Curious about Corsetry… {part 1}

Don’t forget to check out Part II: How to Buy a Corset and Part III: Tips, Tricks, and Tools of the Corsetry Trade!

Many, many moons ago, I did a guest spot on the Fashion-y Blog about Corsetry. All of the information posted still holds true today, so if you are intrigued, do check it out there!

Corsets are curious things– they’re fetishized, misunderstood, and there’s much misinformation about them all. They’re the subject of heated debate when it comes to feminism, medical and anatomical reality, history, and more. This series is to expand upon that knowledge and to serve as a focal point for women (and men!) curious about corsetry… what it is, what it does, how it works, how to shop for one, and what to expect.

Mind you, I’m not a corset maker. I’m not an expert on corsetry, and I simply fancy myself an educated buyer. Because with corsets, above many other fashionable garments, education is necessary. The more you know, the better position you will be in, and the less likely you will be to hurt yourself or get screwed.

Image by the delicious Stuntkid

♥ What IS a corset, exactly?
A corset is, historically, an undergarment that provides support and shape to a woman’s figure. In our modern age, it is worn both as outerwear or underwear and still provides shape and support to a body. A corset is typically made from 3-4 layers of fabric, laces up the back (or front, and sometimes both!), and is boned in key points, typically with steel. However, there are corsets (such as summer and swimming ones) that may be made with one layer of fabric or may be made to resemble a “cage.” Corsets come in a very large variety of styles, as corset styles varied with the fashions of an era.

IMPORTANT NOTE: A corset is NOT the same as a bustier or corset-style top. These are typically boned with plastic, made with a layer of fashion fabric, and are not meant to shape your body. These are purely fashionable garments only. Trying to wear a bustier or corset-style top as a proper corset can lead to more bodily damage than a corset can.

♥ What does a corset DO?
You may be wondering what it means when I say a corset “shapes” your body. After all, control-top hose and a pair of Spanx can technically do that. A corset uses a certain amount of compression to redistribute the body’s fat. Most people associate a corset with creating a more curvaceous silhouette to a woman’s body, much like an hourglass. However, there are periods which create other shapes, such as a more cone shaped Elizabethan form (focusing on pressing a woman’s breasts upwards) or a tubular shape.

There is always concern about squishing or damaging a woman’s organs, affecting her ribs, etc. A properly fitting corset for the “average” wearer will result in minimal, if nonexistent, damage

World famous Mr. Pearl takes his own corsetry to an extreme– we don’t have to take our own love so far!

♥ WHY would I want to wear a corset?
Well, why not?! I think your answers are going to get various mileage based on who you ask. Some people want to wear them strictly ornamental, as a real corset looks far more luxurious & impressive than a bustier. Other women like to use it as a means of looking spectacular on an irregular basis.

Personally, I like the transformative aspect of it– it’s like putting on a new persona. Instantly my body takes on a new appearance, as does my posture. I’m forced to walk differently, sit differently, dance differently… and for a night out at the club, it helps make the night an experience and memorable if I don a persona for the evening.

There is something sexy and sexual about wearing, and the interactions between a woman & another woman or men instantly becomes an intriguing study in dynamics and perceptions.

♥ Wait–did you say DANCE? How can do you dance in one, let alone walk/sit/breathe?
One of the biggest misconceptions I find, is the fear & hysteria of what you can & cannot do in a corset. Your breathing shouldn’t be impacted by a corset; you may take shallower breaths, but you should breath just fine. I can walk miles in a corset and dance in it (though twisting at the waist is nearly impossible). I’ve even chased a 6 and a half foot tall rabbit through the French Quarter in one. Many women wear them to work, bike riding, playing sports, and all without difficultly.  Loads of my girlfriends wear them, and I’ve never heard any complaints about their limitations.

In fact, I’ve found the hardest thing to do IN a corset is put on and take off my shoes. (Sometimes going to the ladies room can be hard, but that will be covered later as well.)

♥ Enough already! What if I just want to buy a corset? How do I do that?
Patience, grasshopper! That will come in the next section… where I tell you all you’ll need to know about buying a corset– as an informed buyer.