The term corsetry does not only refer to making corsets, but also to the corset itself. The feminine hourglass shape they give to the figure makes women love wearing corsets. This type of woman’s lingerie generally hugs the waist, giving more focus on the breasts and hips. Although corsets used to be very constricting and uncomfortable in the past, nowadays they have become less restricting and therefore popular in the bedroom. Most women agree that corsetry is a wonderful addition to their lingerie drawer.

Victorian Style Modern Corset

The corset has been in use for centuries, being an indispensable element of women’s wardrobe. Still, in the Western world during the 1920s it fell out of fashion and was replaced by girdles. Since then, the corset became more popular as a piece of outer garment - corsets were eagerly worn as fantasy costumes and outerwear.

Not only the purpose of corsetry has changed throughout the years - the construction has undergone many modifications as well. Corsets were originally made out of thick materials such as leather with channels to hold the “stays”, which were made from rigid materials like whalebone or steel. Today’s lingerie corsets are not as rigid and other, more subtle materials are used. The stays are usually made of plastic, but steel is still in use.

Typically, corsets wrap around the upper body and its front or back is left open. The opening is lined along both sides with the use of eyelets or grommets, which are used to lace the corset together. Due to the tightened lace, the corset constricts the body, holding it in place. Historically, corsets have been worn so tight that they made women faint and caused permanent deformities. Still, the numerous drawbacks are said to be a little dramatized and they were not so uncomfortable as portrayed in literature and movies.

The function of the corset was basically to modify the body’s shape gradually to reach an ideal figure. There are still people called “tightlacers” who wear corsets to constrict their waists in order to reach a perfect size, sometimes even less that 20 inches. However, such people are rare and corsetry is today most commonly used as sexy underwear and an element of BDSM practices, both for restriction and aesthetics.

Corsetry is available in various styles, however there are main two types - overbust and underbust. The first starts right below the armpit and the latter right below the bust line. Whichever style you prefer, they both enhance your breasts, making them look fuller and the cleavage more attractive.

Since the 16^th century began, corsetry has been a significant part of the world of fashion. Though corsets once used to be worn as women’s underwear on daily basis, nowadays they usually serve as costume pieces, including erotic lingerie. The aim of wearing this garment, historically as well as these days is to help enhance a woman’s figure in a way it resembles the desired shape of an hourglass.

Floral Tapestry Corset by Shirley of Hollywood

Modern corsets can be found in a range of styles, colors and materials. Some cuts can be even appropriate as outerwear. Both the design and function of this piece of underwear make it similar to a bustier. The difference is that the latter provides subtle shaping and enhances the natural shape of a woman’s body and the corset can totally re-shape the body, removing some inches from the waist and enhancing the bust and hips.

The historical corset, as it was worn daily, caused real changes in a woman’s body. Impossible as it may seem, the smallest waist size, was 15 inches. It was gradually accomplished by 12 years of wearing very tight corsets. The woman who wore it, Cathie Jung, became a heroine of the Guiness Book of World Records in 1999. Still, wearing a corset this tight for such a long time can have a very dangerous effect on internal organs and even ribs, which can be broken. However, apart from many extreme cases, a lot of women wore corsets in order to improve posture or to alleviate the back pain.

Fortunately, the modern corset worn mainly as sexy underwear or outerwear will not change a woman’s body in any way and it is not dangerous at all. Instead, when it is fitted properly and the lacing is reasonably tight, it can easily remove a few unwanted inches from the waistline. If a woman is heavier, even six inches can be achieved. However, in order to achieve the waist-clinching effect, you need a corset in your exact size. It is sometimes even advised to choose a corset with the waist size you want to achieve, for example two inches smaller than your current waistline. Still, if feeling comfortable is your priority, you may want to choose a one in your size or even larger. It will not confine your waist while helping enhance your bust and hips.

The basic corset lingerie is made of a flexible fabric and has multiple strips of boning. It used to contain a real bone, but today it is usually replaced with steel or plastic. Some styles do not even contain boning strips of any kind but they resemble the real corset anyway. This piece of underwear generally extends from under the bust to the top of the hips, though many sexy corsets are today designed to extend over the bust. The first is referred to as underbust and the latter - overbust. They may lace either up the back or the front.

Best Selling Corset

If you choose an underbust model of a corset, you should know that it can be easily converted into a piece of outerwear by adding a soft, fitting shirt underneath it. For more sophisticated Medieval-like look, choose a peasant style blouse with ruffles. An overbust version can be successfully worn alone or with a jacket as a tempting top for a night out. The bust-covering style is often worn in bedroom as well. Most men admit that the corset is a very sexy piece of underwear. In fact, modern corsetry is used everywhere, from the bedroom to dancefloor. A lot of wedding dresses also have a built-in corset to enhance the figure of the bride. It has also become common to see laced-up dresses at the high school prom. Certain subcultures, such as the “goths” have also contributed to the revival of corsetry.

These days, sexy corset is an ultimate item in almost every woman’s sexy underwear wardrobe. Not many however realize that this sexy lingerie piece hasn’t always been considered sexy and erotic, but used to be a symbol of restriction that women once had to face. Due to that fact sexy corsets have important and significant role in fetish culture, and also some women still use them to shape or train the waist. (more…)