Corset Work

© 2014-2019

This piece was inspired by found objects that happen to mirror each other—a postcard title “An Inborn Habit” and an antique wood hand mirror. These images coincidentally reflect so much of women’s history, and how girls are brought up with preconceived ideas of womanhood.

The corset book is comprised of three

individual corsets, each with its own book

inside. The titles of each corset,

“Features of Loveliness,” “The Mother Intent,”

and “Form the Figure” were taken from

advertisements for corsets found in

early magazines 20th c. magazines.

The titles of the smaller interior books,

“The Mother Interest,” “Punctualities of Dress,”

and “An Inborn Habit” take the reader on a

journey of a girl’s growth – from maternity corsets for the mother,supports for an infant, and corsets for young girlhood and beyond – promising to “Train your daughters to a healthy and symmetrical body and mind” until “…existence becomes a delight….”

Information regarding a girls growing body, from babyhood to motherhood was passed down through publications such as Womanhood; Hints and Helps for Young Women (1895 ), and Health – beauty – sexuality – from girlhood to womanhood... (1904), in addition to the various advertisements extolling the virtues of various support garments for all ages.

From the Greek mythologies to today’s episodes on the Lifetime Channel, mother-daughter relationships have been fraught with controversies. Although the mother was expected to pass down the rules of the day of deportment to her daughter, it was more complicated than that, as women were told,

     "… how complex the relation is between the mother and the daughter: for the mother, the daughter is both her double

     and another, the mother cherishes her and at the same time is hostile to her; she imposes her own destiny on her child:

     it is a way to proudly claim her own femininity and also to take revenge on it."

As girls were growing and trying to figure out their place in the world, they were being informed that

     “Neatness in person, as in dress, is natural to a woman... like all other habits, it becomes, in time, agreeable to

     the person who practices it, but the first training into it, is a painful struggle.”

Female Images throughout this piece include portraits of girls with their sisters and mothers, both informal, and formal. Little girls posing with dolls, mimicking future poses of the girl grown into a mother herself, as well as images taken from corset catalogues for children.

What Mothers Want (in 3 volumes)

View and download the Bibliography, Text and Specs at WhatMothersWant_3CrstBks_TxtSpcsBibl_082519.pdf

Watch the quick overview 1 min video above or at this vimeo link ...

OR, watch all 3 volumes with every page, at the 6 min video below or at this vimeo link

Box covered with Dover Book cloth, linen finish, machine embroidered label

Closed Outside Edge Length

12 3/4”

Closed Outside Edge Width

11 1/2”

Height Outside Edge

2 3/4”

Interior Box: Covered with Bertini paper #309, with antique wood hand mirror mounted on inside cover.

Box Width opened: 23”

Outside Corset Cover: Antique white scallop trimmed corset bag with original hand embroidered “S” and flowers.

4 vintage plastic buttons for closure.

Corset bag closed: 12” (W) x 11 1/2” (L)

Outside Corset Cover interior: Purple trim with double bow ties, to hold 3 corset books in place.

Corset bag opened: 23” (L)