Following on from my recent piece on working a corset without cracking your ribs, some of my minions in Gothesville have asked for a little further information on picking the right type of corset for them, and the main differences between the various different types.

Work it, gurl…

There are pretty much hundreds of different shapes and styles of corsets, before you even start getting into the realms of what the bones are made of and how the hooks, eyes and eyelets work, but there are nevertheless just a few core styles of corsets, and that’s what I’ll be looking at in this piece.

If you want more in-depth info from another Goth gal and respected blogger, check out Stripy Tights and Dark Delight’s additional tips.

Underbust or overbust

Your basic corset falls into two families: Overbust or underbust. In case these terms aren’t self-explanatory, overbust corsets cover your norks and generally, help to push your boobies up and outwards, while underbust corsets stop where the lower band of your bra would go, and let the laydees swing free.

This is an overbust corset.

You can of course then wear a bra or other form of supportive top with the underbust variety, should you so choose; especially if, like me, you don’t want to risk a black eye every time your pace rises above a stroll. Fuller Figure, Fuller Bust’s blog also has a handy guide to some of the best corsets for curvy and busty girls.

If you are well endowed in the boobs department, an overbust corset that fits well will generally be much more supportive, while if you wish to wear a shirt or top under your corset, an underbust may be the way to go, worn over your top.

This is an underbust corset.

Long line or short line

Corset lengths are also a whole game of their own, and long line corsets offer more coverage, coming down to the tops of your hips.

A long line corset.

Short line corsets only cover the waist area, and offer more freedom of movement from the waist down.

A short line corset.

Long line corsets can make going to the toilet when wearing one a whole game of its own, but they do also help to bring shape to the stomach region if, like me, you’re all about the muffin top. Short line corsets cinch the waist only, and are better designed for more slender ladies whose hips and stomach are svelte and go in and out at all the right places all on their own.

Lacing options

Something that corseting noobs often misjudge is how to properly lace their corset, and indeed, most mail order and lower cost offerings will come with just one ribbon for lacing, which is often not even long enough to go from top to bottom when first laced up.

However, the correct way to lace a corset is to lace to the centre, possibly using two ribbons and going from the bottom to the centre, and the top to the centre respectively. This allows you to cinch the waist itself-ie, the area that is supposed to be cinched- rather than just squeezing your whole torso like some kind of lace-clad sausage.

Correctly laced.

When buying your own ribbons, never underestimate how long they should be; you can always cut them down to make them shorter, but knotting two together if they are a bit short looks a bit chav!

Dawn’s Dress Diary also covers lacing in more detail, as well as what types of laces to use, here.

Lady Gothique

The gal who runs www.gothicangelclothing.co.uk.