Waist Collection (page 9)

Caricature of Sarah Bernhardt, French actress
Caricature of Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923), legendary French actress, described here as: Actor, author, painter, sculptor, universal genius, creation-whipper and wholesale fascinator

Frog with parasol and pink ribbon on a Christmas card
Frog with a parasol, and a large pink ribbon tied in a bow round its waist, on a Christmas card. Date: circa 1890s

Frogs snowballing on a New Year card, with holly round their waists -- ouch! Date: circa 1890s

Advert for Debenham & Freebody womens fur garments 1905
Edwardian woman wearing a fur Russian sable bolero. 1905

English Costume 1620
Man: doublet with overlapping, pointed tabs, cloak, shoes with roses, transitional collar between ruff & falling band. Woman: ruff, bodice with pointed waist, triple cuffs. Date: 1620

Her Sculptured Self
- But will they still see that I ve got a slim waist ? Date: 1895

Gown of Late 1820S
Lady of the Champ-Elysees during the Restoration according to a later source: a gown with natural waist, gigot sleeves, antique cuffs & a floral motif on the hem. Date: late 1820s

Depiction of Autumn 1903
A depiction of Autumn showing a woman wearing a reform style dress with uncorseted waist & a broad black sash. She stands against some grapevines holding a bonnet by its strings. Date: 1903

Fur Trimmed Tunic 1914
Narrow fashionable silhouette of narrow skirt worn with a fur-trimmed V back tunic. Her hair is dressed simply with a soft hat worn close to the head. Date: 1914

High-Waisted Frocks 1918
The silhouette at the close of decade: skirts have become less full but narrow at the hem, waist-lines remain high. Hats: high crowns & narrow brims. Shoes: high heals & bows. Date: 1918

Fur-Trimmed Ensemble
Loose fitting brown jacket gathered in at the waist with a high fur collar & cuffs, short, full skirt which narrows at its fur trimmed hem, a fur muff & brimless hat. Date: 1918

Good Time Girls 1919
Two good time girls model the new barrel-line silhouette: One dress with thin shoulder straps still has a high waist the other is strapless & low waisted. N.B fur stole, pearls Date: 1919

Costume / Fantasio 1915
He: short trousers with turn- ups, high heeled town boots with spats, jacket with narrow shoulders & tight waist, hair in the aviator style. She: tricorn hat & cape coat. Date: 1915

Swedish Frocks 1927
Rather matronly low waisted dresses: two with pleated skirts, also a two-piece dress with blouson top, an open robe in a bright pattern & a blue dress with a tiered skirt. Date: 1927

Stripy Summer Frock 1928
Young woman in a fetching orange drop waist frock whose use of stripes complement the large umbrellas in the background. An orange gilet & cloche hat complete the look. Date: 1928

Seaside Frocks for 1899
Yellow tunic dress, rows of tucks on the sleeves, waist & under-skirt. Grey & purple dress with yoke skirt with curved flounces, lace bodice & jabot & saucer collar. Date: 1899

Wedding Dress 1899
Unadorned trained skirt, floor length veil, gauged yoke, double flounce descending from the shoulders to the waist, high collar & long, knuckle length sleeves. Date: 1899

Fur Trim Gown 1899
Princess robe secured at neck & waist with an ornate clasp has tulip design embroidery, fur trim & opens below the waist to reveal an ornamented under- skirt. N.B Fur muff. Date: 1899

Open Robe 1888
Green open robe: loose sash at the waist, tall soft hat with stuffed bird. Striped robe: pointed bodice, skirt with 3 rows of puffing & tunic fullness draped at the front. Date: 1888

Woman in 1911
Edwardian woman powders her chin with a powder puff, while holding a hat box in one arm and a handbag in the other. 1911

COSTUME 1895
Enormous gigot sleeves with epaulettes, large skirts (possibly 7 gored skirts), tiny waists, broad belts, high necked blouse with yoke, huge hats ornamented with flowers. Date: 1895

DRESSES 1954
Two elegant, pencil-skirted dresses. One has 3/4 length sleeves and gathered detailing at the neck and waist; the other a diagonally buttoned bodice. Date: 1954

Walking Dress 1804
White muslin walking dress with V neck, high waist & interesting sleeve detail. She keeps warm with a red cashmere shawl. Her obi hat is decorated with red flowers. Date: 1804

English Notables C14
Four personages of distinction, one in a long gown, the rest in shorter garments, one of them slashed to the waist Date: 14th century

Englishman 1170
He wears a short cloak over an ankle-length tunic, fastened with a brooch at the neck and a belt at the waist : he wears gloves Date: circa 1170

Englishwoman 1070
Her gown has an embroidered neck, and is held at waist by a twist of wool : beneath, her chemise reaches to the ground Date: circa 1070

Paris fashion plate 1878
Silk Christmas and New Years party dresses. Hair arranged high, the front parted and waved, or the ends curved forward in crescent shape on the forehead, chignon on the nape of the neck. Date: 1878

