In the Victorian era, it was considered feminine and appropriate for young women to faint. Women with a frail and weak appearance were even considered to be ideal beauties. This fashion obviously did not apply to young men, who were expected to be strong and healthy. Some say that the corset women wore in order to supposedly slim the body and make it conform to a fashionable silhouette by reducing the waist and thereby exaggerating the bust and the hips was the cause of their tendency to faint. 'Tightlacing' with extreme waist constriction was thought to impede venous return.
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