.
I watch a number of historical dress channels - Bernadette Banner and Snappydragon both have scoliosis of the spine (I think I'm right) and wear corsets daily/often to support the spine. Nicole Rudolph and Abby Cox both used to work at an American 'living museum' and wore corsets Every.Single.Day, doing everything wearing them. All these ladies wax lyrical on the mess of how corsets are depicted in media, on some CZcams channels, and in kink media. They point our that it was essential that corsets were practical and that you could do a full day of manual hard labour wearing them, and explain how women managed life in the costume available to them. Much of what we see in depictions, is rubbish and life was much more interesting that that. Tight lacing was NOT a thing - the optical effect of a tiny waist was usually achieved by padding hips, bum and bust. Many of those tiny waist photos you see were actually achieved by the equivalent of Photoshop! Anyone with a potentially 16" waist (and it does happen) will have NO hips and NO bust, and will more or less look like a cylinder. As for sitting down in a corset, yes you can, and it can be comfortable if not exactly relaxing - but You Can NOT Slouch. You have to sit erect- and that will usually be better for any back pain than slouching anyway. It probably would not be comfortable on the kind of soft cushioning of modern seating though. If sitting, choose a firmer chair with good back support that allows you to lean almost upright, I think.
@@Maraaha55 you forgot about prior attire. They're all about fashion through history and even have lots of men's fashions And Enchanted rose costumes, (even though creators like her and Lady Rebecca, Angela Clayton and Hazel {French cosplayer made a historically accurate Rocco 'fit, complete with hidden space in the wig} they're more like historical fantasy fashion
Well they certainly CAN be harmful. For instance Bernadette Banner is skinny as a rail because she always hated feeling full as a kid in her back support and she still eats tiny meals..with not enough calories. And the wrong shape of corset can dig into you like on the movie sets where they take a size 2 actress and try to give her a tiny waist, they don't have any fat to shift so they get no breath and their muscle is moved in a bad way. Then they waist around all day in it. I wore a balinese wrap , part of a wedding costume for a dance and I could barely breathe and that didn't have any metal parts. You can most certainly be pressed into breathlessness as lungs need to be able to expand. If you get any support it presses in, and any restriction from full belly breathing will be bad for your health, breathing deeply and not to high is good for your digestion and to give you calming signals. You can get quite enough breathe on a day to day basic breathing up high but that can make you anxious.
@@Iflie Surely it’s not the corset’s fault if someone doesn’t have sense enough to eat right. Nor can a corset be blamed because some woman tries to wear a corset that is much too small for her.
@@CCoburn3 It was a medical corset perfectly designed for her child body and it did it's work perfectly, but it did give her an eating disorder in my eyes. You can say don't blame the tool but people should know about it. They put kids in corsets all the time too, fashionable upperclass ladies were meant to be delicate with eating and if you are always in one when you are still growing of course you are both used to it and your body will form somewhat around it. I think that explains the extra small examples that survived with a small waist. That girl would have been wearing a corset to shape her since she was 11 or younger. Though of course by far most women were to active to lace the corset anywhere near that tight, they had laundry to beat and cows to milk.
I wear a similar corset reasonably often. Its great for my back but also if I am experiencing anxiety. The sensation of “a firm hug” is very reassuring. Interesting to listen to your insights, ideas and experiences, thank you.
Physiotherapist here - it helps with any lumbal backproblem to do with bad muskuar stability of the region or hypermobilty troubles like sliding vertebrae. Not many people accept it, but most people I knew who tried it reported considerable advantages. Counterpoint - if worn regularly, the assistance the corset provides leads to even less trained rump musculature and tends to make the need for a corset permanent. In Rehab its commonly only used as a situational crutch, and patients are warned to take it off as much as possible AND execise lumbal stability for that reason.
Thank you. Probably the most balanced review of corset wearing I’ve ever heard. Your points were clear, informative and no soap boxes in sight. Love your channel and style of delivery.
Everyday corset-wearers unite! I was very excited to see you had posted this, and it’s neat that we seem to have much the same experience. I’ve been saving up to get a historical corset, partially because I want a good overbust, but it’s nice to see someone else thriving in an off the rack. (I always, always forget to put on my shoes before my corset soooo I’ve discovered if I lean against something and pull my foot up to my hip level, that works for me.)
my core strength is rubbish due to illness. My corset helps so much . Sitting for any length of time without a corset is painful. Wearing a short corset means I can go out in my wheelchair. For me a corset gives me some freedom and I independence.
@@Chewy427 honestly, in my experience - a corset feels quite comfortable, a bit like a nice hug! Helps with my back issues a lot, even when sitting at a desk all day!
It is interesting to see the problems faced by corset wearing in the non-corset wearing world today as opposed to the benefits of wearing a corset when everyone was. Fascinating video.
I wear a corset almost every day and sit always. I’m a paraplegic so I don’t have a choice. If you understand levels, where the vertebrae are located, my level of injury is at T-4, so just sitting without a corset I show a bit of a Buddha belly as I have very limited control of my trunk muscles and I tend to slouch a bit. But with a corset I sit up straight and no Buddha belly. I do wear a shorter corset though, as I tried a regular length corset and as you already know, my boobs wound up getting shoved into my chin. It’s funny the first time, as long as you’re not in a hurry, but outside of that it’s just annoying. So for me it helps with back support and gives my body a more feminine appearance. And one last thing, pants and jeans; go with a high rise waist, it works for me anyway.
Ah man! I show a Buddha belly by default. I try to find shirts that look ambiguously unmoved in a sitting position, or wear a cardigan so I can cover my shame. Where'd you get your corset?? I've tried Amazon but I'm starting to think they're all shams after 2 busts, pun Not intended
@@explodingplant2 i got mine at corset story, in the video she also named a few places to get off the rack corsets, just look up corsets and make sure you have a site specializing in corsetry
Length can make such a difference! My sister, who's 2 inches taller than me, can't borrow my corsets despite being about the same size as me around the waist. Her height is all in her legs, so my corsets are too long and she can't move comfortably.
I have never been a fan of the idea of guided tours. When I visit new places I tend to explore them organically or have a pretty good idea what I'm hoping to see before I go. That said. I love your channel and I have huge respect for how much research and work you put in to being knowledgeable about the things you talk about, your presentation of topics is refreshing and entertaining, and I legitimately learn new things from every video! So if I ever get to visit London...I think I would very much like to experience one of your tours.
I wear an overbust 1860s corset on at least 6 days a week. This is probably one of the most honest corsetry videos on CZcams. 100% on point. I switched to wearing 17th century corded stays on my lazy day as it's a lot more bendable and the wooden busk is just in a pocket and can be removed when you need to do a lot of bending. I also found a straight backed chair and a rocking chair with a straight back that are much more comfortable now than the sofa. Modern furniture conforms to the slouch and so is uncomfortable for corsetry. People who can touch their toes in a corset are bending from the hips only, never the waist. My hips, and apparently yours, just don't have that range of motion. Slide on shoes are a must when going visiting.
I really appreciate this, I have hypermobility syndrome and I have always loved wearing corsets for fun at like burlesque parties and masquerades. Because it gives me support and relaxation. ut I have felt it to be a big step to use them everyday. I hope I find more videos of you so I can see what sort of clothes you wear on an everyday basis. As you pointed out our modern clothes dosent really match the corset.
I always found that waistcoats (vests in America) had the same effect, to the extent that I used to call them 'corsets for men'. They improved my posture and helped get rid of back pain when stood up all day. They also feel good to wear and appear to make a man look more elegant and attractive. Or so I was told.
I have worn a suit for work for so many years now. It was only a couple of years ago that i started wearing a waistcoat with my shirt and tie. From a vanity perspective, yes I do feel I look more attractive and sophisticated. But like Jenny pointed out, it also helps with my posture which helps as I near fifty and start that dreaded middle-aged spread.
What kind of proof are you expecting? A scientific study? It's history. 18th Century: In the 18th century, it was fashionable for men to wear corsets, particularly in the upper classes. These corsets were designed to give men an upright posture and a narrow waist, which was considered attractive at the time. 19th Century: During the Victorian era, some men wore corsets as part of their fashion, especially in the early to mid-19th century. These corsets were usually less restrictive than those worn by women. Medical and Military Use: In some cases, men wore corsets for medical reasons, such as to support the back or alleviate certain health issues. Additionally, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, some military uniforms for men included corset-like components to maintain an upright and rigid posture. @regularyoutubeaccount8793
I wanted to add that several of the photos you brought up of women in corsets have had Victorian photo shop-back then there were tricks like painting in around the sides to make the waist look even smaller, you can see zooming in as the sides are smoother than the details above/below, also usually photos were taken against darks or at least solid backgrounds to easily adjust. Bernadette Banner did a video about this. I'm wearing my first 'corest' (stays) this evening , granted I'm starting with short stays so not over the waist/hips... its kind of like a sports bra. I made it from a pattern with a minor bust gusset adjustment and have had no issues moving/dressing myself/making dinner/cleaning/bending over to love on the dogs etc. The pain from sitting is modern chairs/couches. Its meant to keep your back straight, but most seats lean you back/pull you legs up. I can sit on my couch.. if I'm sitting on the edge. If I sit in a chair i have to sit upright.
