Busk

For ither uises, see Busk (disambiguation).

A busk (spelt busque) is the rigid element o a corset placit at the centre front.

In stays, the corsets worn atween the fifteent an aichteent centuries, the busk wis intendit tae keep the front o the corset straicht an upricht. It wis made o firth, ivory, or bane slippit intae a pocket an teed in place wi a lace cried the busk point. These busks wur aften carvit an decoratit, or inscribit wi messages, an wur popular gifts frae men tae thair sweetherts.

In the middle o the nineteent century, a new form o busk appeared. It wis made o twa lang pieces o steel, ane wi loops an the ither wi posts, that functioned in the same wey as hook an eye fastenins on a garment [1] Archived 2012-04-19 at the Wayback Machine. This made corsets considerably easier tae put on an tak aff, as the laces did no hae tae be loosened as hintle as when the corset haed tae go ower the wearer's heid an shoulders. The seicont hauf o the nineteent century saw the invention o the spoon busk an aw.