20th Century

When politicians advise on fashion

The debate between the aesthetics of fashion and the health and practicality of garments is never more pointed than when it comes to the matter of corsets.

In 1904 the argument had one last great fling in New Zealand, with a series of international specialists visiting the country to declare the ill-effects of the garment.

The anti-corset movement saw a surge in popularity, and the politicians, ever after a chance to see their own popularity surge, jumped on the bandwagon, not always wisely, as this period cartoon shows us:

 

12 Comments

    • Isn’t that hilarious? I think it is a slight double-entendre, especially since they don’t actually have skylarks in NZ!

      • Stella says

        Does “skylark” have another meaning that I’m not aware of?

      • Lynne says

        Actually, we do. You need to find a nice open pasture in summer (sheep land, the larks seem to like their grass well nibbled), lie back, listen, and watch the wee speck circling in the blue.

        • Really? Are they real English skylarks, or a NZ version? Because the robins here aren’t robins. Cute, but not robins!

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