Introduction
The term ‘control wear’ is a relatively recent one. At one time these garments were called stays then corsets or girdles. The word ‘corset’ has old fashioned connotations so no doubt with modern materials and technology there is a need to find new ways to update the concept of body control garments. It seems quite clever to me to find such a good generic word to describe something which is a delicate subject (even unmentionable) and at the same time to promote such garments so that they become fashionable and popular. Somehow the term ‘control wear’ gives the right emphasis and explains exactly what it does.Control wear is a garment that affects the shape and line of the body to improve the basic silhouette before adding the outer layer of clothing
Desirable silhouettes
Every culture has its idea of the ideal figure for a woman, and all the women belonging to that culture will try to fulfil this ideal regardless of their natural propensity. Who determines how the perfect woman should look is debatable, but there is no doubt it is part of the mating ritual so that men will find a woman desirable and want to have her for his mate. Different cultures have different ideas of beauty and some cultures like their women fat, others like them thin. Sometimes it’s colour of hair or eyes, other times it’s body fitness, long legs, long necks or wide hips, but usually it’s the myth (often unconscious) that certain shapes, styles or colour will specify the healthiest women for child bearing in order to fulfil our biological purpose to perpetuate the species.
When you look back through the centuries at the different styles of dress it becomes obvious that extremes of fashion usually appear at a time of affluence and leisure. It was only the very rich who could afford such luxuries of extreme styles. The poor had to make do with whatever they could find, or make themselves, to cover their bodies for warmth and decency. During times of hardship the styles became more practical and less elaborate. After the First World War some avant-garde women shocked the world by wearing bloomer like trousers when riding the new contraption called a bicycle.
In some ways things have not changed much today. The famous and wealthy spend an excessive amount of time and money on what they wear and the way they look and aim to create an image of the perfect male or female form for the rest of us to emulate. To that end they go on diets, have surgery or inject Botox, spend time with personal trainers and work out etc. As well as all that they find a need to resort to control wear to make sure there are no bulges or creases to mar their perfect form.When I was a very skinny teenager, Marilyn Monroe and Jane Mansfield were the models for female perfection with large breasts and small waists. I had the small waist but that was about all. Later along came Twiggy with her lean body and legs and I would have been the required shape but alas by then I had produced three children and could now emulate the previous models. Then came the period of flower power where anything went and for once in history women burned their bra’s and allowed their bodies to be free of restrictive underwear.
The term shapewear is the general name for any items such as corsets, basques, tummy control panties or tights and even bust enhancing bras.
History of Control Wear and Body Shaping Forms
Throughout history there seems to have been a need to change the female form or to modify it in some way. If you look back to the Elizabethan times, their huge wide skirts and flat fronts made women look like cardboard cut-outs. The skirts were so wide they would have to turn sideways to pass through doorways. Later there came differing amounts of bust enhancement, hip or bottom enhancement, waist constriction and wide skirts, as well as all the many variations in sleeve styles, neckline and collars, overskirts, underskirts, I could go on forever.
The earliest known control wear appearing during the 16th Century were called ‘pavre of bodies’ which contained the upper torso in the shape of a cone or cylinder. These forms later became the more familiar ‘stays’ which were made of wood or whale bone. The idea was to level the front of the body and in doing so push up the breasts so they bulged out of the top of the bodice. During one phase of the more promiscuous 18th century period, the nipples were encouraged to peep out, no doubt to titillate the male desire. Illegitimate babies were the norm and not treated as disgraceful during this time.
Stays were considered an essential item to keep the figure straight by supporting the back, tightening the midriff and improving posture. The restriction at the waist prevented bending and forced women to use their legs for lifting and thereby protecting their backs. Stays survived until the late 18th century when the empire style became into fashion around 1796. The bust was contained and pushed up by short stays and the waist line was just below the bust so that the natural waist line was concealed
When the waistline returned to its natural position the body restriction reappeared in the 1830’s. And the term ‘corset’ was used for the first time in English. Its purpose was to cinch the waist and support the breasts. During Victorian times the ideal form was an 18 inch waist with a full wide skirt supported by hoops to the floor. Ankles could not be seen and busts were emphasised but covered with lace for modesty. The shape I guess was determined by the natural figure of the young Victoria but exaggerated to create a fashion. To obtain this line the women forced themselves into whalebone corsets which were long, extending down beyond the natural waist line thus resulting in serious body-shaping. They were laced at the back therefore a maid was required to fasten the laces as they could not dress or undress themselves. To produce a tiny waist some women would have the corset pulled so tight they could hardly breathe. This then pushed the breasts upwards and compressed the internal organs.
During this period fainting was an art and it came easily when there was no room to breathe and everything else was squashed; added to that, the night air was considered bad for your health, so evening events became hot and stuffy. As a result dancing could cause women in the most robust health to feel lightheaded so it’s not surprising women appeared to suffer from indifferent health. A corset is designed to fit around the torso to shape it to the desired fashion. Body shapers come in many forms depending on the areas to be reduced or enhanced.
