TrueCorset Blog

Very few questions regarding corsets come with a simple "yes/no" answer...except for this one! Yes, absolutely, of course men can wear corsets!

If we take a moment to think about the design of a corset's closure, I suppose it could be argued that corsets today are designed with the female form in mind. Much like with a button down shirt, where on a woman's model the buttons will go down the left and the button holes down the right, so it is with a busk front closure: steel buttons down the left and steel hooks down the right.

But so what? With classic styles such as our Steel Boned Tafetta Black Cincher Corset, which features a nice straight lined bottom and top, you could simply flip it upside down and voila! It will now close same as a men's shirt would with the hooks going down the left and buttons down the right.

And besides the fact that men are also free to enjoy an hourglass silhouette if that's what they're after, corsets are also wonderful for providing excellent back support, improved posture and tummy control.

Happy lacing, girls AND boys! x

I recently received a question from a customer in regards to why her corset did not fit correctly. After many back and forth questions and asking for greater detail, we discovered the issue: shapewear.

Not that shapewear is a problem, but it will influence how a corset fits you, that is certain.

Some of us rely on our corset to provide a cinched waist and to get that beautiful hourglass shape that, let's face it, very few of us were born with. But there are those who even with their corset, still wear shapewear beneath.

Whether its for additional control and smoothness, or to help with the dreaded muffin-top or lower belly that many of us deal with, if you plan on wearing shapewear beneath your corset, then here's what you need to know:

Take the measure of your waist with your shapewear on.

Though your average pair of control top undies or pantyhose or body suit won't give you the results a steel boned corset or waist trainer will, they can smooth your hips and lower waist by up to an inch. That 1" difference between your middle with the shapewear on can lead to you purchasing the wrong size corset if you measured your natural/relaxed waist sans spanx.

Happy lacing!

As with anything made from fabric, corsets will stretch out a little over time and after a certain amount of wear.

What is important to realize is that this is not a sign of poor quality and simply a fact of physics.

Much like a brand new pair of jeans will have a degree of rigidity to them and we wear them a few times to "break them in", so it is with a corset. But rather than referring to it as "breaking in" your corset, we call this seasoning your corset. This process allows the corset to gradually mold to your unique shape and curve smoothly to your enhanced silhouette.

Also, rest assured that what we're talking about here isn't that your corset will stretch out to the point where you will find yourself considering a size or 2 down within a week of wear, no no. Any good quality steel bone corset will feature a twill lining and that lining will be fused to the out shell of the corset for additional strength.

So to re-cap: your corset will experience a bit of give or "stretch" after a bit of wear but nothing to the degree where its shape will be altered or warped. Rather this will give it the softness required for it to both follow and enhance the shape of your natural curves and silhouette.

Happy lacing!

Ahh, fainting rooms! So many people believe that they were a private room in the Victorian era where women could go and repose themselves in a comfortable recline when they felt their overly tightened corsets were giving them trouble with their breathing, causing them to become lightheaded.

And some still believe today that this was the one and only purpose for the fainting room.

Whereas we're not going to blatantly deny that this is one of the uses for a fainting room, it is important to consider the flaw in this theory. Mainly that there are loads of images out their featuring women from the time tightly laced and participating in vigorous activities such as horseback riding, tennis, etc without any signs of decreased mobility, blood flow or difficulty breathing.

A second theory is that fainting rooms were intended to provide women with treatment for anxiety. Won't spell out what that "treatment" was, but if you wikipedia it, you'll understand why they would require privacy.

So overall, I think the original intended use of a fainting room is debatable at best.

And as always, we cannot stress enough the importance of listening to your body when you're in your corset. If it feels too snug, go ahead and either loosen your laces or take it off and put it back on later in the day, or the next day. And for those of you interested in waist training, be sure to check with a health professional before beginning.

Happy lacing!

If you think about it, this is an excellent question. Those of us who have perused corests online have probably noticed that only underbust corsets are referred to as "cinchers", so does that mean that overbusts don't cinch the waist?

Not at all! Steel boned or waist trianing overbusts definitely do cinch the waist. Just like an underbust or a "cincher", a steel boned overbust will provide a waist reduction of 4" to 5" and a waist training overbust will provide a 6" to 7" reduction.

"Cincher" or "waist cinching underbust" is simply a term that has been designated to corsets that do not cover the bust.

Much like a steel boned corset can be used for waist training, but isn't called a "waist trainer", overbusts will cinch the waist but aren't referred to as "cinchers".

At the end of the day, neither style is better or more "effective" at cinching the waist and it all comes down to personal tastes and how/where you intend on wearing your corset.

Happy cinching!

Whether you are looking to purchase a corset to help you with your weight loss, or if you are looking to purchase it as a treat for yourself to celebrate having reached your weight loss goal, the one important rule of thumb is to always buy a corset to suit your current size.

