"The mechanics of underwear, an indiscreet story of the silhouette" - a "naughty" exhibition at Les Arts Décoratif

Peeking under a lady's crinoline, the entrance to the exhibition.

Who can forget the scene in "Gone with the Wind" when Scarlett O'Hara clutches the four-poster bed while Mamie tugs on the laces of her corset to cinch Scarlett's waist to a minuscule 17 inches (43 cm)? As Scarlett cries out in pain, Mamie scolds, "Just hold on and suck in." Mamie's determined to help Scarlett achieve her goal of being the most fashionably dressed young woman at the Wilke's barbecue, even if Scarlett has to suffer some pain in the process.

In a fascinating new exhibition, Les Arts Décoratif explores the underworld of female and male undergarments and the devices that were used to model the body to meet the demands of fashion. Starting with the 14th century, we peek under ladies' dresses to discover what artifices were used to give them wasp-like waists and uplifted bosoms. For the first time, some 200 stays, panniers, crinolines, bustles, corsets, waist cinchers, girdles and push-ups give have been assembled to provide fascinating insights into fashion's iron rule over our soft bodies.

Lest you mistakenly think that men are immune to shaping their bodies, you'll probably be as astonished as my friend Carolyn and I were to discover that the nobility enhanced their virility by padding their calves and their very remarkable codpieces to simulate erections. There's even a shiny suit of armor with a noticeable protuberance.

The exhibition is scandalous, yet fun! Much to the delight of all the women and girls who've ever wondered what it's like to flounce around in a crinoline, there's a dress-up space with bustles, push-up bras and ruffs. Imagine the comments when one brave Frenchman ventured among the women to strap on a codpiece. In an effort to keep this blog family friendly, I posted the photo that he nobly allowed me take on Facebook rather than here.

"The mechanics of underwear, an indiscreet story of the silhouette" is at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs until November 24, 2013. Don't miss this titillating exhibition!

Musée des Arts Décoratifs