Fashion: Form

Some garments achieve their form through the addition of inner structures such as stays or shoulder pads. Underwear plays an important role in shaping the body to the desired look or providing support for garments. Brassieres of the 1920s flattened the chest, appropriate to the flapper look of the day. In other periods, corsets changed the body’s posture and narrowed the waist. Petticoats or crinolines with hoops provided the proper flare for skirts.