Guided Galleries
Updated in 2023! Here you will find non-exhaustive galleries of corset makers and brands to help you define and choose which styles you like best, and decide which company may be the best match for you. Please note that not every corset brand in these galleries have been personally tried and tested by me and I don’t necessarily endorse every corset shown here.
These galleries are for informational purposes only – but if you’re looking for a corsetiere who specializes in a specific type of corset (corset bodysuits, corsets for scoliosis, corsets with fan-lacing, etc) or who is skilled and comfortable working with specific body proportions (full busted, waist sizes above 50″ or under 16″, masculine figures, high square hip shelves, etc), this is the best place to start.
Historical reproduction Big & Small niche silhouettes abdomen & back support construction mastery accessibility & shoulder issues economy & budget masc & androgynyHistorical reproduction / history-bounding
Pairs of Bodies, Effigies, Stays
This gallery highlights corsetieres that offer Tudor-style stays, Elizabethan-style stays, Stuart-style stays, and Antoinette-style stays, spanning the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.
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Transitional Stays, Jumps and Regency Corsets
From the late 1790s through the 1830s, stays as we know it went through a brief metamorphosis into softer, less dramatic silhouettes.
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S-Bend Edwardian Corsets
S-bend corsets (also called straight-front corsets or “health” corsets) were invented in the early 1900s during the Edwardian era. They are known for emphasizing a dramatic curve at the lumbar spine.
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Titanic Era (1910-1919) Reproduction corsets
rom 1910 up to around the time of WWI, the silhouette of corsets changed to create a more elongated line, with the corset lengthening to the thigh.
learn moreBig & small
Teeny corsets for petite or advanced tightlacers
Many OTR corset brands carry waist sizes that start from 18-20 inches, but this gallery covers brands that make corsets in size 16″ and smaller.
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Overbust Corsets for Large/Heavy Busts
Most off-the-rack corsets cater only to bust sizes of a relatively narrow range (typically B-D cup). These corsets accommodate F cup and larger.
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Full Figure/ Plus Size Corsets
Most OTR corset brands carry corset sizes up to around 38″. This gallery features OTR brands up to size 50″ and custom up to 60″ corseted waist (for natural waists up to ~ 75 inches).
learn moreNiche silhouettes
Extreme Hourglass & Pipestem Corsets
The extreme hourglass silhouette can be effectively described as the “belted pillow” look, with a very rounded (cupped) rib shape, and often a striking hip spring as well.
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Corsets that create a Conical Ribcage
Rather than an hourglass silhouette, some folks prefer their corsets to give them a more conical, tapered ribcage, as was popular around the 1950’s New Look era.
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Corsets with a High, Square Hip Shelf
As dramatic as it looks, someone who has a particularly wide pelvis and smaller natural waist may find this silhouette more comfortable compared to a sloping hip spring.
learn moreabdominal & back support
Asymmetric Corsets for Scoliosis
Realistically speaking, no human being is perfectly symmetrical. But for those with scoliosis and more noticeable asymmetry, here are corsetieres that offer asymmetric corsets for stability and support.
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Longline Corsets for the Tall or Long Waisted
For very tall and/or long-waisted corset wearers (more than 11 inches in length), I recommend longline corsets for improved support around the upper back and lower tummy.
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Longline Corsets for Shorter Waists
For those that love the look of a longline corset but have a shorter torso length – or need compressive support around their lower abdomen and SI joints, while still sitting down with ease.
learn moreConstruction Mastery
Ribbon Cinchers
While not the best option for waist training, ribbon cinchers are are lightweight, fun, and are capable of giving considerable waist reduction! In this gallery we highlight brands who offer genuine and illusion ribbon cinchers.
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Pattern Matched Corsets
Also called print matching or motif matching, this is a technique where the maker carefully plans out, cuts and assembles the panels of a corset so that a picture continues seamlessly around the body.
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Lattice Corsets
A lattice corset done well shows great attention to detail and demonstrates the corsetiere’s skills in smooth draping, mirror-matching, roll-pinning, and control of tension during anchoring – to me, latticework reflects a type of mastery in corset embellishment.
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Corset Dresses & Gowns
Corset dresses are highly specialized garments, which can be used on their own or as foundation under other gowns. They act like combination shapewear, supporting the bustline, cinching in the waist, and smoothing over the hips.
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Corset-Bodies (Bodysuits)
A corset bodysuit or bunnysuit supports the bust, cinches the waist, and closes between the legs – different from a corset dress, a corset bodysuit is a like a laced and boned leotard, or a corset and brief in one.
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Overbust Corsets with Cups
Cupped overbust corsets are often confused with bustiers or Merry Widows, but they are not the same! Cupped overbusts “stealth” better under clothing compared to conventional overbusts, and work very well under strapless dresses.
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Mesh, Net & Sheer (Summer) Corsets
Conventional corsets can be hot and sweaty during summertime or in warmer climates. The idea for summer corsets is not new – today, mesh and net corsets are made with all different types of materials which are highlighted in this gallery.
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Corsets with Zippers
Zipper have become an attractive option these days for their smoothness under clothing, and their familiar use (compared to the learning curve required of busk use). If constructed well, a zipper can even be suitable for waist training corsets!
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Corset Belts & Swiss Waists
Corset belts, finishing belts, and Swiss waists, while not all of them are true “corsets” by definition, tend to be 4 inches or shorter, and can be used under your clothing or as a decorative belt on the outside of your clothing.
Learn moreAccessibility & shoulder issues
Corsets with Multiple Ties / Adjustment Points
With the introduction of corsets with hip ties, back expanders and multiple adjustable features, you can get a more customized fit with a standard size, or easier lacing access for those with low shoulder mobility.
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Corsets with Fan-Lacing
Fan-laced corsets allow a wearer to quickly tighten or loosen the corset in seconds. For those with low finger dexterity or arm weakness who may use corsets for medical purposes, the use of fan lacing can contribute to one’s independence when dressing oneself.
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Corsets that Correct Shoulder Posture (including waistcoat corsets)
Corsets with permanent or removable shoulder straps to correct shoulder posture and upper back posture, including underbust, overbust, and “waistcoat” style corsets.
learn moreEconomy & Budget
Ready-to-wear corsets made in the US and UK
Many readers wish to start with an affordable OTR corset, but may feel a moral or economical responsibility to support brands from North America and Europe (specifically the G7).
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Custom Fit Corsets under $200
While many clients can get away with standard-sized corsets, it’s not a realistic case of one-size-fits-all. This gallery features made-to-measure corsets under and around $200 USD (with some potential caveats).
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Curvy cinchers and waspies under $200
Waist cinchers and waspies are short corsets, usually cut high over the hip – most cinchers are 6-7″ in length. This gallery features reputable waspies (OTR and custom) under and around $200 USD.
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Corsets for Men
Gentlemen wear corsets too, but sometimes it can be difficult to find makers who cater to cinching down the waist while allowing enough room for the ribs. This gallery features brands who offer masculine corsets.
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Modern Slim Corsets
These days, it seems that the “modern slim” silhouette is anthing but popular. But it is an appropriate entry-level and supportive corset for those with more narrow hips, or have a naturally “ruler” or “apple” shaped figure, of any gender.
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Feminizing Corsets
Corsets specifically designed to visually rearrange the proportions through clever patterning, color combinations, and built-in padding to create a more feminine figure for AMAB wearers.
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