Corsets - Art and Illusion
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 Corsets were originally made out of thick materials such as leather with channels to hold the “stays”, which were made from rigid materials like whalebone or steel.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.
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