From restriction to rebellion: how the corset went from underwear women escaped to a runway statement.
By Shreya S · Last reviewed 2 November 2026
When were corsets first worn?
Stiffened bodices, then called “stays” or “bodies”, appeared among European aristocrats in the 16th century, reinforced with whalebone or wood. They shaped the torso into a smooth cone and signalled status and discipline.
What was the Victorian corset like?
In the 19th century, mass-produced corsets with metal eyelets and steel boning shaped women of all classes into an hourglass. Extreme “tight-lacing” was debated by doctors and reformers, and dress reform movements campaigned for healthier clothing.
Who freed women from the corset?
Paul Poiret claimed the credit in the 1900s and 1910s with his loose, high-waisted dresses, and the First World War and the 1920s finished the job. Girdles and shapewear took over as everyday underwear.
How did the corset become outerwear?
From the 1980s, designers reclaimed it as a symbol of power. Vivienne Westwood printed corsets with 18th-century paintings, Jean Paul Gaultier created Madonna’s cone-bra corset for her 1990 tour, and Thierry Mugler sculpted corsets into armour. Today corsets appear in bridal, evening wear and everyday tops.
Read on Ayerhs: A History of the Corset: Fashion and Function · Underwear-as-Outerwear on the Spring 2027 Catwalks · Bridal Trends 2027 · Vivienne Westwood · Jean Paul Gaultier