How to Choose a Corset

There are so many corsets and corset tops that it can be difficult to tell which are high quality and which aren't. This how-to will teach you what to look for in a corset and hopefully stop you from getting ripped off.

Steps

1. If you decide that you want a real shaper, not just a bodice, you will need to look at the boning. All good quality modern corsets are made with steel boning of some kind, which serves the purpose of holding the fabric taut and stopping it from going into folds at your waist and bunching at the back where it laces up. The boning in tops and bodices is usually just thin plastic, so don't make the mistake of imagining you will be able to wear a normal boned top as a corset. •To test if the boning is good enough, bend it quite sharply and it should spring back. If it kinks, it's a sure sign that it will dig in to your waist and be very uncomfortable.
•It doesn't matter if the boning around the corset is slightly more flexible, so long as the bones at the front and back are fairly rigid.

2. Next examine the fabric. Even if you're looking for more of a bodice than a corset, you'll still need a strong fabric like coutil, drill, heavyweight, or canvas. Corsets usually have a fashion fabric and a lining, so you might not be able to see the strong layer but you will be able to feel that it is quite tough. •Take the corset in both hands and tug on the fabric. It should feel very sturdy with no give whatsoever. If the fabric is thin enough to scrunch in your hand, it won't be sturdy enough.
•Incidentally, if the shop assistant thinks you're damaging it, it definitely won't be strong enough to last!

3. Check out the fastenings. Remember that a steel busk is the usual fastening for the front of a corset, and with very few exceptions it's the only type of fastener that is strong enough. •Hooks and eyes will not last long, and likewise zips are best avoided.
•A busk looks like a piece of fairly solid steel boning with loops and studs (a bit like hooks and eyes) attached. If a corset doesn't have a busk, it will need to have some other kind of solid boning down the front.

4. Look at the laces down the back of the corset. These are usually made of flat cotton, like shoelaces. Some types of ribbon can be used, but they have to be very strong material. Eyelets should be very well attached, otherwise they can pop off easily. •Check that the laces have washers on the back, rather than just gripping into the fabric. There should also be solid boning either side of the eyelets to distribute the tension.

5. Know that style and fit of a corset can be the biggest issue especially if you are an unusual shape. Corsets are always sized by waist measurement, not dress size. The number on the label will be something like "22" "24" "26" etc., which is the actual measurement in inches of the waistline of the corset. You will need one about 4 inches (10.2 cm) smaller than your own waist, so you can lace in a bit and have a gap in the laces. •Corsets are designed to give a curvy figure to an average-shaped person, so if you are already quite curvy, you might need to get a "tight lacing" corset which has bigger hips (or even better yet, get one made-to-measure).

How to Put on a Corset

Corsets are coming back in a huge way. Not only are they a great, sexy fashion accessory, they also provide posture correcting and support benefits that women have forgotten they could even have. However, they're a little tricky to get on! No worries, we'll show you how to do it. By starting with correct lacing and using the right way to tighten the corset, you'll be more comfortable than you thought would be possible.

Part 1

Lacing the Corset

1．Check the pre-lacing. When you bought your corset, it may have come pre-laced. If this is the case, don’t worry about lacing the corset unless the corset is laced incorrectly. It should look similar to how a shoe is laced (with X’s), but with the strings meeting in the center of the back, instead of at either end.

• There is an addendum here. The laces should meet in the middle of the corset at the same level as your natural waist (where your waist is naturally smallest). If your natural waist is a little higher or lower, you might want to re-lace the corset to adjust where the two sets of laces meet.      
• Yes, you read that right: two sets of laces. Corsets are laced with two sets of laces which meet in the center of the corset. Meeting in the center is very important because it will allow you to create the small waist but it also makes sure that the tension in the corset is more evenly distributed. If you lace the corset any other way, you will break your corset over time.

2．Start at the top grommet. If you do have to lace the corset yourself, start lacing at the top grommet (the hole where the lacing goes in). If you have an even number of grommets, start by pulled the lacing up through the bottom of the top grommets. If you have an odd number of grommets, you would go down from the top.

• Lacing should be provided when you buy your corset. If it is not, avoid ribbon if you are planning on having your corset laced firmly. Ribbon will not be strong enough to really hold you in and it will warp how the corset fits.

3．Create X's. Take the right string and pull it over to the other side. If the first grommet has laces coming out through the top of the hole, then put it down through the top of the hole on the other side. If the first grommet has the laces going down into the hole, then pull the laces up through the bottom of the hole on the other side. With the right side done, do the left next in the same way.

• Keep your laces even. Make sure you keep the ends of the laces even with each other as you pull the laces through the grommets.

4．Lace down to the center. With the X complete, keep going down the line until you reach the center. You should end up with X's alternating between being "on top" of the corset and "below" the corset.

5．Start again from the center and repeat. With the top section done, repeat the same process with the second string but start in the middle.

Part 2

Putting it On

1．Stand in front of a mirror. If you have a buddy helping you to put this on, great! That is the best way to do this. However, it’s totally possible to put a corset on yourself, without the helping hand. If you’re going to be riding solo, use a mirror (or preferable a few mirrors, like a surround mirror) so that you can really see what you’re doing.

