A new exhibition in York explores fashion and its influence on body shapes
The ‘Shaping the body: 400 years of fashion, food and life’ exhibition looks at how people have altered their body over the last four centuries in order to fit in with the fashions.
There will be a number of items on display including pantaloons, body and facial piercings and iron corsets.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdIn the early 19th century, women’s fashion favoured a curvaceous silhouette.
This is why it became commonplace for women to wear corsets underneath their clothing to create the look of a very small waist.
This was then accentuated by a very large skirt with rounded padding to make the hips appear larger.
Other trends that the exhibition explores include the shoulder padding of the 1980s which made shoulders appear broader and the piercing and body modification trends of the punk scene movement.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe second gallery will explore the relationship between food and body shape.
In particular, the exhibition will examine how bodies are shaped by lifestyle by looking at the physically arduous lives of farm hands and housemaids.
The museum is open daily from 9.30am until 5pm.
Access to the permanent exhibition is included in the general admission ticket price.
Tickets cost £10 for adults and children aged under 16 go for free with a paying adults.