In the early decade of the 1900’s the “Gibson Girl” style reigned. The skirts were  fitted around the hips and flared at the bottom, requiring support around the hips. The “Grecian bend” posture was all the rage so these corsets were boned very heavily in front to produce the appearance of a backwards bend at the waist. Adding some padding on the backside increases this optical illusion a lot.  Really all this means is that the front of the corset is flat, unlike earlier where it indented at the waistline and formed a rounded tummy.  Instead the sides are shaped to accommodate what is being squashed flat in front (LOL).

Bust support became less of an issue due to the Pidgeon mono-breast style. Younger women were OK with this but most women were uncomfortable with it (myself included!) and this is the driving factor in the development of the brazier (bra). Need a new undergarment to keep things orderly up top! A chemise and corset cover just doesn’t do it for most of us. Later into the 1910’s the corsets drop completely away from the bust and are almost exclusively underbust corsets, and by 1920 the modern bra as we know it was born.

I only wore this once – a long time ago – and could not deal with the underbust situation, nor could I find a bra that gives the right look when worn with it.  I plan to make a new overbust version.  This was made with Past Patterns 106 Edwardian Corset.