History os Corsets

by Emma Paperclip

History os Corsets

The First Models of Corsets were used in Old Greece, Antiquity.

Since first, they have been always used for supporting and controlling woman natural body shape.

Between Antiquity and Average Age, the breast and the waist support were generally made with fabric bands. In the XIII and XIV centuries, the support was made with a help from rigid material incorporated to the vests, helping modeling the body in a lanky form.

Since France, XVI century, Corsets have been seen regularly inside woman’s wardrobes.

First, the waist reduction was very minimum; the bust was lifted and pressured, and back kept in a straight line posture, as so distinct, as it was expected from a Lady.

Today, the Corset is a pure element of style, an incomparable universal piece of elegance and seduction. 

Far away from an ancestral torture objects, Corsets come renewed, each fashion stations, to generate new and old temptations.

 The original versions felt into disuse.

Structure is the main attribute of the pieces that came from the past. Only the sensual and irresistible appealing of the pieces remains today Even though the corset may be not a basic piece, it has never disappeared from the women fantasies and wardrobes. May be inside the best Designers collections, maybe modeling woman’s body, all around the world, The Corset is the biggest thermometer of feminine apparel power.

Bianca Lyons show the increased female curves made by corset. 1902

The corset is a garment that has undergone many changes over the years. Originally, the garment we now know as the corset was known as stays in the early 16th century. It was a simple bodice, with tabs at the waist, stiffened by horn, buckram, and whalebone (Steele, 6).

The center front was further reinforced by a busk made of ivory, wood, or metal. It was most often laced from the back, and was, at first, a garment reserved for the aristocracy.

Stays took a different form in the 18th century, whale bone began to be used more, and there was more boning used in the garment. The shape of the stays changed as well. The stays were low and wide in the front, while in the back they reached up to the neck. The straps of the stays were attached in the back and tied at the front sides.

The purpose of 18th century stays was to emphasise the bust, while drawing the shoulders back. At this time, the eyelets were reinforced with stitches, and were not placed across from one another, but staggered. This allowed the stays to be spiral laced. One end of the stay lace is inserted and knotted in the bottom eyelet, the other end is wound through the stays’ eyelets and tightened on the top. To tighten the laces the wearer had to hold onto something, as this method of lacing pulled the wearer from side to side as it was tightened.(Steele, 22)

At this time, there were two other variants of stays, jumps, which were looser stays with attached sleeves, like a jacket, and corsets.(Steele, 27)

Corsets were originally quilted waistcoats, worn by French women as an alternative to stiff corsets.(Steele,29) They were only quilted linen, laced in the front, and un-boned. This garment was meant to be worn on informal occasions, while stays were worn for court dress. In the 1790s, stays fell out of fashion. This development coincided with the French Revolution, and the adoption of neoclassical styles of dress. Interestingly, it was the men, Dandies, who began to wear corsets.(Steele, 36) The fashion persisted thorough the 1840s, though after 1850 men who wore corsets claimed they needed them for “back pain” (Steele 39).

Stays went away in the late 18th century, but the corset remained. Corsets in the early 19th century lengthened to the hip, the lower tabs replaced by gussets at the hip. Room was made for the bust in front with more gussets, and the back lowered. The shoulder straps disappeared in the 1840s for normal wear.(Waugh, 77)

In the 1820s, fashion changed again, with the waistline lowered back to almost the natural position. Corsets began to be made with some padding and boning. Corsets began to be worn by all classes of society. Some women made their own, while others bought their corsets. Corsets were one of the first mass produced garments for women. Corsets began to be more heavily boned in the 1840s. By 1850, steel boning became popular.

With the advent of metal eyelets, tight lacing became possible. The position of the eyelets changed, they were now situated across from one another at the back. The front was now fastened with a metal busk in front. Corsets were mostly white. The corsets of the 1850s-1860s were shorter than the corsets of the 1800s through 1840s. This was because of a change in the silhouette of women’s fashion. The 1850s and 60s emphasized the hoopskirt. After the 1860s, when the hoop fell out of style, the corset became longer to mold the abdomen, exposed by the new lines of the princess or cuirass style.

During the Edwardian period, the straight front corset was introduced. This corset was straight in front, with a pronounced curve at the back that forced the upper body forward, and the derrière out. This style was worn from 1900-1908 (Steele 144).

The corset reached its longest length in the early 20th century. The longline corset at first reached from the bust down to the upper thigh. There was also a style of longline corset that started under the bust, and necessitated the wearing of a brasserie. This style was meant to complement the new sillhouette. It was a boneless style, much closer to a modern girdle than the traditional corset. The longline style was abandoned during World War I.