The British historian Ruth Goodman talks about wearing a corset in her book How to Be a Victorian. She’s done a lot of historical reenacting, and she said that during reenacting a Victorian farm, wearing a corset actually really helped her back while she did all that hard labor.
I really appreciated this explanation of corsets. I would say, that occupational therapists generally discourage back braces (or by extension corsets) for extended periods. If memory serves it has to do with wanting to avoid atrophy instead of strengthening the muscles; but for short periods it could still be recommended.
What OTs may not be aware of is that back braces are significantly more restrictive. Corsets shouldn’t rely be atrophying muscles because they’re not designed to be that rigid. An all steel tight lacing corset like this would be an exception though
Thank you for sharing your experience! I'm so glad to hear your perspective and hope it reaches people who really need to hear that it's not all grim and deadly and cutting livers in half... and also not all glam costumes only. About the tights.... I have personally gone split-crotch drawers or no drawers at all. my corset is my daily uniform, and I only wear skirts, so I can get away with it. I put on tights first (which I have split the crotch seam on), then shoes, then my liner tanktop, and then a petticoat with the waistband on my iliac crest instead of at natural waist. My workaround for bending has been to hinge at the hipjoint and not to curve the spine above the hip at all, so basically tabletop/airplane arms from yoga, but that was even before I ever put on a corset. Lift smart, and all that yknow? I have historically had some blood pressure issue similar to POTS that makes me get faint if I change head elevation too quickly, but I (and apparently others, too, looking at reviews) find wearing a corset makes that completely better! So nowadays I just crouch down into a squat and get up again with no problem!
Very interesting video with clear points. Now, I would just remind people that there are different types of corsets and stays. Riding corsets also used metal busk and boning, but the corset is shorter to allow the wearer to sit comfortably, because riding side saddle is similar to sitting with your right ankle crossing over you left lower leg. Also, stays. Again, there are different types. I made a fully boned pair of stays (~1600) with a wooden busk and I can still put my hands on the floor and ride horses. Although, I do have to fiddle around with the different layers so that it doesn't look weird 😅
I enjoyed your comments.I wear a corset every day for back support(Spinal Stenosis in L1,L2,L3)Also arithritis in all of my back.I take a break once in a while to ensure my back muscles are not atrophied.I have 8 corsets which I rotate to minimize wear.
I bought a corset to wear to help with back pain and found that I could do everything I wanted to do in it, plus it really did help me stand and walk without back pain. If course, I didn't try getting down on the floor with small children or other activities that were probably needed back in the day, but I can see myself wearing a corset instead of a bra every day.
So, US Civil War reenactor here. I'm a long time reenactor in multiple periods and I've had several partners who reenacted with me. That being the case, I've helped more than one woman get into her reenacting clothing and I'm more aware than most men about some of the difficulties women have with older clothing styles. I very much appreciate this video because it offers a lot of real experience and tips without getting all, um, 'Fredricks' with it. Because I'm introducing a new generation of my family [my niece and grand-niece] to the hobby/lifestyle, I look out for videos that discuss various feminine clothing aspects that will help them. It's hard to make your point to the 'tik-tok' generation sometimes, and short, informative videos help a lot.
I have been wearing 1780s stays for quite a while now and its the most comfortable thing to wear. whil i cant really wear pants with them (my tummy is pushed down by them and shows in modern clothing) i prefer them and love wearing them. ive taken naps in my stays happily, and have walked many km in them no problem.
FYI there was such a thing as a sports corsets, they were cut differently to the one you have there. As well tight clothing was not called for most of the time during sporting activities at the time. I would encourage you to get a custom made one so you can experience the difference in comfort especially as you are wearing it such a lot it's like night and day.
I'm switching over, but im making my own. I'm terminally ill, and my midsection needs compression and my core needs support. The doctors gave me an ugly horrid back brace. I'm going to switch to corsets to do the same job, UNDER my clothes, and I don't have to undo this complex brace every time I have to pee with kidney disease. 😅 I'm making short stays now to practice and get the top half nailed down, and then I will make the full corset, and I get to use my 1907 sewing machine to do so. Win win. I gave up wired bras about a year ago, but sports bras suck too. I'm going to try and use much more cording than boning. With core support I can only be upright about 15 minutes, with it - I get one to 2 hours so it greatly impacts my life. You shouldn't, ad a lady, AND as a means of back health bend over at the waist anyways. You should always bend at the knees. It's impolite to have your rear in the air.
This was a super interesting to me. It's the sort of stuff there aren't many historical accounts of and the modern equivalent is quite sexualized. So thank you for the detailed account and insights!
Ive started making my own corsets and I find that they're even more comfortable than off-the-rack ones. Mine are single-layer and all the boning is plastic synthetic whalebone so they're extremely light. I also added some hooks below my waist to tie off the laces to avoid waist bulk. If you wear a corset and you can sew, I recommend making your own!
My better half routinely wore a corset to events and parties in San Francisco. Hers was also off the rack, and her experiences were the same as yours. It was a two hour drive for us. She donned her corset (with assistance) upon arrival and shucked it (again, with assistance) before departure. Automobile seats are _not_ made for corset wearers. When she was an assistant host or cocktail waitress at events and parties she was able to stand, in heels, all evening with no trouble. All the venues we frequented had straight-back chairs specifically to give those who wore corsets a sitting break. Most organizers also made sure that hors d'ouvres and other small foods were available to address the dining needs of the corset clad. Thank you for demystifying corsets. We were both struck by how fascinated some people were, and surprised by how many thought torture was being inflicted upon the wearer. Their attention and concern was appreciated, though.
I assume that it could potentially be dangerous with modern SRS(Supplementary Restraint System), but given modern three-point belts, it could potentially spread the load across the abdomen. I am no rocket surgeon(sic) after all. I would be interested in what events you attend in SF that cater to those in corsets, in the modern day I assume? If in recent years, were they historically themed or simply a modern event?
@@ethan4237 The possible extra protection was not worth the severe discomfort. It also made getting into and out of the car very difficult. We went to events and parties in the SF Bay area pretty consistently from 2002 to 2015. She wore corsets to many Steampunk and Dickens Fair type events. We were also part of the BDSM, swinger, Burning Man, et cetera, communities. San Francisco used to have many big events, party venues, and a couple of dungeons, but the tech invasion steadily priced them out (as well as their patrons). Covid was the _coup_ _de_ _grace_ for almost all of them. Folsom Street Fair, Exotic Erotic Ball, Bondage-A-Go-Go, End Up, Legion, the Climate Theatre, the Porn Palace, the Armory, the Citadel, Mission Control, Club 960, Power Exchange (the big one on Otis Street), Edges; we hit all of them, and we were regulars and/or performers at most of them. It hurts to think that the scene was scattered and shuttered. Lots of great memories, though.
I Love Wearing a Corset, it feels like Armour, changes your Look and Stance. I wore it to work every day for over 5yrs. Mine are mostly Leather, they Last..!! And Look great with a Leather skirt and or Coat..!! Yes, I was Going for that Look..!! The Hunger thing is true too, Entree sizes only..! Or Not at all..!! Great Video. Thanks for it..!! Cheers All kim in Oz.😎
It’s basically the same thing as the back support belt that I wore for work. Same size, but with stretchy wrap and velcro to pull it tight around the ribs and lower and middle back. It most definitely helps with back issues, but I thought the most profound way it achieves this is by reminding you how to bend and lift while keeping the lower-to-mid back straight. Worked wonders for me after I had already damaged certain vertebrae from lifting wrong. Always had to release the velcro when eating lunch..
Thank You for this is a very interesting video! My perspective is that of a 73 y.o. male. The wear of Corsets, and the why, have been as much a mystery to me as some of my wife's clothing choices. (We have only been married for been married for 52 years ...)
Hi, J.! I loved your video. I have worn a corset every day (at least six days a week) for almost three years. I really, really love my corsets. I started wearing a corset because I was losing weight, and I wanted to prevent some of the loose skin. It has really helped actually. I've lost 100 pounds, and while I do have some loose skin, it's much less prominent than when I lost 112 pounds when I was much younger. I continue wearing corsets because I love the back support it gives me. Unlike you, who struggle with pain when you're sitting in your corset, I have found significant back pain relief sitting in my corset at my desk at work, but the corset does force me to sit ramrod straight so no slouching for sure. Concerning corset stealthing, I do wear my corset under my pants, but as a 52-yeae-old mom, I don't wear a lot of form fitting jeans and leggings in public. I wear compression leggings under my jeans and slacks to hide the bottom of the corset, and I wear loose fitting blouses to hide the back squidge. 😅 I wear a lot of swing and A-line dresses with or without a petticoat, and I generally use a bolero to hide the back squidge then. You're still so young and thin that you probably don't deal with back squidge. 🤣 Thank you for your video. I'm glad I found you and Lucy's Corsetry.
stealth corsetry ftw. i mean, overt corsets are sometimes nifty, but do tend to elicit a rather more overt response, too, which is not always pleasant (even when well-intended).
