A Good Corset is More than a Good Fit

Corsets are more than their quality of fit and construction. Their usual purpose is to reduce the waist of the wearer, creating a more defined silhouette. If the purpose is to change the perceived shape of the body, this needn't stop at sculpting and cinching. Since corsets are mainly worn with this in mind, it’s useful to both corsetieres and wearers to understand what design elements will change the appearance of the corseted figure. I’ll be talking about the decorative details rather than the construction.
    
I started researching this area of corset design because I have a corset that I hate wearing. There is nothing wrong with it - it is beautifully constructed - yet I feel uncomfortable about my body when I wear it. This made me realise that a great corset is not just about the fit and quality of construction. For me, a great corset is one that makes me feel comfortable and confident about my body. It is the design of the corset (and what I wear it with) that makes this difference, so I've been researching design elements that will change the perception of the figure.

I'll be talking a lot about 'flattering the figure'. I've noticed that a lot of people use this to mean 'make the figure look more hourglass'. Personally I think that this is a bit of an insulting presumption. I dislike being told what body shapes are more attractive and I hate being told that I should wear clothes with particular traits in order to make my body look more like some ideal. Coming from a corset-wearer, I know that might sound strange, but wanting my body to look a certain way has nothing to do with how I think other peoples' bodies should look. (Rant over.) So I just wanted to say that when I say 'flattering design', I mean 'a design that minimises areas that the wearer wants minimising, and emphasises areas that the wearer wants emphasising'.

I hope that my findings will be useful to you. If you have any personal insight into this (or any other part of the article) please feel free to comment at the bottom of the article. It would be great to hear other opinions on the topic.

 

An Introduction

This is an outline of me wearing a corset. I got the idea from Laura Loft's article 'Fitting: The Secret Skill'. I asked a friend to photograph me wearing a corset (a slight adaptation from Laura's homework) and not much else. I would recommend this to anyone who is designing a corset for themselves and would like to doodle on their own silhouette, (or someone else's, if you're designing it for them). To do this, I opened the photograph on paint.NET and traced around my outline.

I am not particularly happy with my body. I usually wear baggy clothes (two sizes too big, a lot of the time) in my day-to-day life and find it a bit of a shock wearing something that leaves nothing much to the imagination. I would like a bigger bust, less angular shoulders, and a shorter torso, so when I'm wearing a corset I feel quite exposed because I can't hide the shape of my body anymore. So the perfect corset for me would be one that makes me feel less self-conscious about these areas.

 

The Top and Bottom Edge

There are some design elements of a corset that you have to make a decision about, even when you are making the simplest of corsets. Your decision here could count towards or against a flattering result. The most basic choice you have to make is about the positioning and shape of the top and bottom edges. So let’s start with the top edge.

The Top Edge

The position and shape of the top edge of the corset not only affects the appearance of the bust, but also the width of the shoulders and the proportion of the body. It is important to keep in mind that this effect may be increased or decreased depending on what outfit is being worn with the corset. (For instance, the shape and colour of the outfit will make a difference.)

The Shape of the Top Edge

Width:
Some women are concerned about balancing out the top and bottom halves of their bodies. You hear the terms 'pear' or 'ice-cream cone' used to describe body types. If you have one of these body types and want your figure to seem more hourglass, it could be useful to experiment with straight and curved lines. This is because straight horizontal lines can make you appear wider wherever they are placed, and the curvier these lines are, the less impact on width perception they will have. (I’ll talk about this more in the section about corset length.)

Height:
An important optical illusion to understand is that single horizontal lines can make you appear wider and shorter. This is bad news for corset wearers who want to appear taller or thinner. They may want to consider wearing a long dress of the same colour underneath the corset in order to better hide the horizontal lines that the top and bottom edges create across the body. This is effective because the longer the eye moves along a line uninterrupted, the longer that line will seem.

I personally think that a curvier neckline makes you appear taller. (Get a card to focus on them one at a time - I did this going between the straight neck and plunge neck examples. The figure with the plunge neckline definitely looked taller, and more slender.)

Shoulders:
The plunge neckline makes the shoulders look narrower and curvier, whereas the straight neckline makes them look squarer and broader. In my opinion, this is a rule of thumb: the straighter the neckline, the wider and more angular the shoulders look.

