Edwardian Dress

Note that the chemise should be laced and appliqued as the corset went to underbust level. The chemise thus had that  hang-on look, straps and overall ’lacy’ ‘drapy’ look. And this shows how the corset’s function was to ‘fit’ or ‘tighten’ the waist to hip. The corset seems to then push up the bust. Still the purpose of this note is that the chemise and drawers were main garments in a way that the corset wasn’t. The corset was an add-on ; it was put on around the body and tightened thus.   Here is a simple illustration by me ; It is not particularly illustrative but it aims to show how the corset here reached underbust level. It is difficult to generalise whether this was always the case.