Definition – What is a corset?

“Let’s talk about what is a corset in this article, and how these experts to define corset below.”

Corset was born in the 15th or 16th century, and the popularity of the corset reached its peak in the Victorian era. The definition corset is a garment that worn to hold and train the body torso into a desired shape (hourglass body figure). It provides the right posture and does wonders for the body and self-esteem. Also, some for aesthetic or medical purposes, or support the breasts as well. The corset is an integral part of the women’s wardrobe.

Since the late 20th century, the fashion industry has borrowed the term “corset” to refer to tops. It means to mimic the look of traditional corsets without acting like them, while these modern corsets and corset tops are feature boning or lacing, and imitate a historical style of corsets.

The comeback of the corset is attributed to the 2001 film – Moulin Rouge, where the costumes featured many corsets characteristic of the era. And today, corsets are not as shocking as they used to be due to corsets are worn by celebrities, on red carpets, weddings, proms, and other formal events.

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Uses of Corset

The most common uses for corsets are:

• Reduce weight
• Create an hourglass shape
• Make it conform to a fashionable silhouette
• Waist training or corset training
• Provide back support for people with spinal problems (e.g., with internal injuries, or scoliosis)

For women, corset most frequently emphasizes a curvy figure by reducing the waist and exaggerating the bust and hips to achieve the desired hourglass figure. For men, corsets are more customarily used to minimize weight purposes.

People putting on a tightly-laced corset for extended periods and eventually reduce their natural waistline, which known as waist training. Some studies show petite women can get down to a smaller waist in absolute numbers. Meanwhile, women with more fat can reduce their waistline by a more significant percentage.

However, some women tighten the corset too tightly to get results faster, which leads to persistent coughing and difficulty breathing.

What are the different types of corsets?

Here are a few you should know about and what they can do for you:

• Underbust

It encloses the body torso that extending from under the arms toward the hips.

• Overbust

It begins under the breasts extends down toward the hips.

• Longline 

It – either overbust or underbust – designed to extend past the iliac crest, or over the hip bone. It is ideal for those who want increased stability or want to shape your hips, along with your waist and bust, or especially women who have a longer torso.

• Waspie 

Assume waist shaping is your main goal, and then an underbust waspie corset could fit the bill.  This narrow corset can easy to conceal under clothing, or worn over clothes for fashion purposes.

• Costume, Custom, and Other 

Certain corsets are rare instances that reach the knees. And certain corset includes garters to hold up stockings, or a separate garter belt may wear.

What is corset cover?

A corset used to supports the visible dress and spreads the pressure from large dresses, such as bustle or crinoline. A corset cover is used to protecting outer clothes from the corset while smooth the lines of the corset.

The original corset cover was worn under the corset to give a layer between it and the body. The corset was not worn next to the skin because of difficulties with laundering these items during the 19th century, and also it’s had metal eyelets and steel boning that would rust. The corset cover was generally in the form of a light chemise and made from the cotton lawn or either silk.

Nowadays, corset wearers may wear corset liners instead of corset cover, to avoid burn on their skin from the laces.

What is the Construction of Corset?

Its constructed of a flexible material (e.g., cloth, coutil, or leather) stiffened with boning (known as ribs or stays) inserted into channels in it. After that, the thin strips of baleen (known as whalebone) favored the boning in the early 19th century.

Nowadays, plastic boning is the commonly used material for lightweight, faux corsets, and poor-quality corsets. The spiral steel boning preferred for stronger and usually better quality corsets. Also, some other materials used for boning have included wood, cane, and ivory.

How to lace a corset?

The corset is held together by lacing at the back. It can be laced from the top down, from the bottom up, or both up from the bottom and down from the top, using two laces that meet in the middle. While, the tightening or loosening the lacing produces corresponding changes in the firmness of the corset, which base on the desired effect and time period.