Today’s Wednesday Whimsy is about the 1880’s corset and the Victorian trade cards advertising that essential ladies’ garment. I picked my favorite cards to share….

I like the idea that little cherubs would appear to assist you in lacing up your “glove fitting corset” but I have the feeling more often it was like that scene from the movie “Titanic”, where Rose’s mother made the thing as tight as she could get it!

Here’s a quote from actress Sarah Gadon: “When you’re wearing a corset for a long period of time, things that were important to you hours before are no longer important, because doing them exhausts you.”

I don’t think I personally would have enjoyed wearing one, no matter how wasp-waisted it made me look in those petticoats and ruffles. Although I did read there were looser ones made for sports, such as bicycling. I should hope so!

These three actresses in the center card above appear to love their corsets, although you can’t see any effect under the pretty robes.
But I think perhaps this card below is my favorite: