Corset Glossary: Corsetry Terms Explained
Corsetry has its own vocabulary, and most of it is never explained to the people buying corsets. This glossary defines the terms you will meet on a product page, in a sizing guide or in a fitting — written by a manufacturer that has been drafting and making steel-boned corsets since 2005.
Terms are grouped by construction, materials, fit, silhouette and wear. Where a definition matters for choosing or sizing a corset, we say so.
Construction
Busk
The rigid front closure of a corset: two steel strips, one with loops and one with knobs, that fasten down the centre front. A busk lets you put a corset on and take it off without unlacing it. Standard busks are flat; a spoon busk widens towards the bottom to spread pressure over the abdomen, and is more comfortable for longer wear.
Spiral steel bone
A bone made from coiled steel wire that flexes in every direction while resisting compression. Spiral bones sit at the sides and over curves, allowing the corset to move with the body. They are the reason a real corset can be worn for a full evening.
Flat steel bone
A solid strip of steel that flexes in one plane only. Flat bones go beside the busk and the lacing panel, where rigidity is needed to stop the corset twisting or buckling under lacing tension.
Plastic boning
Polyester or acetate boning used in fashion bodices and costume corsets. It bends permanently under sustained tension and will not hold a waist reduction. A garment boned in plastic is a bodice, not a corset, whatever it is called.
Bone casing
The fabric channel that holds each bone. Casings can be internal, hidden between layers, or external, stitched onto the outer fabric as a visible design feature.
Panel
One shaped piece of the corset. The number of panels determines how much curve the corset can produce: more panels mean more seams, and every seam is an opportunity to shape. A ten-panel corset makes a rounder hip spring than a six-panel one.
Waist tape
A strong ribbon or twill tape stitched around the inside at the waistline. It takes the lacing tension so the fashion fabric does not, and it is the single component that most determines how long a corset lasts. A corset without one will stretch out at the waist.
Flossing
Decorative embroidery stitched at the ends of bone casings. It looks ornamental and is functional: flossing anchors the bone so it cannot migrate within its channel or work through the fabric.
Modesty panel
A strip of fabric behind the lacing that covers the skin exposed by the back gap. Usually attached on one side and free on the other, so it stays flat as the lacing tightens.
Grommet
A two-part metal eyelet set into the lacing panel. Two-part grommets are far stronger than single-piece eyelets, which pull out under corset tension.
Bunny ears
The two long loops of lace that emerge at the waist at the back of the corset, used to pull the lacing in. Named for their appearance, and the reason you can lace yourself into a corset unaided.
Materials
Coutil
A tightly woven herringbone cotton engineered for corsetry. It has almost no stretch in any direction, which is what makes it the standard strength layer in a well-made corset.
Brocade
A woven fabric with the pattern created in the weave rather than printed on. Brocade holds structure well and reads as Victorian or historical, which is why it dominates period and steampunk corsetry.
Duchess satin
A heavy, dense satin with a matte reverse. Substantial enough to be a corset fashion layer, unlike lightweight satins that show every seam and bone beneath.
Taffeta
A crisp plain-woven fabric that holds a sharp line and takes digital print exceptionally well. The usual base for printed corsets.
Mesh
Open-weave nylon or polyester used as the strength layer in summer corsets. A mesh corset with steel bones and a waist tape is fully functional and considerably cooler than a cotton one.
Cotton twill
A diagonal-weave cotton, breathable and hard-wearing. The usual choice for waist-training corsets worn against the body for long periods.
Fit and sizing
Natural waist
The narrowest part of your torso, usually an inch or two above the navel — not where your trousers sit. All corset sizing is based on this measurement. Read our corset sizing guide for how to measure it.
Waist reduction
The difference between your natural waist and the corset's closed waist measurement. A typical corset offers two to four inches. Reduction comes from how the corset is constructed, not from buying a smaller size.
Back gap
The space between the two lacing edges when the corset is worn. A parallel gap of one to two inches is correct and desirable — it is the room you have to lace tighter as the corset moulds to you. A corset laced fully closed on its first wearing has nowhere left to go.
Hip spring
The difference between the corset's waist and hip measurements. A high hip spring suits a curvier figure; a low one suits a straighter torso. Two corsets of the same waist size can fit completely differently because of it.
Torso length
The vertical distance the corset covers. Waspie corsets are short and sit at the waist only. Standard covers the ribs to the upper hip. Longline extends over the hips and needs a longer torso to sit comfortably when seated.
Pattern block
The base pattern a corset is drafted from. Each block has its own waist-to-hip ratio, panel count and rib shaping — which is why two corsets in the same size fit differently. Our blocks include ASTER, ORCHID and IVY, each drafted for a different figure.
Silhouettes and styles
Overbust
A corset that covers and supports the bust. Worn as an outer garment with nothing underneath, it is the most dramatic silhouette and the one that needs the most careful fitting through the bust. Browse overbust corsets.
Underbust
A corset that stops below the bust. Easier to fit because only the waist and hips matter, and it can be layered over a dress or shirt. Browse underbust corsets.
Waspie
A short corset covering the waist only, typically eight to ten inches deep. Comfortable under clothing and when seated, but offers less reduction than a longer corset.
Waist training corset
A corset built for regular extended wear: cotton or coutil, strong waist tape, moderate hip spring, minimal decoration. See our waist training guide.
Corset dress
A dress with a fully boned corset bodice, rather than a dress with light boning at the seams. The structure is the garment. Browse corset dresses.
Stays
The 17th and 18th-century predecessor to the corset. Stays taper the torso into a cone for posture and support; Victorian corsets create an hourglass with a defined waist. They are structurally different garments, as our guide to Rococo fashion explains.
Wearing and care
Seasoning
The process of breaking in a new corset: wearing it loosely laced for two to three hours at a time over roughly a week, tightening gradually as the steel and fabric mould to your body. Skipping it is uncomfortable and can permanently warp the bones.
Corset liner
A thin cotton or bamboo tube worn between skin and corset. It absorbs body oils, extends the corset's life considerably, and stops the busk sitting against skin.
Lacing gap creep
When the back gap becomes wider at the top or bottom than at the waist. It means the corset is the wrong shape for your torso — not that you need to lace harder. A parallel gap is the goal.
Spot-cleaning
The correct way to clean a corset. Water and agitation warp steel and distort panels, so corsets are never machine washed. Spot-clean marks, air the corset flat after wearing, and dry-clean only when necessary.
Common questions
What is the difference between a corset and a bustier?
A corset has steel bones, a rigid busk and a laced back, and it reduces the waist. A bustier is a fitted bodice with light boning that follows your existing shape without altering it.
What is the difference between spiral and flat steel bones?
Spiral bones flex in every direction and go over the curves at the sides. Flat bones flex in one plane only and go beside the busk and lacing panel, where rigidity is needed. A well-made corset uses both.
How many bones should a corset have?
There is no single correct number — what matters is placement. A bone on each side of every seam, plus the busk and lacing panel, is the standard. Count of bones without regard to placement tells you nothing about quality.
What does a waist tape do?
It carries the lacing tension at the waistline so the fashion fabric does not have to. Without one, a corset stretches out at the waist and loses its shape permanently.
Is a corset supposed to close fully at the back?
No. A parallel gap of one to two inches at the back is correct. That gap is your room to lace tighter as the corset seasons and moulds to you.
Where to go next
For measuring and choosing a size, read the corset sizing guide and check the size chart. For construction in depth, read the ultimate guide to steel-boned corsets. For starting a waist-training routine safely, see the waist training guide.
Every corset we make is drafted and constructed in our own atelier in Gurugram, India, where we have been making steel-boned corsetry since 2005.
