The Return of the Corset & What it Means for Women

It's no secret that corsets have been gaining popularity. Not the kind that women wore historically - I haven't seen any women walking around with corseted waists this tiny - but a healthier imitation of the corset. According to Wikipedia, "While modern 'corsets' and 'corset tops' often feature lacing and/or boning and generally mimic a historical style of corsets, they have very little if any effect on the shape of the wearer's body."

Well, my friends, that seems to be changing. ASOS is now offering the below "waistcincher," which, although not labeled as a corset, is defined by Wikipedia as a type of corset.



Am I the only one who finds this scary?

I don't generally have a problem with modern corsets. They can be beautiful, and they don't constrict the waist in a way that can cause the wearer to have trouble breathing and possibly deform the ribs, stomach, and liver as historical corsets did. I haven't tried the ASOS waistcincher, so I can't be sure what it does to the body, but I do know that the model in the picture looks like the corset has tightly cinched her waist to an unnatural thin-ness. I'm worried about the health and comfort of women who choose to wear it - at least those who plan to lace their corsets too tightly. But I'm also worried about what it says about our society that women might choose to wear such a restrictive garment.

Women's rights have come a long way in the modern world. American women can vote, work at high-powered jobs, and are mostly free to do what they want to do with their lives. There are many places in the world where women do not have the same kind of freedom, places where women aren't allowed to make their own decisions, or even speak for themselves. What does it say about us, the women who are lucky enough to have a lot of freedom, that we might choose to wear a restrictive corset? Does it say, "I wear a corset because I choose sexiness, and the power that comes from looking good," or does it say, "I'm willing to restrict my freedom of movement and cause myself discomfort just so I can look good"?

I have a problem with the idea that women might wear something that inhibits their ability to give a fast-paced lecture at the office, or run to catch the bus, or even just sing along with the radio. Some women can't do these things for fear that they might be beaten or killed, so can we really justify giving up these things just for the sake of looking thinner? Why is that okay?

In my opinion, it's not okay.

That's pretty much all I can think to say on the subject right now, but I guess I'd like to add that writing this post has made me wonder if high heels are similarly problematic. It's easy enough to rant about the issues I have with corsets coming back in style, but I happen to wear heels every now and then, and I can't help wondering if that's just as bad.

Edit: Thanks to Ashe Mischief for pointing out some gaps in my research. I hope this didn't offend anyone, and please take a look at the comments to read what she wrote on the subject.

Playing Fair?

I've never really voiced an opinion about the high street stores copying designs. I guess this is because it's really a mixed bag for me. Clearly, it's wrong. It's wrong to steal the work of an artist, which is what the high street is doing. But my feelings on the matter don't keep me from buying cheaper imitations. I would never buy a "fake" prada bag or one of those kinds of knock-offs that you get from street venders, but I'm not above buying a "designer-inspired" top from Forever 21. If I had lots of money, I wouldn't support this kind of practice, but I don't and I deal with it.

Lately I've just been wondering where to draw the knock-off line. At what point is something a knock-off? For example, take a look at the picture above. On the left is a dress (that I adore) from Anna Sui's Spring/Summer '07 line. On the right is an Anthropologie dress. Clearly both are similar - Same colors/color combintations, similar patterns - but the actual shapes of the garments are about as different as you can get. Knock-off, or no? Is Anthroplogie pitching a fair game? To be sure, the dresses are not copies of each other, but you could easily imagine them being from the same collection, and I immediately thought of the Anna Sui dress upon seeing the Anthropologie one.

Hmm. I can't decide. Any thoughts?