According to a 2008 study commissioned by the Ministry of Health and Consumption -as a result, according to the Ministry itself (?), of the problems that women had in finding clothing sizes that fit their measurements-, it was concluded that the The sizing system in force, established in 1972, had become obsolete, since, at present, in Spain there were three basic morphotypes of women:the so-called diabolo , the one with bell and the cylinder , with proportions among the female population of 39, 25 and 36%, respectively. Regarding the study, which deserves no further comment, I will stick with JRMora's vignette...
The ideals of beauty have evolved throughout history and, logically, fashion has had to adapt to these canons. But everything taken to its extremes usually has disastrous consequences, as when fashion adapted to the ideal of extreme beauty of the diabolo body:enhanced bust, an impossible waist refined by the corset and huge hips artificially made by cuppers and cancans type guardianfantes or hoop skirts . I will dedicate an article to the latter shortly, this time the protagonist will be the corset (from French corset -corpiño-, diminutive of corps -Body-). In the 17th century and much of the 18th century, all women of the aristocracy and nobility displayed this garment that helped model the perfect body of the time and, in addition, determined their social status. Logically, the more radical that figure of diabolo was, better. Leaving aside the corsets of the 16th century, authentic metal cages, in later centuries rigidity was achieved by means of whalebones, metal or wood rods, inserted into the piece of cloth.
As a symbol of everything that the Old Regime represented, with the French Revolution the corset falls into disuse... but not into oblivion. In the 19th century, women returned to the corset and, on this occasion, from very early ages and from any social stratum. And although it was not normally a garment for permanent use, its daily use and the continuous subjection of the body to excessive constriction resulted in bodily deformations to the point of affecting the disposition of the organs. In 1790 the German doctor Samuel von Sommering already warned that the corset caused serious deformities of the ribs.
And not only that, the young women came to force their body so much for the sake of a narrower waist that it was common for them to lose consciousness due to breathing difficulties. In fact, at the beginning of the 19th century, the British surgeon William Wilberfoce-Smith and the American gynecologist Robert Latou Dickinson conducted a study with more than 1,000 women, using spirometry (a technique that measures the volume of air inspired or expired and the duration of each inspiration), and showed that 20% of those who wore corsets had their lung capacity reduced. Precisely, this consequence of the use of the corset was a key circumstance for the appearance of a new piece of furniture in the residences of the French nobility of the 18th century:the chaise longue (long chair). Being frequent and habitual the fainting among the females, a kind of prie-dieu was needed to rest and, in addition, in which one "fitted" with the exaggerated volume of their skirts. The townspeople called it the fainting chair .
Recent studies by the Mayo Clinic (USA) confirm the problems that prolonged use of this garment can cause:
-Displacement of organs. Corsets that are tied from the chest to below the waist can constrict the abdomen, causing displacement of certain organs, such as the kidneys, and causing problems with blocking urine.
-Respiratory stress. The lungs do not receive the necessary amount of oxygen, so you can suffer from hyperventilation (intense and rapid breathing due to the sensation of lack of air) or fainting.
-Uterus. This part of the body can be pushed all or part of the way down into the vagina, causing everything from pain and menstrual problems to infertility, miscarriage, infection, or even death.
-Digestive functions. Severe abdominal pressure can interfere with digestion. Also, when the brace is worn for a long time, food intake is limited to the point of causing malnutrition or anorexia. It can also cause gastroesophageal reflux.
-Venous congestion. Pressure on the pelvic veins can cause swelling in the legs and feet, making it difficult for blood to flow. As a consequence, there is a higher risk of developing thrombi in the lower extremities and, therefore, more likely to suffer a pulmonary embolism.
-Muscle deformation. Prolonged corset use can cause severe muscle atrophy and deviation of the spine. These deformations can become so severe that, as in the past, "many women could not walk if they were not wearing it."