New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-06
THE ANCIENT GREEKS LACED.

Nobody knows who wore the first cor
set. II may surprise the enthusiasts
who would have us return TO the flow
ing garments and unrestricted figure
Of the ancient Greeks 10 learn that the
Greek and Roman women of classical
times had already discovered the beneht
Of some form of support for the breasts
and waist True, these supports did not
much resemble the formal corset. but
the basic principle was similar Some
were worn below the breasts to Keep
them up-such is the one shown In the
Illustration. "the girdle Of Venus 1t is
probably the forerunner of the brassiere
The purpose Of other "girdles" was TO
hold in the breasts and make them ap-
pear smaller when they were too devel-
oped, while others were bound about the
waist or hips to keep in check too gen.
srous embonpoint
Whether or not these bands were
drawn as tightly as the modern corset
sometimes is and its Immediate prede-
eessors certainly were, is matter for
psychologists to determine. Some Of
them maintain that human nature has
changed but very little in two thousand
years. and that probably the lovely
ladies' Of Greece and Rome were quite
as vain of their appearance as the belle
Of Queen Elizabeths day or our own.
THE FIRST coRsETs.
II is supposed that the corset was in
trcduced into England by French women
shortly after the Norman Conquest 1t
is also presumed that the French got 1t
from Italy where II had been the mode
Of the Italian women for many years
to wear dresses with long sleeves and
tightly laced bodices.
At once the fashion began to be de-
cried. The Church was then the author
ity on things mundane as we'll as spir-
ituai, and it disapproved Of the way in
Vhieh the women were revealing their
hgures. No stronger proof could be de-
sired Of this than the fact that the
earliest illustration we have of these
dresses is the work Of a monk in an
Illuminated manuscript in the British
Museum. To mark his aversion Of the
oress the artist. in representing
temptation Of the Saviour. introduces
satan dressed in the full costume of
iady OF the period. The bodice is tight
~ laced from the top TO the bottom. and
tne ornamental tag at the end Of the
lace depends from the last hole in the
oodiee. In this dress one sleeve is short
aao vide and the other so long that IL
mas 10 be tied in knot 10 prevent IL
trailing on the ground. while the skirt
Qde "a he in I'd
enable the fantostic figure wearing Il
to walk
soon after this the French dress
maker separated the skirt from the cor
ssse, and thus paved the way for the
introduction Of the corset proper, which
now artistieally conceals the method
producing the much desired effect.
SMALL WAISTS IN LITERATURE.
II did not take women long TO push
'he tash.on Of tight lacing TO extremes,
ana their lovers soon began 10 admire
We uimness and beauty OF the new fig
wes. Naturally the men who wrote no.
ueeS the change in dress, and the ro-
nsnees Of the Middle Ages TEEN with
aiuslons 10 and laudation of the wasp
IKE waists Of the ladies. In the Lay
Or Launfal" a French poem written
- 1900 the women are described as Eek
aemely tightly laced" while one in par
neuiar, the daughter Of the King OF the
4a'ries, is spoken OF as
clad In purple pail,
IN sentylI body and middle small"
vas in the fourteenth century that
as word corset" first came into use.
nag its origin in France. but 1t soon