• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2014

Entering the twentieth century, corsets began to disappear with the tendency of concentrating on slim bodies and youth. As corsets proceeded to be discarded, they began to be internalized as a means of controlling the body; 'muscular corset' takes hold. However, the internalized corset increasingly appears to be externalized again in contemporary fashion. This study investigates how natural body is reconstructed as socio-cultural image drawing on the relationship between the signifier and signified of corset. As for the research methodology this study conducts literature survey to investigate the internalization of corset. This study proceeds to examine the subjects of fashion collections from 1980 to 2010 and samples the outfits which represent the externalization of corset through case analysis. Through the discussion of the study, the relationship of signifier and signified in the externalization of corset is argued as follows: first, by maintaining signifier and signified of the traditional corset as underwear, aggressive eroticism of corset has been observed, second, by perceiving corset as the agency of the body, fetishism of corset dissociates the function of sexual object from corset while distorting the relationship of signifier and signified, third, through embodying the notion of muscular corset literally, the ironical representation of corset as a torturing device of female body deconstructs the traditional relation of signifier and signified of corset.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.1-16
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• 2013

Subcultural style is the center of subcultural identity and the clothes and adornments are the most visible symbol of membership. The Goth subculture has associated tastes in music, aesthetics, and fashion. The style symbolized the strong subjective subcultural identity held by most Goths and acted as the practical basis to demonstrate their commitment to the subculture. This study investigates the aesthetic and the style of Goth subculture in its heyday of 1980s which has continued to affect mainstream fashion and culture since its birth. In order to inquire the concept of subculture and its style, this study executes literature survey as well as investigates the images of street style magazines to analyze the visual elements. The stylistic and the aesthetic characteristics of Goth subcultural style analyzed in this study are grouped into four categories as follows: first, Victoriana, which embodies the fear of death and the nostalgia for the past using Victorian morning dresses and corsets, second, vampirism, in that some Goths who are fascinated by vampires are costumed in vampire figures to advocate diabolism and decadence, third, sexual ambiguity of male Goths which emphasizes feminine appearance in the pursuit of androgyny, and fourth, sexual fetish of female Goths which represents aggressive eroticism utilizing fetish paraphernalia.