“…the exhibit
stresses how, throughout the centuries, women in Western culture have been
forced, even physically constricted, into molding to bodily ideals.”
—Angelica
Frey, https://hyperallergic.com
Hello Friends,
Have you ever watched a period drama to see the beautiful costumes the
characters wore? Ever noticed the portrayal of lithe, or willowy and waif-like figures
of the women from centuries ago?
In December 2017, an exhibit at the Museum, Fashion Institute of
Technology in New York, showcased society's obsession with the ideal female body through
garments from the late 1700s to the present.
Women’s bodies naturally come in all shapes and sizes. Hundreds of years
past, striving for fashionable bodies and ideal silhouettes meant creating the
illusion of a small waist, hips and bust. Creating such an appearance used
torturous devices like metal busks and boning of corsets to narrow the waist.
Paddings, girdles, and caged bustles were used to accentuate the derrière or put
plainly to make big bums. Other contraptions were designed to do something with
the surplus fat and achieve the lissome figure.
The extreme hourglass figure was desired in the Victorian era.
Corsets were worn under maternity dresses.
In the early 20th Century, plus-sized clothing was called stoutwear.
Thank goodness the 1970’s came, and fashion sought to free a woman’s body
from all of the unnatural stuff. In the present day, social media is now showing
us the diversity of women’s body types and shapes across the world.
If you would like to read more about the evolution of fashion showing in
the New York exhibition, here’s two articles.
How fashion has constricted women's bodies over 250 years.
Jezebel spoke
to the exhibit’s curator, Emma McClendon, about body positivity, her aims for
the exhibition, and the history of clothing for “plus size” bodies. Read the
interview.
Enjoy your weekend,
♥ Ashlyn
♥ Ashlyn
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