S-Bend Edwardian Corsets

Last updated on October 17th, 2021 at 07:46 pm

S-bend corsets (also called straight-front corsets or “health” corsets) were invented in the early 1900s during the Edwardian era, and popularized by the Gibson Girls. At the time, the S-bend was thought to be healthier for the wearer as it placed less direct pressure on the front of the abdomen. It also promoted a “proud” posture where the pelvis tilted forward, causing the bum to be pushed back while the shoulders and bust were thrust forward — this posture also affected the wearer’s gait in such a way that caused a lady to swing her hips in a lovely manner (read: swagger). However, this corset style was later found to exacerbate lumbar lordosis (swayback) and thought to be worse for the spine over time, compared to the earlier Victorian corsets (which maintain a more neutral posture).

Today, straight-fronted longline corsets are quite popular, but are usually modernized to be merely ‘Edwardian-inspired’ and don’t cause swayback the way that traditional S-bends used to. I don’t condone regular use/ training in a traditional S-bend or Edwardian corset, but many women with natural lordosis and/or shelf-bums have expressed to me that they feel that a reproduction of an S-bend corset might better suit their figure. For cosplayers, historical re-enactors, and history-bounders, an S-bend corset may be occasionally required to have the proper silhouette and foundation under their Edwardian clothing – so here is a non-exhaustive list of corsetieres who offer these Edwardian beauties.

Standard-sized and custom corsets
Patterns and tutorials
Honorable Mentions (archived)

RedThreaded S-Bend Edwardian Corset
RedThreaded S-Bend Edwardian pattern reimagined into a contemporary overbust corset with motif-matched lace and zipper front closure.

RedThreaded, an incredibly prolific and talented team out of Colorado USA, is one of my favorite historical reproduction corset brands – they make historical corsets for every need, whether their clients are re-enactors, stage/theatre performers, actors and celebrities, haute couture designers, etc. What I love about the two examples of their work above is how they’re able to interpret the same pattern into two very different final products. See also their dedicated article to S-bend corsets here! Lastly, if you want to try sewing your own historical corsets with their patterns, they have plenty of options available in their Etsy shop.

MPardo Couture (Spain) Edwardian S-Bend Custom Underbust Corset, $353

 

La Belle Fairy Edwardian overbust wedding corset ensemble, $599
La Belle Fairy S Bend Edwardian 1910 Demibust Corset, $625

La Belle Fairy is a one-woman business run by Jenny, corsetiere extraordinaire in BC, Canada. Jenny specializes in traditional Victorian and Edwardian corsetry as well as bridal attire. She uses modern hardware in her corsets (including an extra wide German-steel busk to ensure the straight front), but she adapts vintage patterns to your measurements for a beautiful fit. Her Edwardian corsets start at $450.

 

Vozisova Corsets S-Bend Edwardian Demibust Corset, $270

Maria Vozisova (Russia) has two corset brands – Vozisova Corsets focuses on historical corsetry and underwear (like this gorgeous soft peach S-bend demibust with lace trim) while her other brand, MariaShopStudio, offers more contemporary corsets with a more modern silhouette and made from leather and corsetry mesh.

 

Period Corsets 1905 Mae corset, starts at $280
Period Corsets 1905 Mae corset, starts at $337

Period Corsets is aptly named, as the business takes traditional patterns to make modern corsets in their studio in WA, USA. Their 1905 “Mae” corset nicely shows what the S-curve looked like on a human being without the bust pads or theatrical exaggerated posing by the Gibson models.

Skeletons in the Closet made-to-measure Edwardian corset in dupioni silk, $745

Skeletons in the Closet is a one-woman business by Sanni, a skilled corsetiere in the Netherlands. Sanni creates several different styles of Edwardian corsets (there was more than one corset during that era, after all!). You can find both made-to-measure pieces and heavily discounted samples in her Etsy store.

