YumSugar

Corsets: Lots of Controversy Squeezed Into One Undergarment

Tara Sharp — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:40:11 PST

Nowadays, women who want a trimmer waist in a pinch typically turn to Spanx or some other body-slimming underwear. But when it's less about practicality and more about looking sexy in nothing but your skivvies (like for your Valentine's Day date night, for instance), you may choose to don a corset. While modern women are free to wear these fitted underpinnings whenever we want to spice things up in the bedroom, corsets and the idealized tiny waists they create have a long and controversial history that doesn't seem to be going away any time soon.

Just last September, Vogue Italia controversially featured Ethel Granger and her 13-inch waist, which she achieved by wearing a corset 24-7. Ethel, who holds the record for the smallest waist in recorded history, went through the painful process for her husband. Her motivation brings up one of the main issues with corsets: are they for the men or the women? And Romanian-born model Ioana Spangenberg, "the human hourglass," is being criticized for setting a bad example with her 20-inch waist, even though she claims she can't help her shape and didn't use corsets to achieve it.

To find out more about what made corsets so controversial back in their heyday (including info from Valerie Steele's book The Corset: A Cultural History), let's look back at some of the vintage ads and photos of these constrictive undergarments and the nonhuman-like shapes they created on women.

A History of Sex and Fashion

Tara Sharp — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:25:28 PST

New York Fashion Week begins today, and we can't wait to see what memorable moments and fresh looks will come out of this season's showing. And while the fashion industry's history is full of important landmarks, it seems the ones that stand out the most have to do with controversy, pushing boundaries, and sex. In honor of NYFW, let's look at the most scandalous sex-related moments in fashion's history now!

Love, Sex, & Marriage in the Days of Downton Abbey

Tara Sharp — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:17:04 PST

The entire plot of the first season of PBS's standout show Downton Abbey revolves around the cultural customs and laws of heirs, women's rights, and marriage during the last hoorah of Britain's Edwardian era at the cusp of World War I. Then the current season covers WWI and beyond, from 1916 to 1920. This transition was a time of social and political turmoil, and it marked a pivotal change for women's rights in Britain. To better understand where women stood and how far we've come, let's look at the rules of love, sex, and marriage in Britain's Edwardian era, and how things changed after World War I.

Girl Scouting Through the Years

Tara Sharp — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:15:27 PST

When I think Girl Scouts, I can't help but crave Girl Scout Cookies. But for many women who grew up as a Girl Scout, Girl Guide, or Brownie, the organization's name brings back fond childhood memories. Scouting began in 1907 in Britain, with Girlguiding in the UK founded soon after that, and the Girl Scouts of the USA launching in 1912. There have been some famous women involved in Girl Scouts, including former Brownie Kate Middleton, who chose The Scout Association as one of her charities, and who's covering the latest issue of Scouting Magazine. See how the youth movement has evolved over the years and some of the celebrity connections now!

Actresses Who've Played Influential Women in History

Tara Sharp — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 02:00:00 PST

With a Golden Globe win and numerous nominations to boot, The Iron Lady's Meryl Streep has been ruling this award season with her portrayal of Britain's only female Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. But she's not the only actress this year earning accolades for a historical impersonation - Michelle Williams also won a Globe for her take on Marilyn Monroe in My Week With Marilyn. These ladies join a fleet of talented actresses who've played iconic women in history, roles that typically garner a lot of award buzz. So in the throes of this year's award season, let's look back at the stars who've stepped into the shoes of some of the most powerful, influential, and iconic women in history, and look forward to the actresses who have upcoming biopics in the works.

Tale as Old as Time: Beauty and the Beast's History

Tara Sharp — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:25:54 PST

This Friday we can take a trip back to our childhood with the re-release of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, this time in 3D. It's a magical blast from the past for us, but it's also a way for a new generation of tykes to enjoy the tale of a bookish peasant turned princess on the big screen. Beauty and the Beast has come a long way from its 18th-century French origins to three-dimensional animation. Let's look at the evolution of the fairy tale in pop culture, from classic books to an upcoming project involving a Harry Potter witch!

Margaret Thatcher's Ironclad Words of Wisdom

Tara Sharp — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 04:00:53 PST

Meryl Streep is garnering a lot of award season buzz for her portrayal of the first (and only so far) female British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady, but it's the woman who influenced the biopic we're really interested in. Although it was dubbed by naysayers, Margaret actually liked her "Iron Lady" nickname. After all, her ironclad strong will, motivation, and toughness helped her achieve her sometimes-controversial accomplishments while in office. Whether it's been in speeches, books, or interviews, the chemist-turned-world leader Margaret is never shy about her personal opinions and political beliefs. Here are some of her most wise words about life, love, and being a powerful woman.

Pucker Up: Famous Kisses Through History

Tara Sharp — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:51:00 PST

New Year's Eve is right around the corner, and along with it the traditional midnight kiss. Whether you're looking for a new fella to smooch that night, or you'll be puckering up to a significant other, we've got some infamous kisses to give you inspiration. Get in the mood with a look back at history's standout kisses immortalized by art, film, and photography. From balconies to the streets, see our favorite famous kisses now!

Best Throwbacks of 2011

Tara Sharp — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 11:09:32 PST

It's the end of the year, which means we'll start looking forward to 2012 soon. But first, we want to look back - way back - at our best nostalgic posts of the year. Whether we were reminiscing about growing up in the '80s and '90s or shaking our heads at sexist (and, at times, humorous) vintage advertising, this year has been full of fun and educational throwbacks. Even the TV shows and movies have been a blast from the past. So in case you missed any of our great nostalgic content, click on!

Miss Universe Pageant's Good, Bad, and Scandalous History

Tara Sharp — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:19:12 PST

Former Miss USA Rima Fakih made headlines this weekend when she was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. The 2010 winner was the first Arab American to capture the crown and compete in the Miss Universe competition. When the Miss Universe pageant aired earlier this year, there was also a controversial contestant to look out for; although, the alleged offense was much less serious than drinking and driving. Miss Colombia Catalina Robayo had been accused of making appearances while going commando.

The beauty pageant world has been riddled with scandals, missteps, and fallen-from-grace pageant royalty, as the somewhat sexualized nature of the competition seems at odds with the strict rules (you can be penalized for playing beer pong, for goodness sake). And while the show has a love-hate relationship with women, there have been a few wins for our gender. So click on to learn some of the scandalous and sexy moments in the 59-year-long history of the emotional and bikini-filled Miss Universe beauty pageant.