Young Brunette Girl Undresses Her Red Corselet In The Bedroom

The original merry widow was a corselet incorporating slim panels of black, elastic yarn netting. A heavy-duty zipper was inserted behind a velvet-backed hook-and-eye flange, and the entire garment was lined with nylon voile. Nine long, spiral wires were encased in black satin.
Lana Turner is reported to have said, "I am telling you, the merry widow was designed by a man. A woman would never do that to another woman."
"Merry widow" is the generic term for a corselet bra in the United States.