There are no hard and fast rules in choosing the right corset styles for your particular body shape. It's about knowing what each silhouette does vocally and knowing what you're looking to accomplish with the clothing. This guide provides answers to some of the most frequently asked questions before purchasing and gives one an easy-to-follow blueprint to make sure the choice is correct.
What Corset Is Best for My Body Shape?
There is nothing like a flattering or a non-flattering corset. The honest answer is it depends on what part you want the corset to define, where you want the corset to add volume, and the amount of torso you want covered with the corset to achieve your desired definition. Understand what is right for your body: Body shape is the starting point, or the finish line?
Women's Body Shape Distribution
| Body Shape | Estimated Share of Women |
|---|---|
| Rectangle | 46% |
| Pear (Triangle) | 20% |
| Hourglass | 8% |
| Apple (Round) | 14% |
| Inverted Triangle | 12% |
Hourglass Figure Corset Styles
If you have already got approximately similar bust size to hips and have a naturally narrow waist, with corset you can expect to improve and accentuate the waist-depth you already have in place. The underbust style is well suited here as it emphasises the narrowest bit of your torso without giving any room to fat above or below. With a slender hourglass silhouette, the best corset style for an hourglass figure is one that embraces the curves you have and tucks into the natural waist. Overbust styles will also fit on an hourglass frame, but need to be fitted around the bust line to not compress a fuller frame too tightly.
Apple Body Shape
An apple, or "pear" shape will have a larger mid section, relative to the hips or bust points. Apple-shaped women commonly make mistakes and get a corset that happens to be too low, so it merely pushes the abdomen volume down and doesn't spread it out nicely. This is better resolved in an overbust corset for apple body shape than an underbust as it covers and levels the complete midsection length of the corset from bust to hip. Overbust lace-up styles in the collection are steel boned and offer compression all the way up the torso instead of just a single point, an apple shape requiring this type of compressions.
Pear Body Shape
A pear shape has a greater amount of fullness in the hips and thighs compared to the bust and shoulders. The visual intent for this body shape is to draw the eye up and up, and give the shoulder and chest area a sense of width at the top and a sense of thinness at the bottom around the waist area. This is achieved naturally with an overbust style, which may have some structure at the bust.
Corset Styles for Straight or Rectangular Body Shape.
A body frame which is straight or rectangular and the shoulders, waist and hips are all almost at the same level with little lipping on the waist. This body shape corset is ideal as it will give you the curve to the waist that the frame can't give, because that is the body shape it is supposed to be. Though there are a number of styles that will work here, corset styles with strong steel boning are ideal for creating the most apparent waistline. A belt worn over the top of a fitted corset will also help to create a thicker line, without the full commitment of a corset.
Corset Style by Body Shape Table
| Body Shape | Recommended Corset | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Hourglass | Underbust Corset | Highlights your naturally defined waist while maintaining balanced proportions. |
| Pear | Overbust Corset | Adds volume to the upper body for a more balanced silhouette. |
| Apple | Overbust Corset | Provides extra support and creates a smoother, more defined torso. |
| Rectangle | Steel-Boned Underbust Corset | Enhances waist definition and creates a more curvy appearance. |
| Inverted Triangle | Underbust Corset or Corset Belt | Emphasizes the waist to create a more balanced body proportion. |
Can Plus Size Women Wear Corsets?
Yes, without a question. Despite the fact that corsets were in use from a long time, the myth that they do not work on larger size bodies has originated in a time when fashion size was limited and set in a fixed pattern. Today's corsets for plus size women have adjustable lace designs to help distribute fit over a range and not restrict plus size women to a strict measurement. Up to 6XL and 7XL in a whole variety of styles and steel boning that will keep its shape no matter what size you choose.
When shopping for plus size corsets, the most important factors to consider are torso length (this is very important as well as the size of the waist) and how the lacing is distributed across the corset. Use an underbust or corset belt style first as it will allow for progressive adjustment of the fit as you "season the garment.
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| U.S. Women's Apparel Sold in Plus Sizes | ≈20% of the Market |
| Women Wearing Size 14+ | More Than Two-Thirds of American Women |
How to Style a Corset Belt for Your Body Type
The corset belt is the most flexible introduction to corset style as it can be worn over clothes instead of under them. It's all about placement and proportion when it comes to knowing how to style a corset belt for your body type.
The belt shouldn't be worn at the hip regardless of body shape and should be worn at the natural waist line. The natural waist is always the best place to put the belt and is the narrowest area of the body. For shapes such as hourglass and pear, the corset belt can be used to bring the sight inwards and create a contour line between the belts, which are typically looser. Sleeveless outfits that feature a corseted shape create a visual separation between the bust and hip, while smoothing the torso. A straight body shape creates the waist curve in which the silhouette is lacking.
How to wear a corset top depends upon the body proportions. A corset should be paired with high-waisted trousers, low-waisted skirts or skirts, and the waistline of the skirt or trousers should follow the bottom edge of the corset, creating one continuous line.
How to Choose a Corset Size for a Curvy Body?
Do not measure your waist at your hip or by clothing size, you should measure your natural waist. When selecting a corset to fit your figure, find a corset that is 2-4 inches smaller than your natural waist size. This is your starting point for the range of seasonings, a starting compression that will be used to further tighten with your body and corset becoming accustomed to one another over time. If the figure is curvier and has more of a hip-to-waist configuration, also look at the hip measurement on the size chart; some under bust styles will have a bottom line and a hip size you must follow, so it won't fit if the hip size is too big.
Final Thoughts: Finding the Corset That Works for Your Body
Each body type is different so it is important to follow the corset size guide so you can choose a perfect corset style that suits your body. An hourglass line is accentuated by an adjustable under bust: Structured overbust, starting the curve at the middle girth and extending it all the way up, smooths out an apple body shape corset over a compressed area, which isn't as effective. For styling the bust-forward look a pear frame that draws the attention upward attracts. A straight frame creates the curve in the waist that it doesn't have as part of its natural design, by using steel boning and lacing.
While some corset styles are more popular for mother-of-the-bride looks, structured, flattering corsets are available for large size women as well and so long as they are properly designed with adjustable lacing and true size-inclusive construction, they're all yours! Begin 2-4 inches below the waist line and slowly add compression over time.
