The female form through time

While fashions and dress styles changed, women wore corsets throughout the Victorian period. This corset, dating from the 1866, opens at the front and is pulled tight with laces at the back to create a small waist, smooth hips and full bust. The health problems associated with wearing corsets were well documented in the press but there was social pressure on women to wear them. The tightness of a lady's corset was believed to reflect her sense of propriety, hence the term ‘straight laced’ or ‘loose woman’.

In the Edwardian period the s-bend silhouette became desirable. This involved a full bust and bottom, creating an exaggerated shape. This shape was created through the use of corsets and clothing styles that emphasised the bust and waist, as well as padding at the back of the skirt.  

The 1920s saw dramatic social changes as the impact of the Great War radically altered society. Women were gradually granted the vote and other social freedoms, such as smoking and wearing make-up, became more widespread. Dresses became simplified in their cut in this decade and waistlines dropped. This obscured a woman’s shape and created the androgynous, childlike silhouette typical of the period.  Hemlines became shorter, to the knee sometimes, showing off a woman’s legs for the first time. The wearing of corsets was no longer in favour and simple crop tops were worn.  

The Second World War, and the resulting rationing of fabric, was the main influence on fashion in the 1940s. Many women replaced men in the workplace, meaning they had to  swap dresses for dungarees and overalls. Skirt lengths became shorter, in order to use less fabric. Shoulders were highly padded, creating the typical square box silhouette of the time. Corsets had been abandoned in the 1920s but shapewear was definitely back by the 1940s.

The wide skirts of the previous decade remained fashionable into the 1960s. However later in the decade the mini skirt arrived and became popular with young women. These dresses showed off the wearers legs but were often unfitted and hid natural curves. 

The fashion of this decade was flashy and bold, which reflected the booming international economy of this time. 'Power suits' emerged that were designed to make women feel professional and confident when taking on jobs that had previously been unavailable to them. The padded shoulders and blazers mimicked men's clothing. 

The 2000s have given women more room to express their own individuality with their choice of clothing. The difference between women's and men's fashion has continued to narrow, reflecting women's increasing roles in all sections of society. Body positivity has become more mainstream and, thankfully, women manipulating their bodies in uncomfortable garments for the latest trends has become less prevalent.