 

Clockwork Faerie 1905 S-Bend Edwardian Corset

A Clockwork Faerie is based in Denver, Colorado and run by Michelle Fitzgerald, a historical reproduction corsetiere who not only makes gorgeous S-bend corsets like the example above, but she’s quite literally “written the book on it” – or at least an in-depth article on Foundations Revealed! She’s best known for her incredible attention to detail – if you want the teeniest cording and immaculate flossing on quite possibly the prettiest late-Victorian corsets you’ve ever seen, she is the person to go to.

 

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Morua Designs Edwardian demibust, from $900

Morua Designs creates breathtaking combinations of traditional and contemporary corsetry, such as the S-curve demibust shown above, modelled on an Edwardian mannequin to show proper form. Created with a true S-curve pattern, Gerry then embellished this particular piece with tulle, lace and crystals for a soft and ethereal finish. Her Edwardian S-curve corsets start at $900.

 

Fiorentina Costuming S-Bend Edwardian Corset, Photo tribute to @iruna_davydiuk

Fiorentina Corsetry (Kyiv, Ukraine) is owned by Natalia Zinkevych, who has over a decade of experience in designing and creating historical reproduction corsets, underwear and clothing. She says that her love for sewing started when she discovered Italian Renaissance fashion, although more recently Natalia says her passion has led her towards corsetry. Here is an example of her Edwardian S-bend midbust in a soft ivory, with sweeping panels and delicate lace trim.

Bizarre Design 'S-line' overbust corset
Bizarre Design ‘S-line’ overbust corset

Bizarre Design is the business owned by renowned corset maker Jeroen van der Klis, who has created works for the likes of Cathie Jung in the past. His business is located in the Netherlands, and although Jeroen is better known for his unique engineering of extreme reduction corsets, he also occasionally makes sweet Edwardian pieces such as the one above. His custom overbust corsets start at €464, or about $547 USD.

 

Ilse Gregoor Costumes S Bend Edwardian Corset, $520

Ilse Gregoor is a professionally-trained historical costumier from the Netherlands with multiple degrees/certifications in theatre science and costume design. Historical fashion is an all-encompassing passion, and Ilse says that in addition to the commissions she takes, she is also a volunteer at Dutch Costume Museum as well as a member of The Costume Association of Netherlands, and she’s constantly studying to improve her craft. You can see examples of her work in her Etsy shop.

 

MollaMari Creations S-Bend Edwardian Corset

Here Anna-Mari of MollaMari Creations (a Finnish artist, educator, re-enactor and history-bounder) models her historical underwear – complete with chemise, mid-bust S-bend corset, and a bumload of padding to accentuate the curves. Complete with Gibson-style hairdo and perfect specs, she’s an Edwardian vision – and demonstrates that with the right combination of foundationwear, one doesn’t have to cinch particularly tight, nor have to be born with the right proportions, nor even have to sacrifice one’s postural health in order to obtain the correct figure!

 

corsets_and_more_s-bend
Corsets and More S-line underbust corset, starts at €345

Corsets & More was a one-woman business launched by Doris Müller in Germany (although the company has since changed hands and is now under new management). The brand has a high reputation to maintain, as Doris was proficient in both historical and contemporary corsetry and ensembles, and has a fantastic gallery of longline and S-line corsets. Underbust S-line pieces start at €395 or about $485 USD.

 

The Boudoir Key Custom Corsetry S Bend Edwardian Corset

Elizabeth Hahn, better known as The Boudoir Key or Marie Theresa and Lumieres on her social media, is a corsetiere from Ukraine specializing in historical reproduction. Here you can see an immaculately smooth single-layer Edwardian S-bend corset based off Atelier Sylphe’s RefW pattern (see the patterns/tutorials section on this page for more info!) and of course tweaked to fit Elizabeth’s own body. On her Instagram you can see more detailed photos of the final product with lace and ribbon trim. See The Boudoir Key’s Etsy shop here!

