1. Opening – (display picture of Urban Outfitters corset)
   1. For months now, the bestselling Urban Outfitters corset has been plastered all over Instagram feeds and has become a staple in any girl’s wardrobe. These tops have become so popular that you can’t leave your dorm without spotting someone wearing one. And Urban Outfitters isn’t the only brand selling corsets. You can walk into almost any women’s clothing store and see at least five variations of a corset top. 
   2. These corsets, while seemingly unimportant, are much more than fun fashion pieces.
   3. Statement of the thesis: The corset represents the historical oppression and objectification of women while also symbolizing freedom of self-expression in fashion and female empowerment.
2. Body
   1. Throughout history, corsets have been worn by women to shape their bodies into desired silhouettes, emphasizing a smaller waist.
      1. Women lacked a voice in society and were treated as objects for the male gaze
      2. Were expected to wear corsets at all times – even while carrying out their household and childcare responsibilities 
      3. Corsets made with heavy fabric and had bone or metal inserts
      4. Caused negative health effects 
         1. Wore corsets so tightly that breathing was restricted, causing faintness
         2. Compressing the abdominal organs could cause poor digestion
         3. Over time, the back muscles could waste away
         4. In severe cases, long term lacing led to a deformed rib cage (Isaac)
      5. Symbolic of female oppression, corsets represent the great lengths women were expected to go to in order to fit the patriarchal beauty standard. 
   2. The 1980s marked a shift in the use of the corset.
      1. Jean Paul Gaultier’s Dada collection (1983) – corseted dress 
         1. Transforms corset from underwear to fashionable outerwear
      2. Vivienne Westwood (1987) – created her own version of the corset as a fashion statement (“Corsets in Context: A History)
      3. As new ways of wearing the garment emerged, the corset became a symbol of female empowerment rather than oppression.
   3. The modern corset unites women in expressing their femininity, creating a sense of community as women continue to fight against patriarchal norms and reclaim their identities.
      1. Response to the centuries of sexism and misogyny that women have endured
      2. Now freely choose to wear corsets instead of being forced into it by society’s expectations – “reclaiming” the corset
      3. Feminism is at the corset’s core – 
         1. Women should be able to dress how they want
         2. Free of the expectations and desires of men
      4. Whether viewed as oppressive or liberating, the corset unites women of all different backgrounds. 
3. Conclusion
   1. The modern corset comments on the historical oppression of women, empowering women to dress however they want without the pressure to conform to patriarchal standards.
   2. The next time you see someone wearing the Urban Outfitters corset, remember that there is a much deeper meaning behind it than simply being a trendy clothing item.

Works Cited

“Corsets in Context: A History.” Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, 29 Mar. 2016, https://www.famsf.org/blog/corsets-context-history. 

Isaac, Susan. “The Dangers of Tight Lacing: the Effects of the Corset.” Royal College of Surgeons, Royal College of Surgeons, 17 Feb. 2017, https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/library-and-publications/library/blog/effects-of-the-corset/.