Meet the You Choosers! In celebration of our #YouChoose exhibition, we’re taking a close up look at one of our fabulous Choosers and the objects they have selected for the new displays. This week, we’re delighted to spotlight Bath Spa University student Nolwandle (she/her), better known as ‘Cheeky’. Cheeky is interested in how you express yourself and has dabbled in different ways of doing this herself, from writing to modelling. Cheeky’s choice for the ‘You Choose’ show is a fantastic selection of stays and corsets, including a pair of brown cotton and linen stays from the 1780s; a dark green alpaca wool corset from the 1880s; a cream silk satin ribbon corset from about 1900; and a pink cotton maternity corset with straps and buckles and padded back support from the 1950s. Cheeky was interested in clothing for the comfortability of disabled bodies, thinking about how she styles her outfits to suit her own physical needs, balancing practicality with style. She was also keen to explore whether we are limited or oppressed by these types of garments, or if they can in fact, help, provide support, and comfort us? Cheeky says, “I chose these pieces because they remind me that if I was a woman existing in these decades, I would be held and supported...The pink cotton corset from the 1950s also made me think of how fashion should not be exclusive to able-bodied people. This corset, with its straps and buckles, is for me a symbol, or a catalyst for change, showing how we can further incorporate that positive attitude toward different bodies into fashion—or bodies at different stages of life—as it grows.” See Cheeky’s choice on display in ‘You Choose’ until 30 October 2022.