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The corset controversy describes supporters' and detractors' arguments for and against wearing a corset. The controversy was contemporary with the time that corsets were popular in society. Corsets, variously called ''a pair of bodys ''or ''stays'', were worn by European women from the late 16th century onward, changing their form as fashions changed. For most of this period, floor-length full skirts were the norm. Variations were endless. The French court dress of the 18th century, with its extensive drapery supported by pannier, was an extreme but telling example of the style. The English had their "robe anglaise”. Irrespective of variation, a form of corset beneath the dress shaped the body.〔Willett, C. and Cunningham, Phillis,''The History of Underclothes'', Faber and Faber, London, 1981〕 Beginning in the 1790s, there was an abrupt break with tradition as the Empire silhouette became fashionable. Coinciding with the French Revolution, a revolution occurred in women's clothing. Inspired by the tunics of classical antiquity, dresses were high-waisted and loose fitting, with a long flowing skirt. The corset was reduced to a minimal form, primarily to support the bosom.〔Jenkins, David (ed.), ''The Cambridge History of Western Textiles'', Cambridge University Press, September 2003, p. 903〕 Beginning in the mid-1820s, women's fashion returned to the full skirts of the prior century. In a repudiation of the Empire silhouette, the waist became the central focus of female dress. The corset assumed the dominant role it would hold for the rest of the 19th century. Designed to emphasize the waist, it was pulled in as required to achieve the desired slenderness.〔Ewing, Elizabeth, ''Dress and Undress, A History of Women's Underwear'', London 1978〕 Doctors and much of the press deplored the garment but were unable to override the dictates of fashion.〔''The Lancet'', Volume 94, Issue 2400, 28 August 1869, "The Waist of the Period"〕 ==Criticism== Wearing corsets has been subject to criticism since the era of tight lacing during the prior century. Jean-Jacques Rousseau denounced the practice in ''The Lancet''〔Rousseau, Jean Jacques. "On Tight Lacing" ''The Lancet'', 9, 1785, pp. 1202–3〕 while cartoons of the period satirized the practice. However, by the 19th century, women were writing letters to publications expressing their views directly and articulately. The one-sided denunciation of the past turned into a dialogue. Women made their voices heard, sharing their experiences and their opinions, some in favor of the corset and even tight lacing. Newspapers and popular journals became the media for the exchange of hundreds of letters and articles concerning the corset. Known as the "corset controversy" or simply the "corset question", the controversy spilled over multiple publications, multiple decades, and multiple countries. Of particular concern was the issue of tight lacing. The flow of articles and letters waxed and waned over time, reaching a crescendo in the late 1860s, which may be taken to be the peak of the frenzy. However, the issue surfaced long before and continued long afterward. Throughout this period, advertisements in the same publications promoted the sale of corsets with enthusiasm.〔( Wikimedia Commons, Category: Corset advertisements )〕 English publications in which the controversy raged included ''The Times, Lancet, Queen, The Scotsman, Ladies Treasury, The Englishwomen's Domestic Magazine'', and ''All the Year Round''. In the United States, the ''Chicago Tribune'', looked across the Atlantic and commented,〔("The Corset Question". ) ''Chicago Tribune'' (14 November 1869)〕 Despite its disdain, the Chicago Tribune published its own contributions. Other American newspapers and periodicals also participated, including ''The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe'', the ''Hartford Daily Courant'', the ''North American Review'', and ''The Saint Paul Daily Globe''. Other parts of the English-speaking world joined from time to time, reprinting articles from England and America, as well as contributing their own. Even provincial newspapers such as the ''Amador Ledger'' of California, the ''Hobart Town Courier'', the ''Otago Witness'', and the ''Timaru Herald'' of New Zealand had their say. The line between wearing corsets in general and tight lacing in particular was never drawn precisely. Many detractors denounced both, obviating the distinction, while many advocates endorsed both. Additionally, many women who wore corsets denied that they tight laced, adding confusion to the controversy. ''The West Coast Times'' wrote〔("The Pinch of Fashion" ), ''West Coast Times'', (4 August 1884) p. 3〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Corset controversy」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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