The corset fell from fashion in the 1920s in Europe and America, replaced by girdles and elastic brassieres, but survived as an article of costume. Originally an item of lingerie, the corset has become a popular item of outerwear in the fetish, BDSM and goth subcultures.

In the fetish and BDSM literature, there is often much emphasis on tightlacing. In this case, the corset may still be underwear rather than outerwear.

There was a brief revival of the corset in the late 1940s and early 1950s, in the form of the waist cincher sometimes called a “waspie”. This was used to give the hourglass figure dictated by Christian Dior’s ‘New Look’. However, use of the waist cincher was restricted to haute couture, and most women continued to use girdles. This revival was brief, as the New Look gave way to a less dramatically-shaped silhouette.

Since the late 1980s, the corset has experienced periodic revivals, which have usually originated in haute couture and which have occasionally trickled through to mainstream fashion. These revivals focus on the corset as an item of outerwear rather than underwear. The strongest of these revivals was seen in the Autumn 2001 fashion collections like squeem shape shapers and coincided with the release of the film Moulin Rouge!, the costumes for which featured many corsets as characteristic of the eral.

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History of Metal Bed Frames

by JARM13

History of Metal Bed Frames

Although many of today’s metal beds are reasonably priced and durable compared to other beds, modern day metallic beds are remarkably different from the first styles made millennia ago. Artisans crafted the first metallic bed frames for royalty during the Egyptian Dynesty.

Magnificent beds featured gold and expensive metals. Later the Roman Empire also created beautiful metal beds from valuable metals. According to History in the Making – First Metal Bed, the general public began to be able to afford metallic beds when artisans began using iron to make them near the end of the 18th century.

During the 19th century, manufacturers began to mass produce metallic beds, making them more accessible to the general public.

Modern Day Metal Bed Frames

Today’s metallic beds offer consumers a wide selection of styles. Manufacturers create most models from less expensive metals that they treat with an anti-corrosion formula. Some metallic beds are also frequently made from cast iron and brass.

Other materials on the bed frame such as wooden feet or novelty items sometimes accent such beds and give them a more distinctive appearance. The varied intricacy of thesebeds, their assorted colors and their styles make it easy to find a metal bed that will complement any decorating scheme.

Metal Bed Frames for Space-saving Bunk Beds

Although a metallic bunk bed is an extremely popular choice for children, metal bunk beds can provide comfortable bedding for any age. Metal bunk beds traditionally accommodate two sleepers, but some feature a double mattress on the bottom bunk and a single mattress on the top bunk, so they can comfortably sleep three people.

Metal bunk beds usually have rounded side bars that are easy to grasp and metal ladders, reminiscent of playground monkey bars, which are easy to hold and climb. Many metal bunk beds are a neutral gray color making them the perfect backdrop for any color bedding or quilt.

Metal Bed Frames for Single Metal Beds

A single metal bed is sturdy, long-lasting and often easy to assemble. Single models are traditionally 90 cm wide. The wide selection of metal beds can make choosing one overwhelming. Decide on a budget, style and metal color before exploring options. Narrowing down your selection will make it easier to identify the model that suits your style and needs.

Read about the height of the headboard and decide whether you will be more comfortable leaning against vertical metal bars or horizontal ones. Some metallic headboards also have other designs.

Metal bar headboards support pillows extremely well, so you can easily create an even more comfortable cushion before leaning against your headboard.

Metal Bed Frames for Double Beds

Selecting a metal double bed may require shopping with the person who will be sharing the bed. However, by deciding on a budget and general style in advance, it will be easier to agree on a bed frame than if you shop without preparing.

Simple metal beds that have a classic appearance may appeal to both genders. Double metal beds come in many finishes so finding a metal bed that coincides with your existing furniture is easy.

How unpack and set up the Ultimate Sleep folding metal bed, folding metal bed frame, bed frame. Available at www.absolutecomfortonsale.com
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Corset history, construction, information and terminology

by NexStitch

Corset history, construction, information and terminology

What is a corset?
A corset is a foundation garment worn to mold and shape the torso into a desired shape through the use of rigid panels, boning and tight lacing. Typically they are worn to slim the body and make it conform to a fashionable hourglass silhouette. For women, this means emphasizing a curvy figure, by reducing the waist, and thereby exaggerating the bust and hips. The word corset is derived from the old french word “cors”, the diminutive of body, which itself derives from corpus, Latin for body. The word corset came into general use in the English language around 1785 and remains with us today.

