Sexy Basques - A History of Sexy Costumes and Elegance

Many women love to wear sexy costumes. From an elegantly sensual basque to an exotic bustier, sexy costumes are a terrific way to spice up the bedroom. Some basques and bustiers can even be worn as outerwear, offering a daring choice for a night out. Basques and bustiers have been around for many centuries, although they have adapted and changed over the years. Provided here is a brief guide to the history of these beautiful and sexy costumes.

Corsets

Both basques and bustiers developed out of the corset. Corsets first came into vogue in the 16th century. By the Victorian era, they were all the rage. Victorian women wanted their waists to appear as small as possible, and the era of tightlacing was born. At the time, corsets were not considered sexy costumes, but simple required undergarments. Girls received their first corsets at a very young age and wore them all of their lives.

Victorian corsets were longer than those of earlier eras, flaring over the hips and extending several inches down from the waist. This shape became extremely popular, and soon other clothing items adapted the shape.

Basques

Basques were originally Victorian-era jackets that mimicked the shape of the corset. The jackets were tightly fitted and extended past the hips, flaring out to accommodate a bustle.

Over time, fashions changed. Corsets began to fall out of favor in the 1910s, as the rational dress movement took over. Gradually bras and girdles took the place of the corset. Basques fell out of fashion as women stopped wearing bustles and waistlines crept upward.

Merry Widows

By the 1920s, traditional corsets were all but unheard of. The late 1940s, however, saw a revival of the corset. The corsets of the 1940s were known as merry widows, and were much shorter than traditional corsets. This was the first time that the garments were introduced specifically as sexy costumes.

Although merry widows were a brief phenomenon, their introduction set the stage for the use of basques and bustiers as sexy costumes. Women were beginning to enjoy their own sexuality, although it was still strictly behind closed doors.

The 1980s

By the 1980s, fetish wear was in. Following the freewheeling 1960s and 1970s, 1980s-era mainstream entertainers enjoyed nearly unprecedented freedom of expression. Trendsetters such as Madonna began the underwear-as-outwear craze. Sexy costumes escaped the bedroom and began to appear across the country.

Today's basques and bustiers are largely rooted in the fetish trends of the 1980s and 1990s. Largely modeled after Victorian-era corsetry, as well as the Victorian basque jacket, today's basques and bustiers range from mild to wild.

A supportive choice to wear underneath backless dresses, the strapless bustier is especially popular. However, more exotic bustier and basque choices are also available, including largely see-through pieces that are perfect for bedroom wear.

The bustiers and basques of today are designed to resemble the corsetry of the past. Modern materials ensure a subtle body shaping without the compression of the past. Blending functionality with exotic and beautiful designs, these sexy costumes are wonderful for a myriad of occasions.