The Edwardian era was one of elegance, luxury, and excess not seen in any other period of history before or since. So impractical, yet so lavishly beautiful, the opulence of the time still captivates the minds of people who long for the romance and passion suggested by the ultra-feminine fashions of the day. In high Edwardian society, the fashionable woman often changed costumes five and six times in the course of a single day, each time donning a different look and outfit that was particularly suited to the next activity that laid claim to her abundance of leisure time. It’s an intriguing proposition, then, to ponder the wardrobe necessities required to maintain such a regimen. Once the matter is considered, it becomes clear, and almost goes without saying, that the first and most basic of all necessities for the Edwardian woman’s wardrobe, and in fact, the foundation upon which her elegant hour-glass silhouette depended, was, of course, the corset.

The silhouette of the early era was graceful, flowing, and full of curves. A woman’s overall shape resembled an “S,” often called an “S-bend,” which was created by the often painful, and most certainly unhealthy constraints placed upon the body by a corset. The corsets of the Edwardian era differed from those of the earlier Victorian era in that they were longer and straighter in the front, and were designed to push a woman’s bosom down, forward, and together to create the illusion of a single wide bosom, referred to as a “mono-bosom.” At the same time, the corset forced a woman’s shoulders and posterior back. This created the “S” shape that was associated with the curvaceous mature woman favored by the middle-aged King Edward himself. This unnatural posture was offset visually by huge upswept hairstyles topped with enormously wide and elaborate hats. Physically, a woman’s stance could be balanced by the use of a parasol, which was quite often needed to keep her from toppling over.

The corset was constructed from layers of sturdy fabric and padding that were sewn together creating compartments into which were inserted stays made of steel or bone. Popular Edwardian corsets consisted of up to 36 different pieces sewn together to create the desired contours for the woman’s body, with strong laces in the back that could withstand the considerable force exerted upon them during the lacing process. Highly skilled corsetieres were sought after and paid well to construct custom corsets that targeted an individual woman’s natural figure with just the right placement of boning to tame her flesh into the desired shape.

Corset covers were worn over the outside of the corset, to keep it clean. These were dainty garments constructed of a lightweight batiste or voile fabric, embellished heavily with ribbons and lace. They were the forerunner of the modern day camisole, which remains largely unchanged from its ancestor in appearance to this day. Garters, sometimes called suspenders, were attached to the bottom of the corset to hold up a woman’s stockings. Bloomers were often worn in the early years, covering the garters and bottom portion of the corset, over which then several petticoats were layered before easing into the final outer garments.

As the era progressed, a new silhouette gained favor. Skirt lines gradually changed from the full, draping construction of the early years to a slimmer, tighter construction, sometimes so tight that a woman’s ability to walk was severely restricted. Waist lines rose, and the Empire waist regained popularity. These elements required a new silhouette, achieved by a new style of corset. By 1910, women were commonly wearing a much longer corset that constricted the hips instead of the waist. It was so long in fact, that sitting down became something of a problem. The bosom was cut much lower, necessitating a bust bodice for support, but which no longer pushed the shoulders and posterior back. The result was a much straighter, slimmer, more upright silhouette that continued in popularity until the advent of World War I (1914), at which time corsets were done away with altogether. New roles and functions for women to fulfill in society and an accompanying increase in physical activity created a need for less restrictive clothing, resulting in the demise of the horrors of corset-wearing forever. The French “brassiere” replaced the bust bodice, and the elastic girdle replaced the full corset. Each of these garments also underwent several transformations and enjoyed more or less popularity across the ensuing years.

Uncomfortable as the corset may have been, it was the first and most necessary piece needed to create the look of flowing elegance and seductive maturity that was so highly prized by the women of this era. Our Edwardian lady, then, would submit herself day after day to the less-than-gentle tuggings and yankings administered by her maid that would force her flesh to conform to the size and structure of the unyielding contraption known as the corset. Through this ritual, the lovely hour-glass figure, that waspish waist and flirty curvature of body that signified beauty and wealth could be attained. Ah, what price vanity!