Two years later.. I've recently discovered your channel and I love the snippets of history you cover in such a clear and engaging way, that stuff is a real treat. On the topic of corsets: I remember my mother wearing a similar corset in the early sixties, but I also recall playing with those springy steel stays as a small child. So perhaps my mother had her corset modified to be able to take the stays out for an occasional hand wash or dry clean
I used to wear a corset for medical reasons all my childhood, 23/7, all the problems you have stated are acurate!!! 👏👏👏👏 But also all the benefits😣. And as of now I'm considering making myself a custom fabric corset (mine was acrilyc, a little more restricting of course) so that i can get again that strong support, specially while working Also for those entering our now shorter cars. Leaning sideways while using the hand for support, or going head first inside the car was the ONLY way you could get inside a car 😂
Bernadette Banner talks about this issue specifically. I'm not sure if you seen that video, but she does talk about the difference between an acrylic corset and a fabric one.
I so love you sharing your perspective on wearing a corset as part of your life. I'm so glad there are so many people taking back the narrative that a corset is painful. I love my corsets and stays and they are very comfortable.
I do pageants, and many of my gowns have the corsets in them. I have gotten used to them and I want to get a corset or stays. I just want to relieve my back pain and be comfy lol.... and bras are a drag 🤣
What you are saying is so similar to my own experiences when wearing corsets. I am very excited to listen to you and sharing your experiences. I am also very familiar with the situation of having forgotten to get my shoes on. I agree with what you are saying, but I have developed a technique of not bending, but keeping my body upright while lowering it so that I can somehow reach my shoes. It is not the same and not as easy as bending, but it works. I am sitting most of the time at my desk, and I have learned sitting in a corset in a very much different way: at the beginning I had an uncomfortable feeling due to the restriction of not being able to bend my body, but eventually I perceived this as a fantastic support that the corset provides for my body, keeping it in an excellent, upright posture. I do have a similar experience with wearing a corset while sitting in or driving a car. I just had to get used to it and adapt my movements so that my feelings in a corset have been shifted from restrictive to supportive. I have also discovered being much more conscious about my posture and my movements when wearing a corset. When wearing a corset, I am mostly wearing it stealth, mainly for providing the support and shape. Then I do not have a problem wearing my tights on top of the corset. But as you said, wearing stockings with my corset is more comfortable. Actually, when wearing a corset, I am wearing skirts or dresses with an accentuated waist that are not too tight. I am not regularly wearing a corset (I am too lazy), but when wearing, I am regularly wearing it at least for several days. Yes, I agree with you, things are a little harder to do in a corset, or - as I would prefer to say - just in a different way you have to find out for yourself, but I would not say being kind of inconvenient in modern life. I feel inconvenience only at the beginning after not wearing a corset for a long time, but once I have gotten used to it (again), it feels normal and supportive. But I agree that this does not apply to all of modern activities and challenges we have to perform.
I absolutely love your accent, enunciation and generally the wonderful way you present. I think you'd make an amazing TV presenter - the BBC better watch out!
Many a dinner party conversation we have both attended if repeated verbatim would get you demonitized here! Superb video. Truly. Simple. One prop. Apt visuals. Vocals at a slower, more natural pacing leading to "hearing" the words better so I could focus on them. Functionally informative as I'm a guy - I didn't know that! Which led to remembering I have 2 "corsets": flexible "back braces" with velcro to hold belt, one just white, the other black with shoulder straps that criss-cross to back section. This can't just be a Yank product. I put it on, thought, and laughed, this is a corset! Sharing this video with 3 anglophile women in my life. Already a subscriber. And a licensed tour guide for Concord, Massachusetts (she scratched their initials into the window pane of their bedroom at the Old Manse with her wedding ring). Thanks!
This reminds me a little of one of the reasons men wear undershirts underneath dress shirts; to change the shape. It doesn't make men thinner - it makes them more uniform, and removes curves and bumps. (Obvs, it keeps the outer shirt cleaner, too.)
I'm male, and I wear a corset as part of my faerie garb that I wear to the renaissance festival. I like the fact that it gives me a shape other than pear. 😁
I don’t know why CZcams recommended this video for me. My chronic back pain perhaps. But I must admit it was very well made and much more interesting than I expected. TY
I had no interest in corsets, and I will continue to have no interest in corsets in the future most likely, but for 10 minutes just now you got me really interested in corsets haha... Really enjoy your content!
I'm also an almost daily wearer of a corset, and when it comes to sitting, it's mainly the busk of my corset that digs into me. This is just my bad posture, but still. For eating, you often can't eat that much in one sitting, so I just have smaller meals with more snacks in between. For the shoes, I'm a heavy shoes indoor hater, I refuse to wear shoes inside, and I've found ways it's quite easy to put on shoes with the corset. For bending, I just crouch instead of bending, it's better for my back anyway. I definitely agree that modern clothes aren't made for a corset, I tend to struggle with pants a lot as well.
Tbh generally, crouching is better than bending when picking something up, because it makes you engage your core muscles instead of pulling on your back muscles, which is definitely safer to prevent back injuries, as you pointed out.
This was a fascinating peek into the ins and outs of wearing a corset. I'm glad it helps with back pain. Thanks for sharing! I'm just glad I missed out on the usual modern ladies' undergarments in my long life. I managed to skip most of the ubiquitous experience of girdles, brassieres, panthose, and high-heeled shoes by growing up in a tropical environment. We wore bikinis, shorts, tee-shirts, and occasionally flip-flops. I live in a colder part of the world now and own some longjohns. Those are interesting items of clothing on their own. Kind of like socks. I may wear them one day. 😉
Socks are, indeed, fascinating. So many available styles and fibers! And such varied perspectives on what about them is most useful, and how to care for them. Longjohns are also somewhat curious. Have you found a use for them, yet?
oh, oops, several of the comments here are from further in the past than "yesterday". i didn't mean to imply your experience level is expected to increase drastically in a single day. my apologies!
For whatever it's worth: The most common cause of back pain from standing all day is bad posture. And, bad posture may be due to injury, illness or genetics, but most commonly slouching. And, slouching is due to the effects gravity. Before considering a second career in space, there are exercises that will improve posture. ... i might add, again for whatever it's worth, we do not breathe only with our chest. For a full normal breathing to occur we do use our abdominal muscles. Thus, the reason a corset is not recommended during exercise.
I just wanted to say that your videos help me immensly with my anxiety. Plus, I am a huge London fan and I think your breakdowns of the cities’ history are perfect. I hope to one day participate in a city tour of yours :). ❤
When you think about it, that a corset can help with back ache doesn't seem so farfetched when you consider how we do tend to use a lot of compression wear these days to deal with muscle pain when doing physical activity.
Wow, really interesting. I was actually researching camera sling bags and your video came up, not sure why! But really interesting non the less. A really informative piece of social history, thank you.
I don't remember hearing about the protection from waistbands before, that's really neat! 😄 (I've been watching similar videos before, so most things are what others say too (duh), but yours was well organised and quite short, which was good for this moment. Thank you.)
I have no idea why CZcams recommended this to me. Must be the steel. But I'm glad, I learned a lot even if it's about something I'll never need. Thanks for sharing.
As a man with no personal interest in wearing a corset I don't really have much to say on the subject. But I do want to say I love the ambience of the room you're in when demonstrating postures and such. Bookshelf, piano, antique gramophone, globe, and artsy wall hanging. Even if it's all modern reproductions (and the "piano" looks like an electronic keyboard) it works to create a great vibe. I like your style.
Ah yes, this is information that I will definitely use in my day-to-day life. If nothing else, it's given me a new look into how people actually wore the incredible amount of clothing of back-in-the-day, which is very interesting
Extraordinarily informative, thank you. I was just researching corsets today. Years ago I had a friend who promoted their benefits, but even she didn't wear one daily for ordinary use.
I wear a corset to help with my posture and to help support my abdominal wall (long story, lots of damage). I usually tighten it to a firm hug, maaaaaybe a little bit more if I've got a really active day ahead. The back support is, by FAR, the best part of wearing one, even with the issues with boots and desk chairs. I'm actually wearing one in my profile pic.
I think the sitting problem is related to how chairs are designed now. They are more suited to the way we dress nowadays. Different ergonomics I believe.
So fun fact about whalebone boning? There's actually a modern mimic called synthetic baleen or German plastic boning (for reasons I don't quite understand) and it actually molds to your shape with heat. From what I understand it's actually quite flexible.
I put my shoes on after my corset. It's a little undignified, but I try not to wear my shoes in my apartment, and I don't want to get dressed in the stairwell 😉 I personally prefer an overbust corset that's cut pretty short in the hips, which I find to be more comfortable when sitting. Also, a tip for wearing tights with your corset: put them on over it. It's not cute, but it works. Historical drawers just aren't as good at preventing upper thigh chafing as something stretchy and close-fitting, so tights are still a necessary part of my winter wardrobe.
Fascinating. I’m a male longtime weight lifter from across the pond. It sounds like the corset functions in many ways like a powerlifting belt, or even more so, a therapeutic brace used to recover from low back injuries.
Fascinating vlog, as always. I’m surprised more shop assistants, and other workers who have to stand all day, don’t use them. Maybe if more people did they would experience less back pain, which sadly here in the UK is a now common health complaint 🤕😩😰
comment 2 years after video In the construction industry, we wear back braces to help help with back ache. standing, bending, lifting, and wearing tool belts put a huge amount of pressure on the lower back. I feel your pain. As a modern military service person, i can absolutely testify in regards to trying to tie your foot wear while wearing something literally strapped around your torso. It's practically impossible. boots/shoes before corset/armor
Thank you for the video) I wear a lumbosacral corset becuase I have an intervertebral hernia. It's smaller than a normal corset but still helps with pain)
You may have lucked out and found an off the rack corset that works, but I'd also suggest(when the budget allows) getting a custom made one. One place that corsets still linger in modern underwear is in longline bras
I've got a corset with artificial whalebone. That totally removes the sitting problem for me, which was a big issue with my steel boned corset. (As long as I don't try to sit on a beanbag.)
