How to Wear Corsets Without Looking Trashy

Valerie Steele once wrote that the corset is “possibly the most controversial garment in the history of fashion.” In fact, the fashion historian and director of the Museum at FIT devoted an entire book to the subject titled The Corset: A Cultural History. So it’s no surprise that Miuccia Prada and Kim Kardashian alike have picked up on the fashion item in recent months and turned it into something we’re beginning to see everywhere, from the runways to the streets and even the gym. The main difference, however, is that women are now wearing the corset as a way to flaunt their curves rather than restrain them.

The history of the highly debated garment is loaded. Once used a medical device to correct the spine over 400 years ago, the corset was originally made of metal. Later on, the item—constructed of whalebone or wood—became an essential part of any respectable woman’s wardrobe. “It was a normal part of clothing, like wearing a bra or panties would be now,” Steele tells Allure. The ones we’re seeing on the runways today are quite the opposite. Think soft, flexible fabrics that support, rather than modify the body and crush organs.

Madonna wearing a corset by Jean Paul Gaultier.

The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

The corset loosened up a bit in the 1970s—designers Vivienne Westwood and Jean Paul Gaultier tackled the garment in their own ways with a dose of punk, while Madonna wore her fair share of cone bra corsets by Gaultier during the '90s.

Today, the corset certainly has its place as a decorative fashion detail, too. New York-based designer Zana Bayne, who specializes in leather accessories—particularly large belts that resemble corsets—says that her design process revolves around wearability rather than modifying a woman’s natural body shape. “Whenever we’re working with corset-like pieces, we make sure it has the structure and the look, but it's wearable and non-restrictive,” she says. Beyoncé recently wore Bayne's leather harnesses and bra in her music video Lemonade.

Prada fall 2016 collection

Getty Images

Similarly, Prada’s fall 2016 show had many models walking down the runway in corsets that laced in the front. The pieces were made of cotton, denim, and even knits. At Margiela’s fall 2016 show, the massive buckled belts worn over sleeveless blazers mimicked the effect of corsets.

---

The history of the bra:

---

At fashion month this season, the corsets have also been plentiful on the street style set—fashion editor Sarah Harris was seen taking the aforementioned Prada version for a spin at New York fashion week. If you want to try the look yourself, New York-based stylist Stacey Mayesh suggests keeping it simple with “a clean lined, unembellished silk slip dress to keep it looking modern." "I’d accessorize with a single shoulder-dusting long skinny earring to add some asymmetry and some extra edge," she says. Likewise, celebrity stylist Gregory Wein adds, “To bring the corset trend from day to night in just one look, add a suit blazer over your shoulders and turn your skirt around, so the slit appears in front.”

The great thing about the look is that it can elevate almost anything you pair it with. Plus, it totally defies the male gaze by allowing you to flaunt what you want when you want—no discomfort required. In the words of Steele, “It’s kind of remarkable that a garment that could be so criticized and so hated, to then be re-appropriated as a sign of female sexual agency and power.”

RELATED