Evening star., 1909-05-09
Our Corset
Story
ON BREATHING
TOLD EACH WEEK BY
ONE WHO KNOWS


want to breathe. These two
wants, common to womankind. were
SO antipodal in the days OF the hour
glass figure that it would have been
considered impossible to satisfy both
at the same time.
With the tight lacing that prevailed
az intervals for long period of time
women removed their corsets to get
one good breath or to heave a hearty
sigh of relief. 1t is horrifyinE to
realize that such a state of affairs
once existed, and one IL almost g re-
luctant to admit having been a party
TO the slightly better corset that held
uninterrupted sway for many wears
following the downfall OF the hour
glass figure.
while we Insist that the wasp waist
has actually been frowned down and
viewed askance. 1t is. nevertheless.
equally true that the accepted corset
shape for the last thirty years has
been one that changed but little. Ii
was dented in to form a waist de-
preston on the front steel and made
with accompanying narrowed-in cores
TO produce figure. The woman who
all efforts at real breathing were
nipped in the bud by this corset. which
prevented free motion OF the diaphragm.
THE DIAPHRAGM
The elongated figure necessary fo,
the woman Of the directoire gown
brought about a change in corsets
that was no doubt unintentiona,1v
beneficial, but the corsetmaker has
awakened with enthusiasm and ths
modelling OF health corsets has be.
come definite branch OF his arf.
A scientific study has been made OF
women and their needs. and MANY
models not designated as corrective
Shapes are made upon hygienic lines.
In reducing the hips the waist meas
urement was enlarged Just az soon
as the waist was granted some lee
way the diaphragm was "let loose"
and women breathed.
The thrills of the corsetiere, oye,
their wonderfully inspiring year are
no circumstance to the raptures ~
the women who find breathing spacs
In these most modern corsets.
Inc diaphragm is a muscular par
tltlon separating two cayities-the
chest and the abdomen. 1t is one or
ue most important muscles in the
body. 1t has been continuously sinh
1ected TO bad treatment, but il pot-
withstaEdipg. responsive even now 10
every act of Kindness shown II Ter
me show you how obliging is this
little part Of you. With each breath
naturally moves downward. and
10 a distance of sometimes three
inches. BY any outward pressure
ABOUT ihe waist the diaphragm 10
hanpered IN its movement. and
breathing becomes costai; that is. a
woman then breathes only within her
chest or rib-cage; but just SO soon az
this pressure is removed the dta-
phragmatic motion at once begins and
breathing becomes abdominal. This
has been discovered through experi-
ments which prove that woman.
normal breathing is not costaI, az wa.
once supposed, but that when her
organs are released her normal
breathing is, like mans, abdominal
1t has been shown that sIeepine
women breathe abdominally. as do
Indians and Chinese. whose waists
have not been squeezed in by So
called civilized clothes.
SOME ADVANTAGES
1t will be impossible within the al.
lotted space to 60 deeply into the ad.
Vantages of free diaphragmatic mo-
tion. but the. larger-waisted corset
models of today mean much that is
SO evident as TO need only a word
lest We forget Deep breathing means
correct and dignified poise. which is
undenIably desirable; II means grace
which grows out of the consequent
freedom OF movement; II means bust
and lung development There are
even now hosts of people who need
perhaps this added word of fnsfruc-
iion to grasp the exact method: Stand
perfectly erect, with the shoulders
back and the arms down. Exhale
slowly through the mouth. Shut the
mouth and slowly draw in air
through the nose until the lungs are
FULL Hold this air five seconds and
then eXhale 1t slowly through the
mouth. Do this FIVE or six times. 1t
is about as simple as any known ex-
ercise, and perhaps more vital.
Now, l have brought in this exer-
else partly because L want to add that
any corset that will not allow you TO
do this with ease. SO that you feel
satisfied that you have really done il,
is not a properly constructed corset
for you and for the free movement OF
your diaphragm.