“Tighter,” he said — and she obeyed. 😳 Ethel Granger shrank her waist to 33 cm, pierced her body, and transformed into a living doll — all for her husband. What began with one corset turned into the most extreme makeover of the century. See her jaw-dropping photos in the article 👇
“It’ll be better this way, you’ll see,” her husband told her. He knew how to insist on things, and Ethel, gentle and soft in nature, gave in. It was just a corset, after all. In the 1800s, it was normal to wear one — but by the 1920s, fashion had moved on. “These new dresses have no shape, no beauty,” William Granger complained. As always, Ethel agreed.
Back then, women fighting for rights called the corset a “trap” and refused to wear it. But even in the early 1900s, many women in England still tied their waists tight. Ethel Mary Wilson, born in 1905, grew up in a home that held on to old traditions.
After World War I, things changed quickly. Women started showing their legs, cutting their hair short, and wearing loose, flowing dresses. Corsets began to disappear, and people talked about freedom, comfort, and equal rights. Ethel joined the trend. In 1923, she cut her hair and loved dancing in airy skirts.
She met William Granger by chance. He was just a year older and also from Cambridge. What did he see in Ethel? She didn’t stand out in a crowd — she looked plain, quiet, and average. But maybe that’s exactly what William wanted. He liked to lead, and Ethel always followed.
They got married in 1928 and had a daughter, Virginia. The family moved to Peterborough, where William worked as a teacher and Ethel stayed home. Neighbors had no idea that, not long after Virginia was born, William asked his wife to start wearing a corset again, even under modern dresses.
“This looks better than all that new fashion,” he said. “Women are starting to look shapeless.”
Ethel didn’t argue. Her slim body quickly became even smaller, almost like Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind — her waist soon measured 43 centimeters.
Then William suggested she wear the corset day and night. Ethel did as he asked. Over time, her waist shrank to just 33 centimeters — smaller than most people’s necks. By 1939, newspapers had started writing about her. She enjoyed the attention. Her style changed: she wore bright outfits, high heels, and felt proud of how William admired her.
This quiet woman from a small English town became famous — and even ended up in the Guinness Book of Records.
Her photo appeared on the covers of Vogue, though not everyone reacted positively. Some readers were shocked, others felt sorry for her. Even when fitted dresses came back in style, Ethel’s tiny waist looked unnatural to many.
“That’s not beauty anymore,” people said. “That’s just too extreme.”
Still, Ethel kept going. She didn’t think her look was perfect yet. William then came up with another idea — piercings. Soon, Ethel had many of them across her body. Even William started getting piercings himself. Their strange appearance kept people talking.
Doctors warned them about the health risks, but Ethel lived until the age of 77. Their daughter Virginia grew up like most kids. She tried wearing a corset once but gave it up quickly — the sight of her mother scared her.
Some people who’ve studied the Grangers think they just enjoyed being different. They didn’t have a strong message or deep beliefs. They simply liked being talked about. And when attention faded, they found new ways to get it back.
Ethel always followed William. Whatever he suggested, she agreed. He became the center of her world — even if it meant reshaping her body for him.
