Corselet

A corselet, or corselette, is a type of foundation garment, sharing elements of both bras and girdles. It may incorporate lace in front or in back. The term originated by the addition of the diminutive suffix "-ette" to the word corset.

History

The corselet was originally a piece of armor, covering the torso; the origin of the English word comes from cors, an Old French word meaning "bodice". The corselet as an item of women's clothing began to gain traction in 1914, as a substitute for wearing two separate pieces (a bra with either a girdle or a corset). The bust uplift cups were first introduced in 1933, but did not become common until 1943.

Merry widow

A corselet was released by Warner's in 1952, named after The Merry Widow, a 1905 operetta that has been adapted several times into feature-length films. This new design featured demi-cups and a shorter girdle than its predecessors. This type of lingerie is also known as a torsolette, and is used in bridal lingerie, much like the bustier.