After years of being used to fashion industry sizing, a newcomer to corsetry may be surprised to find that good corsets are sized in terms of measurements rather than in dress sizes. This is because corsets are such form fitting garments, and since they are intended to reshape the body, it is essential that you get one which is going to fit your own measurements comfortably.
If you buy a fully custom corset, the garment will be made to your measurements. If you buy off-the-rack, however, you should know how to measure yourself in order compare your own measurements to the measurements of the garment.
The image here, from LucyCorsetry.com, is a good example of the most basic measurements you need, which are A) Underbust circumference, B) natural waist circumference, C) high hip circumference, and vertical line A-C) centre front length.
As a general rule, when you first start corseting look for a corset that has a waist measurement 2-4 inches below your natural waist measurement (for plus sized figures, you may be able to get away with 4-6 or 6-8 inches straight away), AND also has an underbust/rib and hip measurement as close as possible to your own. If you intend to waist train, you may begin to wear progressively smaller corsets when your existing one becomes too easy to close and no longer feels challenging. Eventually, you may find you have to buy custom made corsets exclusively in order to find something curvy enough to comfortably accommodate your ribs and hips.
In addition, if you can find out the centre front length of the corset, compare this to your own centre front measurement. A corset that is too long for you may dig into your thighs when you sit - this is generally only a problem for those with shorter torsos!
If you can you should find out if the corset is meant to be worn fully closed, or with a gap in the back: if it is meant to be worn closed, it is imperative the measurements of the hips are as close to yours as possible to prevent pressure points which can be uncomfortable and even painful.
When I make a completely custom corset, either for myself or for a client, my measuring process is far more involved than this. However these basics can help you to check the fit of off-the-rack corsets.
LucyCorsetry has a couple of excellent articles about this;
If you buy a fully custom corset, the garment will be made to your measurements. If you buy off-the-rack, however, you should know how to measure yourself in order compare your own measurements to the measurements of the garment.
The image here, from LucyCorsetry.com, is a good example of the most basic measurements you need, which are A) Underbust circumference, B) natural waist circumference, C) high hip circumference, and vertical line A-C) centre front length.
As a general rule, when you first start corseting look for a corset that has a waist measurement 2-4 inches below your natural waist measurement (for plus sized figures, you may be able to get away with 4-6 or 6-8 inches straight away), AND also has an underbust/rib and hip measurement as close as possible to your own. If you intend to waist train, you may begin to wear progressively smaller corsets when your existing one becomes too easy to close and no longer feels challenging. Eventually, you may find you have to buy custom made corsets exclusively in order to find something curvy enough to comfortably accommodate your ribs and hips.
In addition, if you can find out the centre front length of the corset, compare this to your own centre front measurement. A corset that is too long for you may dig into your thighs when you sit - this is generally only a problem for those with shorter torsos!
If you can you should find out if the corset is meant to be worn fully closed, or with a gap in the back: if it is meant to be worn closed, it is imperative the measurements of the hips are as close to yours as possible to prevent pressure points which can be uncomfortable and even painful.
When I make a completely custom corset, either for myself or for a client, my measuring process is far more involved than this. However these basics can help you to check the fit of off-the-rack corsets.
LucyCorsetry has a couple of excellent articles about this;
Corsetry Sizing Measuring Guide
This page is intended as a handy guide for the full list of basic measurements for standard corset patterns, and the measurements I use to make Bespoke corsets, plus instructions for how to obtain these measurements for yourself.
How to Take Your Own Measurements
It is best to get a friend or family member to measure you if possible, as this will be more accurate than measuring yourself; your body changes as you move and stretch and taking your own measurements is rarely 100% accurate. Accurate measurements are essential to ensuring a good corset fit.
Please wear either thin, close fitting clothing such as a tank top and leggings to take your measurements, or take measurements in just your underwear if possible. This ensures the most accurate readings possible.
Wear a good fitting and preferably unpadded bra for measuring for an overbust corset. You do not need to wear a bra with an overbust corset, as the corset provides the support a bra would (and wearing a bra beneath a corset, particularly a wired one beneath an overbust, is both unnecessary and uncomfortable!), so taking your bust measurement without padding is essential.