 

Royal Black Couture and Corsetry S-Bend Edwardian Corset

In the past two years, Barbara of Royal Black (Austria) has moved away from her heavily embellished contemporary corset artpieces, and focused more on uncovering the wisdom of the ages as she embarks on her “Time Traveller” series of corsets where she takes on one historical pattern after another and shares her challenges, lessons learned, and interpretations. Here is her underbust S-bend corset modified from a historical pattern from Atelier Sylphe. You can learn more about her ongoing project on her Patreon page.

 

Lady Ardzesz Corset S-Bend Edwardian Corset

Lady Ardzesz (Sylwia Kurjata) is a Polish-based corsetiere and costumier with a broad range of talents and interests, constantly experimenting with mid-century (1940s and 1950s) retro style clothing, fashionable coats and outerwear, Victoriana and (of course) corsets. As someone who also has a soft spot between 1880s silhouette and the 1950s New Look silhouette, you can see why Lady Ardzesz has been on my radar for awhile now! Shown above is her S-bend overbust with sweet gathered lace and shirred garters.

 

Melanie Talkington modeling her own historical recreation

Melanie Talkington of Lace Embrace Atelier (BC, Canada) has one of the most impressive repertoires of any corsetiere I know – she has worked as a costumier on countless movie and TV productions, has had celebrities walk the red carpet in her designs (even Pamela Anderson wore a Lace Embrace corset for her wedding!), and Melanie has created incredibly challenging corsets for Cathie Jung. So is it any wonder that she’s capable of making the most gorgeous S-bend reproduction corsets?  Most of the galleries on Lace Embrace have unfortunately been removed due to image theft, but you are still able to commission a custom S-bend corset through their custom form.

Orchid Corsetry (UK) S-Bend Edwardian Demibust Corset

Orchid Corsetry, founded and run by corsetiere extraordinaire Bethan, makes a wide variety of historical and historically-inspired corsets, including this traditional Edwardian (in less-traditional colors!). Bethan is not one to shy away from a challenge when it comes to a unique design; she makes multiple samples and practices to perfection so Bethan’s clients are never guinea pigs – they receive the highest product of her skills.

Riwaa Nerona Art Nouveau historical corset
Riwaa Nerona Art Nouveau historical corset, 9500 CZK

Riwaa Nerona of the Czech Republic offers this beautiful corset called “Art Nouveau”. Made from an 18 panel pattern, this historical recreation demibust has a straight front, large hip gores and creates a dramatic curve in the lumbar area like a true S-curve. This style is 9500 CZK, or about $470 USD.

Prior Attire Edwardian underbust
Prior Attire Edwardian underbust. Photo: Pitcheresque Imagery

Prior Attire in the UK specializes in historical reproduction corsetry and costumes from the Medieval period up to the 20th century, and even does some steampunk and contemporary costumes and gowns. Izabela keeps some Edwardian reproduction corsets in stock, starting at only £160, but can also create one made to measure starting at £200.

Lily Absinthe Gowns & Corsetry S-Bend Edwardian Corset

Lily Absinthe Gowns & Corsetry, is a husband-wife duo (Karin McKechnie-Lid and Adam Lid), who are historical corsetiers and costumiers with over 30 years of experience (as well as being collectors of original House of Worth gowns! *drool*). Specializing in ensembles from the 19th and early 20th centuries, their commissions range from bridal to theatre/production, to historical re-enactment, to period-specific fantasy ensembles of your imagination. Here is a lovely S-bend demibust made from silk brocade and genuine antique lace to serve as a base for a full Edwardian ensemble.

Laura Nicolin S Bend Edwardian Corset, $660

Laura Nicolin is an autodidactic seamstress based in Italy, with a focus on corsetry (both historical and contemporary), costumes and cosplay. She also offers digital PDF patterns of some of her designs in her Etsy store! Her corsets come in standard sizes or made to measure, with your choice of fabric, metal or synthetic whalebone, closed front or with a busk.

~Patterns/Tutorials~

Katherine Sewing S-Bend Edwardian Demibust Corset

Katherine Sewing is a fellow Canadian Youtuber / blogger who has dedicated her time to recreating historical clothing and underpinnings – and even documented wearing a historical maternity corset throughout her own pregnancy! Shown here is a hand-made S-bend corset in a delicate blue – see how she made it here.

