The Corset – A Cultural History

If this book has one weakness, it lies in its sometime over-academic stance. On a quick skim, you may get the impression that corseting and corsetry was a matter of interest only to fashion historians and psychologists. However, as you delve and explore the book in detail, you realise that the author has immense knowledge and understanding of the reasons that men and women wore corsets in the past; and many continue to do so today. She is not judgemental but does sometimes slip into the academic style, "...how interesting that those people feel that way..." as if they were a different section of humanity. I suppose they are in a way so she's only reflecting the facts, but it's done in a fishbowl or zoological way. I find it disconcerting. None of this detracts from a brilliant review of the corset and its role in fashion history, in social movements, and in the development of erotic sensibility in the species. The illustrations are wonderful, the development of fashion styles and figure modification, the acknowledgment of different lifestyles: all are presented with clarity and explanations. There are some big corset-names under-represented even if mentioned such as Menton, Mrs Cayne, Iris Norris, Gardner & Sons, Michael Garrod. Even so, it is a most valuable text and entertaining also.

The author knows the subject and is well written with a lot of images. Corsets are not necessarrily instruments of torture, he says. Well, for some, maybe. Probelm is our sense of beauty, which still binds many of us and led us to the obsession for slim and slender figures.

Very informative. Much needed for research into corsetry. Book even informs you about further research on books to read. Would not be without it

great book!

Really fascinating, engagingly written and well researched

An excellent well written book on the history of corsets up to the present day for both men and women, with illustrations and diagrams. This has proved to be a most useful book for my dissertation on the effects of the corset on the body and in society. The content has been well researched and put together in different sections that are easy to follow and digest. I think this is a great book for anyone interested in corsets whether it be for work / education or just as a hobby. I have many corset books and as far as the history of corsets this has to be one of the best.

This book is fantastic, it helps portray the history of the corset from the beginning when both men and women were subjected to wearing it and through to fetishism and modern day use. The pictures are brilliant and the diagrams show how the corset affected women's bodies and organs. It definitely helped me out with a number of essays on art and fashion. I absolutely recommend this book even just to read, it's very interesting and gives a thorough anthology of it's history.

This book is great for anyone interested in the history of, or modern corsetry. Some great images that i haven't seen elsewhere, but if your looking for any technical information, this book is slightly lacking. A good initial insight into corsetry.

This coffee table style books is fabulous! Great photos that accompany a very interesting history. I found it informational and worth the buy.

Acquistato per un regalo, non sono in grado di darne una recensione ma la persona a cui l'ho regalato si è mostrata più che entusiasta.

Informative and modern. I love the bit of sass in the book.

Solo per le illustrazioni vale la pena l'acquisto. un libro che spiega la storia e l'uso del corsetto nel corso dei secoli. in inglese ma vale la pena

Excellent condition