Thank you. Very informative and educational. This isn't a topic a guy normally asks about so I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have ever known any of this if you hadn't made this video.
I've alway enjoyed your interesting historical presentations, but this is an interesting side of you I have never seen before; but still, educational. Thank you.
I noticed an interesting thing during my opera training - many of the singers who were my teachers and masters, even men, said that the corset helps them to sing in long operas (after two hours of singing, the muscular corset loses a little tone and support helps to stay "fit" during long spectacles)
I imagine you've already seen most of these but there's a whole world of Costubers you should check out for at the very least their opinions on corsets, Bernadette Banner, Morgan Donner, Karolina Zebrowska, Retroclaude, and tons of others I've missed.
For info on modern corsets I also highly recommend Lucy's Corsetry, she doesn't do historical stuff but she has a giant database of modern corset makers, lots of interesting info about modern corsets and a corset making series.
Good points. My grandmother wore a corset all her life and as a result had a weak spine. Wearing it periodically sounds much better. Also weather your waist measurement will decrease or not depends on you physiology. Bernadette Banner's does not but Abby Cox does. Both people are just build different. As you said those what you wear on top will also make the difference. Enjoyed your piece greatly. Thanks.
Thank you! I don't wear corsets (though I would like to!) but it always really bothers me when people frame them as some kind of horrible torture machine.
I mean we shouldnt ignore problematic aspects around how corsets were historically utilized. It is good that she is using it in a more natural way, but the truth is thst there was a long period where it was partly used for other specific social enforcement too. This is true for any clothing especially when often modern equivalents of them in fact are more relaxed equivalents of what they were historically like
Awesome! Every day wear is easier the more you wear it. It feels like you are hugged all day. 24/7 is not really an issue! But you will lose weight and reduce your waist. Microfiber works great for under corset wear or cotton.
I also wear a corset most days and while I understand a lot of what you're saying, I find most of it doesn't affect me! It could be because mine is a mid-bust corset with a thinner busk and synthetic whalebone, but I thought it was so interesting to hear your experiences with a corset and how they differ to mine! 🥰
I love wearing my corsets for my back. I’m fine wearing it in the car. I have one off those cars where you can adjust the height of the seat. Thank you for this video
I just watched an absolutely breathtaking woman talk about a corset for 10 minutes, I have no regrets. This was surprisingly informative and I learnt a lot.
I've been considering getting or making my own historical undergarnments, and I love the long-form type of underwear like shifts anyways. I wonder if there is a place that sells corsets or stays with synthetic whalebone which is pretty flexible too but wouldn't risk rust. Thanks for sharing your experience!
I'm not even a quarter of the way through the video and I am already extremely relieved to have clicked on this video because I think about wearing a corset to work literally every single day because my back sucks.
Oh my goodness THANK YOU. The amount of “historical” tiktoks I’ve seen of people using corsets on bare skin and tight lacing until they can barely breathe is insane. Then they’re like “wow I can’t believe women lived like this” like no they didn’t 😭
Facts. I don't wear one however I do work in theatre. I often help women dress/undress because it takes longer for women than men to dress. Anyways those "historical" videos always piss me off by how wrong they are. Wrong... just wrong. Tho they are fairly popular with most of the theatre women. However they are often coupled with hoopskirts and I've never heard any of them sing the praises of a hoopskirt.
I understood that there was a period and a social group that engaged in extreme tightlacing, but they were a very small fraction of overall corset-wearers even at the height of it.
@@pyritefoolsgold3521 I think this is a case of the 80/20 rule. a small percentage is getting most of the attention because it's an extreme condition rather than the 80% who wear it in a way that is not provoking
Don't trust anything made on Tiktok
Because they get their info from movies for men.
my Dad wore a corset every day for best part of two years. Sounds like the hook line for a kinky story but actually he broke his back and was extremely fortunate the break went this way instead of that way, else he would have been paralysed. After a few months he was back at his labouring job and the corset got him through 8 to 10 hour work days.
i have mild scoliosis and constant back pain from posture, and this video is very interesting to me because of that. never heard of male corsets though (i am male) beyond medical back braces (which i am a candidate for, but a proper corset could potentially be more stylish lol)
Was it actually a corset, or was it a girdle?
Isn't it called a brace or something in that case?
@@sircalvin hey! I also have scoliosis and i find a corset very helpful - moreso than my brace because a corset has more length in it. Because of how my spine curves, my back brace cuts into me on one side. The corset is longer which means it ends higher up my back where the curve is less intense. They're quite comfortable, and if people comment on them you can just say it's a brace.
@sircalvin so apparently, men wearing corsets isn't unheard of. It wasn't as common as women's corsets, but they were a thing. Most of the time they were worn discreetly rather than as a fashion accessory, but there is at least one period of time where clothiers did make corsets designed specifically for men. What I'm saying here is that it's time for you to go through an 18th/19th century clothes arc.
I wear a corset quite a bit as far as historical dress. Everything you said is spot on. I wear an over the hip and underbrust too. People don’t realize working women wore corsets, and they provided back support. They provided core insulation and warmth too.
Yes, the warmth! I used to have a sort of burlesque-style black corset that I wore to be a goth girl, and it made me so warm I had to take off my velevet jacket while walking about an European city in the middle of winter.
Yeah I wish I had one when I was working retail and on my feet all day.
I had pretty severe back pain that these days I know my corset can prevent
Whatever you gotta say to justify destroying your body for shallow reasons
@@rickwilliams967 So you just watched the video explaining how it is not destroying your body and how it has other uses then just looks and you comment this? Ignorance is showing!
@@TheGrundigg yeah, moving your organs is perfectly safe. Did you know gullible is written on the ceiling?
The back support was an interesting point - when we lift weights in the gym it's common to use those large belts around your waist, which is basically the same principle.
I thought those belts were to stop you from popping a hernia
I know an employee of mine that benefited from trying one as her job was installing servers weighing like 15kg's a piece into racks. Then again I think the boning was helpful here too as she had a bad habit of lifting with her back excessively. Thus it was probably useful as if you physically can't bend over and grab them that way you are forced to squat down and use your legs which wont be damaged by the repetitive movement, I mean walking is a thing those evolved for so repetitive strain is the norm for them.
I feel like my posture worsens with my corset and my back feels weaker or exhausted
Guys at the distribution centre of the newspaper company I worked for used to wear similar belts as they were handling hundreds of bundles of papers ready for the delivery vans
GIRDLEEEEEEE
My grandmother, born 1908, wore a corset every day of her adult life. When she went into the nursing home it caused considerable problems because they had no experience with corsets. Taken away from her, it caused considerable discomfort and imbalance. The nursing home learned how to measure for, order, and 'install' corsets.
That is so wonderful they took the time to do that!
When was your mom or dad born than?
So basically in the long term it causes atrophy of crucial core muscles.
@@centralintelligenceagency9003 not really, it helps when they are already on the weaker side form age or other issue, but you wont lose it from wearing, if anything, it makes them stronger as most action will meet much more resistance. of course, you probably also will change the way you move, to avoid that extra resistance, which is technically force you to lift properly, instead of the injury causing way, so it helps even with that.
@@thorin1045 That is not how any of that works. Bracing causes less load on the braced muscles, which in turn causes their weakening in the long term. Yes, you might strengthen other muscle groups to compensate, but that's called muscle imbalance and is maladaptive.
I'm male and have no intention of ever wearing a corset. But love design, engineering and history (especially the history of normal everyday people). So this was soooo interesting! And the fact that it supports your back never even crossed my mind. Thanks once again for the education.
I'm with u on that man, this was quite interesting
I made two corsets, because I'm fascinated with sewing and "how things are made"...very tricky to make, but impressive when done.
dont think corset think weight lifting back support many guys wear those
There were corsets for men! This is actually where a lot of the misinformation about corsets comes from. Women used corsets much as we use bras, mostly to support the bust and back. The men who wore them tended to use them to hold in the beer gut. Hence, it was hella uncomfortable for men, and they made the assumption from their own experience that women's experience was the same.
Consider my old headmaster.
I never saw him bend. Of course it could be war damage.
As a male motorcyclist, I do not wear a corset but I completely confirm all you said.
It's almost impossible to ride for long journeys without wearing a supportive elastic band around your belly, contructed exactly with the same purpose and function as a corset (but for the fact you close it with velcro and the "ribs" are made of teflon). The waist band keeps you in the proper position, don't let you slouch, protects your back from excessive strain, holds your bowels and makes riding for long journeys more comfortable. When you have arrived you remove it of course, but this aside it is a corset.
Therefore, I deny it is an instrument of the patriarchy: it's just an object made for a very sensible purpose.
Can't be both?
Did you just claim the a corset prevents you from pooping?
Never thought of this, but my back gets really tired on long rides on my BMW GS. Thanks!