 

Aranea Black Corsets Tulip 1906 S-Bend Edwardian Midbust Pattern

Aranea Black‘s patterns and sewing tutorials have been featured in plenty of my galleries in the past, and – no surprise to anyone – Katarina has also covered S-bend Edwardian corsets! Here is a gorgeous dark take on the historical 1906 pattern, named the Tulip pattern on her site. Her patterns are completely free, and her site is a treasure trove for aspiring corset makers.

 

Atelier Sylphe Corsets Ref W S Bend Edwardian Corset Pattern, € 21.60

Joelle of Atelier Sylphe is featured here in the Patterns section and also in the Honorable Mentions, because she used to take commissions but has since changed her business model to selling only digitized antique patterns and the occasional corset sample. She carefully pulls patterns from her antique collection, tests and trues the seams, finesses them to perfection and releases them on Etsy – and the best part is that she welcomes any and all corsetieres to use her patterns for commercial purposes! Joelle is a gem to the corset world, and her patterns are to be credited for the success of many of the corsetieres now featured in my historical reproduction corset galleries.

 

Corsets by Caroline S-Bend Edwardian Demibust Corset Pattern, $14.36 USD

Corsets by Caroline has positioned herself uniquely (and indispensibly) in the corset world – while she used to take custom commissions years ago, she has combined her passion for both corsetry and computer design by releasing books and tutorials on CAD for pattern-making (which has revolutionized the way I work, and I’ll be forever grateful). For the past 5 years she’s been creating, testing, and releasing fully graded contemporary and modernized historical corset patterns on Patreon – an average of 1 per month for the past half a decade, and patrons only pay on average $5/month! The value has been, well, invaluable to me, but for those who prefer to purchase her patterns as one-offs or bundles, she also has these available in her Etsy shop.

 

Lady Rebecca Fashions S-Bend Edwardian Corset

Lady Rebecca Fashions is a historical costumier and vlogger  based in Washington, USA. While she doesn’t take commissions for her corsets, she does document the making of many of her historical ensembles, including a historically-correct Edwardian outfit (the base of this is the 1903 straight-fronted Edwardian corset, the TVE01 pattern from Truly Victorian). You can see all Edwardian patterns by Truly Victorian on this page if you want to build an ensemble that drapes perfectly over your proud-standing Gibson-girl figure.

~Honorable Mentions~

Atelier Sylphe Corsets Edwardian reproduction

Atelier Sylphe Corsets is a name that every corset enthusiast should know. The owner, Joelle, is an antique corset collector in Lyon France, and she carefully studies and traces the pattern of each piece in her collection. Her patterns are tested by creating stunning replicas (like the one above), and she sells both the antique patterns (if you’d like to make your own corset) and often her sample/ replica corsets on Etsy. Atelier Sylphe no longer takes custom commissions, but occasionally creates and sells samples of the patterns she reproduces.

S-Curve underbust made by Jill Hoverman of Romantasy

Jill Hoverman, the youngest member of Romantasy’s corsetiere team, adapted a traditional S-curve into an underbust that would still give enough of an Edwardian line to be suitable for re-enactors of the time. You can see how the corset extends low at the sides and back, and the diagonal seams support a lower tummy. In July 2020, Romantasy peacefully concluded, and its owner Ann Grogan is currently enjoying retirement.

Crafty Mamma Monkey S-Bend Edwardian Corset

Perhaps one of the most visually striking and unique S-bend corsets in this gallery is the monochrome blue themed S-bend corset by Crafty Mamma Monkey. Covered in two different types of 3D lace, with a floating fashion layer (no visible boning channels), blue flossed eyelets and blue ribbon, and a truly breathtaking lumbar curve if you look at the other angles, this is truly a showpiece. While Crafty Momma Monkey doesn’t appear to take commissions, I would be remiss not to feature her work if only for the artistic appreciation.

