Dear Sir,–Although some of your correspondents have written extolling corset wearing and tight-lacing, and have described their trials, it still remains to be stated that a corset cannot be really or truly tightened on to a figure until the wearer finds it impossible to uncorset herself without first undoing her corset laces. This presupposes an absolutely rigid waistline, for it must be remembered that when unclasping a corset there is about three eighths of an inch allowed for “play” on the busks.
It must be obvious, therefore that where there is not even room for this small amount of latitude, the corset wearer can say, with all truth, that she is a tight-lacer.
There are many even to-day who scorn to wear corsets without some measure of tightening their laces, and who detest these modern clasparounds without any laces at all; but the real tight-lacer, as indicated above, will be a rarity. I don’t think she would dare brave the stares of her more modern sisters by venturing into the streets thus attired.
Faithfuly yours,
JEAN McCALLUM.