Last updated on May 14th, 2021 at 01:12 pm
Realistically speaking, no human being is perfectly symmetrical. We all have some variance in our frame or how we distribute our tissues, and more often than not, one side of our bodies is stronger (and has more muscle tone) than the other side. This all has an effect on how we are able to cinch down and which corset silhouette fits our bodies best. However, our bodies can be incredibly accommodating and most of us can get away with symmetric corsets.
However, those who have scoliosis or other congenital skeletal conditions, and those who have suffered injuries (for instance, a broken bone from childhood that results in an uneven pelvis or protruding rib) may have such asymmetry that wearing an OTR corset may lean, twist or slant on the body. More worryingly, a symmetric corset can be painful to the wearer, or may cause other issues from not fitting correctly.
The right kind of asymmetric corset can work with the client’s body to make it look more symmetric, and will feel more comfortable. A well-fitted asymmetric corset may relieve back pain from scoliosis or previous injury, or possibly even partially correct asymmetry over time. As always, I recommend you talk to your doctor if you plan to use a corset for any reason, including medical / support purposes. Here are the few corsetieres I know who have created corsets for asymmetric clients in the past:
Melanie Talkington is the genius and skill behind Lace Embrace Atelier in BC, Canada. She works alongside medical physicians to create beautiful fusions between therapeutic braces and aesthetic corsets – like this asymmetric peach brocade underbust for Kitty, designed to support and conceal her scoliosis, as well as preventing ptosis of her liver (due to Kitty’s connective tissue disorder) and a hidden tearaway panel that gives access to her ostomy bag. You can read more about Kitty on her blog, as well as read my interview with Kitty here.
The Boudoir Key is a corsetiere in Ukraine specializing in historical reproduction. Her Instagram page is full of incredibly informative posts on how subtle patterning differences can completely change the fit and silhouette. She has scoliosis and she has a system of mockup fittings to perfectly fit the corset to her body, and she also discusses the visual and comfort differences (as well as historical accuracy) of padding out areas vs making an asymmetric pattern. See her Etsy shop here.
Katharina Mior of Bone & Busk Couture (previously Totally Waisted! Corsets) is experienced in creating asymmetric corsets for clients with scoliosis or other structural variances. She takes separate measurements for each quadrant of the client, and requires an in-person mockup fitting to ensure everything fits properly and feels comfortable. She then artfully uses strategically-placed external boning channels to hide the asymmetry and create a beautifully smooth corset. In my book Solaced, she shares one such commission and walks us through her process.
Electra Designs also has much experience creating asymmetric corsets, and she expertly hides the asymmetry in the corset shown above via artistic placement of the decorative black piping. Alexis also uses unique lacing bones in the back of all her corsets, which ensure that the 2-part eyelets never rip out. The lacing bones are not fusion-coated so they flex and hug the natural lumbar curve and don’t force an unnatural or unhealthy posture, and the steels don’t dig into the tailbone or top of the bum, as well as they flex over sensitive parts of the back (where the spine may veer under the steels in some areas). Lastly, this corset has shoulder straps for correcting hunched shoulders.
This sleek black sweetheart overbust was made by Lowana of Vanyanis for her model, friend. and client Erika. Erika has visible asymmetry due to scoliosis, but this black satin coutil overbust was carefully drafted to accommodate the unique curves on each side of the body, to ensure that the center front and the back laces lay perfectly vertical without twisting or torquing. The final result is a comfortable piece for Erika which also looks balanced and symmetric.
Morua Designs has made asymmetric corsets in the past, like this beautiful bridal ensemble. The bride had one breast larger than the other, but through clever pattern drafting the asymmetry was expertly concealed, made even more impressive that the use of a very symmetric lace motif in the front did not draw attention to any asymmetry in the body. Gerry also travels from the US to the UK, so if you have asymmetry issues, it would be best to contact her for the possibility of an in-person fitting. Overbust corsets start at £425.
Valkyrie Corsets of Sussex England has recently created this special asymmetric underbust to accommodate KathTea Katastrophy and the curves her scoliosis creates. This particular piece is a lovely soft nude, edged with black eyelash lace which helps to visually keep the hips balanced. Her regular underbust corsets start at just £180 or about $280 USD.
Delicate Facade Corsetry is also said to make asymmetric corsets; one client mentions that the owner of DFC herself has scoliosis and she has over 13 years experience in drafting corsets.
~ Honorable Mentions ~
Sparklewren has also experimented with asymmetric corsets, such as this custom underbust made for petite alternative model KathTea Katastrophy. In addition to each half having different measurements, the deliberate diagonal embellishment draws the eye away from physical asymmetry. KathTea is very public about their scoliosis and subsequent physical asymmetry. You can read more about their adventures in tightlacing with scoliosis here. Sparklewren is unfortunately no longer taking commissions, but sporadically releases new small collections which you can view on Instagram here.
