The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1861-11-07
L8c Bomr CjrrIr.
The Corset.

This article Of ladies' wear is again
coming into general use. or late years
1t has been retrogradng in public favor,
but is now regaining its former position
Few ladies can afford to do without the
support and rest which these articles
afford them. 1t is not necessary to lace
corsets tightly to secure a handsome
figure. Those persons who are noted
for beauty Of form wear these articles
loosely; but much, if not everything, in
deed, depends upon the shape Of the
corset itself IF it does not adapt itself
easily to the figure Of the wearer, it can
not be expected that handsome form
will be presented to view. Some corsets
are so lily fashioned that they spoil a
naturally pretty form, while others
seem, through their correct proportions
and artistic curves, to create a beautiful
form where Dame Nature had apparent.
ly failed
We have room for few words con,
Cerning corsets, which we believe will
prove amusing and instructive to our
lady readers. The history Of that ar
ticle of female apparel, upon which the
tOUrnUre so entirely depends, must in
terest all who feel any legitimate ankle
" about their toilet The corset had
its origin in Italy, and was introduced
into that country by Catharine dc Me-
diois; it was at once admitted by all
the ladies Of the French court that it
was indispensable to the female figure,
and was accordingly adopted by them.
The coraet, however, was, ia those days,
in its infancy, and it assumed more of
the rough character Of the knights
cuirass; the frame was entirely formed
Of iron, aud the velvet which decorated
the exterior hid frightfully cumberous
machine. This state Of things, so del
rimental To health, and the cause of so
many inconvonencos, not TO say tor
lures, could not last long, and tho arli-
sans of those days cOntrived to give
more prability and lightness to the me-
tai, which prepared the way by degrees
for whalebone, But as reforms arc
slow, the cold iron continued to embrace
warm hearts and even contrived to OK.
ist at the present time under the name
Of busk; and who can blame IFS peril
nacity? We have had dinned into our
ears, for the last half.oeutury, by the
doctors, the frightful results Of the de-
sire to become possessed Of that great
female beauty a small waist, but our
tight-laced grandmothers were nothing
to the wasp-shaped danes of the court
Of Catharine de Medicis. Fitting like
vice, tho corset was frightened round
the shape until the fair victim, if her
figure happened to exceed the supposed
limits Of gentility, could scarcely gasp
beneath It's parasite folds. This is suf-
foisntly oxemplfed by tho existing
portraits Of that pc iod. Corssts we're
used 10 the times of E1fus and Honry
the First; and ia a manuscript copy Of
the "Lay Of Sir Lamfal, written about
the year 1900, we have the following
description Of the two damsels whom
the knight unexpectedly meets in the
Forest
"ThoIr krtles were Of india silk,
l-laced small Jolyf aud we'll"
In the French originals "Lacies moult
esireiiemcut VERY straightly or tight
ly lacedI" The Lady Triamoro, in the
same romance, is also described as
"Cad iu purple pail,
With gentle bOdio aud middle small"