During the Edwardian period at the beginning of the 1900’s the Victorian style was replaced by the new look shaped profile. The bosom was raised and large, the waist small with a large bustle at the back to create a completely unrealistic female shape. The front of the skirt went straight down to the feet and there were many flounces tiered down from the back often with trains for formal occasions which had to be picked up and held whilst walking or dancing. Later to build on this shape, leg-o-mutton sleeves were added for day wear; although for evenings low necklines and short capped sleeves were the norm. These elaborate dresses cost thousands of pounds in today’s money so that again only the affluent could dress in this way. The average woman had to make do with home-made copies or just plain gather skirts and plain bodices.During periods when there was a shortage of women, probably due to hard work and having too many children, the men became the most fashion conscious and dressed in bright colours to attract the females, while the women wore dowdy colours and wore the hair pulled back and plain.
What is Wrong with our Natural Shape?
When you see the pictures by Degas of ladies bathing you will see that they are well rounded with tummies, big bottoms and legs probably with cellulite and well developed breasts. Very few of the women would be under a UK size 16. They still wore stays but mostly I suspect it was to support the breasts rather than reduce the thighs and hips. Gok in his TV programme ‘How to Look Good Naked’ encourages women to be positive about their bodies and focuses on choosing the right clothes to accentuate their best features. His success lies in the fact that after they have gone through this transformation, the women all feel much more confident and happy with the way they are.
However choosing the right foundation garments is essential to improve posture and create a smooth line to provide a good basis to make the most of the clothes that are placed on top.
Modern Control Wear - What Spanx can do for you
Modern control wear offers women the option of support and clean lines, without the restriction of movement experienced with the old fashioned corset. Spanx power panties seem to be the latest rage in control wear these days. I have not actually had the pleasure myself but I remember a friend saying to me last year ‘Power Panties are wonderful’. Old fashioned corsets are still worn by some people but gradually as the younger generation feel the need for some form of support they are looking to the more modern control wear used by celebrities such as Gwenyth Paltrow, Oprah Winfrey, Kylie Minogue and even Madonna. Sarah Blakely the founder of Spanx could not find footless pantyhose to go with her cream trouser and open toed shoes. In her frustration she set out to tackle the 2 billion dollar hosiery industry. Within 2 years she had perfected a product that combined all the elements women love about underwear and changing all the elements they don’t like to provide a comfortable slim-line look with no VPL (Visible Panty Line). She started an underwear revolution selling 50,000 of her Power Panties in the first three months and revolutionised an industry that was in a ten year slump. Spanx Power Panties have put underwear back where it belongs and changed control wear forever.
Basques - Corsets on the Outside
In the more recent years of control wear there appeared a fashion accessory modelled on the old fashioned style corset but worn on the outside of the clothing. It seemed designed to show off the slim torso and enhance the breasts by lifting them. These were usually worn over a flimsy blouse type top, and were fashionable over the Christmas party period. The bodice was boned and came to a point at the front just below the waist. It could be worn with a skirt or even over trousers. Not everyone has the type of figure to suit Basques which are really more suitable for party wear and nightclubbing.
This type of corset is still available as underwear and is known as a ‘corset basque’ or a ‘busk’ and is reminiscent of the dress bodices seen in cowboy films worn by ‘the heart of gold’ hostess at the town’s hotel saloon. They are boned and shaped to create the traditional hour glass figure and are similar to the Victorian corset. Some are laced at the back but with no maids, very difficult to do up. There are high cut legs and longer lines, often with suspenders so create that popular striper-gram look.
Some main points to consider when wearing control wear are:- uplifting pants will firm the bottom; Padded bra’s will enhance the breasts; a padded plunge gives a great cleavage; corsets and waist nippers will take inches off the waist but most importantly, if flesh should escape at waist or thigh it means your control wear is too tight.A good basic outline will enhance any clothes that are worn whatever the occasion.
Conclusion
When you look at the history of fashion it seems that women are never happy with the shape they were born with. Today more than in any other time in history we are allowed to have a more normal shape, but even that has to be contained, smoothed, uplifted or cinched to make the female body more than perfect.There are now several programmes on TV which are promoting the message that natural is good and we are fine the way we are. A little enhancement here and there to make the most of the assets you have is as much as you need to do. It is reported that men in general prefer women to look real which for them is sexier than the extravaganza women think men want. Obviously they have their preferences for type and size and shape, but we can’t be all things to all men and the sooner women realise that, the more comfortable they are going to be.Men really prefer their women to be naturally beautiful without artefacts, enhancements or other false beauty aids
Since the appearance of Power Pants control wear lingerie has been transformed. Sarah Blakely has been described as the Pied Piper of the ‘wobbly bits brigade’ and her success has reached £250 million in global sales in the last year. Her products have become ‘the control wear to have’ and are worn by all the ‘best people’. There is a stigma for men wearing control wear so that they will not go out and buy such an item but wives and girlfriends are doing it for them. Manx the male version of Spanx is available on line and is promoted as a back support while playing golf, being good for posture and long car journeys. Once enough male celebrities admit to using control wear the rest of the world will follow.
At the end of the day we all want to look our best and if that means wearing a control wear garment that is what people will do. People both men and women want to be liked and admired and all the fashion contortions are just to fulfil our dreams of being the chosen one, the most beautiful or most popular. So however much we might like to believe we don’t need these devices, we all pay homage to them in one way or another.