Corset Chronicle

There has always been a following for corsets by both sexes for quite some time going back several centuries. The shapes formed by the various construction methods have been able to be modernized similar to the modernization in the materials and items used. For you to develop the correct shape for you, you need to have knowledge of the items available to you today.

Corsets for Shaping the Body

The ancient corsets are typically the ones with a moderate amount of curves or reshaping. The breast flesh tends to be greatly flattened and create the appearance of a minimized profile. To attain this shape you have to contain and fight the natural shape and curves of a woman's body.

Busks and Boning

A successful corset design is related to two components: a) the type and strength of boning used, and b) the level of lacing tightening. If you want the corset to feel comfortable when you are wearing it you are only able to tighten the laces to a point, the boning provides the remainder of the support.

A good boning material is spring steel coated in nylon that provides a light color base and is made in an assortment of widths, lengths, and thicknesses. When choosing a spring steel for your corset the "thickness" is more important than the width. Spring steel, when it is of the proper thickness it is flexible and pliable, but it is very hard to bend it.

There are also busk fasteners that open and are used for the front of corsets to allow you to put your corset on and off without help. The busks made their debut around 1860 and initiated with a very simple busk, the more complicated spoon busk was developed in the 1870's. All of these items can be found in our online corset store.