Corsetry 101: Definitions

Corselettes

Colors used for Names:

General

UK   US

Alternative

The bra and girdle, as we know them, appeared early in the 20th century. The first combination garment -- the Corselette -- followed very soon afterwards. Effectively it was a longline bra attached to an open bottom girdle. The first corselettes were heavy and firm. The bra sections usually had normal cups, but for a few years in the twenties breasts went out of fashion, and a range of Flatteners, without cups, was introduced to disguise the breasts. This section will cover both open and panty style corselettes.

Corselettes

All-in-Ones

Open Corselettes

Classic Formfit Corselette

Strapless corselette

A Corselette that fits well is generally more comfortable than the equivalent longline bra and girdle, and gives a smoother line. Corselettes were introduced in the early Thirties, and remained quite popular until the girdle went out of fashion. However the range of styles available is very limited now, and unless your body is the standard size and shape you are unlikely to to be able to find one that fits you properly. In this case, if you still want overall control, you are more likely to get a good fit from the combination of a longline bra and high waist girdle.

The first Pantygirdles appeared in the late twenties or early thirties, and the first Panty-Corselettes, or All-in-Ones, followed not long afterwards. Usually these had no legs, but long leg styles were available. The brief styles usually had a join in the crotch piece, with hook and eye fastening for access. The long leg styles usually had a split crotch, which gave rather restricted access, but some had a zipper which went up the inside of one leg, across the crotch, and down the other leg.

Miss Sweden Corselette

In the sixties the development of Lycra led to a greatly improved range of elastic fabrics, and a much lighter range of garments for the younger generation became available. The new lightweight All-In-Ones were generally referred to as Bodysuits. Again most were brief style, but a few long leg styles were available.

The corselette on the left (top) is a classic Formfit, probably from the Fifties. It has a rigid front panel, and probably a satin downstretch back panel. The one on the right, from Miss Sweden, is a modern version, and has a zip opening in the front, reinforcing over the stomach (and probably buttocks) and strategically placed darts to provide additional shaping.

Both show the smooth lines and freedom from lumps given by a good corselette.

Strapless corselettes were often worn under the bare shouldered dresses which were popular in the fifties. The example, lower left, is the original Warners Merry Widow.

All-in-One

Bodysuit

Panty Corselette

Playtex 18-Hour

Playtex I-Can't-Believe-It's-a-Girdle

All-in-one's consist of a combined bra and pantygirdle. They offer much the same advantages as corselettes, but are even harder to fit, as the length has to be just right. However they can be worn without stockings, whereas stockings must be worn with corselettes.

Apart from this it is largely a matter of personal preferences which is chosen. These are samples of two of Playtex's top lines. The one on the left is an 18-Hour, so named because -- supposedly -- you can wear it for 18 hours without discomfort. It is made of moulded latex, perforated to allow it to breathe, and covered inside and out with cotton fabric to reinforce it and prevent it from becoming sticky. These had a distinctive, longlasting, and very obvious perfume added to try to disguise the smell of the latex. It is said that in the days when they were popular you could immediately tell if someone in the room was wearing one.

The model on the right is wearing an I-Can't-Believe-It's-a-Girdle model. These were made from a very strong lightweight Lycra fabric, and supposedly just didn't feel like a girdle.

The traditional all in one was a heavy firm garment, but in the sixties much lighter garments using the new lightweight Lycra fabrics were introduced. These were usually referred to as Bodysuits.

Long leg All-In-One

Long leg all-in-ones seem to have been moderately popular in the States, but I have never seen an actual example anywhere else, though in the Fifties and Sixties I saw them advertised a couple of times in Australia. I had never heard of them, until the heroine in the German film Des Teufelsgeneral (set during WW2) flashed one briefly to the hero while she was getting dressed for a date. They normally had either a split crotch or a zip that went up one leg and down the other. I suspect that most women felt that the lack of practicality outweighed any theoretical advantages they offered.

The sample on the left is from the Sears 1985 catalogue. It has a zip opening in front, detachable suspenders, nylon tricot split crotch, elastic leg bands, and is about 16 in. from waist down. It cost $29 in 1985. The garment on the right as a modern one, in a particularly attractive fabric.

Most of the long leg all-in-ones I have seen advertised have had 6" to 8" legs, though I have seen illustrations of garments which came below the knee.

The Art of Corsetry   Ed: Bunyip Bluegum