Corset History

There has been an attraction to corsets by both sexes for the last several hundred years. The shaping forms and construction techniques have been changing similar to the changes in materials used. In order to develop the best shape for you, you should have an education of the assortment of materials and items you can choose from.

Body Shaping and Corsets

The really old corsets are usually ones with a moderate amount of curves or reshaping. The breast flesh tends to be greatly flattened and provide the appearance of a minimized breast profile. To attain this straight silhouette you are having to "fight" the natural curves of most women’s bodies.

Busks, Boning and Other Corset Facts

A fabulous corset depends on two primary factors: a) the strength and other factors of the boning material, and b) the ability to tighten the lacing. In order for the corset to fit you comfortably you can only tighten the lacing so much, the rest of the support is provided by the boning.

A fine choice in boning is the use of spring steel cased in nylon that is pale white in color and is manufactured in a collection of widths, lengths, and thicknesses. When you are looking to select steel boning for the corset you choose the thickness, and not the width, should be of primary importance. You can tell when you have selected the proper spring steel boning because it is really flexible but it is almost impossible to bend.

Busk front closures are sometimes used, they open and are often used on the front of corsets to enable you to slip into and out of your corset unassisted. The busks were created in the 1860's and began with the straight busk, the spoon busk appeared shortly afterward in about 1870. These items can be found in either our online superstore or our online auctions.