Laceing a Dandy

This etching appeared in an extra-illustrated volume of Jacob Larwood's 'The story of London Parks'.

Dandies needed help to achieve the fashionable silhouette required around 1820 which consisted of a wasp waist and bulging chest. A black servant and a French hairdresser are shown attempting to pull the stays of his corset as tightly as possible. He also wears pads on his shoulders and hips to balance his look and around his neck is wound an absurdly high neck band.

The dress and accent of the figure on the right as well as the comb in his hair identify him as French to the audience as Frenchmen were stereotyped as thin and underfed unlike the 'John Bull belly', overfed English. Both are presented as figures as fun and ridicule.