C&S Constructions historial recreation of an S-bend demibust corset. Model: Karen

C&S Constructions also used to make S-bend corsets in the past. Although it’s not what the business is usually known for, Stuart has certainly accommodated special requests for many types of historical corsetry. After the passing of Constance (the ‘C’ in C&S) her husband Stuart continued the corset business for several more years, and more recently has seemed to retire the company.

1907 reproduction corset made by Lovesick Corrective Apparel

Lovesick Corrective Apparel, a Toronto-based company, also used to take commissions for historical reproduction corsets, like the 1907 S-bend corset seen above. They can be made to your measurements, keeping faithful to the pattern and posture while recreating them in any fashion fabric you desire (although Lovesick had a penchant for using patent leather). Lovesick has recently ceased activity.

*Please note that I have not personally tried every corset brand in this list, nor do I necessarily endorse every company on this list. This is for informational purposes only. Please contact the individual corset makers for more information about their S-bend corsets. Etsy affiliate links help keep these galleries online and free to use.

22 thoughts on “S-Bend Edwardian Corsets

  1. I was wondering if you ever made a health corset? like this one https://www.sewhistorically.com/edwardian-health-corset-good-sense-corset-waist/

    and how do you do fittings?

    1. Hi Shannon, I’ve made Edwardian fusion / inspired modern corsets before, but none that are strictly historical reproduction, and no health corsets that contain buttons instead of a busk. I stopped taking custom commissions around 2015 after sustaining chronic injuries from a car accident. However I’d recommend reaching out to any of the custom makers in this gallery (click through the pictures to be redirected to each maker’s website where you can learn more or contact them with questions). Long distance mockup fittings are typically done over Zoom or some other kind of video chat, and sometimes the maker will ask you to mark points on the corset with pencil or marker, or pin areas that might be too big, and ship back the mockup before they make the final piece for you.

  2. dear sir or madam,
    I am studying A-level fashion and textiles at Tarporley high school and sixth form college. For my coursework I am going to be making an Edwardian corset which is worth 60% of my final grade. I was wondering if it would be possible for you to help me by sending any samples or pattern pieces that would fit a size 14 person. This will help by contributing to my grades. I am keeping my fingers crossed that you can help. Thank you.
    Kind regards Abigail.

    1. Hi Abigail, my apologies I don’t have any patterns myself – however if you contact Atelier Sylphe or Aranea Black, either of them may be able to source some antique patterns for you.

  3. Hello! I recently messaged Joelle of AtelierSylphe, and she says she is no longer making commissions or made-to-order. <3 She will only occasionally have ready pieces in her shop

    1. Hi Kimberley, thank you for the update. We are slowly going through the galleries, one by one, and updating each of them in turn. I’ve moved Atelier Sylphe to the honorable mentions and added the note that they are no longer taking custom commissions, and in the coming weeks/months we’ll get to updating the entire gallery with more resources (as well as clarifying which ones have retired).

  4. Just out of curiosity, have you ever made an Edwardian corset? How much harder was it to do than making a more traditional Victorian style?

    1. Hi Stacy, I have made a couple in the past – the construction can be a little more tricky as the panels of Edwardian corsets tend to be more sweeping and curved (not to mention some pieces are designed to be cut on the bias!) compared to many Victorian corsets with relatively straightforward, vertical panels. But it’s not really that much harder. You might want to use slightly different hardware as well – for instance, many Victorian corsets liked having a little “pooch” in the front and so you might use a more flexible busk whereas an Edwardian corset may have a more rigid busk. I have also worn Edwardian corsets with more flexible bones in the back to help accentuate the S-curve, so for that reason you might want to use bones that are not fusion-coated and very rigid. You might want to shop around and get samples of steel bones before you buy enough to make your corset.

