New - Cathie Jung

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For Cathie Jung, owning the world’s
tiniest waist is no big deal
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It’s early fall and Bob and Cathie Jung are preparing for a winter trip south to the warm
waters of the Bahamas. Bob is a USCG licensed boat captain and retired orthopedic
surgeon; Cathie his doting first mate of 53 years. In 2006, they left their home in coastal
Connecticut to enjoy the Outer Banks fishing mecca full time. Perched in a top-floor
condo at Pirate’s Cove, discussing details and timeframes — grandkids and family visits
— they sound no different than the private boating community’s other older residents.
You might even say they’re ordinary. Until you check their prep list: fuel, food, fishing
gear, life vests and corsets….lots and lots of corsets.
“My grandmother wore them,” Bob suggests as to the possible first memory of the
wasp-waisted, Victorian style. When Bob and Cathie met at Tufts University as
undergraduates, she wore girdles, typical fashion in the 1950s. Bob encouraged Cathie
to start trying corsets to accentuate her stunning figure and they both fell in love with
the hourglass effect. By the time they were married in 1959 Cathie was wearing a 22inch design. Today, she holds the Guinness World Record for Smallest Waist on a Living
Person — 15 inches inside the corset to be exact.
“I don’t even notice it,” she says. “It actually feels strange not to wear one.”
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That’s because, with the exception of three pregnancies, Cathie’s been wearing one
for half-a-century. But it took a trip to Europe in the 80s — where she met other likeminded enthusiasts — for Cathie to really feel comfortable. The couple became a part
of “Les Gracieuses Modernes” (LGM), a group dedicated to the fashions of the Victorian
Era and the appreciation of the elegant female. They began jet setting to England and
Germany to take part in the society’s grand ball where every year, women dressed in
the finest of evening wear, comparing sizes and styles in silent competition. And every
year, the ladies’ waists grew smaller, the result of “tightlacing,” a practice of slowly
reducing the size of the corset over time.
Still, what’s accepted in the middle of a European gala of vintage culture can look odd
on the streets of modern America. While attending an event for the Fashion Institute
of Technology in New York, CNN spotted Cathie and filmed her dainty midriff. This led
to the local news circuit in Connecticut picking up the story. Article requests began to
flood in. One day the Jungs received a call from the Guinness Book of World Records.
“The previous record holder had recently died,” Bob explains. “They were looking for a
replacement but we said no. We didn’t want Cathie’s waist to become known only for
being weird.”
It took two years, but the couple agreed to meet the producers. In 1999, they
honored Cathie with the official record. One she maintains to this very minute. Nearly
every minute.
With the exception of a few hours while fishing on their boat on hot, humid summer
days (and, of course, bathing) Cathie wears a corset virtually non-stop. What about
daily life? As for her diet, she eats normal food — just smaller and less frequent meals.
And while the corset restricts a certain range of motion, Bob says there are no longterm health problems.
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“It straightens the back,” notes the former physician, “Protects and strengthens the
spine. And the stomach and intestines are mostly hollow and can change in shape
without causing harm internally.”
milepost
30
Our skinny little island just got skinnier.
Photo: Julie Dreelin
Of course, women’s bodies are built to handle even more
manipulation and changes in pressure. And the Jungs are
equally resilient to society’s pressures. They feel quite at
home in small town Manteo. Those who know Cathie or see
her on a regular basis barely notice; those who don’t, never
and stare with mouths agape at the grocery store. Over the
years, Cathie’s dealt with every possible reaction, from New
England whispers to photo ops with teenagers in a Texas
mall. She says it usually depends on what state she happens
to be in and — occasionally — the state of the people.
“If alcohol is involved,” she says, “men sometimes casually
put their arms around my waist.”
And what an eye-catching waist it is. From leather to satin
to silk to silver-plated, Cathie owns over 100 custommade corsets from around the world. (Bob finally made
body models and shipped them to her favorite designers.)
Meanwhile, TV producers flesh out the couples’ rich travel
life with first-class trips to Romania, Japan and the rest of
the world. She’s also appeared on domestic primetime,
including ABC’s “20/20” and “America’s Top Model.”
now!” Bob laughs.
As tempting as that sounds for a woman to purchase a
brand-new wardrobe, it just doesn’t make sense. Nor would
But while Cathie may stand out in a crowd, she’s not entirely it be “normal.” After all, by age 75, most people stick to a
unique or out of fashion. (Other notable “tightlacers”
certain style. Likewise, nearly all women take great pains to
include sultry horror queen “Vampira” and Hollywood
appear fashionable or more attractive, whether it’s trading
diva/dominatrix Dita Von Teese.) And she’s not the most
mom’s girdles for Spanx, injecting their chests with saline or
extreme example either. That honor belongs to previous
tattooing permanent mascara on their eyelids. At the end
record-holder Ethel Granger, whose “smallest waist ever”
of the day, Jung is still a lady who feels pretty just way she is
was just 13 inches.
and appreciates the attention. And the ones who aren’t so
complimentary? Who call it “odd” or worse?
Once upon a time, Cathie may have been tempted to
tighten the laces another notch or two but, at this point,
“They don’t bother me at all,” she insists.“ It’s my way of life.”
she could care less about the competition. She says she’s in — Natalie Wolfe
no mood to go smaller and taller; nor is she inclined to “let
herself go.” For one very practical reason:
“All of her clothes are tailored to fit her at the size she is
milepost 31