What is a renaissance corset?

A Renaissance corset or bodice is a replica of a garment worn by women during medieval or Renaissance times in Europe. It is typically worn on top of a blouse and is closed by means of laces that cinch in the waist.

In Renaissance times, corsets or bodices typically contained structural supports made of whalebone or reeds. Modern-day corsets, as of 2014, are more likely to use steel or flexible spiral steel for their structural supports. Renaissance corsets are designed to be worn over full skirts, which tend to billow out from under the cinched-in waist, creating a pronounced hourglass shape. They were initially designed to accentuate the hips rather than to minimize the waist.