1) metal eyelets; 2) steel front busk of 1829; 3) 1832 Jean Werly from France took a patent on a type of woven corset made on a loom with gussets integrated into the weaving process.  These were very comfortable, lightly boned, and very popular until 1889. In 1890, machine made …

early Victorian corsets: 1) metal eyelets; 2) steel front busk of 1829 (Extant: 1835 wooden busk vs 1850’s metal straight busk)  

corsetry: 1) 1828 metal eyelets perfected for use in garments (Extant: Handmade metal eyelets 1815 vs the new metal eyelet grommets of 1830)

… began with the reign of Queen Victoria of England when she was crowned in 1837.  Of course fashion had been changing and evolving every year, but having a new fashion leader in hand with the French Empress Eugenie, meant American women had an example to follow, and follow they …

Corsets and Stays were made by hand and hand sewn or hand woven until about the middle of the 19th century.  As inventions appeared around the world, corsetry took on more hardware. (Photos: technical advances like invention of the metal busk changed the purpose and function of corsetry quite drastically)

…had become masterful artisans, and beautifully decorated corsets came to be built. (Photo extant and portrait: late 1830’s corset and gown)

… “Haute Couture” by Parisian Designers from the House of Worth, whom demanded a different “costume” for each activity, demanded a whole new variety of undergarments and corsets too. (Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s wedding featured the white wedding gown for the first time, thus establishing the wedding “costume” for …

…fashion focus on a tiny waist, which led to the need for tight lacing and corsets that could get not only the look to trick the eye like in the 18th century, but a small waist in reality.  Skirt and sleeve dimensions did help with the visual focus, but it …

…Regency silhouette, Charles Worth’s (Parisian designer setting style trends in the Victorian era) concept of the crinoline took away the multiple layers of heavy petticoats worn by prior decades of women that were used to create the shape of the skirts.  Because the skirt was becoming wider and wider from …

…Eugenie and Queen Victoria of England were good friends by the mid 1850’s.  Charles Worth, Parisian designer, first introduced Eugenie to the concept of the crinoline, so of course, Eugenie introduced it to Victoria. (Young Queen Victoria (left) early 1840’s and young Empress Eugenie (right) about mid 1850’s)