I grew up when the mini-skirt first came out (1960's). Round about 1971, I remember a newspaper article where a doctor pointed out that the mini-skirt had been good for women's backs because it forced them to bend from the hips and knees when they went to pick things up, instead of bending from the waist. This is similar to what the corset is forcing you to do. (I do remember my mother and grandmother doing the waist-bend to pick stuff up in their knee length skirts as they complained about my minis, lol.)
As someone who's dabbled in historical costuming, I'd say your points were spot on.
a bit late to the party, but speaking of, depending on how flexible your hips are and the exact style of corset you're wearing, you might are in fact, be capable of of touching your toes and putting on shoes easily while in a corset even if you waist cannot bend.
Another situation example for "It is kind of inconvenient in modern life": having to take off your corset at metal-detector body scanners... I'll never wear historical fashion again when I have an appointment at an embassy.
I wonder if kydex boning would help with that.
Re. helping with backache: no, it's absolutely not just you. I worked at two historical museums. One had the budget to put us in 1770s-era stays; the other, set in the 1830s, had a much more modest budget and did their best with affording accurate gowns and petticoats, but couldn't afford corsets for us. Despite having been taught the misguided corsets-as-torture-devices myth, I found myself *wishing* I had a corset becuase of the combined weight of all the other garmets (especially the corded petticoat and canvas fire-repellent apron, which a woman would often have worn all or most of the day.) My back muscles were really tired and sore after a day in that. In contrast, wearing a set of stays under my clothes (for the uninitiated, "stays" were an earlier word for "corset") felt *much* better than wearing my clothes without them, especially because I had a bunch of petticoats that tied at the waist, which without the stays somehow managed to feel bulgy and gross and too tight and not tight enough, all at the same time. What drove me nuts, if anything, was the length of the skirts (namely, having to lift them up with your hands whenever you go upstairs or through water or step over anything), not the stays themselves. (It vexed me to the point where I wrote an entire poem about how much I hated my petticoat, which I titled "The Tomboy's Lament.")
TL;DR, pre-20th century women's clothes do restrict your movement, but it's the length of the skirts, not the undergarments.
The skirt length thing is why so many working women (outside of domestic service) had shorter skirts. Skirts being an inch or two above the ankle really helps with movement.
@jessamynrising3990 and @adorabell4253 good call! :) That makes a lot of sense :D
Did the men have to dress in period-appropriate clothing too? I now wonder what their experience was like. Must've been fire, since men's fashion has only been going downhill ever since the Victorian era
@@adorabell4253 Those couple of inches up or down from the ankle make so much difference! I wear long skirts daily as a matter of preference. I feel very comfortable in anything from mid calf to just above the ankle. That's quite a spread of lengths, but they feel pretty much the same (except in the depths of winter when the wind picks up). But that inch going from above the ankle to below it means I'm constantly having to pick up my skirt.
I live in Canada and you see a lot of historical cases of nuns getting dispensations to shorten their habits by those few crucial inches when working in areas with less infrastructure.
Fun fact: the photo of a woman tight laced is almost certainly retouched. Light clothes on plain/dark backgrounds (or vice versa) were often scraped and painted to reduce the waist even more. This was common practice in the Early 1900s to give that Gibson Girl fashion illustration look.
So while she was likely tight -laced, she was also likely not that small even tight laced.
Karolina Zebrowski, who has a channel devoted to fashion history, often goes ballistic about people who day their corset was harmful. I'm sure she would like this video.
I watch a number of historical dress channels - Bernadette Banner and Snappydragon both have scoliosis of the spine (I think I'm right) and wear corsets daily/often to support the spine. Nicole Rudolph and Abby Cox both used to work at an American 'living museum' and wore corsets Every.Single.Day, doing everything wearing them. All these ladies wax lyrical on the mess of how corsets are depicted in media, on some CZcams channels, and in kink media. They point our that it was essential that corsets were practical and that you could do a full day of manual hard labour wearing them, and explain how women managed life in the costume available to them. Much of what we see in depictions, is rubbish and life was much more interesting that that.
Tight lacing was NOT a thing - the optical effect of a tiny waist was usually achieved by padding hips, bum and bust. Many of those tiny waist photos you see were actually achieved by the equivalent of Photoshop! Anyone with a potentially 16" waist (and it does happen) will have NO hips and NO bust, and will more or less look like a cylinder.
As for sitting down in a corset, yes you can, and it can be comfortable if not exactly relaxing - but You Can NOT Slouch. You have to sit erect- and that will usually be better for any back pain than slouching anyway. It probably would not be comfortable on the kind of soft cushioning of modern seating though. If sitting, choose a firmer chair with good back support that allows you to lean almost upright, I think.
@@Maraaha55 you forgot about prior attire. They're all about fashion through history and even have lots of men's fashions
And Enchanted rose costumes, (even though creators like her and Lady Rebecca, Angela Clayton and Hazel {French cosplayer made a historically accurate Rocco 'fit, complete with hidden space in the wig} they're more like historical fantasy fashion
Well they certainly CAN be harmful. For instance Bernadette Banner is skinny as a rail because she always hated feeling full as a kid in her back support and she still eats tiny meals..with not enough calories.
And the wrong shape of corset can dig into you like on the movie sets where they take a size 2 actress and try to give her a tiny waist, they don't have any fat to shift so they get no breath and their muscle is moved in a bad way. Then they waist around all day in it. I wore a balinese wrap , part of a wedding costume for a dance and I could barely breathe and that didn't have any metal parts. You can most certainly be pressed into breathlessness as lungs need to be able to expand.
If you get any support it presses in, and any restriction from full belly breathing will be bad for your health, breathing deeply and not to high is good for your digestion and to give you calming signals. You can get quite enough breathe on a day to day basic breathing up high but that can make you anxious.
@@Iflie Surely it’s not the corset’s fault if someone doesn’t have sense enough to eat right. Nor can a corset be blamed because some woman tries to wear a corset that is much too small for her.
@@CCoburn3 It was a medical corset perfectly designed for her child body and it did it's work perfectly, but it did give her an eating disorder in my eyes.
You can say don't blame the tool but people should know about it. They put kids in corsets all the time too, fashionable upperclass ladies were meant to be delicate with eating and if you are always in one when you are still growing of course you are both used to it and your body will form somewhat around it. I think that explains the extra small examples that survived with a small waist. That girl would have been wearing a corset to shape her since she was 11 or younger.
Though of course by far most women were to active to lace the corset anywhere near that tight, they had laundry to beat and cows to milk.
I wear a similar corset reasonably often. Its great for my back but also if I am experiencing anxiety. The sensation of “a firm hug” is very reassuring. Interesting to listen to your insights, ideas and experiences, thank you.
Physiotherapist here - it helps with any lumbal backproblem to do with bad muskuar stability of the region or hypermobilty troubles like sliding vertebrae. Not many people accept it, but most people I knew who tried it reported considerable advantages.
Counterpoint - if worn regularly, the assistance the corset provides leads to even less trained rump musculature and tends to make the need for a corset permanent.
In Rehab its commonly only used as a situational crutch, and patients are warned to take it off as much as possible AND execise lumbal stability for that reason.
Thank you. Probably the most balanced review of corset wearing I’ve ever heard. Your points were clear, informative and no soap boxes in sight. Love your channel and style of delivery.
Everyday corset-wearers unite! I was very excited to see you had posted this, and it’s neat that we seem to have much the same experience. I’ve been saving up to get a historical corset, partially because I want a good overbust, but it’s nice to see someone else thriving in an off the rack. (I always, always forget to put on my shoes before my corset soooo I’ve discovered if I lean against something and pull my foot up to my hip level, that works for me.)
i just got this video in my recommended so i dont understand why are yall wearing corsets? arent they uncomfortable?
@@Chewy427 If you have viewed the video, obviously they are uncomfortable in some situations but really comfortable in others. So its a tradeoff.
my core strength is rubbish due to illness. My corset helps so much . Sitting for any length of time without a corset is painful. Wearing a short corset means I can go out in my wheelchair. For me a corset gives me some freedom and I independence.
@@Chewy427 honestly, in my experience - a corset feels quite comfortable, a bit like a nice hug! Helps with my back issues a lot, even when sitting at a desk all day!
@@Chewy427 have you considered... watching the video to see if it answers your question? 😮
It is interesting to see the problems faced by corset wearing in the non-corset wearing world today as opposed to the benefits of wearing a corset when everyone was. Fascinating video.
I wear a corset almost every day and sit always. I’m a paraplegic so I don’t have a choice. If you understand levels, where the vertebrae are located, my level of injury is at T-4, so just sitting without a corset I show a bit of a Buddha belly as I have very limited control of my trunk muscles and I tend to slouch a bit. But with a corset I sit up straight and no Buddha belly. I do wear a shorter corset though, as I tried a regular length corset and as you already know, my boobs wound up getting shoved into my chin. It’s funny the first time, as long as you’re not in a hurry, but outside of that it’s just annoying. So for me it helps with back support and gives my body a more feminine appearance. And one last thing, pants and jeans; go with a high rise waist, it works for me anyway.
Ah man! I show a Buddha belly by default. I try to find shirts that look ambiguously unmoved in a sitting position, or wear a cardigan so I can cover my shame.
Where'd you get your corset??
