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Have you ever wondered “does wearing a corset shrink your waist”? If you have then you are absolutely in the right place. If you are new to Corsets then read on to find out all you need to know about corset waist reduction...
What Is the primary function of a corset?
The primary function of a corset is to create a beautiful hourglass silhouette and to reduce the waist. When browsing corsets on our website, you will notice that our designs provide you with an achievable waist reduction depending on the style you are browsing. Corset Story has three achievable waist reductions of 2", 4" or 5”.
Corsets Explained
Put simply, a corset is a waist-slimming garment that is worn around the torso to pull in the waistline and create a smaller waist and hourglass figure. Corsets come in several different styles and are made from a variety of materials.
In addition to creating a beautiful hourglass figure, corsets will also offer support and additional shaping of the torso, hips and bust, depending on which style you choose.
If you are choosing a corset to reduce the size of your waist, there are several things to consider.
Firstly think about how you will wear your corset - under clothing, over clothing, or alone. Secondly think about the look you want to achieve - would you like your corset to be discreet and hidden under clothing, or are you keen to create a bold and striking look with a corset that’s designed to be seen?
Corsets are not designed to permanently reduce the waist size, only when the corset is being worn should the waist appear smaller. Many people choose to wear this garments for special occasions, while others wear as part of their daily underwear or outerwear, and for a small group, corsets are worn for performance purposes.
Corset Styles
Overbust:
An overbust corset sits over the bust and usually ends at your hips. This style is most commonly worn over clothing or alone as a corset top, but can also be worn under clothing to slim the waist and shape the hips and bust. We have many beautiful styles to choose from.
Shop Overbust
Underbust:
An underbust corset sits under the chest and offers support to the back as well as a waist reduction and slimming of the hips. Underbusts are usually worn with a bra and can be worn under or over clothing to reduce the waist and make a style statement. We love the styling with a pretty black top and black figure hugging trousers. This underbust really gives a a classic outfit something different.
Shop Underbust
Waspie:
A waspie is the smallest type of corset as it sits just around your middle and does not extend over the bust or down to the hips. Essentially a wide belt, a waspie focuses on waist reduction alone and is worn under or over clothing.
Shop Waspie
Longline:
We generally find that customers who are 5ft 7" (170cm) and over prefer our Longline patterns.
This isn't always the case, some taller customers may have their height in their legs and some in their torso or vice versa.
We have added the length of every corset we produce into our "item specifics" on each product page. You can hold a measuring tape against your torso to see how long different corsets might be on your body before purchasing.
Shop Longline
How Corsets Work
Traditionally, corsets cinch at the waist using laces to tighten the corset and pull the waist in. Good quality and authentic corsets are flexible steel boning to create that all important hourglass figure and ensure the garment holds its shape. This combination of steel boning and tight laces creates a compression around the torso which can result in a waist reduction of several inches.
Steel-boned corsets are made from a variety of materials. This can include cotton, satin and in some designs mesh. Corsets also come in many styles, from modern to traditional, as well as a variety of colours, making it easy to find a design that suits your needs.
If you’re main focus is reducing your waist, an under bust corset that you can pair with your own bra would be the best option, whereas if you’re looking for all over shaping, an overbust is best.
In addition to corsets, there are also waist trainers. Waist trainers are designed to have a more permanent effect and can reduce the waist further, but for everyday purposes and occasional wear, corsets are the preferred option.
When shopping for a corset, consider the waist reduction you want to achieve. All of our designs list the potential waist reduction, such as 2 -4 inches, so that you can be clear from the offset just how effective your corset will be. These garments are an investment piece, so it’s worth taking the time to get things right from the start.
Finding your size:
An ill-fitting corset can be very uncomfortable. To avoid disappointment, it is best to take a little time to get an accurate waist measurement before selecting your size.
You can find your waistline by tipping your torso to one side, when you do this a fold will appear. This is where your waist is, usually just above the belly button.
We have created a video on "How to measure your waist" which you might find useful.
Some of our corsets are sized in UK dress size, whereas some are sized in cm/inches. To save confusion we have developed a sizing app which can be found at the bottom of our sizing page.
Take some time to accurately measure your waist. Once you have your waist meaurement, simply select your natural waist size from the dropdown and the app will display the correct size for you in each of our ranges.
Sizing Page
If you still need advice and help finding your perfect style or would like any assistance with sizing, then do not hesitate to contact our customer service advisors by emailing sales@corset-story.com
Contact Customer Service
Corsets for Beginners - Getting to know the different types of Corset.
Start your Corset Story journey with 'Pride'
Corset Waist Training - Do corsets help reduce your tummy?
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