  5. Hi, I have scoliosis and have a “s” shaped spine as well as a large bum. I have tried countless waist trainers, corsets, Kimono tank, Spanx, girdles, and combinations of them. What usually happens is it pushes the fat other places and doesn’t help, or it will bunch in the back in the middle of my spine and pinch me or stick into my side on one side no matter what I’ve done, or what size I’ve tried, or material etc.. I was wondering if this could be something that would actually work? I’ve been working out over a year now just haven’t been able to minimize my abdominal fat and I’d like something that actually worked.

    1. Hi Sylvia, it sounds like the best situation for you would be to try a custom fit corset with a specially skilled corsetiere who has experience in making asymmetric pieces. They will not only fit you more comfortably, but can also minimize the appearance of your natural asymmetries and may even help stabilize your spine or help with back pain. Have you looked at the gallery of asymmetric corsets?

  6. Lucy I love you and what you do for all ladies and gents that have found you. I found you about 10 years ago on youtube while I was still in corsetiere training. So just wanted to say what an inspiration you arebddd

    1. Thank you Donna! :)

  7. Hey Lucy!
    Is it ok to use a s-bend corset as a waist training corset?
    I’m a skinny girl but I have rather big bum and that’s why I have a big curve in my lower back. I own many corsets but none of them has enough curve in the lower back so the corsets kind of change my posture and make my bum really flat. That’s why I sometimes have pain in the hip area when I’m wearing a corset.
    Is it really true that s-bend corsets cause back problems and wrong kind of posture?

    1. Hi Ansa, before you invest in an S-bend corset (which is a specialty item and not cheap!) what I might recommend you try first is to bend the back steels to suit your lumbar spine. I have a tutorial on Youtube on how to do this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9ZAT-IzOPg

  8. hello Lucy!

    What can i do to achieve this S bend instead of the other curves?
    Is there any specific way of lacing it or there is really a corset made to make you shape like this? i purchased a Cs 201 from Orchard , will it be ok for me to achieve this S bend? thank you!

    1. Hello Yumi, the shape is specifically made by the pattern of the corset (the way the panels are shaped and sewn together) and by the use of a very sturdy, flat busk and bones in front. One cannot achieve the S-bend look simply by lacing a modern corset in a special way. I also have an article on lacing gaps to help you understand more about the way corsets are laced, if it interests you.

  9. I’d like to add Jill Hoverman at Romantasy to this list…she makes amazing underbust s-curve Edwardian corsets. I am seasoning mine right now, and quite impressed.
    http://romantasyweb.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=R&Product_Code=Underbust+%22The+S+Curve%22+Edwardian+Corset&Category_Code=Jill+Hoverman

    1. Thanks Amy, Jill’s corset is now added! :)

    2. I am looking for an S-curve corset pattern approximating either of these (but I am especially interested in emulating the amazingly beautiful lines of the Mae corset (from Period Corsets).

      Here are links to the two I love (but cannot afford except as a DIY project). I’m hoping you can provide Guidance as to where I could find a workable Pattern for something similar to either of these?

      Thanks in Advance for your Time!
      Sincerely,
      Alyce J

      Mae – 1905 (preferred style):
      https://www.periodcorsets.com/corsets/1905-mae-corset

      Theodora 1890 (less desired, but still interested in obtaining a pattern:
      https://www.periodcorsets.com/corsets/1890-theodora-corset

      1. Hi Alyson, sorry for my late response. This week I was finally able to sit down and update this gallery for the first time in around 7-8 years. I was not able to find an exact pattern like the Mae, but I did add a section in this gallery dedicated to S-bend patterns and tutorials. The only free pattern here is by Aranea Black. The other patterns (like the Truly Victorian TVE01, Corsets by Caroline, and Atelier Sylphe’s RefW) are all around $20 or less – if you’d prefer a shorter and rounder bottom contour at the hip, you’d just need to cut off part of the length on the patterns. :)

  10. I’m interested in corset made can you book me an apoinntment please antonia

    1. Hi Antonia, thanks for your comment. I’m not personally taking commissions at this time, but I know hundreds of other corsetieres willing to help you – have you checked the Corsetiere Map to see if any corset makers live close to you and would be willing to book an appointment?

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