I've tried Amazon but I'm starting to think they're all shams after 2 busts, pun Not intended
@@explodingplant2 i got mine at corset story, in the video she also named a few places to get off the rack corsets, just look up corsets and make sure you have a site specializing in corsetry
@@explodingplant2 Orchard Corsets. They sell a quality product for a good price. They also have a YT channel.
@@RobinP556 Yes! I have two corsets from Orchard Corsets and they're lovely!
Length can make such a difference! My sister, who's 2 inches taller than me, can't borrow my corsets despite being about the same size as me around the waist. Her height is all in her legs, so my corsets are too long and she can't move comfortably.
I have never been a fan of the idea of guided tours. When I visit new places I tend to explore them organically or have a pretty good idea what I'm hoping to see before I go.
That said. I love your channel and I have huge respect for how much research and work you put in to being knowledgeable about the things you talk about, your presentation of topics is refreshing and entertaining, and I legitimately learn new things from every video!
So if I ever get to visit London...I think I would very much like to experience one of your tours.
She has charming delivery and wears real erudition lightly, doesn't she
I wear an overbust 1860s corset on at least 6 days a week. This is probably one of the most honest corsetry videos on CZcams. 100% on point.
I switched to wearing 17th century corded stays on my lazy day as it's a lot more bendable and the wooden busk is just in a pocket and can be removed when you need to do a lot of bending.
I also found a straight backed chair and a rocking chair with a straight back that are much more comfortable now than the sofa. Modern furniture conforms to the slouch and so is uncomfortable for corsetry.
People who can touch their toes in a corset are bending from the hips only, never the waist. My hips, and apparently yours, just don't have that range of motion. Slide on shoes are a must when going visiting.
I really appreciate this, I have hypermobility syndrome and I have always loved wearing corsets for fun at like burlesque parties and masquerades. Because it gives me support and relaxation. ut I have felt it to be a big step to use them everyday. I hope I find more videos of you so I can see what sort of clothes you wear on an everyday basis. As you pointed out our modern clothes dosent really match the corset.
I always found that waistcoats (vests in America) had the same effect, to the extent that I used to call them 'corsets for men'. They improved my posture and helped get rid of back pain when stood up all day. They also feel good to wear and appear to make a man look more elegant and attractive. Or so I was told.
Corsets were also for men, lots of people don't realize that.
I have worn a suit for work for so many years now. It was only a couple of years ago that i started wearing a waistcoat with my shirt and tie. From a vanity perspective, yes I do feel I look more attractive and sophisticated. But like Jenny pointed out, it also helps with my posture which helps as I near fifty and start that dreaded middle-aged spread.
ya waistcoats are sexy!
Vests ARE hot on men tho. 😅
What kind of proof are you expecting? A scientific study?
It's history.
18th Century: In the 18th century, it was fashionable for men to wear corsets, particularly in the upper classes. These corsets were designed to give men an upright posture and a narrow waist, which was considered attractive at the time.
19th Century: During the Victorian era, some men wore corsets as part of their fashion, especially in the early to mid-19th century. These corsets were usually less restrictive than those worn by women.
Medical and Military Use: In some cases, men wore corsets for medical reasons, such as to support the back or alleviate certain health issues. Additionally, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, some military uniforms for men included corset-like components to maintain an upright and rigid posture.
@regularyoutubeaccount8793
I wanted to add that several of the photos you brought up of women in corsets have had Victorian photo shop-back then there were tricks like painting in around the sides to make the waist look even smaller, you can see zooming in as the sides are smoother than the details above/below, also usually photos were taken against darks or at least solid backgrounds to easily adjust. Bernadette Banner did a video about this.
I'm wearing my first 'corest' (stays) this evening , granted I'm starting with short stays so not over the waist/hips... its kind of like a sports bra. I made it from a pattern with a minor bust gusset adjustment and have had no issues moving/dressing myself/making dinner/cleaning/bending over to love on the dogs etc.
The pain from sitting is modern chairs/couches. Its meant to keep your back straight, but most seats lean you back/pull you legs up. I can sit on my couch.. if I'm sitting on the edge. If I sit in a chair i have to sit upright.
The British historian Ruth Goodman talks about wearing a corset in her book How to Be a Victorian. She’s done a lot of historical reenacting, and she said that during reenacting a Victorian farm, wearing a corset actually really helped her back while she did all that hard labor.
I really appreciated this explanation of corsets. I would say, that occupational therapists generally discourage back braces (or by extension corsets) for extended periods. If memory serves it has to do with wanting to avoid atrophy instead of strengthening the muscles; but for short periods it could still be recommended.
What OTs may not be aware of is that back braces are significantly more restrictive. Corsets shouldn’t rely be atrophying muscles because they’re not designed to be that rigid.
An all steel tight lacing corset like this would be an exception though
Thank you for sharing your experience! I'm so glad to hear your perspective and hope it reaches people who really need to hear that it's not all grim and deadly and cutting livers in half... and also not all glam costumes only.
About the tights.... I have personally gone split-crotch drawers or no drawers at all. my corset is my daily uniform, and I only wear skirts, so I can get away with it. I put on tights first (which I have split the crotch seam on), then shoes, then my liner tanktop, and then a petticoat with the waistband on my iliac crest instead of at natural waist.
My workaround for bending has been to hinge at the hipjoint and not to curve the spine above the hip at all, so basically tabletop/airplane arms from yoga, but that was even before I ever put on a corset. Lift smart, and all that yknow? I have historically had some blood pressure issue similar to POTS that makes me get faint if I change head elevation too quickly, but I (and apparently others, too, looking at reviews) find wearing a corset makes that completely better! So nowadays I just crouch down into a squat and get up again with no problem!
A singular and interesting video, which stands out from the crowd both for its content and the quality of its presentation. Thank you!
Very interesting video with clear points. Now, I would just remind people that there are different types of corsets and stays. Riding corsets also used metal busk and boning, but the corset is shorter to allow the wearer to sit comfortably, because riding side saddle is similar to sitting with your right ankle crossing over you left lower leg. Also, stays. Again, there are different types. I made a fully boned pair of stays (~1600) with a wooden busk and I can still put my hands on the floor and ride horses. Although, I do have to fiddle around with the different layers so that it doesn't look weird 😅
I enjoyed your comments.I wear a corset every day for back support(Spinal Stenosis in L1,L2,L3)Also arithritis in all of my back.I take a break once in a while to ensure my back muscles are not atrophied.I have 8 corsets which I rotate to minimize wear.
I bought a corset to wear to help with back pain and found that I could do everything I wanted to do in it, plus it really did help me stand and walk without back pain. If course, I didn't try getting down on the floor with small children or other activities that were probably needed back in the day, but I can see myself wearing a corset instead of a bra every day.
So, US Civil War reenactor here. I'm a long time reenactor in multiple periods and I've had several partners who reenacted with me. That being the case, I've helped more than one woman get into her reenacting clothing and I'm more aware than most men about some of the difficulties women have with older clothing styles.
I very much appreciate this video because it offers a lot of real experience and tips without getting all, um, 'Fredricks' with it. Because I'm introducing a new generation of my family [my niece and grand-niece] to the hobby/lifestyle, I look out for videos that discuss various feminine clothing aspects that will help them. It's hard to make your point to the 'tik-tok' generation sometimes, and short, informative videos help a lot.
hello fellow reenactor, I am from the 4th Alabama Co B
@@syndigriner-owens4351 /wave Howdy. Co. C, 4th United States here.
I have been wearing 1780s stays for quite a while now and its the most comfortable thing to wear. whil i cant really wear pants with them (my tummy is pushed down by them and shows in modern clothing) i prefer them and love wearing them. ive taken naps in my stays happily, and have walked many km in them no problem.
FYI there was such a thing as a sports corsets, they were cut differently to the one you have there. As well tight clothing was not called for most of the time during sporting activities at the time. I would encourage you to get a custom made one so you can experience the difference in comfort especially as you are wearing it such a lot it's like night and day.
I'm switching over, but im making my own. I'm terminally ill, and my midsection needs compression and my core needs support. The doctors gave me an ugly horrid back brace. I'm going to switch to corsets to do the same job, UNDER my clothes, and I don't have to undo this complex brace every time I have to pee with kidney disease. 😅 I'm making short stays now to practice and get the top half nailed down, and then I will make the full corset, and I get to use my 1907 sewing machine to do so. Win win. I gave up wired bras about a year ago, but sports bras suck too. I'm going to try and use much more cording than boning. With core support I can only be upright about 15 minutes, with it - I get one to 2 hours so it greatly impacts my life.
You shouldn't, ad a lady, AND as a means of back health bend over at the waist anyways. You should always bend at the knees. It's impolite to have your rear in the air.
Well... I never knew I was interested in what it's like to wear a corset on a daily basis, until your video randomly popped up on my feed. Thanks!
This was a super interesting to me. It's the sort of stuff there aren't many historical accounts of and the modern equivalent is quite sexualized. So thank you for the detailed account and insights!
Ive started making my own corsets and I find that they're even more comfortable than off-the-rack ones. Mine are single-layer and all the boning is plastic synthetic whalebone so they're extremely light. I also added some hooks below my waist to tie off the laces to avoid waist bulk. If you wear a corset and you can sew, I recommend making your own!
My better half routinely wore a corset to events and parties in San Francisco. Hers was also off the rack, and her experiences were the same as yours.