2．Put on an underlayer. Before you put on your corset, put an underlayer on first. Of course, if you’re doing this for an intimate encounter, that’s not necessary. However, everyday wear definitely requires something underneath the corset itself. This is to absorb moisture and dirt from your skin, protecting your corset.

• They make corset liners, which are sort of like tube tops, but you can also just wear a shirt or blouse. It depends on your outfit.
• If you do use a corset liner, get one made of cotton or other breathable material.       Anything made of Lycra or spandex will just make you sweat more.
• Most places that sell corsets will also sell liners. You can also make your own if you have basic sewing skills, since it’s just a tube.

3．Make sure you have the corset in the correct orientation. You might want to make sure the corset is oriented correctly. For detailed corsets it should be easy to tell but for more uniform ones, beginners might struggle.

• The nicer fabric should be on the outside.
• The side with the laces is the back and the side with the holes and knobs is the front (no arguments here, that's how corsets work).
• If you have an underbust corset, telling which side is the top from bottom can be tricky. Usually the top of the back will be more straight across than bottom, but not always.
• When you're getting ready to put it on, the busk (front) of the corset should be open and the laces at the back should be closed but loose.

4．Wrap it around you. Wrap it around you to start putting it on. You're going to start by closing the front but you might need to make some adjustments first. You should be able to fairly easily close the busk in the front, needing to pull the sides together a bit (some resistance is good) but you should not need to seriously inhale in order to get it to close.

• There are different schools of thought on this. Some people like to have to pull harder in order to get the front closed. Others believe having the back more loose makes it easier to close the front. Experiment to find what works for you.

5．Adjust the modesty panel. The modesty panel is a rectangle of fabric which will be attached, probably on the left side of your corset at the back it is intended to bridge the gap between the sides of the lacing. Your corset may not include one, especially if it is cheap and not intended for tight-lacing. When you put the corset on, make sure that the modesty panel is flat across your back and pointed towards the other side of the corset.

• Slide the corset into place if you're having trouble getting the modesty panel straight on your own. You do this by starting with the corset skewed to side opposite from the modesty panel and twisting the corset towards the modesty panel side, so that the modesty panel is dragged into place.

6．Close the busk. The busk is the metal pieces on the front of the corset, with the knobs and holes. You're now ready to fasten the busk, by putting the knobs into the holes. This is trickier than it sounds, however! (Or, at least, it can be.) Here's how you do it:

• Fasten either the second from the top or the middle clasp first. Simply put the knob through the hole. Don't worry about the other ones yet.
• Pinch the knob side of the busk. Now, with your thumb and pointer finger, pinch the hard part of the knob side of the busk. This will give you a little more dexterity to work the rest of the knobs.
• Fasten the rest of the clasps. Now go down from the first knob you fastened and close each successive clasp. Once you reach the bottom, close the knobs at the top.
• Refasten any that come undone. You might notice clasps coming undone as you close the ones at the bottom. This is normal! Simply reclose those once you reach the bottom. No worries!

Part 3

Tying the Corset

1．Lightly tighten the laces. Get the laces just tight enough that the corset will stay on without needing to be held up. This should mainly involve just pulling the sides together and giving a gentle tug on the long ends of the lacing.

2．Make a second pass to adjust the tightness. Now that you've mostly got your lacing ready to go, take another pass and get all the lacing as tight as you can. How tight you can go will have to do with the quality and fit of your corset, so look for signs of strain (like boning channels not being straight). As you tighten, adjust the tightness of each X so that it keeps the two sides straight and parallel. With the X's tightened, make a final strong pull using all four strings at the center. This will draw in the waist.

• Pinch the center of the X's and pull them away from your back, starting at the ends and moving toward the center. This is the easiest way to tighten the corset so that it fits to your body.

3．Adjust the modesty panel as you go. As you tighten the laces, you’ll probably need to pull the modesty panel back into place a few times. Do what you can to get as much coverage as possible and minimize wrinkles.

4．Do not try to bring the two sides of the back together! Your corset is made, assuming you got the right size, to have a gap between the two sides where the lacing occurs. Do not keep pulling and tightening trying to close that gap. You'll hurt yourself.

5．Tie the corset. Now that the corset is nice and tight tie all four laces together into a bow or knot. They may be somewhat loose but that's okay. Just make sure to double knot and you should be fine.

• Most people simply tie the laces right there at the back. However, if you have a lot of extra lacing at the ends, you can get a smoother look by looping the laces around your stomach and then making a smaller bow or knot at the back.

6．Check for signs that you need to adjust your corset. Now that you're laced in, take a look at yourself in the mirror. So sexy! However, you might want to look for signs that your corset doesn't fit right. First of all, is it comfortable? A corset should not bite into your sides, pinch you, or be anything other than...noticeably firm. You should be able to breathe. You'll also want to look at the back lacing and take notice of the shape of the gap.

• A well-fit corset should have a gap at the back with sides that are perfectly parallel. If the gap is wider at the bottom or top, you may need a custom fit corset. If there's and bowing in the middle you probably need a larger size corset.