The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-01-06
DRESS In HISTORY.
THE ANTIQUITY OF CORSETS AND
SOME OTHER APPAREL.
Early Laws Against the Torturing Corset
Were Observation-Disclosures de Medicis'
Invention and How 1t Contracted the
FiCure-Muffs and Wigs.

Were PowerIess-Catherine de Medicis'
Invention and How 1t Contracted the
FiGure-Muffs and Wigs.
The costumes of the Saxons and Normans
differed widely. The Norman ladies wore
their dresses tightly laced to them, while
the Saxons wore theirs loose. The religious
satirists of the day accused the Normans of
painting their faces and tightening their
waists.
This now brings US to the subject of which
we must speak with awe and bated breath;
this is the origin of that much abused artf
Gle of female attire known as stays. Ter
ence, the Roman dramatist born 1876 B. CO,
makes one of his characters-speaklng OF
ladies-say that they saddle their backs
and straitlace their waists to make them
well shaped" While the other writers OF
the same period tell us that Roman women,
whether married or unmarried, used wide
girdles of stiff stuff, under which was u
tight bandage fastened at the shoulder.
This was, however, intended to support ths
bust and not to compress the waist. AT thB
British museum is Ms. of the time Of
Edward the Confessor, adorned by pic
ture Of the "Fiend of Fashion" and this
figure wears an unmistakable corset tightly
laced and stiffened by two busks in front,
Just like the garment worn by Swiss peas
ants at the present day. In the ancient
writings, too, slender waist is spoken CT
as sign of beauty. Even Chaucer speaks
admiringly of woman with waist like
weasel
Now, however, we come to more sensible
times. In the Fourteenth century Joseph,
emperor of Austria, noted autocrat,
passed law forbidding the use of the cor
set in all nunneries and places where girls
were educated. He also called in the church
to help him, and to eXcommunicate all
those who wore the accursed garment. The
College of Physicians, startled into activ-
ity by the imperial anxiety, produced num-
berless learned dissertations on the evils OF
wearing corsets, and distributed them
broadcast throughout the land.
THE MEDICIS CORSET.
Catherine de Medicis was of quite an OPP
posite way of thinking, and to her broad
waist was an abomination, and it is said
that during her reign waists were about
thirteen inches in circumference. As well
as introducing the artistic and becoming
Medicis collar, which we all know SO well,
she also invented corset herself, which at
first glance might be taken for an inStru-
ment of torture of the hol inquisition. 1t
is made of steel rs strong as armor, cut into
open work pattern, over which velvet was
sewn. 1t had two parts like warriors
back and breastplate on two hinges, and
fastened at the other side with pin like
an ordinary box. At the front and back
were two bars of steel, from which the
dress hung. Considering this there is no
wonder that our anceStreSSeS look stiff and
uncomfortable. Whalebone stays were first
used in the time Of Elizabeth. James l was
so pleased with them that he ordered all his
courtiers, male and female, to wear them.
The corset has never been absent from
female attire since the time of Elizabeth.
in spite of all the dress reformers.
In Charles I's time the dresses were very
low, of Dutch origin. The skirt was tied
back and an apron worn. This fashion was
brought from Portugal by Catherine of
Braganza
In Anne's time a curious eccentricity was
seen in muffs being carried by men. The
hoop was worn at various periods from the
time of Elizabeth, when it was called a
farthingale. 1t was always inconvenienG
and was never worn in a carriage. 1t has
existed in our day in the hideous crinolines,
and to some extent as a crinolette, and even
the so called dress improver is survival
of it.