Evening dress 1931
Gowns by Lucien Lelong include one with a low-cut back, bustle & train and a gown with a black skirt, pink bodice & a diamond shaped panel & bow at the waist. 1931

Garden Party Dress 1912
A garden party dress with a high waist, gathered corsage, sash belt & heavily embroidered skirt with a plain yoke. Worn with a capeline hat with a velvet hatband. 1912

C11 Countrymen
Countrymen of the period after the Conquest by William the Norman; two wear hooded garments but the third is stripped to the waist Date: 11th century

Elegant tailored summer dress 1909
Woman wearing Merry Widow hat with plumes and pretty tunic frock with rats tail embroideries in mauve and gold on net. 1909

Girdle that reduces waist and hips
New hour-a-day girdle reducess waist and hips often 3 inches the very first week ! now at last you can wear the stylish, decoming clothes your heart desires - without worrying about an unattractive

Summer frocks 1907
Two women wearing charming summer frocks, (left) white muslin with black spots, valenciennes lace and narrow rouleaux of pale blue silk

A fantasy shoemaker, covered in shoes, with a shop counter attached round his waist. Date: circa 1700

Summer patterned dresses 1929
Late 1920s evening dresses and blouse, with fashionable swirling patterns. Date: 1929

Cool frocks for hot days 1929
Women wearing fashionable clothing with either floral or abstract design patterns. Date: 1929

Five year old girls outdoor clothing 1886
Girl wearing knee length kilted skirt, jacket opening over a blouse of cream mousseline de laine, bordered with rosary beads. Date: 1886

Womens country clothing 1886
Two women wearing beautiful summer clothing with narrow waists and bustles. 1886

Womens seaside clothing 1886
Three women at the seaside. 1886

Model wearing a floral maternity evening gown 1937
Model wearing a full length draped floral maternity evening gown, lightly shirred across the bust with three hand-run tucks down either side which can be let out inch by inch

Advert for Peter Robinsons corset 1901
Maravel guinea corset, low in bust and deep over the hips. Date: 1901

Advertisement for Linia-belts 1930s
Advertisement for Linia-belts for figure-conscious men Early 20th Century

The Loving Cup by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882) engraved by James Davis Cooper (1823-1904). Date: 1884

Advert for Peter Robinsons womens undergarments 1912
Annual sale available at Oxford Street and Regent Street department stores. Two models wearing long-line corsets, with straight-front giving no curving to the figure. Date: 1912

Model wearing fashionable stripes 1933
Woman wearing three different style stripy pullovers with high waists for a day playing golf. Date: 1933

Advert for Barri daytime dresses 1937
Two women wearing lunch dresses made from crepe print. Date: 1937

Polaire at Longchamps
Emilie Polaire (1877 - 1939), French actress and music hall entertainer reputed to have the smallest waist in the world, but pictured at Longchamps racecourse

Berthe Vincourt wearing a beautiful dress 1904
Pretty parisian Berthe Vincourt (maybe an actress), wearing a S-bend dress with a thin V - shaped waist, lace sleeves and her hair is in the door-knocker style. Date: 1904

All Professionally Made to Order for Quick Shipping

The waist, a timeless symbol of femininity and style, has evolved throughout history. From the gritty coal mines of South Wales to the glamorous flapper era, it has left its mark on fashion and society. In the depths of the coalface, miners toiled away with their waists cinched tightly in corsets. The year was 1927 when even a hardworking flapper couldn't resist adding a touch of glamour by adorning her bonnet with an exquisite waist-enhancing accessory. Fast forward to 1954, where two types of dresses showcased contrasting waistlines. One boasted a nipped-in waist that accentuated curves while another embraced a looser silhouette for comfort and freedom. Christian Dior himself sketched these designs as he revolutionized fashion post-World War II. Even during simpler times like 1907, women found ways to incorporate elegance into every aspect of life - including golfing. A stylish woman effortlessly swung her club while maintaining her impeccable posture and tiny waistline. Advertisements played their part too; Thomsons glove-fitting corset promised not only support but also an enviable hourglass figure. Women eagerly sought this undergarment's magical ability to sculpt their waists into perfection. However, not all depictions were so serious - WW1 brought about satirical cartoons such as "The Dropped Pilot. " Amongst the chaos, one thing remained constant: exaggerated feminine curves emphasized by impossibly small waists became fodder for entertainment. As time went on and societal norms shifted once again in 1948, David Wright captured a woman in an elegant black evening dress. Her slender waist gracefully complemented her attire as she exuded confidence and sophistication. Royalty too fell under the spell of this coveted feature; Queen Mary herself (then Princess of Wales) proudly displayed her regal poise alongside her impeccably defined waistline. Finally, Britannia graced magazine covers in April 1954, embodying the epitome of grace and strength.