Argh, I’m so sick of Lady GaGa being credited with bringing back the corset and making it fashionable again.
For one, not many people would wear anything that looks like her stage clothes. For two, the corset was fashionable again long before anyone ever knew who ‘ga-ga’ was.
But, who can be credited with re-introducing the corset into mainstream fashion? A recent smh article (title: Lady Gaga inspries corset comeback) discusses just this and credits the following:
“This time, our renewed interest in the corset – worn as outerwear, rather than underwear – can be traced to pop performers such as Madonna, Beyonce, Rihanna and even Dita Von Teese, as well as the curvaceous women in the popular TV series, Mad Men. But it is Lady Gaga who has put the corset firmly back in the spotlight.”
Nice to mention Dita in there, she must be credited with some role in the current resurgence, along with the resurgence in Burlesque. Sure, Madonna was rockin corsets in the 80′s. But I think Rhianna and TV Shows can be thrown into the same pot as GaGa – late to the party, bandwagoners.
So, who do you credit with our current corset love affair?
Who introduced corsets to you?
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Think back to the old westerns, when tv was still in black and white..saloon scenes with Calamity Jane strutting her stuff. I remember being transfixed by the delicious looking creatures in corsets and bustles and red, red lipstick! LOL..Nothings changed.
I know corsets have been around for centries but when it comes to how brought it back into mainstream fashion it was not gaga! im so sick of hearing gaga being the first to do everything. I beleave it was christina aguilera, she wore them all through her back to basics tour and even before then in the lady marmalde film clip along with pink, mya and lill kim.
For me it was Emilie Autumn who cemented the idea I had to wear corsets. She may not have made it popular in the mainstream, but she gave it a boost in the metal/goth/indie/classical scene. Yes, she is THAT important
It was actually my grandma who gave me my first corset when we were cleaning out her house, we came across an old, dusty corset which turned out to be an authentic stay from the 1800′s, with a 20 inch waist.
Ever since then I’ve been absolutely fascinated with corsetry.
Thank you grammy.
Definately Dita Von Teese
She makes corsets look so elegant and glamorous at the same time.
When I look at corsets, the first person who comes to mind is Christina Hendricks!
Bahahahaha Lady GaGa my foot! It was without a doubt Burlesque Queen Dita Von Teese and Movies such as Moulin Rouge.
Not TrashTastic wanna be’s like Rhianna and GaGa
Geez no offense to the admins but I get irritated at articles like this. Celebrities get way too much credit for doing a whole lot of nothing. You know a lot of us lacers have our own taste and style and aren’t following the “trends”. I saw a corset on no one in particular years ago and liked it, got interested and decided to go for it as I’m sure a lot of other women & men have. HOWEVER I will say I love Emily Autumn and Dita and although they are not my reason for getting into lacing, they have inspired the styles of the corsets I like and to always try to get customs done.
-alex n Texas
Cheerio!!!
Dita von Teese introduced me. She is so gorgeous and feminine and i believe it was her bringing back interest in burlesque and pin-up that snowballed a eventual resurgence of the corset. I’m sorry, but “Lady” Ga-Garbage is not responsible for anything but disgracing and shaming herself by trying too hard to be controversial and shocking. Oh wow. You’re so different. Who knew plastic wrap was so fashionable? -eyeroll- If anything, i’m turned off by the fact that she has sullied my favourite garment. Stupid woman, and stupid media for making some knob head that decided to dress in her house curtains/meat freezer contents famous.
Victorian romance novels. Call me a musty traditionalist, but that’s how I got started.
Oddly enough, I found my love of corsetry being a performer in Ren faires and acting in Shakespearean plays.
Does it really matter who started? All I care about is that corsetry has become much more accessible over time. I love Lady Gaga but she doesn’t wear corsets all that often.
I am originally from London and almost 40 years old. I would have to say that the great Vivienne Westwood was truly responsible for making the corset a fashion accessory instead of underwear. One of my girlfriends purchased her first Westwood Corset at the age of 18 and she is 40 now. I was only lucky to have enough money for one of her creations to wear on my 30th birthday – we don’t have the benefit of layby in the UK you see.
And as for Lady Ga Ga – Vivienne Westwood and her fans were wearing corsets well before Miss Ga Ga was a mere twinkle in the eye of her mother and father.
And Chantelle I love your comments – I agree that she is ‘Miss Ga Garbage.’ Madonna is and will be the only woman who had the balls to be different, dress different and become an icon for her wonderfullness and she didn’t need to wear meat or shrink wrap to do it. These upstarts are just Madonna wannabe’s xx