Corset Bulletin

Corsets have been used as a fashion item by both men and women for centuries. Shapes and construction techniques have varied. and so have the materials used. In order to create the correct figure, you should have an understanding of the items available to you today.

The Corset Body Shaping Story

The corsets built a long time ago have usually been the ones with moderate amounts of reshaping. The breast flesh tends to be greatly flattened and provide the appearance of a minimized breast profile. To create this silhouette you have to work against the curves and shape of of a woman's body.

Busks, Boning and Corset Construction

A quality corset depends on two factors: a) the type and material used in the boning, and b) the amount of tightening allowed by the lacing design. If you want to feel comfortable while in your corset you are able to lace and tighten up to a point, the rest of the support is delivered by the function of the boning.

A good choice in boning material is steel covered with nylon that comes in lighter colors and is built in a wide variety of lengths, widths, and thicknesses. When looking for a particular type of spring steel for your choice in corsets the "thickness" is more important than the width. Spring steel, when it is of the proper thickness it is somewhat flexible but is quite difficult to bend.

You can construct a corset with busks that open and are usually located on the front of corsets to allow you the freedom to get into your corset without requesting help from anyone. The busk fasteners were developed near 1860 and initiated with a very simple busk, the more complicated spoon busk was developed in the 1870's. Any of these corsets can be found in our corset superstore.