on September 16, 2025
To reduce the corset to an object of patriarchal oppression is to overlook its versatility. For centuries, women reached for corsets, often out of societal pressure but also for agency. Women in the past wore corsets for the same reasons we wear shapewear, blazers, or even bodycon dresses today. The desire to create a certain silhouette is only one of many reasons corsets are still being made and worn.
Origins of the Corset
The corset emerged in the 16th century as a tool to sculpt the female form into an idealized silhouette, stiffened with whalebone, wood, and even metal that disciplined the body into submission. During the 18th century, the Victorians embraced the hourglass silhouette and by the 19th century corsets became an everyday item rather than luxury. They eventually exited the spotlight by the 20th century, replaced by looser flapper dresses and unfussy tailoring. But fashion has a habit of resurrecting the controversial. By the 1980s, Madonna’s conical corset was turned into a feminist exclamation mark. And today, the corset has slipped back into the mainstream, TikTok tutorials, runway revivals, and celebrity styling all proving that what was once a cage can now be armor, or even play. 
Corsets and Power
But how did corsetry become the intersection of all three of power, gender, and fashion? One can argue that corsets symbolize the regulation of women’s bodies by external forces; patriarchy, class expectations, and beauty standards. A tightly laced waist may signal beauty and social conformity at the expense of movement and comfort. On the other hand, many scholars argue that dismissing the corset as a mere burden overlooks the agency of the women who wore them, and erases any functionality the garment might have had. For many, corsets were a tool of participation. They allowed women to meet societal standards, gain social mobility, and even enjoy the aesthetic or physical support the garment provided. The denial of those perks disregards the possibility that wearing corsets might have been a collective choice made by women.
Rejection of Restrictive Fashion
Modern history, especially the 20th century, brought about the rejection of corsetry and dismantling the symbols of external control. The 1960s liberation movements cannot be mentioned without mentioning the iconic moment of the 1968 Miss America protest in Atlantic City. Activists demonstrated against beauty standards and the pageant’s objectification of women, threw items symbolising oppression like bras, girdles and copies of Playboy magazines into a “Freedom Trash Can” as a symbolic act.
images source : howstuffworks
Reclaiming Silhouettes and Self-Expression
The funny thing is, no bras were actually set on fire during the protest. The media sensationalized the story and coined the term “bra-burning,” which quickly became a catchy, albeit misleading, shorthand for radical feminism. In all cases, the villain is not the garment itself, neither the corset nor the bra is to be blamed. It is the societal pressures that dictate how women should look and behave, that are at the root of the problem. To wear or not to wear a certain garment is a choice everyone should be allowed to make freely.
Why Corsets Matter Today
So corsetry isn’t merely a symbol of oppression or liberation, it’s more of a witness to the ongoing negotiation between societal control and women’s autonomy over their own bodies. In the past couple of years, the corset has reemerged as one of fashion’s paradoxes: a garment once associated with restriction now celebrated for its versatility and power. No longer confined to historical costume or underground subcultures, the corset has become a staple in street style, red carpets, and digital culture alike. They are worn on top of a button shirt, layered with denim, or styled as eveningwear. Brands like House of Yamina are reimagining corsetry as a whole. A corseted blazer for women, where the corset is structured within the blazer’s tailoring is nothing short of revolutionary.
Fashion, Femininity, and Empowerment
Fashion’s magic truly shows in taking traditional elements and creating something new and refreshing. And as a fashion house, we believe fashion is a simple approach to redefine femininity every day. It’s a tool of self-expression rather than conformity and an honest reflection of cultural shifts. We also recognize the power of reclaiming once-oppressive symbols and regarding them as emblems of choice, confidence, and play. As for the corsets, beyond shrinking into a mold, they’re about expanding the possibilities of how femininity and strength can look.
