Blossom Corset is part of the Gold Corset series. In Blossom Corset James imagines the corset which opens like a flower. This fashion accessory inspires James because it has a long history and has always been controversial. Corsets were worn by women — and sometimes men — in the Western world from the 16th to the early 20th century, although corset-like garments appear as early as 1600 BC. The corset – a garment with a rigid bodice that incorporates boning and is laced together in order to shape the torso – has a controversial history. Today, corsets are still worn by enthusiasts and as part of fetishistic, cross-dressing and burlesque practices; and while they may no longer be part of the average woman’s everyday routine, they have never truly disappeared from fashion.