It was a two hour drive for us. She donned her corset (with assistance) upon arrival and shucked it (again, with assistance) before departure. Automobile seats are _not_ made for corset wearers.
When she was an assistant host or cocktail waitress at events and parties she was able to stand, in heels, all evening with no trouble. All the venues we frequented had straight-back chairs specifically to give those who wore corsets a sitting break.
Most organizers also made sure that hors d'ouvres and other small foods were available to address the dining needs of the corset clad.
Thank you for demystifying corsets. We were both struck by how fascinated some people were, and surprised by how many thought torture was being inflicted upon the wearer. Their attention and concern was appreciated, though.
Oh, it’s unsafe to be in a (moving) car while wearing a corset?
@@sophiathefurbst Not unsafe, but very uncomfortable. Now being able to bend between sternum and pelvis makes for an odd traveling position.
I assume that it could potentially be dangerous with modern SRS(Supplementary Restraint System), but given modern three-point belts, it could potentially spread the load across the abdomen. I am no rocket surgeon(sic) after all.
I would be interested in what events you attend in SF that cater to those in corsets, in the modern day I assume? If in recent years, were they historically themed or simply a modern event?
@@ethan4237 The possible extra protection was not worth the severe discomfort. It also made getting into and out of the car very difficult.
We went to events and parties in the SF Bay area pretty consistently from 2002 to 2015. She wore corsets to many Steampunk and Dickens Fair type events. We were also part of the BDSM, swinger, Burning Man, et cetera, communities.
San Francisco used to have many big events, party venues, and a couple of dungeons, but the tech invasion steadily priced them out (as well as their patrons). Covid was the _coup_ _de_ _grace_ for almost all of them.
Folsom Street Fair, Exotic Erotic Ball, Bondage-A-Go-Go, End Up, Legion, the Climate Theatre, the Porn Palace, the Armory, the Citadel, Mission Control, Club 960, Power Exchange (the big one on Otis Street), Edges; we hit all of them, and we were regulars and/or performers at most of them.
It hurts to think that the scene was scattered and shuttered. Lots of great memories, though.
I Love Wearing a Corset, it feels like Armour, changes your Look and Stance.
I wore it to work every day for over 5yrs.
Mine are mostly Leather, they Last..!! And Look great with a Leather skirt and or Coat..!! Yes, I was Going for that Look..!!
The Hunger thing is true too, Entree sizes only..! Or Not at all..!!
Great Video. Thanks for it..!!
Cheers All kim in Oz.😎
I wear something very similar to a corset for medical reasons for more than 20 years and I think I might go for a proper corset :)
It’s basically the same thing as the back support belt that I wore for work. Same size, but with stretchy wrap and velcro to pull it tight around the ribs and lower and middle back. It most definitely helps with back issues, but I thought the most profound way it achieves this is by reminding you how to bend and lift while keeping the lower-to-mid back straight. Worked wonders for me after I had already damaged certain vertebrae from lifting wrong.
Always had to release the velcro when eating lunch..
Thank You for this is a very interesting video! My perspective is that of a 73 y.o. male. The wear of Corsets, and the why, have been as much a mystery to me as some of my wife's clothing choices. (We have only been married for been married for 52 years ...)
Hi, J.! I loved your video. I have worn a corset every day (at least six days a week) for almost three years. I really, really love my corsets. I started wearing a corset because I was losing weight, and I wanted to prevent some of the loose skin. It has really helped actually. I've lost 100 pounds, and while I do have some loose skin, it's much less prominent than when I lost 112 pounds when I was much younger. I continue wearing corsets because I love the back support it gives me. Unlike you, who struggle with pain when you're sitting in your corset, I have found significant back pain relief sitting in my corset at my desk at work, but the corset does force me to sit ramrod straight so no slouching for sure. Concerning corset stealthing, I do wear my corset under my pants, but as a 52-yeae-old mom, I don't wear a lot of form fitting jeans and leggings in public. I wear compression leggings under my jeans and slacks to hide the bottom of the corset, and I wear loose fitting blouses to hide the back squidge. 😅 I wear a lot of swing and A-line dresses with or without a petticoat, and I generally use a bolero to hide the back squidge then. You're still so young and thin that you probably don't deal with back squidge. 🤣 Thank you for your video. I'm glad I found you and Lucy's Corsetry.
stealth corsetry ftw. i mean, overt corsets are sometimes nifty, but do tend to elicit a rather more overt response, too, which is not always pleasant (even when well-intended).
I've heard the back squish called a "Venus fold", which I think is a lovely term for something inelegant but inevitable.
Two years later.. I've recently discovered your channel and I love the snippets of history you cover in such a clear and engaging way, that stuff is a real treat. On the topic of corsets: I remember my mother wearing a similar corset in the early sixties, but I also recall playing with those springy steel stays as a small child. So perhaps my mother had her corset modified to be able to take the stays out for an occasional hand wash or dry clean
I used to wear a corset for medical reasons all my childhood, 23/7, all the problems you have stated are acurate!!! 👏👏👏👏
But also all the benefits😣. And as of now I'm considering making myself a custom fabric corset (mine was acrilyc, a little more restricting of course) so that i can get again that strong support, specially while working
Also for those entering our now shorter cars. Leaning sideways while using the hand for support, or going head first inside the car was the ONLY way you could get inside a car 😂
Bernadette Banner talks about this issue specifically. I'm not sure if you seen that video, but she does talk about the difference between an acrylic corset and a fabric one.
@@Sivafae oh I haven't! I'll look it up 😁
This is fascinating! Thank you for sharing your experience with corsets! There was so much I didn’t know!
I so love you sharing your perspective on wearing a corset as part of your life. I'm so glad there are so many people taking back the narrative that a corset is painful. I love my corsets and stays and they are very comfortable.
As a 23 year old man, I found this extremely interesting, thanks for the great video!
I do pageants, and many of my gowns have the corsets in them. I have gotten used to them and I want to get a corset or stays. I just want to relieve my back pain and be comfy lol.... and bras are a drag 🤣
What you are saying is so similar to my own experiences when wearing corsets. I am very excited to listen to you and sharing your experiences. I am also very familiar with the situation of having forgotten to get my shoes on. I agree with what you are saying, but I have developed a technique of not bending, but keeping my body upright while lowering it so that I can somehow reach my shoes. It is not the same and not as easy as bending, but it works. I am sitting most of the time at my desk, and I have learned sitting in a corset in a very much different way: at the beginning I had an uncomfortable feeling due to the restriction of not being able to bend my body, but eventually I perceived this as a fantastic support that the corset provides for my body, keeping it in an excellent, upright posture. I do have a similar experience with wearing a corset while sitting in or driving a car. I just had to get used to it and adapt my movements so that my feelings in a corset have been shifted from restrictive to supportive. I have also discovered being much more conscious about my posture and my movements when wearing a corset. When wearing a corset, I am mostly wearing it stealth, mainly for providing the support and shape. Then I do not have a problem wearing my tights on top of the corset. But as you said, wearing stockings with my corset is more comfortable. Actually, when wearing a corset, I am wearing skirts or dresses with an accentuated waist that are not too tight. I am not regularly wearing a corset (I am too lazy), but when wearing, I am regularly wearing it at least for several days.
Yes, I agree with you, things are a little harder to do in a corset, or - as I would prefer to say - just in a different way you have to find out for yourself, but I would not say being kind of inconvenient in modern life. I feel inconvenience only at the beginning after not wearing a corset for a long time, but once I have gotten used to it (again), it feels normal and supportive. But I agree that this does not apply to all of modern activities and challenges we have to perform.
I absolutely love your accent, enunciation and generally the wonderful way you present.
I think you'd make an amazing TV presenter - the BBC better watch out!
Many a dinner party conversation we have both attended if repeated verbatim would get you demonitized here!
Superb video. Truly. Simple. One prop. Apt visuals. Vocals at a slower, more natural pacing leading to "hearing" the words better so I could focus on them. Functionally informative as I'm a guy - I didn't know that! Which led to remembering I have 2 "corsets": flexible "back braces" with velcro to hold belt, one just white, the other black with shoulder straps that criss-cross to back section. This can't just be a Yank product. I put it on, thought, and laughed, this is a corset! Sharing this video with 3 anglophile women in my life. Already a subscriber. And a licensed tour guide for Concord, Massachusetts (she scratched their initials into the window pane of their bedroom at the Old Manse with her wedding ring). Thanks!
This reminds me a little of one of the reasons men wear undershirts underneath dress shirts; to change the shape. It doesn't make men thinner - it makes them more uniform, and removes curves and bumps. (Obvs, it keeps the outer shirt cleaner, too.)
I'm male, and I wear a corset as part of my faerie garb that I wear to the renaissance festival. I like the fact that it gives me a shape other than pear. 😁
I don’t know why CZcams recommended this video for me. My chronic back pain perhaps. But I must admit it was very well made and much more interesting than I expected. TY
I had no interest in corsets, and I will continue to have no interest in corsets in the future most likely, but for 10 minutes just now you got me really interested in corsets haha...
Really enjoy your content!
