Support and Seduction: The History of Corsets and Bras

by Béatrice Fontanel

Book Overview

Thoughout the ages, women's breasts have been subjected to the endless whims of fashion. From the ancient Greeks to Mae West and Madonna, this light-hearted book charts the changing shapes of female beauty. The elegant and amusing images - including fashion drawings, paintings, photographs, and film stills - illustrate the often surprising history of the garments women have worn for support - and seduction.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0810982080
• ISBN13: 9780810982086
• Release Date: March 2001
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 3.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 9.8" x 12.5"
• Age Range: 13 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 8 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

What We Women Won't Do

This is a beautiful book, almost falling into the "coffee table"genre with interesting illustrations and color photos. The sidebar comments add fascinating details to the pictures. Along with the discussion of what a woman will do to feel beautiful in her era, the author spent time discussing the impact of historical times, i.e. World Wars I and II, on lingerie, as well as the development of the tire industry into girdles and DuPont research into other synthetic fabrics.It made for a fun program and with the addition of items from our local fashion museum, we females now appreciate how fortunate we are to live in our current period.

Lush photos and illustrations!

I got this text primarily for use with my own illustrations and artwork, and to look for proper silhouettes and undergarment styles to go with period fashions and costuming, for which it's a great guide. I've really enjoyed using the text, and keep it on the coffee table-- it's a fantasic conversation piece! The graphics are wonderful; look to other reviewers' comments on the text; that was not my focus.

A Wonderful Work of Social History

Beatrice Fontanel has done an excellent job piecing together the fascinating history of bras and corsets. Let's face it - what zaftig woman hasn't said to herself, "My God, what DID they do before the bra?" Well, here's your answer.The illustrations from various sources are top notch and of excellent quality with an emphasis on 19th and 20th century advertising. Since support has changed according to fashion, the book naturally chronicles in detail the ebb and flow of various fads. Suddenly women fainting at the drop of a hat no longer seems an affectation after reading an account of a 23 year old woman who died shortly after a ball - the autopsy revealed her ribs that overlapped one another from years of corset use had finally pierced her vital organs! I did find Fontaine's text to occasionally be a little shallow, and was dismayed to see Tony Curtis refered to as the captain of a submarine in "Operation Petticoat" (it was Cary Grant). Whenever I find a small error like that I can't help but wonder what other errors I'm missing.For the costumer, the social historian or anyone interested in women's issues, the book is a wonderful read.

Useful and Fun

This is an excellent book filled with illustrations and photos. Support and Seduction is narrated by a lucid discription of the way corsetry and undergarments have effected women and the wearing of clothes. It mentions undergarments/understructure from as far back as midaevil times and follows through at a brisk pace until the early 19th Century, The major concentration of it's efforts begins around the Romanitc era and continues into the late 20th Century. A must have reference book for costumers and others who have need for period research at their fingertips. I would reccomend this book to anyone who has an inkling of interest on the subject, the book is a good read besides being useful.