Bust Line:
This is a difficult one to experiment with in 2D. Although the curviest looking figure is the one with the plunge neckline, these necklines make small busts look smaller in 3D. It is generally accepted that straighter necklines are better for those with a smaller bust, and plunge better for a larger bust. Although for people with small breasts who want them to appear bigger, the sweetheart neckline is said to be the most effective. For someone who is unhappy about having asymmetrical breasts, I've heard that straight necklines help to hide the asymmetry, but sweetheart necklines will accentuate it. Personally, I think that straight necklines on large breasts give a somewhat 'mono boob' effect, but see what you think.

These are just some basic necklines. If you experiment further with the shape you'll find different results. This would be especially useful if the above necklines all give a result that you don't want. For instance, if you want your shoulders to look less narrow or rounded, and want larger breasts to seem shapelier.

Here’s an experiment of mine to see what sharp points do to the perception of the figure.

I then wanted to see what these shapes would look like on a different figure. (Thanks are due to my friend who agreed to be a silhouette for this article.) As you can see, on a figure that has more rounded shoulders, and a curvier silhouette, the pointed edges of the design look a lot less harsh.

I then decided to try swapping designs on our figures. It’s interesting to see how the perceptions of the bodies change when the corset designs are swapped.

In my playing-around-with-Paint I have come to the tentative conclusion that the curvier your figure, the more you can get away with and will benefit from having curves in the design. Straighter lines can make curvier figures look heavy, whereas curvier lines can make willowy figures look angular.

 

The Height of the Top Edge

As far as the placement goes, the generally accepted guideline is that:

• Underbusts are better for small busts and/or longer torsos (if the horizontal line makes the torso look shorter),
• Overbusts are better for larger busts and/or shorter torsos.

There isn't a lot of room to play around with at the neckline, but experimenting with this will still change the perceived proportion of the body. It's harder to show this in 2D, though, so I would recommend experimenting with toiles in order to come to your own conclusions.

 

The Bottom Edge

Length

Showing how corset length alters the proportion of the body is a lot easier when talking about the bottom edge of the corset.

In this drawing, the shoulders look narrower as the corset is lengthened, and the figure looks taller and leaner. (Again, it is important to remember that this wouldn't happen if the person was wearing the same colour trousers/skirt as the corset, because the horizontal line at the hips would be less visible.) The torso also looks longer as the corset is lengthened. Some people might want to have a longer-line corset anyway, in order to smooth out a rounded belly (it has to go somewhere - if the corset is short then you will end up with it spilling out of the bottom edge), but you have to stop lengthening at some point or it will be uncomfortable (or impossible!) to sit down in it.

It may be that you want the width of your hips and bust to look the same, in which case experiment with matching the edges. The hips and bust will look more hourglass if the side of the top edge is parallel to the side of the bottom edge. In the drawing below, the figure on the left doesn’t have the same width at the top and bottom of the corset, whereas the figure in the middle does.

If you want the torso to look longer (but feel that lengthening the corset will shorten your legs too much), bring up the corners of the bottom edge, as it will make the central line appear longer. (See the figure on the right in the drawing above.) Although if this line ends up going above your hipline, try to wear a darker colour skirt/trousers than the corset, as a brighter colour may make your hips look wider and spoil the effect.

In addition, curved lines are usually perceived as being more feminine. Experimenting with asymmetry and zig-zag-like effects (such as stays) are on my to-do list.

 

The busk

Prominent busks make the torso look longer and thinner. It has been shown that a vertical line will usually be interpreted as being longer when it is attached to a horizontal one. This is usually called the bisection illusion. When a vertical line bisects a horizontal line, we can overestimate the length of the vertical line by up to 20%. This is good news for people looking to make their torso appear longer or thinner. The more they make the line of the busk stand out, the more of an effect it will have.

Lacing

It seems to be that the wider the lacing gap, the wider the figure looks. (I won't talk about what the V or >< lacing shape looks like because it’s a sign of a badly fitting corset, but those shapes would also have a subtly different effect on the perceived shape of the wearer. In fact I think that the V shape at the back is very flattering.) To lessen the effect of a lacing gap, it would help to have the modesty panel and lacing the same colour as the corset.

