Corsets were one of the most popular dressings during Edwardian times. The biggest issue with wearing an Edwardian Corset was that they were not easy to clean and required extra attention. Many layers of clothes were put above the corset, and a chemise was worn under it.
After the death of Queen Victoria, the fashion trend of wearing Victorian corsets was passed on to the Edwardian dynasty in the form of the Edwardian corset in the year 1901. Voluptuous figures were much appreciated and desired in this era, so the corsets were designed to give an S-shaped body structure to women.
The S-shaped corset was popularly known as the health corset. Women wore them extensively throughout the Edwardian period. This shape of corset gave a perfect shape with a thin waistline, hips pushed outward, and the bust region forward. The Edwardian corsets presented a very rigid manner of women’s dressing with the pressure exerted on the abdomen.
The corsets experienced a decline in popularity towards the later part of the Edwardian era, losing popularity at around 1908. This shift was seen as ladies now preferred to dress in clothes having a higher waistline. They preferred more natural garments that are not too rigid, artificial, or uncomfortable. Women felt uncomfortable in the Edwardian corsets, and that’s why the outfit saw a decline. With the Edwardian corset craze going down, bras became popular with the ladies.
Below are the top styles of Edwardian corsets that ruled the era:
- Edwardian Era Underwear
- Health Corset
- S Bend
- Mono Bosom
The restrictive Edwardian corset was a symbol of the luxurious class women who did not do any household work or outside. With the times and the roles of women transforming, corset designs got modified as per utility. And this saw the fall of Edwardian corsets.