The Corset: Facts, Legacies and Misconceptions

Join Dr Sarah Bendall as she uncovers the complicated history of the corset, how it evolved, and why it was worn, ideas about comfort and practicality, sexuality and eroticism, and the idea of women being oppressed by these garments.

Sarah will present an engaging and thought-provoking history, followed by an interactive, object-handling session, where guests are able to examine a variety of historical corsets that have been skilfully recreated. She will also share insights on the specialist techniques required for historical reconstruction of garments.

Dr Sarah A Bendall is a Senior Lecturer at the Gender and Women’s History Research Centre in the Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University.