Jill Hoverman, the youngest member of Romantasy’s corsetiere team, has created this lovely (and reportedly very comfortable) asymmetric overbust for a recent Romantasy client with a 45-degree spinal curve. Note how the busk curves on this client with the sample corset on the left, but the corset sits straight with her custom on the right. Jill’s Edwardian overbust corsets start at $500 in the Custom Elegant Line. In June 2020, Ann Grogan (the owner of Foundations Revealed) retired after 30 years in the corset industry, and Romantasy met a graceful conclusion.
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Although I haven’t personally seen a photo of this particular corset, Harman Hay (the owner of Foundations Revealed) has also created an asymmetric corset for a client in the past; she describes that she started with a symmetric toile and adjusted each side separately during the fitting. Some lines were curved off the body where they would normally be straight when worn, and the final piece was said to be beautiful and perfectly fitted. Cathy Hay no longer takes personal commissions as she is focused on personal projects and growing Foundations Revealed.
*Please note that I have not personally tried every corset brand in this list, nor do I necessarily endorse every company in these guided galleries. This is for informational purposes only, and not meant to replace the advice of a medical practitioner. If you have scoliosis or other health concerns that cause your asymmetry, please talk to your doctor, orthopedic technician or chiropractor before using a corset to correct your posture (or for any other reason). Affiliate links help keep these galleries online and free to use by everyone.
The left side of my waist looks much smaller than the right side. Also my right hip bone is higher up than that of the left side. So can I stick to normal corsets or do I need a special kind? I love your videos by the way! Found you almost 2 yrs ago and I do wear corsets now. I just don’t see any difference on the right side of my waist
Hi Ashleigh, if you have scoliosis or another condition that affects the spine, it’s not uncommon for one side of your body to have overtight muscles which can resist the corset. Some people with mild asymmetries can get away with using corsets with hip ties. But if one is able to afford a custom corset, that’s almost always the best way to go.
I am looking for a corset so i don’t look crooked in my beautiful dress. I need metal stays to look Straight. If you think you have something please advise as to what I should get thank you for your help and time
Hi Carol, if you have scoliosis then the best thing to do is get one made custom for you. If you click on any of the photos in this gallery, it will redirect you to their website where you can contact the maker, learn more, and commission a corset from them. Or you can look at the corsetiere map and find a maker who is located close to you who might be able to give you a personal fitting!
The left side of my ribcage protrudes more than my right side, it is quite noticeable when I wear tight clothing, it makes it seem like I have a lump under my breast which I hate. What would you recommend to fix this?? I’ve considered starting with waist training and then getting a custom made corset.
Hi Alo, unfortunately it’s hard to tell whether your ribs are flexible or rigid before you try a corset, so I do recommend trying an OTR corset and seeing if it’s comfortable for you before investing in a custom piece. If you find that your ribs are quite immovable (and it causes pain or bruising when you put pressure on it), unfortunately you might not be able to train that rib to pull inwards using corsets. But if you find this is the case, you’ll be able to return your OTR corset for refund (not the case with a custom corset). Let me know your measurements here and I might be able to recommend something for you.
I believe use of my corset has had an asymmetric impact on me ,indenting the right side of my lower ribcage more than my left, How can I indent my left side more?
Hi Fern, what type of corset were you wearing (brand, style, etc)? Was your corset designed to be asymmetric for medical reasons, or did you purchase an OTR one? Did you see any asymmetry while you were wearing the corset – for instance, did the silhouette look different on both sides, was the busk slanting, or the back lacing gap on a slant?
If you notice anything wrong with your corset or its affect on your body, I recommend you discontinue wearing it immediately. Within about 3-6 months of not wearing a corset at all is generally when people see that they’re losing their waist training progress, although for some people it can take up to a year for their body to revert in terms of muscularity.
If you are fairly certain that your corset was symmetric to begin with, it’s possible that due to difference in muscle tone or flexibility on each side of your body, one side of your body just happened to respond faster than the other side. This sort of thing is seen more in weight lifting for instance when one side is stronger or favored, but it can occasionally happen in other instances as well.
I would not recommend getting an asymmetric corset if your body (skeletal structure) was not asymmetric to begin with, though.
I am looking for someone to make a custom made asymmetric corset for me.
My doctor approves of this. I live in Pittsburgh PA , and am willing to travel a bit.
Where are you located ? Can you please recommend someone experienced.
