The corset as an undergarment had its origin in Italy, and was introduced by Catherine de Medici into France in the 1500s, where the women of the French court embraced it. This type of corset was a tight, elongated bodice that was worn underneath the clothing.

What was the purpose of a corset?

A corset is a support garment commonly worn to hold and train the torso into a desired shape, traditionally a smaller waist or larger bottom, for aesthetic or medical purposes (either for the duration of wearing it or with a more lasting effect), or support the breasts.

What were corsets laced with?

For corsets that were tied up at the front, a decorated fabric panel called the 'stomacher' was attached to conceal the laces. In Spain, corsets were supported in the front by a vertically placed wooden or bone rod known as a 'busk', which produced a flat shape, and was reinforced elsewhere with whalebone stays.