Shoulder straps/short sleeves

Why straps at all? Well I know that corsets usually don't have straps, but in my rummaging I've found a lot to indicate that strapless tops accentuate top-heaviness, and can make thinner people look a bit underfed.

 

Off the shoulder straps

Off the shoulder straps will make your top half look wider because horizontal lines emphasise width. They are usually suggested to people who have pear-shaped bodies and want a more hour-glass figure. As you can see, shoulder straps look a lot better balanced on my friends' figure than on mine, as I have wider shoulders. These types of straps can sometimes be good for adding perceived width and volume to the bust line if a ruffled edge is attached downwards from the binding, all the way across.

 

Halter top

Halter tops are a bit controversial. Some say they are universally flattering. Some say that they minimise shoulders, others say they emphasise them. A lot of people think that they help to balance out those who feel top-heavy, others say that if you are worried about being top-heavy, avoid them like the plague! You be the judge. Personally I think that they make my shoulders look wider and my breasts look bigger, so I have a love-hate relationship with them.

 

Vertical Straps

It seems to be universally agreed that wide straps make shoulders look narrower. I also think that straps make them look more rounded too.

But straps don't have to be just up-and-down. When I was looking for a design that would make my shoulders look less angular, but my bust line appear bigger, I played with the following strap options. It's amazing how much the shape of straps can change the look of the body.

Remember that you can combine different strap/sleeve shapes and necklines to get different results. Below is an example of different straps.

 

Colour

Light vs. Dark

The little black dress is black for a reason. It's another optical illusion - a white circle on a black background looks bigger than a black circle on a white background. It is not the colour as such that matters, it is the lightness/darkness of the colour in relation to the colours around it, but since black is as dark as it gets, it's a pretty safe bet. We can use light and dark colours to emphasise and bring attention to different areas of the body.

The combination of light and dark in fashion has been used to create very defined silhouettes. This type of design has been most famously used by Stella McCartney, but a quick google search for "optical illusion dresses" will show that it has recently been adopted by many high-street retailers. Although personally I'm unsure as to how effective this is in changing perceptions of a figure, as the design is by no means subtle, and does not work when viewed from the side. Perhaps a subtler version would be more effective.

 

Emphasis and size

Not only does colour contrast change the perception of size, but it can also help draw the eye to, or away from, various areas of the body. Darker or more saturated colours tend to get more attention. Notice how the eye is drawn to the separate areas of the figures in the drawing. The light/dark combinations also change the perception of the proportions of the body. When the colour is lighter on the bottom part of the corset, that area of the body looks larger, and the area above looks smaller, and vice versa. You can use this effect to create a different balance of the body, or to draw attention away from areas that the wearer is not comfortable with, or towards areas that they want to highlight.

This can be kept in mind not only when choosing what colour of fashion material to use, but when thinking of other details, (lace, etc.) because having dark embroidery on a light base will have a different effect from having light embroidery on a dark base.

 

However, the use of colour isn't always as simple as light vs. dark. The eye is usually drawn towards the heavier colour. This can mean the darkest colour, but it can also mean the most saturated. What is more, certain hues draw more attention than others. Red and blue are considered to be the heaviest of the hues.

 

Patterns

Colour doesn't need to be applied in block for it to have an effect. You can experiment with overlaying pieces of lace, changing the position and colour contrast so see what effect it gives.

 

Large vs. Small Patterns

Some patterns make the area they are in look bigger. The effect changes depending on how full contrasting/bold the pattern is, and whether it has a clear direction. (Going horizontally / diagonally / in spirals, etc.) In general, larger patterns make the area they are in look larger.

It is worth experimenting with plain/patterned fabric, and larger/smaller patterns of the same design. You can get some interesting results.

Some patterns change their visual effects depending on where they are placed on the body. Lynsey Calder did a study on the use of the Hering and Wundt illusions in changing the perception of the female figure. [ii]

The Hering Illusion

These illusions consist of two straight parallel horizontal lines that seem to bend because of the diagonal lines crossing them (above). In the Hering illusion, where the diagonal lines radiate from the centre of the diagram, they seem to bend outwards. However, it looks as if the parallel lines are bending inwards when the diagonal lines radiate from two centres - one above, and one below the parallel lines. Calder came to the conclusion that the Hering Illusion can make clothes appear smaller, but the placement of the pattern (the point from which the diagonal lines radiate) was important. Calder found that placing the centre of the pattern near the top of the dress made the dress look smaller. [ii, p166] She concluded that "body conscious consumers and designers that are inclined to dress or design to flatter/disguise or divert or draw attention to specific areas of the female form can use this evidence to design or dress to accentuate or disguise areas that they wish to show off or hide." [ii, p167]

The effects of consistently horizontal or vertical stripes are now controversial.