Corsets throughout history
The corset evolved from the bodice of the middle ages. This was a fabric cincher that was worn around the mid-section of the body and often laced together in the front. You can see great examples of these at Renaissance fairs today. Throughout the 18th century in Europe and North America, the bodice evolved into an increasingly ornate and sculptural foundation garment and became the corset. Examples of these can be seen in paintings of Marie Antoinette, and other royalty from that time. As the Victorian era of the 19th century got underway, the corset became increasingly restrictive and was quite the figure shaper. Although the Victorians are popularly described as prudish, this foundation garment was considered highly feminine and quite erotic during those days. As the 20th century began, the writing was on the wall for the corset. The most popular styles were short underbust corsets called “cinchers” which allowed for more freedom of movement. By the time 1915 rolled around, the girdle and corsolette had nearly replaced the corset in women’s fashion. Only the older generation of women kept the corset industry from closing their doors.

Corset styles
One may generally classify most corsets into two groups or styles, the underbust and the overbust. An underbust corset begins just under the breasts and extends down to the hips. A shorter kind of underbust corset, which covers just the waist area is sometimes called a waist cincher. An overbust corset encloses the torso, extending from just under the arms to the hips. The effect is to lift or compress the breasts while exaggerating the narrow waist. Some corsets, depending on individual style stop at the top of the hips while others may extend down over the hips.

Corset construction
Corsets are typically constructed of fabric panels with stiff boning (also called ribs or stays) inserted into channels in the fabric. Popular fabrics include satin, cotton, rayon, polyester, silk, PVC and leather. In the 19th century, steel and whalebone were favored for the boning. Plastic is now the most commonly used material for lightweight corset boning and all of the corsets at Kuhmillion. Corsets get their iconic reputation by use of hook and eye fasteners in the front and lacing, usually at the back. Tightening or loosening the lacing produces corresponding changes in the fit and firmness of the corset. Corsets can be laced from the top down, from the bottom up, or both up from the bottom and down from the top, using two laces that meet in the middle. It is very difficult, although not impossible for a back-laced corset wearer to do their own lacing. Once the lacing is adjusted comfortably, it is possible to leave the lacing in place and take the corset on and off using the front opening (busk). A corset may also include attached garters to hold up stockings and historically, this was one of the important functions of the corset, as it was an essential foundation garment.

Corsets today
In recent years, the term “corset” has also been borrowed by the fashion industry to refer to tops which, to varying degrees mimic the look of traditional corsets. While these modern corset tops often feature lacing and boning to look like true corsets, they often have a minimal effect on the shape of the wearer’s body. Some lingerie corsets however do offer a nice compromise of both the shaping power of a true corset and the sensual experience of intimate wear.

Traditional corset construction has undergone a renaissance in recent years with a wide range of beautiful, high quality corsets now available from talented craftsmen. It has never been easier to find a real corset that fits your personality and body like a glove.

The History Of The Golf Trophy

by golfenmv

The History Of The Golf Trophy

There are various golf trophies handed out today as part of the professional golf series. The majority of these trophies were founded between 1970 and today. But there is one that hails from the 1930s, representing the age and long time love people have for the game of golf.

The Vardon Golf Trophy

The Vardon Golf Trophy is not given to a player that wins one golfing event, rather to the player that accumulates the highest scoring average throughout one season of golf. Established by the PGA of America in 1937, this golf trophy is the oldest known professional award in golf. The history of the Vardon Golf Trophy is far more interesting than some golf lovers may know. The award was ceased from 1942 until 1946 due to the financial crisis associated with World War II. When the golf trophy was given again in 1947, the player with the lowest scoring average was celebrated with the Vardon Golf Trophy. In 1988, the golf trophy rules changed again as golfers with the lowest adjusted score with a 60 game minimum was awarded with the Vardon golf trophy. The Vardon Golf Trophy is named for a British golf legend, Harry Vardon.

The Charles Schwab Cup

Moving from the oldest golf trophy to the newest, the Charles Schwab Cup is given to the golfer with the highest amount of points in a season. These points, however, are not linked to the number of tournaments won, but rather to the amount of money won in each tournament. Suffice it to say, the Charles Schwab Cup can be awarded to a golfer that never won a single tournament but finished high in every tournament. In this way, this golf trophy is a true representation of success in today’s world. As all people know, golfing is a sport played for fun, but also a sport played as part of earning a living. The Charles Schwab Cup is a celebration of earning a successful living.

The Tours in Golf

There are three different golf tours that hand our golf trophies every year. These are the PGA Tour, the Champions Tour and the European Tour. The PGA Tour, by far, hands out the most golf trophies every year with seven trophies in all. The Champions Tour falls closely behind with six total golf trophies. The European Tour hands out only one golf trophy each year; the Order of Merit.

A lot has changed in golf through the years and along with that change has come a change in trophies and how they are handed out. Today, gold trophies are handed out for money, fame and expertise.

