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| Victoria and Albert Museum courtyard www.myrooms.co.uk |
I’ve been to a few art, history and
science museums in my twenty years, but the Victoria and Albert Museum of art
and design was definitely a new experience for me. Not only were there sections
of art, sculptures, architecture and artifacts, there were also exhibits for
fashion throughout history and from areas worldwide.
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| Corset on display at the V&A |
Going through the fashion exhibit, I
learned just how influential the world could be on what we decide to wear on a
daily basis. One item of clothing that was included in the collection, and has
always been a trigger of interest for me, was a corset. These beautiful “death
traps” had been in fashion for centuries and are still around today, although
today, classic styles are more found in costumes and modern styles are elastic
and used to smooth out curves.
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| Spanx vs Corset weheartvintage.co |
A majority of the plays we have seen
have been period pieces requiring the costumes to fit the time period. To
acquire the authenticity from the era, accurate undergarments were needed,
including corsets for the women but not as tight as they were styled back then.
When corsets were a common fashion practice, they were strung so tightly that
the woman wearing the garment would occasionally faint from heat and
hyperventilation. Corsets could even harm and rearrange internal organs.
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| www.steamingenius.com |
Back in Shakespeare’s days, MEN
playing the roles of women would wear corsets to get a more feminine figure,
and if they wore the corsets long enough, they would permanent alteration to
their bodies. Although women have been playing in Shakespeare’s productions for
many years now, there are still companies that continue this timeworn practice
including ‘The Lord Chamberlain’s Men’ company.
Another play we will be seeing
before we leave is The Importance of
Being Earnest, which takes place in the 19th century, also known
as the Victorian Era. The Victorian was a new time for a new style of corset.
These corsets had a “straight
front, it was supposed to take pressure away from the stomach region. It ended
just below the breasts to give them room. However, fashion didn't just accept
the new shape, but exaggerated it so that the busk pressed the belly and hips
backwards and forced the wearer into a hollow-backed posture, the so-called
straight-front or S-line.” After learning about the evolution of this garment,
I am interested to see the costuming and styles in The Importance of Being Earnest.
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| Typical style that may be seen in The Importance of Being Earnest Displayed at the V&A |
Information
about corsets found here: http://www.marquise.de/en/themes/korsett/korsett.shtml
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