Although in 2D, a pattern of horizontal stripes makes an object appear wider, and vertical stripes make it thinner, there has been some research to suggest that when the same patterns are on clothing it has the opposite effect. In Peter Thompson's study he showed that wearing vertical stripes can make you look 6% wider than if you wear horizontal stripes. In the brilliantly titled "Does my butt look big in this? Horizontal stripes, perceived body size and the Oppel-Kundt illusion", Thompson concluded that the effects of vertical and horizontal lines are reversed when in 3D.  

However, this was only shown to be the case with clothes covered in either horizontal or parallel lines, as depicted above. So, although it may have no bearing on single horizontal/vertical lines, it may make some corsetieres think again when positioning their pinstripe fabric!

 

Boning channels

Visible external boning channels can really make a difference to how much a corset flatters the figure. Vertical and diagonal lines can have a lengthening and slimming effect (if there aren’t too many of them). Curved lines are seen as particularly feminine, and help to define areas of the body. However it may be easier to experiment with fake external boning channels, because trying to create boning channels that incorporate flattering visual lines and good fit sounds like a tricky task! Besides, you may not be able to get the curve that you want with a real boning channel.

When experimenting with boning channels in this way, it might be helpful to think about the contrast of colour between the channels and the fashion fabric, and the sections and shapes of the fashion fabric that you create when laying boning channels over the fashion fabric. For instance, ask yourself where the largest area is, and what shape effect it’s having.

 

Ribbon, Waist Tape and Straps

I've seen fake straps used to good effect in corset design; the most memorable being a corset that had four straps asymmetrically crossing the corset in diagonals. I've also seen ribbons and external waist tape used with interesting results. One design featured diagonal ribbon on the side panels pointing towards the stomach. Although the effect was of a slight shortening and widening, it drew focus towards the waist and stomach.

 

Other Details

Detailing (embroidery, lace overlay etc.) will draw the eye towards it. So if you only have detailing in one area, it will highlight that area and draw attention away from plainer areas. The extent of this effect depends on the colour contrast of the detailing and the colour/pattern of the fashion fabric. The more that the detail contrasts with its background, the more it will draw attention. One interesting thing I found was that putting detail on the bust or hips can make the waist look smaller. I would recommend the online article “Working with Visual Weight in Your Designs” for those of you who would like to find out more. It also has a lot of interesting things to say about the use of colour in fashion design.

There are some design features that can add fullness to the figure wherever they are placed. The ones I've come across most often are ruching/ruffles, tassels, and feathers. The Berwick Street Cloth Shop in London sells continuous ribbon with layers of coloured feathers attached. I think that could look brilliant on a corset, especially attached to the hips if the aim is to make them appear wider, or the waist narrower. I've also seen a corset with feathers attached to the bust that really accentuated the curves. Tassels used in this fashion by sewing the ribbon section underneath the binding can also be effective, and another interesting addition that I've seen is the inclusion of mini panniers (side hoops). Pop Antique currently sell a corset called 'The Flirt' that incorporates them. It brings great definition to the waist and hips.

 

Conclusion

My on-going research into changing perceptions through design has made me realise just how complicated it is. Not only does the same corset design look different on different body shapes (even if they have the same hip spring and “squidge” factor), but it looks different depending on what you’re wearing with it. Furthermore, the effects of each element of design change in relation to the other design features. For instance, if you change the length of the corset in order to change the perceived length of the torso, adding something that goes vertically across the corset may negate the effect.

For those of you who make bespoke corsets for others, it would be a very interesting exercise (and possibly good for business) to build up a portfolio of styles and designs that you know change certain aspects of the figure. Although I think it is important to keep in mind that the customer may think very differently about their body shape than you do. For me, having a flattering design would make the difference between a corset I might wear once or twice and feel uncomfortable in, and a corset that I would love so much I'd go out looking for new occasions to wear it.

 

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