Hi Jeannette, sorry for my late response. My first recommendation would have been Contour Corsets as the maker is from PA, but unfortunately she is no longer in the corset business. All of the makers in this gallery are experienced, but unfortunately none of them are close to you. You might be able to do a long-distance fitting though – I believe Bone & Busk couture (Katharina Mior) has done long distance fittings with clients with scoliosis in the past. She is based in Toronto.
Hello I have severe asymmetrically protruding ribs. Both sides protrude but the left noticeably more then the right. I have always had a thin body which shows the ribs that much more. My ribs can be seen sticking out even with a shirt on. My ribs are odd looking but also cause discomfort when laying on my stomach. I have not consulted a professional about this. I don’t believe I have spinal issues and have a “normal” sternum. Can a corset have a noticeable affect on the shape and is there a certain corset design to look into?
Hi Brian, yes it is possible to bring in the ribs with corseting or bracing, but it can take months or years to see a noticeable difference. I would highly recommend speaking with Ann Grogan, she’s a corset training coach and would probably be able to give you more information about altering your ribcage safely (but it’s always a good idea to check with your doctor as well!).
Do they have more material on one side than the other to compensate for the waist going in further on one side? I experience many frustrations with this, being unable to wear certain high waisted shirts or belts as it accentuates the difference. I always hoped there would be something to wear under my clothes to fake symmetry with padding of some sort. Are there types of corsets you can wear under clothes without it looking like you’re wearing a corset? I don’t think i could pull off wearing one as a fashion statement….
Hi Mandy, the corsets that accommodate or stabilize your curve will have more material on one side of the corset compared to the other, yes – but since it will be made specifically to fit you, they can tweak the lines of the panels to create the illusion that you are more symmetric. A standard sized corset that’s symmetric may twist or tilt on your body, depending on the amount of curve, and accentuate asymmetry in your body. I’m certain that if you wanted or needed padding in a custom asymmetric corset, the corsetiere would be able to do this for you.
Hello. I also have scoliosis but it’s very mild and the doctors say that it’s can be fixed. Can corset help fix the curve?
Hi there! I do know of a few people who have successfully treated their scoliosis with the use of a corset, but they caught it relatively young (in their 20s) and their curve was mild. I would definitely clear corset wear with your doctor first, just in case there are any complications to your own scoliosis like a slightly rotated ribcage. My mindset around these things is if you can find a well-fitting corset that’s similar to a brace, and if you like wearing corsets anyway, then it’s worth a shot, but not something to get hopes up about.
Hi there. Thank you for the informative article. I have scoliosis and have actually always been interested in corsetry in vintage fashion but never considered that wearing one might improve my medical situation. I’ve never bought one in my life, nor have I ever worn a back brace, and so I don’t know the first thing about themor how to purchase the right one. Is it possible to do so without having an in-person fitting? (I live WAY out in the country of Louisiana and it takes lengths of time to travel anywhere.) Do you have any suggestions to cost efficient corset shopping sites for someone with scoliosis? Another question. I realize I should probably ask my healthcare provider, but in your opinion is it possible to retrain a spine via corsetry at age 29? Thank you so much for your time.
Hi Sharon, so sorry for my late response. I am not a medical professional, but one member in my family was able to partially correct her spinal curvature through traction, adjustments and exercise past the age of 30 so it’s not impossible! But it does depend on your specific situation (the amount of curvature, where it’s located (lumbar is easier to fix than thoracic), how tight your muscles are and how rotated your ribs are, etc. So it’s best to speak with a medical professional in this case.
If you can’t afford a custom corset or find a corsetiere in your area, you can try and see if corsets with multiple ties (like hip ties) might be comfortable for you – so if you have any asymmetries in your pelvis, you can adjust one hip larger than the other, etc. These can be found off the rack so if you try it and don’t like it, you can return it — but again, these are sold as garments, not licensed therapeutic devices, and since you’ll be using this as a medical brace, I recommend talking to a trusted health professional about it first. :)
I too have scoliosis, but I had rods put in my back 10 years ago. I am just now getting into corsets, but am worried about how the rods might mess with wearing a corset. Any thoughts?
P.S. I don’t plan on tight-lacing, though I do like the structure and support of corsets.
Hi Kimberly, I would first check with your doctor / chiropractor if it would be okay to wear a corset if you’ve had corrective surgery. And if you are allowed, I’d look into getting an asymmetric corset specially fitted, because some asymmetries in your pelvis or ribcage may still exist even after your spine is straightened. These corsets will stabilize and support your skeletal structure instead of trying to change it.
Hi, I have scoliosis and i was wondering can these corsets slim my waist and make me more symmetric?
Hi Mere, all the corsets featured here will cinch in the waist – but I believe Contour Corsets is the only one I know of that will make a corrective corset. Most of the corset makers on this page will help to stabilize your curve but wouldn’t feel comfortable about manipulating the spine to correct it.