Corset
The first time I saw a real corset was in
the movie Camille. In one scene, the servant
was helping Marguerite wearing a corset, it made me suffocate and I was so glad
that I didn’t born in that period.
Culture
shaped women’s bodies not only by the clothes but also by the force to deform
the bodies. In my point of view, women were willing to wear corsets because
they were eagerly to show off. It doesn’t mean to show off the bodies to other women, instead,
they were showing off their social status. Women who wore corsets could not
work, they usually stay at home or travel by wagons. The corsets showed that
they were in a higher class rather than the class one have to survive by
contribute labor. This self-satisfaction also works as the value of exchange.
Women try to deform their body to satisfy men’s appetite and social
confirmation. By showing off their sexy and emphasize on the shape, they become
men’s precious treasure. Finally, women themselves become the tool of men to show off.
Kate, I totally agree with your view point. Your example of corset also reminds me of wearing make-up and high heels. Definitely the modern idea of clothing tends more to focus on comfortableness, contrasted to those hard tight corsets, but make-up and high heels still remain in our century. As the barrier of entry becomes lower, many females want to show higher status based on more prettiness by applying make-up, which makes the face less natural and comfortable, and wearing high heels, which every girl knows how much they could hurt. This is a really pitiful fact because as you says, women become "men's treasure" instead of being a burden-free individual.
ReplyDelete