Let me give you an example for each of the above situations:

1. Purchasing a corset to help you reach your weight loss goal

When we set a weight loss goal in mind, we can't help but envision what we're going to look like once our goal is reached. And sometimes, we begin to shop a little prematurely for things that perhaps don't yet fit. Even more so, we may be tempted to go down a few sizes with our corsets because we hope that this will help us shed weight all the quicker.

This is not the case! You need to consider a few things here: first, a corset is sized to not only fit one's waist but also one's hips and rib cage in proportion to one's waist. Therefore, if the corset is too snug around your waist, it will also be too snug around your hips and ribs or chest and this will undoubtedly not be comfortable for you.

Secondly, a corset cannot provide a greater waist reduction than it promises. Therefore a steel boned corset cannot bear more tension than the 4" to 5" it promises, nor can a waist trainer go beyond the 6" to 7" it promises to nip from your waist. So let's say your waist measures 30" and you decide to purchase a size 22" corset: hoping to have the corset reduce your waist by 8" will cause stress and even damage to the corset and its boning and in the worst case scenario, injury to the wearer from a bent, warped or broken bone.

2. Purchasing a corset based on the size you hope to be in the near future

I honestly do understand and appreciate the psychology behind purchasing something that will fit you at the end of a diet or exercise regimen or once your goal is reached. Some people find hanging up a smaller sized pair of jeans or a swimsuit in plain sight can be very motivational to stay on course, and I get it.

The only problem I have with this is there is no guarantee how you will lose the weight (because not all of us are lucky enough to shed it from our waist), you don't yet know how toned/muscular your midsection will be once you've met your goal, or if you are even able meet your original goal (sometimes we can set our sights a little too high).

All of these factors will influence whether or not the corset you purchased months ago in anticipation of reaching your goal, will fit you properly.

This is why, at the end of the day we cannot stress enough the importance of purchasing a corset that either fits you at this moment, or holding off on your purchase until you've reached your weight loss/fitness goals.

For any additional questions about corsets and weight loss, please email me at sabrina@truecorset.com

Happy lacing!

Because corsets are an investment, it is important to know how to clean your corset and care for it properly.

Here are a few tips on how to safely clean your corset and extend its life:

Cleaning:

1. Dry clean only!

Under no circumstance should you ever throw your corset in a washing machine. I don't care if you promise to put it in a lingerie bag and wash it in cool water on the most delicate setting! Putting your corset in a washing machine will completely destroy it so stick to dry cleaning.

2. Spot cleaning is okay

If you happen to get a little spot or stain on your corset, it is safe to spot clean it with a damp cloth. Start first with water alone and gently rub the soiled area to see if water alone will do the trick. If water isn't enough, use a delicate non-bleach laundry detergent. But use restraint! Most laundry detergents, even those intended for the most delicate fabrics, can be quite concentrated. A drop should be plenty.

If you do decide that you will need to use laundry soap of some kind, then be sure to apply the soap to the cloth, rather than directly to the soiled spot on the corset and once you've rubbed the spot out of the corset, do not fully immerse your corset into any sort of bath to rinse the soap off. Rather, take a clean cloth, add water to it and gradually wipe the soapiness off of the corset.

Once complete, allow your corset to air dry, preferably out of direct sunlight.

Maintaining your corset:

1. Seasoning your corset is key

In order to insure that your corset has a long and happy life, seasoning is very important. So rather than eagerly tightening your corset to its full capacity upon removing it from its packaging, give your corset about 7 to 10 days where you begin wearing it not fully tightened for several hours per day, and each day tighten it a little further and wear a little longer. This will insure that the corset forms nicely to your body and that the bones won't bend out of shape from immediate/aggressive use.

2. If you waist train, consider alternating between 2 different styles

This will not only give your corsets a chance to rest between regular/frequent use, but will also provide you with different styles to accommodate how you may be feeling from one day to the next. For example, on a day where you may be feeling a bit bloated, a steel boned corset may feel more comfortable than a waist trainer would.

3. Store your corset in a cool dry place

Moisture isn't ideal for corsets due to their steel boning. Stick to storing your corset(s) in a cool and dry place to avoid rusting and warped bones. It is also wise to keep your corsets out of direct sunlight, because as with any garment, the sun can bleach the fabric and leave it uneven, or worse yet weaken the fabric and leave it more prone to fraying or split seams.

And there you have it: 5 tips that should help insure your corset has a very long life!

Happy lacing!

Having been in love with corsets for nearly half my life and then having worked in the corset business for a few years now, I frequently find myself dropping words or phrases, which perhaps common to me, are not so to everybody.

So here is a quick little compilation of some of the most commonly used terms, phrases and abbreviations when it comes to corsets:

1. Seasoning your corset: The process of gradually increasing the tightness of your laces and the duration you wear your corset over the course of 7-10 days, in an effort to have the bones shape smoothly to your curves and avoid discomfort and bent or warped bones.