I'm also an almost daily wearer of a corset, and when it comes to sitting, it's mainly the busk of my corset that digs into me. This is just my bad posture, but still. For eating, you often can't eat that much in one sitting, so I just have smaller meals with more snacks in between. For the shoes, I'm a heavy shoes indoor hater, I refuse to wear shoes inside, and I've found ways it's quite easy to put on shoes with the corset. For bending, I just crouch instead of bending, it's better for my back anyway. I definitely agree that modern clothes aren't made for a corset, I tend to struggle with pants a lot as well.
Tbh generally, crouching is better than bending when picking something up, because it makes you engage your core muscles instead of pulling on your back muscles, which is definitely safer to prevent back injuries, as you pointed out.
This was a fascinating peek into the ins and outs of wearing a corset. I'm glad it helps with back pain. Thanks for sharing!
I'm just glad I missed out on the usual modern ladies' undergarments in my long life. I managed to skip most of the ubiquitous experience of girdles, brassieres, panthose, and high-heeled shoes by growing up in a tropical environment. We wore bikinis, shorts, tee-shirts, and occasionally flip-flops. I live in a colder part of the world now and own some longjohns. Those are interesting items of clothing on their own. Kind of like socks. I may wear them one day. 😉
Socks are, indeed, fascinating. So many available styles and fibers! And such varied perspectives on what about them is most useful, and how to care for them. Longjohns are also somewhat curious. Have you found a use for them, yet?
oh, oops, several of the comments here are from further in the past than "yesterday". i didn't mean to imply your experience level is expected to increase drastically in a single day. my apologies!
I had no idea any one at all wore a corset in the modern day. Very informative!
Great to see you talking out of character. Love what you do!
For whatever it's worth: The most common cause of back pain from standing all day is bad posture. And, bad posture may be due to injury, illness or genetics, but most commonly slouching. And, slouching is due to the effects gravity. Before considering a second career in space, there are exercises that will improve posture. ... i might add, again for whatever it's worth, we do not breathe only with our chest. For a full normal breathing to occur we do use our abdominal muscles. Thus, the reason a corset is not recommended during exercise.
I just wanted to say that your videos help me immensly with my anxiety. Plus, I am a huge London fan and I think your breakdowns of the cities’ history are perfect. I hope to one day participate in a city tour of yours :). ❤
When you think about it, that a corset can help with back ache doesn't seem so farfetched when you consider how we do tend to use a lot of compression wear these days to deal with muscle pain when doing physical activity.
Wow, really interesting. I was actually researching camera sling bags and your video came up, not sure why! But really interesting non the less. A really informative piece of social history, thank you.
Yess I too wear a corset almost daily and all of this is exactly my experience. The struggle of sitting on modern furniture is a corset is real 😅
Yeah, I think modern furniture is softer, less supportive, and actually encourages poor posture.
I don't remember hearing about the protection from waistbands before, that's really neat! 😄
(I've been watching similar videos before, so most things are what others say too (duh), but yours was well organised and quite short, which was good for this moment. Thank you.)
I have no idea why CZcams recommended this to me. Must be the steel. But I'm glad, I learned a lot even if it's about something I'll never need. Thanks for sharing.
As a man with no personal interest in wearing a corset I don't really have much to say on the subject. But I do want to say I love the ambience of the room you're in when demonstrating postures and such. Bookshelf, piano, antique gramophone, globe, and artsy wall hanging. Even if it's all modern reproductions (and the "piano" looks like an electronic keyboard) it works to create a great vibe. I like your style.
Ah yes, this is information that I will definitely use in my day-to-day life. If nothing else, it's given me a new look into how people actually wore the incredible amount of clothing of back-in-the-day, which is very interesting
Using a corset was the only way I could get through gigs playing in a string quartet, before my arthritis ended that completely
Very informative and fun. I love when people look at history from a practical view. Well done.
Extraordinarily informative, thank you. I was just researching corsets today. Years ago I had a friend who promoted their benefits, but even she didn't wear one daily for ordinary use.
Me, a dude with no intentions of ever wearing a corset: interesting...
I wear a corset to help with my posture and to help support my abdominal wall (long story, lots of damage). I usually tighten it to a firm hug, maaaaaybe a little bit more if I've got a really active day ahead.
The back support is, by FAR, the best part of wearing one, even with the issues with boots and desk chairs.
I'm actually wearing one in my profile pic.
Thank you for the insight and clarification of some unclear points and loose image about that topic.
I enjoy your channel more and more.
I think the sitting problem is related to how chairs are designed now. They are more suited to the way we dress nowadays. Different ergonomics I believe.
Thank you for giving me a much more nuanced view of corsets! I honestly believed they were essentially male gaze oriented torture wear.
So fun fact about whalebone boning? There's actually a modern mimic called synthetic baleen or German plastic boning (for reasons I don't quite understand) and it actually molds to your shape with heat. From what I understand it's actually quite flexible.
I put my shoes on after my corset. It's a little undignified, but I try not to wear my shoes in my apartment, and I don't want to get dressed in the stairwell 😉 I personally prefer an overbust corset that's cut pretty short in the hips, which I find to be more comfortable when sitting. Also, a tip for wearing tights with your corset: put them on over it. It's not cute, but it works. Historical drawers just aren't as good at preventing upper thigh chafing as something stretchy and close-fitting, so tights are still a necessary part of my winter wardrobe.
Fascinating. I’m a male longtime weight lifter from across the pond. It sounds like the corset functions in many ways like a powerlifting belt, or even more so, a therapeutic brace used to recover from low back injuries.
Fascinating vlog, as always. I’m surprised more shop assistants, and other workers who have to stand all day, don’t use them. Maybe if more people did they would experience less back pain, which sadly here in the UK is a now common health complaint 🤕😩😰
comment 2 years after video
In the construction industry, we wear back braces to help help with back ache. standing, bending, lifting, and wearing tool belts put a huge amount of pressure on the lower back. I feel your pain.
As a modern military service person, i can absolutely testify in regards to trying to tie your foot wear while wearing something literally strapped around your torso. It's practically impossible.
boots/shoes before corset/armor
Thank you for the video) I wear a lumbosacral corset becuase I have an intervertebral hernia. It's smaller than a normal corset but still helps with pain)
You may have lucked out and found an off the rack corset that works, but I'd also suggest(when the budget allows) getting a custom made one.
One place that corsets still linger in modern underwear is in longline bras
I've got a corset with artificial whalebone. That totally removes the sitting problem for me, which was a big issue with my steel boned corset. (As long as I don't try to sit on a beanbag.)
This is great timing, I’m FINALLY getting some corsets I ordered months ago, and I’m excited to try them out!
Thank you. Very informative and educational. This isn't a topic a guy normally asks about so I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have ever known any of this if you hadn't made this video.
I've alway enjoyed your interesting historical presentations, but this is an interesting side of you I have never seen before; but still, educational. Thank you.
I noticed an interesting thing during my opera training - many of the singers who were my teachers and masters, even men, said that the corset helps them to sing in long operas (after two hours of singing, the muscular corset loses a little tone and support helps to stay "fit" during long spectacles)
I imagine you've already seen most of these but there's a whole world of Costubers you should check out for at the very least their opinions on corsets, Bernadette Banner, Morgan Donner, Karolina Zebrowska, Retroclaude, and tons of others I've missed.
For info on modern corsets I also highly recommend Lucy's Corsetry, she doesn't do historical stuff but she has a giant database of modern corset makers, lots of interesting info about modern corsets and a corset making series.
I found this fascinating. You are an excellent communicator.
And I love that room.
Good points. My grandmother wore a corset all her life and as a result had a weak spine. Wearing it periodically sounds much better. Also weather your waist measurement will decrease or not depends on you physiology. Bernadette Banner's does not but Abby Cox does. Both people are just build different. As you said those what you wear on top will also make the difference. Enjoyed your piece greatly. Thanks.
Thank you! I don't wear corsets (though I would like to!) but it always really bothers me when people frame them as some kind of horrible torture machine.
I mean we shouldnt ignore problematic aspects around how corsets were historically utilized. It is good that she is using it in a more natural way, but the truth is thst there was a long period where it was partly used for other specific social enforcement too.
This is true for any clothing especially when often modern equivalents of them in fact are more relaxed equivalents of what they were historically like
@@runenorderhaug7646 given that they were also worn by lots of men, i don't think the sexism angle is going to play here.
Awesome! Every day wear is easier the more you wear it. It feels like you are hugged all day. 24/7 is not really an issue!
But you will lose weight and reduce your waist. Microfiber works great for under corset wear or cotton.
I also wear a corset most days and while I understand a lot of what you're saying, I find most of it doesn't affect me! It could be because mine is a mid-bust corset with a thinner busk and synthetic whalebone, but I thought it was so interesting to hear your experiences with a corset and how they differ to mine! 🥰
I love wearing my corsets for my back. I’m fine wearing it in the car. I have one off those cars where you can adjust the height of the seat. Thank you for this video
I just watched an absolutely breathtaking woman talk about a corset for 10 minutes, I have no regrets. This was surprisingly informative and I learnt a lot.
I've been considering getting or making my own historical undergarnments, and I love the long-form type of underwear like shifts anyways. I wonder if there is a place that sells corsets or stays with synthetic whalebone which is pretty flexible too but wouldn't risk rust.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
We should bring back corsets and make them widely available. I would appreciate the back support!
I'm not even a quarter of the way through the video and I am already extremely relieved to have clicked on this video because I think about wearing a corset to work literally every single day because my back sucks.