Corsetry More Than Art and Illusion

Corsetry is not only making the corsets, but the word refers to
the corsets,too. Women love wearing corsets because of the
beautiful feminine shape it gives to their body. They tend to
hug the waist and give more focus on the full breasts. In the
past, corsets were extremely constricting and extremely
uncomfortable. However, corsets have become less restricting and
a popular novelty piece in the bedroom. Corsetry is a wonderful
addition to any women's lingerie wardrobe.

Corsetry has been around for hundreds of years, but it
generally fell out of fashion in the Western world during the
1920s when corsets were replaced by girdles. Since that time,
corsets have been used less as underwear and more as costumes,
lingerie, and even outerwear.

Just as the purpose of corsetry has changed over the years, so
too has the construction. They were originally made from thick
material such as leather that had channels to hold "stays."
Stays were made from rigid material such as whalebone or steel.
Today's corsets are usually not as rigid and may be made from
softer fabrics. Stays are typically made of plastic, although it
is still possible to find some made from steel.

Most corsets wrap around the upper body with either the front
or back left open. The opening is lined with eyelets or grommets
along both sides, and these are used to lace the corset
together. As the lace is tightened, the corset constricts the
body and holds it in place. Throughout history, corsets have
been worn so tight as to cause women to faint or even to develop
permanent deformities. It is thought, however, that some of the
drawbacks to corsetry have been overly dramatized and that
wearing them is not as uncomfortable as has been portrayed in
literature and movies.

The point was simply to modify the body's shape by a small
amount in order to reach an idealized silhouette. There are
still people referred to as "tightlacers" who use corsets to
constrict the size of their natural waists to be less than 20
inches in circumference. These people are quite rare, however,
and most use corsets as sexy underwear for the boudoir. They are
also quite popular in BDSM practices, both for their restriction
and just for aesthetics.

Corsetry comes in a number of styles, but the two main
categories are the overbust and underbust. These names mean just
what they imply. An overbust corset starts just below the
armpits, while an underbust corset begins below the bust line.
Both types are likely to push up the bust to create a fuller
look with more cleavage.

Modern corsetry is much more forgiving than its forerunners,
and it is used everywhere from the bedroom to the dance floor.
Many wedding dress designers have incorporated corsets into
their fashions, and other dress designers have followed suit. It
is not uncommon to see laced-up dresses at the high school prom.
They are also very popular in certain subcultures such as
"Gothic" and for those involved in reenactments and renaissance
fairs.


About The Author: Amanda Cotterill has been involved in the
sexy lingerie market in the UK for many years. This article
outlines the benefits of women choosing the perfect corset of
the type shown on http://www.maryjanelingerie.co.uk/corsets/.
Please include this credit if you use this article.