2. Waist training: The practice of wearing your corset for an extended period of time on a regular or daily and/or nightly basis. Some people only waist train from the time they get dressed in the morning to the time they return home from work, and others choose to wear their corset all day and night long, removing it only to shower/bathe or to exercise.

3. Tight lacing: The practice of reducing your waist through the use/wear of a corset. Though there is no set measure that denotes tight lacing due to different body types, how muscular or squishy a person's middle is, etc. it generally does involve a waist reduction of or greater than 6" to 7".

4. OTR or RTW: OTR stands for off the rack and RTW stands for ready to wear. Both suggest corsets that are made based on a standardized size model, rather than being tailor made to one person's specific measurements, or a custom made corset.

5. The corset diet: The practice of wearing a corset either throughout the day or specifically at meal times in an effort to reduce one's overall food intake based on the idea that the added tension around one's waist from a corset will help one to feel fuller faster and as such, reducing one's overall daily caloric intake.

6. Cincher: A corset that does not cover one's chest/bust or, an underbust corset.

7.Waist training corset: Either an over or underbust corset with 20-24 steel bones (i.e. double the average amount of steel bones found in your average steel boned corset), which allows the waist trainer to bear greater tension and as such, can reduce the wearer's waist by up to 6" to 7".

Any words I didn't cover that you are unsure about? Send your questions to sabrina@truecorset.com and I will be sure to add them to a future blog post.

Happy lacing!

When shopping for a corset, most anyone who has ever sought advice on sizing has been advised that there should be a 2" gap between the back panels...but why?

Lots of corset wearer's enjoy getting the greatest cinch and waist reduction their corset can provide (not everyone, but many), and so wouldn't you think that in order to achieve that you would want to close the gap at the back, providing an additional 2" cinch to the waist? Well no, not as such and here's why:

The gap at the back panels will allow you a degree of freedom in either tightening the corset or loosening it based on how your body feels any given day. One day, you may feel a little bloated, or perhaps you've been trying to lose weight and the pounds are slowly coming off, etc.

Without the gap, one would need to feel and weigh exactly the same each day every day and that's just not realistic. The 2" will allow you to play around with the lacing, the overall tension and cinch to the waist and all without having to worry that your back is not covered by the modesty panel.

Voila! That's why we love the 2" gap.

Happy lacing!

There are a few common misconceptions that a good number of people have when it comes to the boning in their corset; specifically steel boning. Many myths circulate about them so I've decided to put a list together of the 3 most common myths because let's face it: not all of us have a magnet laying around ;)

Myth #1: Steel bones are steel grey in color & only acrylic bones are white

Definitely the most common of the 3 myths, right here. Not sure where this myth came from, but I would have to think that it was born from logic. As in: the sky is blue, grass is green, so naturally steel should always be a greyish silvery color, right? ...Wrong!

Flat steel bones are frequently dipped in a white coating, and both flat and spiral steel bones tend to have a rounded plastic tip at their top and base.

These treatments, which do not always leave the steel in its original color are actually signs of a quality steel bone. The dip helps prevent rust and wear and the tips help prevent the fabric of the corset from fraying and the seams from splitting.

Myth #2: Steel bones should be heavy and dense and shouldn't bend easily

This is a myth most likely perpetuated by other corset retailers who are trying to pawn off a cheaply made, low-end corset as one of high quality.

A quality corset will only feature flat steel bones in 2 spots: the front busk closure will consist of flat bones and the back boning, where the corset features its grommets and lacing, will also be flat steel bones.

Any corset that features flat bones throughout and either no spiral steel bones, or only 2 steel bones going over the centre of the bust, are poorly designed, less expensive to produce and not worth your time.

Now, it is important to differentiate that just because flat steel bones are generally less expensive, this doesn't mean that they are "cheap" or of poor quality. What it does mean, is that because they are flat and because they are more dense than a spiral steel bone, they will do nothing more than add unnecessary weight to the corset, not mold/shape to your curves as smoothly as spiral steel bones, and because of their less expensive cost, they will allow who ever is retailing them to enjoy a larger profit margin at your expense.

Myth #3: A magnet should stick as firmly to your corset's boning as it would to a fridge

For those of us who do have a magnet available, it is important to know that it will not always stick as firmly to the corset's boning as it would to any other surface the magnet could attract.

In most cases, this is due to a combination of the white, non-metallic coating that flat bones are encased in, the fabric the corset is made out of (e.g. something thicker like velvet puts a greater barrier between the magnet and the bone), or it could be because you are testing the magnet too far down on the boning at the tip of which there is normally a rounded plastic tip to reduce friction on the fabric/seam and prevent fraying or splitting.

If you are gentle with the magnet and pay good attention when bringing it close to the corset's boning, you should be able to feel the magnet attract to the bone, even if it isn't an extremely strong pull.

And there you have it: 3 myths about steel bones debunked!

Happy lacing!