Article Source: RSI-GT2 Golf Trophy History

All rights reserved. You may copy and distribute this article provided the entire article is published without changes including the credits at the bottom.

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A Briefer History of CoSHH Management and Risk Assessment

by Leo Reynolds

A Briefer History of CoSHH Management and Risk Assessment

Upon reading this article you will learn about a brief history of CoSHH, how it applies to you and how you can put in place the necessary actions to prevent your company or your professional image from becoming tarnished or otherwise. It will also give you insight into protection your employees!

CoSHH stands for the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health which is a regulation that applies to every business in the United Kingdom. Some businesses believe that if they have less than five employees? they do not have to abide by the CoSHH regulations, however this is not the case.

Your company will inevitably be using some products that contain substances. These products can be thinners, air fresheners, washing up liquid, lubricants and much much more. If you do use these then you need to adhere to the CoSHH regulations. The reason for this is because you may subject not only your employee but the public to any one of these substances and therefore there MUST be prevention of damage to health put in place.

As a basic example, imagine a decorator who is painting a home working as a sub contractor for a larger enterprise. The decorator mixes white spirits with the paint he is using to help thin the paint before application. This process is something a decorator carries out as an everyday task.

Here are the possible risks to health from this process:

1. Dermatitis caused by the decorator not wearing suitable hand protection (gloves) from white spirits. The Safety Data Sheet for paint may say that it is non-hazardous; however the manufacturer and provider of the SDS did not take into account the use of the thinners and has no legal obligation to do so.

2. The decorator may leave white spirits or paint lying about the home of the customer and this may come into the hands of a child.

3. White spirits is highly flammable and the white spirits or paint solution may become exposed to a naked flame and cause a fire. Does the decorator smoke?

This is why we must risk assessment and in this specific case produce a CoSHH assessment. CoSHH risk assessment is unique and must be treated separately from all other forms of risk assessment that a business would do under the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act. This is why chemical risk assessment has its own regulation so that it can be treated as a different animal.

There is no requirement to be qualified to produce a CoSHH assessment. In fact there is no legal quality standard that a CoSHH assessment must follow. The reason for this is because if you have a CoSHH assessment and an accident occurs then is has failed and it wasn’t good enough. Thereafter there will be repercussions the extent of which will be decided on the reasonable controls that where put in place to prevent the incident occurring.

So the premise is that if you produce a CoSHH assessment, you must produce the best CoSHH assessment you can. If you do not you may receive heavy fines both to the company and personally with the potential of imprisonment for severe breaches of the regulation for Directors’ or the offending party.

Remember ignorance will not be tolerated by the Health and Safety Executive! When carrying out compliant CoSHH assessment on behalf of your business you must understand the task that is being performed by the worker and the substance that is being used in the task. You must take into account the environment that the task is carried out in and the reaction of the substance in that environment. I recommend that you at least take a basic risk assessment course so that you can become familiar with assessment. This will help you so understand not only the risk posed but also that control mechanisms that can be put in place as prevention.

If you have many chemicals and many processes that are being carried out DO NOT be tempted to download template assessments from assessment vendors. This is not only frowned upon by the Health and Safety Executive but is a significant risk to the operator who may be carrying out a task differently. The person who produced the assessment you downloaded may not know that the decorator was using white spirits as a thinner or possibly any of the other substances the use during their working day or even at home. This is why the risk assessor must have seen the process, must have spoken with the operator so that all risks can be assessed as they are and not as they are assumed to be.

DO NOT let a simple solution land you with heavy fines, damage the health of your workers or land you behind bars. Either produce your own assessments of bring a health and safety consultant onto your site to carry out the CoSHH assessments.

It is advisable that you find a CoSHH management solution to help control your CoSHH assessments and to remind to you to periodically review each of your assessments. If something in the process changes then a CoSHH assessment needs to be reviewed. If a Safety Data Sheet is updated by a manufacturer then you MUST have the latest copy and you MUST review your CoSHH assessment.

There are service providers out there that will help manage all this for and the requirement to use one of these providers is down to your in house ability to manage CoSHH compliance. CoSHH is a specialist subject to it is advisable that if you don’t know, then ask!

If you have read this article and you do not have CoSHH assessments in place and they have not been provided to your workers, then take it from me that you are doing something very wrong. If you think that your business does not use hazardous substances then think again, even in an office products are used that contain chemicals and you would be surprised what your workers can get up to with them!

The Health and Safety Executive are seldom surprised because they’ve seen it and heard it all before. Did you know that flour dust and poor ventilation led to a school chef developing severe asthma? No? Well you probably wouldn’t have thought of that unless you’d carried out an assessment and this claim would have cost you £200,000 in compensation.

So, please think again, do you really use hazardous substances?