Fashion and Fetishism: Corsets, Tight-Lacing and Other Forms of Body-Sculpture

Fashion and Fetishism examines the practice of body modification through tight-lacing corsets and other forms of bodily constraint from the Renaissance through modern times. The book traces this phenomenon across European and American society, focusing on its cultural, social, and psychological dimensions. Through historical documentation and analysis, Kunzle explores how tight-lacing and body modification intersected with class dynamics, gender roles, and sexuality. The text incorporates period illustrations, medical records, personal accounts, and advertising materials to construct a comprehensive study of these practices. The research spans multiple centuries and social contexts, examining how attitudes toward body modification shifted over time. Particular attention is paid to the Victorian era, when corsetry reached its peak of cultural significance. This academic work positions body modification practices within broader frameworks of power, control, and identity formation. The book challenges conventional interpretations of fashion history while raising questions about modern attitudes toward body alteration and beauty standards.

Readers appreciate the book's thorough research and academic examination of the intersection between fashion, sexuality, and body modification across different time periods. Multiple reviewers note its value as a historical reference on corsetry and tight-lacing practices. Readers liked: - Inclusion of rare historical images and documents - Coverage of both male and female corsetry - Analysis of cultural attitudes over time Readers disliked: - Dense, academic writing style - Lack of focus on modern corsetry practices - Limited discussion of non-Western traditions Online ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (24 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (8 reviews) LibraryThing: 4.0/5 (6 ratings) One academic reviewer called it "the most comprehensive work on historical corsetry to date," while another noted it "fills important gaps in fashion history research." Several readers mentioned the book works better as a reference text than a cover-to-cover read.

The Corset: A Cultural History by Valerie Steele This illustrated history traces the corset from the Renaissance through modern times with focus on social meanings and construction methods.

Bound to Please: A History of the Victorian Corset by Leigh Summers The text examines Victorian corsetry through medical documents, advertisements, and personal accounts to reveal connections between fashion, sexuality, and social control.

Fetish: Fashion, Sex & Power by David Kunzle The volume explores how clothing items transform into objects of sexual desire through historical and psychological analysis.

Fashion Theory: The Journal of Dress, Body & Culture by Valerie Steele This collection presents academic perspectives on fashion's role in body modification, identity formation, and cultural expression.

Body Dressing by Joanne Entwistle and Elizabeth Wilson The text analyzes how clothing shapes human bodies and identities through theoretical frameworks from sociology, anthropology, and fashion studies.

🗸 David Kunzle pioneered academic research into comic strips and sequential art, publishing "The Early Comic Strip" in 1973 before turning his attention to the history of corsetry 🗸 The book examines body modification practices across multiple centuries and cultures, revealing how tight-lacing was practiced by both men and women in various European societies 🗸 Victorian tight-lacing practices could reduce waist measurements to as small as 13-14 inches, though most practitioners aimed for a more moderate 18-20 inches 🗸 The author challenges the common belief that corsets were purely tools of female oppression, presenting evidence of their use in various forms of social and sexual empowerment 🗸 Originally published in 1982, this book was one of the first scholarly works to examine fashion and body modification through both historical and feminist theoretical frameworks