Swiss waist, waist cincher, corset, and corselet: what's the difference? - The Dreamstress
By A Mystery Man Writer
Description
For this week’s terminology post I go back to last week’s Rate the Dress, and Rae’s comment about whether Victorian women wore corsets outside of their dresses. The simple answer is, they didn’t. But they did wear Swiss waists & corselets outside of their dresses, and these can look a lot like corsets if you don’t look closely. So what are these things, and how are they different from corsets? A Swiss waist is a boned, pointed underbust garment worn over skirts and blouses or dresses. Unlike a corset, a swiss waist NEVER fastens with a metal front busk. Swiss waists can have a flat front, with no front opening, or can lace up the front with hand worked eyelets (never metal eyelets). The backs fasten with lacing (also with worked eyelets, not metal eyelets) or buttons. Swiss waists were extremely popular in the 1860s, worn by empresses and common women alike. In the 1860s they were more likely to be called corsages (an un-specific term for a bodice), swiss bodices, swiss belts, or swiss …
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Swiss waist, waist cincher, corset, and corselet: what's the difference? - The Dreamstress
![Swiss waist, waist cincher, corset, and corselet: what's the difference? - The Dreamstress](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fc/95/3d/fc953db523e775206b67d53cb7a8f0d6.jpg)
Pin by Tristan Snyder on Fandom: Lost girl
![Swiss waist, waist cincher, corset, and corselet: what's the difference? - The Dreamstress](https://witchyvintage.com/cdn/shop/products/PXL_20210213_084004025_1024x1024@2x.jpg?v=1613221007)
1860s Black Swiss Waist – Witchy Vintage
![Swiss waist, waist cincher, corset, and corselet: what's the difference? - The Dreamstress](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/21/ec/21/21ec21ac4afb72d03447c6ea92f2bc1a.jpg)
Fashion Plate, Lacouriere, A., François-Claudins Compte-Calix, V&A Explore The Collections
![Swiss waist, waist cincher, corset, and corselet: what's the difference? - The Dreamstress](https://thedreamstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Extant-stays-from-the-beginning-of-the-17th-century-around-1603-294x500.jpg)
Terminology: What's the difference between stays, jumps & a corset - The Dreamstress
![Swiss waist, waist cincher, corset, and corselet: what's the difference? - The Dreamstress](https://i.pinimg.com/474x/5e/c6/56/5ec656bd7306d5dcf6ee165408521489.jpg)
Pin on Vintage Fashion
![Swiss waist, waist cincher, corset, and corselet: what's the difference? - The Dreamstress](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/01/27/b8/0127b8249c1d52883b1d8f8dd79529a0.jpg)
omgthatdress Vintage childrens clothing, 1890 fashion, Victorian children's clothing
![Swiss waist, waist cincher, corset, and corselet: what's the difference? - The Dreamstress](https://thepragmaticcostumer.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/corset.jpg?w=332&h=349)
corsetless – The Pragmatic Costumer
![Swiss waist, waist cincher, corset, and corselet: what's the difference? - The Dreamstress](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/58/52/39/58523902299c214ad63fd45404e9118e.jpg)
Corset overbust édouardien à motif historique en brocart rose. Corset de mariage Steelbone
![Swiss waist, waist cincher, corset, and corselet: what's the difference? - The Dreamstress](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/53/cb/62/53cb62e007462d05d1df64744031a498.png)
Terminology: What's the difference between stays, jumps & a corset - The Dreamstress
![Swiss waist, waist cincher, corset, and corselet: what's the difference? - The Dreamstress](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/c3/33/59/c3335971e1981235fb3cc29d6501ae80.jpg)
la fundación Alexandre Vassiliev, LA MODA VICTORIANA Y LA POESÍA.
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Day dress, 1850's Historical dresses, Victorian fashion, Vintage dresses
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per adult (price varies by group size)