Corset Story

Corsets have been worn by both men and women for the last several hundred years. The shaping forms and construction techniques have been changing and so have the basic types of items used. If you are trying to reproduce the shape you covet, you should have an education of the types of items available in today's marketplace.

Body Shaping and Corsets - The Perfect Match

The corsets from earlier times have usually produces figures with a minimal amount of curves or shapes. The breasts appear to be pressed down and create the appearance of a minimized profile. To attain this shape you have to contain and fight the general shape and curves of a female's body.

Corsets: Lacing, Boning and Busks

Any top quality corset design relys on two fundatmental factors: a) the type of material used in the boning, 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, you can rely on the boning material to deliver the remainder of the support.

One of the most popular types of boning is steel boning covered in nylon that is usually light in color and is delivered in a variety of thicknesses, widths and lengths. When choosing a spring steel for your corset the "thickness" is more important than the width. You can tell when you have selected the proper spring steel boning because it is really flexible but it is almost impossible to bend.

You can also use busk fasteners that open and are typically used with the front of corsets to enable you to put on and take off your corset without calling someone in for 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. Both items can be found in our online shop.