These questions also tend to bring up subjects that are much more vast than can be discussed thoroughly in this article. Changing ideas of masculinity and femininity, technological advances, child rearing techniques, social movements, medical advances and philosophies all play large roles in the clothes we wear and those worn by our ancestors. Nothing in this field is concrete and easily answered. The answers offered here can, at times, bring up more questions. Further clarifications can be found in the sources cited below.
Most current misconceptions stem from ideas passed down from the Victorian era. Of all periods of history, the Victorian era is among the most important and familiar to people of today. It is also one of the most misunderstood. Behind the exorbitant amounts of cloth used for clothing were strict social guidelines and stiff, restrictive undergarments. By today's standards, Victorians were known to be easily shocked (by women's pants and bare ankles for example). At the same time, they were not as conservative as people tend to think today. Their way of life greatly affected our own and remains misunderstood in many ways.
Corsets fascinated people for centuries, probably since their inception. They have altered the shapes of women and men to suit the ideals of beauty. They have been heralded by the medical community as necessary for the health of weak bodies and at the same time blamed for maladies and even deaths to these same bodies. They have been both the targets of sexual fetish and a staple in most female wardrobes. Corsets have been seen as symbols of the restrictions put upon women even in their most intimate state. Though the shape of the corset, and even the names for it have changed over time, women and men have remained fascinated with this curious contraption.