Support and Seduction: A History of Corsets and Bras

Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Work of Social History
Review: Beatrice Fontanel has done an excellent job piecing together the fascinating history of bras and corsets. Let's face it - what zaftig woman hasn't said to herself, "My God, what DID they do before the bra?" Well, here's your answer.

The illustrations from various sources are top notch and of excellent quality with an emphasis on 19th and 20th century advertising. Since support has changed according to fashion, the book naturally chronicles in detail the ebb and flow of various fads. Suddenly women fainting at the drop of a hat no longer seems an affectation after reading an account of a 23 year old woman who died shortly after a ball - the autopsy revealed her ribs that overlapped one another from years of corset use had finally pierced her vital organs! I did find Fontaine's text to occasionally be a little shallow, and was dismayed to see Tony Curtis refered to as the captain of a submarine in "Operation Petticoat" (it was Cary Grant). Whenever I find a small error like that I can't help but wonder what other errors I'm missing.

For the costumer, the social historian or anyone interested in women's issues, the book is a wonderful read.

Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Work of Social History
Review: Beatrice Fontanel has done an excellent job piecing together the fascinating history of bras and corsets. Let's face it - what zaftig woman hasn't said to herself, "My God, what DID they do before the bra?" Well, here's your answer.

The illustrations from various sources are top notch and of excellent quality with an emphasis on 19th and 20th century advertising. Since support has changed according to fashion, the book naturally chronicles in detail the ebb and flow of various fads. Suddenly women fainting at the drop of a hat no longer seems an affectation after reading an account of a 23 year old woman who died shortly after a ball - the autopsy revealed her ribs that overlapped one another from years of corset use had finally pierced her vital organs! I did find Fontaine's text to occasionally be a little shallow, and was dismayed to see Tony Curtis refered to as the captain of a submarine in "Operation Petticoat" (it was Cary Grant). Whenever I find a small error like that I can't help but wonder what other errors I'm missing.

For the costumer, the social historian or anyone interested in women's issues, the book is a wonderful read.

Rating:
Summary: Lush photos and illustrations!
Review: I got this text primarily for use with my own illustrations and artwork, and to look for proper silhouettes and undergarment styles to go with period fashions and costuming, for which it's a great guide. I've really enjoyed using the text, and keep it on the coffee table-- it's a fantasic conversation piece! The graphics are wonderful; look to other reviewers' comments on the text; that was not my focus.

Rating:
Summary: What We Women Won't Do
Review: This is a beautiful book, almost falling into the "coffee table"genre with interesting illustrations and color photos. The sidebar comments add fascinating details to the pictures. Along with the discussion of what a woman will do to feel beautiful in her era, the author spent time discussing the impact of historical times, i.e. World Wars I and II, on lingerie, as well as the development of the tire industry into girdles and DuPont research into other synthetic fabrics.
It made for a fun program and with the addition of items from our local fashion museum, we females now appreciate how fortunate we are to live in our current period.