From the late 1840s to the 1860s skirts were full and bell-shaped, at which point corsets were relatively short and not particularly tightly laced, since the massive skirts made all waists look proportionally small. The whalebones press into the waist to shape the hipline into an extravagant curve, to flatter and support the fashionable cage crinoline. Corset France or Britain, 1864 Silk, edged with machine lace, with whalebone and metal eyelets, lined with cotton twill Given by the Burrows family V&A: T.169-1961 [2013-2015] A front fastening corset The wearer of this corset could dress without help because the steel 'split busk' fastens in front. The front fastening was invented in 1829 but did not become common until the 1850s. There are fewer bones in the back of the corset than the front and none over the hips. In the 1860s women relied on voluminous skirts, in addition to corsets, to make their waists appear small. Corset Britain or France, about 1864 Silk, cotton twill lining, whalebone (baleen), metal busk, machine-made lace edging V&A: T.169-1961 Given by the Burrows family [16/04/2016-12/03/2017]