"How I Enlarged My Bust", 1911

[neuralclone.livejournal.com]

From Weldon's Ladies Journal, April 1911

Comments

[charlotterhys.livejournal.com]

That is a marvelous ad.

I would also like to note that while that picture is really obviously illustrated, her figure is not so off the mark of reality. While not common, there are some women with naturally VERY large chests, who if corseted and dressed correctly, could have a shape not too far off that. Though one like that would probably have a little more cleavage than the picture.

Let alone in the modern age with breast implants.

[cinnamonbite.livejournal.com]

Yes. And those VERY large chests look matronly and old-lady for their whole lives.
I hate having big boobs.

[polymexina.livejournal.com]

Speak for yourself -- I look fly! :brushes that dirt off her shoulder:

[cinnamonbite.livejournal.com]

LOL, ok granny.

[polymexina.livejournal.com]

But if you like, I mod an LJ comm called thirtytwo_d, where we talk about busty fashion issues, bras, rashes, how annoying huge knockers are, etc. It's a pretty awesome comm. :)

[snippy-kitty.livejournal.com]

I am joining!

[polymexina.livejournal.com]

Awesome -- PM me when you apply so that I know to approve the membership

[snippy-kitty.livejournal.com]

I tried to find the comm but couldn't. http://community.livejournal.com/thirtytwo_d is taking me nowhere. Can you post the link to the community please?

[polymexina.livejournal.com]

http://community.livejournal.com/thirty_twod/profile

[snippy-kitty.livejournal.com]

Oops. Just saw the entry below. Joined! Waiting approval.

[warmdarkwoman.livejournal.com]

I will join, too.

The woman in the ad looks like she could be a J or K cup, easily. I shudder to think what her band size is.

[belcantante.livejournal.com]

*thirty_twod/*

[tudorlady.livejournal.com]

Testify, sister, testify.

[janenx01.livejournal.com]

I had a reduction in 1995. Best thing I've ever done for myself!

I hated being busty. Definitely not for me.

[rosehiptea.livejournal.com]

Yeah, there are definitely chests that large. But that waist... a corset that tight has got to hurt, I would think?

[fallconsmate.livejournal.com]

well, sort of. but ladies didnt just start corsetting when they reached adolescence, they would have been started off in childhood, wearing a "liberty vest" or somesuch, which would have started training the child to eat less and keeping a constant pressure on her growing body.

the ribs were compacted, the internal organs re-arranged a bit, and the muscles of the back and abdomen weakened to the point that being *un* corseted for very long was quite uncomfortable. ladies were expected to wear their corsets probably 23 hours a day, removing them only for a quick wash.

and MOST ladies did not lace so severely, just the ones "lucky" enough to have someone who would do most of the household work for them. (i know way too much about the subject, lol)

there are still a few ladies in the world who tightlace to that extreme, though.

[siddles.livejournal.com]

I remember a woman in an old Guinness Book of Records whose corsetted waist size was 13". She looked quite freakish. Nowadays, Guinness World Records have stopped publishing some records whose pursuit might be detrimental to health and safety, but surprisingly they still have a record for smallest waist size of a living woman.

[fiercediva.livejournal.com]

These were the days of the Gibson Girl S-Curve figure - not only were they cinched into corsets, but they were "swan-bill" corsets that made the hips protrude and the back hurt.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

And ten years later she's gonna cry because small boobs were in fashion. Sorry lady! Fashion is a cruel mistress.

[pikkewyntjie.livejournal.com]

She'll be an old woman of 30 by then and look down on all those trampy, young flappers with disdain.

[lilacsigil.livejournal.com]

Agatha Christie wrote in her autobiography that she was flat-chested when large busts were in, then she had a baby and developed a fine bust...just in time for the age of the flapper!

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

It almost looks as though the incease in bust size was caused purely by the decrease in ribcage, courtesy of that corset.

[corridor7f.livejournal.com]

Agreed.

[zydee.livejournal.com]

So that whole "breasts bigger than her entire head + hair" thing didn't start with the modern age? Who'd'a thunk?

[evilfoo.livejournal.com]

Poor lady is about to fall over!

[emmuzka.livejournal.com]

That's a pretty long copy for an ad that doesn't reveal the "how does it work" -secret at the end!

Can someone point me to a picture of hollow shoulders, by the way? Are they slumped? Round? Bony?

[lilacsigil.livejournal.com]

Stand with your shoulders rounded and slumped forward. If you are a very thin person, there are actual hollows below your shoulder, between your clavicle and armpit. (My brother is very thin and was always told off for his bad posture, but I'm quite busty and don't look round-shouldered at all, entirely due to good bras!) Like this (http://www.fabsugar.com/Taylor-Momsen-Wears-Marchesa-Metropolitan-Operas-125th-Season-Opening-Night-Gala-NYC-2078344)

[emmuzka.livejournal.com]

Huh. That's not pretty, not even the current thin-obsesses world. Thanks for the explanation!