A redresseur corset is a historical corset

Corset

A corset is a garment worn to hold and shape the torso into a desired shape for aesthetic or medical purposes...

 that was in use from about 1830s to 1918. It was used at ages 12-13 years to about 18. Its purpose was to mold the torso into a fashionable shape. About 1859 the redresseur corset replaced a pair of stays.

Prior to that, a corsage

Corsage (bodice)

Corsage refers to the bodice of a dress. In the 19th century, corsage was a common term for a woman's bodice or jacket.In modern usage, corsage is often confused with a corset, but a corset is tighter...

 was worn. In the Victorian

Victorian era

The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...

 and Edwardian era a corsage

Corsage (bodice)

Corsage refers to the bodice of a dress. In the 19th century, corsage was a common term for a woman's bodice or jacket.In modern usage, corsage is often confused with a corset, but a corset is tighter...

 was used for many years, often from infancy

Infant

A newborn or baby is the very young offspring of a human or other mammal. A newborn is an infant who is within hours, days, or up to a few weeks from birth. In medical contexts, newborn or neonate refers to an infant in the first 28 days after birth...

, so the waist was already slim.

The redresseur corset is only used when the waist is already slim, and only for "permanent" corset use, because the four floating rib

Floating rib

Floating ribs are four atypical ribs in the human ribcage. They are called so because they are attached to the vertebrae only, and not to the sternum or cartilage coming off of the sternum. Some people are missing one of the two pairs. Others have a third pair. Most, however, possess only two...

s will change position semi-permanently. (The floating ribs are just that - floating - so will move back slowly into their original position if the corset is no longer worn. The change is not permanent, but it is long lasting.)

This type of corset can be used for quick, permanent body modification

Body modification

Body modification is the deliberate altering of the human body for any non-medical reason, such as aesthetics, sexual enhancement, a rite of passage, religious reasons, to display group membership or affiliation, to create body art, shock value, or self expression...

, but for post-pregnancy

Pregnancy

Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...

 waist reduction, the (underbust) hourglass corset

Hourglass corset

The hourglass corset produces a silhouette resembling the hourglass shape: wide bottom, narrow waist , wide top.-History:The first fashions worn with hourglass corsets, around 1830, emphasized width - they tended to have very wide skirts, large sleeves and sloping shoulders. These elements...

 is recommended.

Alternative

An alternative to redresseur corset is usage of shoulder straps on the outside of corset.

Sources

• The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine
  The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine
  The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine was a magazine published by Samuel Orchart Beeton from 1852 to 1879, with a supplement written by his wife Mrs Beeton between 1859 and 1861: these supplements were later collected as her Book of Household Management. His intention was that it should "tend to...
  
  , some letters from 1854 to 1869. Those are reprinted many times.
• London Life the letter from MODERATION. about 1930
• Patents
• Advertisings of Invicorator corset
• Bound to Please Leigh Summers

Please note that many of these magazines are viewed as fetish or shock based magazines, and not unbiased sources for fashion history!

See also

• History of corsets
  History of corsets
  A corset is a garment that girds the torso and shapes it according to the fashionable silhouette of the day. Most often it has been used for cinching the waist and supporting the breasts....
  
  
• Training corset
  Training corset
  A training corset is generally a corset used in body modification. A training corset may be used for orthopedic reasons or for cosmetic reasons The term "training corset" is also sometimes used for BDSM corsets used for discipline.In addition, the...
  
  
• Hourglass corset
  Hourglass corset
  The hourglass corset produces a silhouette resembling the hourglass shape: wide bottom, narrow waist , wide top.-History:The first fashions worn with hourglass corsets, around 1830, emphasized width - they tended to have very wide skirts, large sleeves and sloping shoulders. These elements...
  
  
• Corset controversy
  Corset controversy
  The corset controversy is an ensemble of letters and articles concerning the corset that appeared in newspapers and periodicals in the 19th century.-Introduction:...
  
  
• Bondage corset
  Bondage corset
  A bondage corset, used for BDSM, is a full-figured corset that is sometimes called a discipline corset.A bondage corset is very long, rigid, and restricting. It is constructed to place severe limitations on the wearer's movements...
  
  
• Tightlacing
  Tightlacing
  Tightlacing is the practice of wearing a tightly-laced corset to achieve extreme modifications to the figure and posture and experience the sensations of a very tight corset. Those who practice tightlacing are called tightlacers...