Enchanted Boudoir Blog

Who would have thought back in the 16th century when corsets were first invented that they would become a huge part of mainstream fashion one day and cause spin offs like the corset top! Some of those ladies would be rolling in their graves to realize that things like the bustier and the lace corset were being worn out in public— not under the blouse top, but rather instead of!

If you consider what the corset was made to do for our figures, it’s really not all that surprising that someone would find a way to incorporate the corset into clothing. Boned corsets make our waists smaller, lift our busts and smooth things out in a way that not even a regular girdle can. Corsets just make us look hot all ‘round so why wouldn’t we want to wear a corset top, corset skirt and other corset-inspired piece of clothing?? And what it has done for womens plus clothing is incredible! Long gone are the days of the shapeless blouse top that was more matronly than sexy! Plus size women are able to wear sexy corset shirts that enhance their curves instead of trying to drown them in fabric.

These days a corset top can be anything from a corset shirt which is a shirt that has corset styling on the bust/bodice, to gothic corsets and bustier corsets worn as they are. The corset boned and otherwise, has also become huge in holiday clothing. It’s not uncommon to attend a party and find someone wearing a corset top with a skirt or even a sexy corset skirt with lacing up the sides or back. And I don’t even need to tell you how popular the corset top has become in wedding dresses!

There are a few things responsible for making corsets such a staple in fashion today. Long before the Moulin Rouge corset look and even Madonna’s MTV performance where she rolled about and gyrated in a white lace bustier a la dirty bride; the gothic corset was being sported over shirts and as shirts by the punk and Goth crowd. You could walk into any club in the 70’s and 80’s and find at least a couple girls decked out in heavy make up, a black corset, hoop petticoat and combat boots or Doc Martins.

Regardless of exactly when the corset became a part of fashion and worn as tops instead of lingerie; it is definitely here to stay! And don’t think that corset tops are strictly club wear either, because as long as you’re using a little common sense, you can easily use a corset top, red corset, pink corset, lace corset—all corsets!—as a part of your business wear. How? Well, you can find a corset-inspired top and pair it with a pencil skirt or slacks. You can also take your favorite corset and wear it under a business suit! If your bustier corset comes up high enough or is made of a non-transparent fabric you can wear the jacket open, otherwise, you can enjoy it under your suit as your own sexy little secret! How’s that for adding a little pleasure to your business!