An intro­duction to corsets

The word corset usually brings about visions of del­icate Victorian maidens who faint with great decorum at the drop of a hat, and their tough-yet-well-meaning maids ready to tighten their laces as necessary. Lucky for you, wearing a corset doesn’t mean you need to stock up on those smelling salts.

A corset is a shaping garment, it should show off your curves, smooth out the little bumps and lumps we all have, and encourage good posture. Morúa’s philo­sophy is that a corset should be a sup­portive, enhancing garment, not an uncom­fortable piece of armor.

I like to compare a corset to a mat­tress. It is all about per­sonal pref­erence. Some people like soft, feathery mat­tress, others prefer hard, less yielding ones. The same is true of corset wearers. Some people want gentle support, with little or no waist reduction. Others really enjoy the tight-lacing aspect of cor­setry and through gradual training and strong corsets achieve very dra­matic cor­seted waists. Most prefer some­thing in the middle.

Why made to measure?

Fit and comfort are the most important things in a corset. You should feel tall and fem­inine rather than fragile and uncom­fortable while wearing a corset. A corset will feel sup­portive and maybe restrictive com­pared to modern clothes but it should never be uncom­fortable or painful. If it is, chances are that it is not properly fitted or that it is does not offer the correct type of support for you.

Because a corset sits so close to your body and has the the potential to shape it should match your meas­ure­ments exactly. If the bust is too small or the waist too long then a close fit, rubbing and restriction will feel awkward and pos­sibly even painful. This is why I draft a per­sonal pattern for each indi­vidual client.

A per­fectly fitted corset will mold your natural shape, cinch your waist, smooth your curves and make you feel good.

Why steel boning?

Steel boning is ideal for corsets because it is strong, durable, and flexible.

There are two types of steel boning com­monly used in cor­setry. The first is a stiff coated spring steel strip and the other is a coiled spiral wire that has a lot of flex­ib­ility. Each type has its applic­a­tions and devotees.

Plastic boning is often used in strapless gar­ments and corset inspired tops. It is not strong enough to hold the fabric taught, and is sus­ceptible to bending, breaking and poking. Add to that the fact that plastic deteri­orates and breaks down over time and it is just not a suitable building block for a quality garment.

What’s the best shape for my first corset?

An hour­glass corset that con­forms to the form of the ribs and cinches your waist mostly from the sides.

What kind of fabrics are available?

Morúa uses a strong tightly woven twill cotton called coutil as the strenght layer for all corsets. A single layer of coutil makes a won­derful light­weight and thin corset that can be worn easily as an under­garment. This is how many antique corsets were made.

For the outer fashion layer I use good quality woven fabrics.

Silk or syn­thetic Taffeta: Silk is a fiber while taffeta is a weave of dif­ferent fibres. So taffeta can be made from either silk or syn­thetic fibres. Taffeta is a crisp smooth but del­icate fabric that comes in a wide range of rich colors. It is perfect for wedding and special occasion corsets.

Silk Dupioni: Silk dupioni is a beau­tiful woven fabric made from silk fibers. It has natural ridges and bumps that give it its char­ac­ter­istic texture. It is espe­cially stunning with two dif­ferent colors of thread. There are dozens of colors available in this fabric.

Matt Satin: This is a heavy lush fabric. Made from syn­thetic fibers it can be durable and easy to clean but has great lustre and feel lux­urious. Made from silk it has a rich depth of color and feels heavenly.

Cotton Sateen: This is a matte but very smooth and soft cotton. Really won­derful and prac­tical for a fre­quently used corset.

I can also source a wide range of prints, bro­cades and other inter­esting fabrics including PVC and ethical leather. If you would like to provide your own fabric, please let me know and I will see if what you have is suitable for a corset.