Start by tying a string around your waist, snugly but not too tight. This should be left in place whilst taking all of your measurements as a guide. This should be your natural waist, NOT where the waistband of jeans sits! If you are not sure where your natural waist is, bend to the side - the angle that forms at the bend should be your natural waist, usually a few centimetres above your navel, and around level with your elbow. In addition, tying the string around your waist and then bending from side to side should help it settle in the right place.
- While corset sizes are given in inches for the closed waist, as they are throughout the industry, all patterns are drafted and all charts are given in centimetres, so use centimetres when measuring.
- Stand up straight, feet hip width apart, and have your assistant take all measurements snugly against your body, but NOT cinching your body unless stated.
- Take all horizontal measurements parallel to the floor, and take care to prevent the tape measure from drooping at the back.
- All vertical measurements should be taking straight up and down, at a right angle to the waist string.
- When taking circumferential measurements (such as the bust, waist, etc) raise your arms whilst your assistant places the tape, and then take the measurement with your arms loosely by your sides for the most accurate read.
Please wear either thin, close fitting clothing such as a tank top and leggings to take your measurements, or take measurements in just your underwear if possible. This ensures the most accurate readings possible.
Wear a good fitting and preferably unpadded bra for measuring for an overbust corset. You do not need to wear a bra with an overbust corset, as the corset provides the support a bra would (and wearing a bra beneath a corset, particularly a wired one beneath an overbust, is both unnecessary and uncomfortable!), so taking your bust measurement without padding is essential.
Start by tying a string around your waist, snugly but not too tight. This should be left in place whilst taking all of your measurements as a guide. This should be your natural waist, NOT where the waistband of jeans sits! If you are not sure where your natural waist is, bend to the side - the angle that forms at the bend should be your natural waist, usually a few centimetres above your navel, and around level with your elbow. In addition, tying the string around your waist and then bending from side to side should help it settle in the right place.
- While corset sizes are given in inches for the closed waist, as they are throughout the industry, all patterns are drafted and all charts are given in centimetres, so use centimetres when measuring.
- Stand up straight, feet hip width apart, and have your assistant take all measurements snugly against your body, but NOT cinching your body unless stated.
- Take all horizontal measurements parallel to the floor, and take care to prevent the tape measure from drooping at the back.
- All vertical measurements should be taking straight up and down, at a right angle to the waist string.
- When taking circumferential measurements (such as the bust, waist, etc) raise your arms whilst your assistant places the tape, and then take the measurement with your arms loosely by your sides for the most accurate read.
Standard Sizes
Little Blue Gem standard sizes for corsets come in closed waist sizes of 16" to 46", and all use the same basic size matrix. Our standard size corsets are designed with new and casual corset wearers in mind, and as such are based roughly on our basic clothing sizes, with adjustments specific to corsets (ie: smaller in the waist). There are two size charts given - for basic conical corsets which compress the ribs, and for hourglass corsets, which give a somewhat curvier appearance, with more rib room.
Our corsets are designed to be worn fully closed. However, if you are having a corset made to order, you may choose to have your corset made with a 2" gap in the lacing. Regardless, you should choose a size that most closely matches your natural bust, underbust, and low hip measurements.
The rib measurements and high hip are a little different: conical corset rib will be slightly smaller than your natural measurement, as a conical corset compresses the lower floating ribs. When choosing an hourglass corset however, you should choose a size in which the rib measurement most matches your own.
Additionally, those with fleshier abdomens will find that they can wear a corset with a somewhat smaller high hip measurement - pull the measuring tape in to get an idea of what you can manage. However you should note that shorter styles of corset work much better if they match your measurements in this area. If you are thinner it is imperative that this corset measurement matches your natural measurement as closely as possible to prevent uncomfortable pinching.
Obtain these measurements and compare them to the size charts below. A measurement chart for bespoke corsets is given in the Custom Sizes section for reference.
Our corsets are designed to be worn fully closed. However, if you are having a corset made to order, you may choose to have your corset made with a 2" gap in the lacing. Regardless, you should choose a size that most closely matches your natural bust, underbust, and low hip measurements.
The rib measurements and high hip are a little different: conical corset rib will be slightly smaller than your natural measurement, as a conical corset compresses the lower floating ribs. When choosing an hourglass corset however, you should choose a size in which the rib measurement most matches your own.
Additionally, those with fleshier abdomens will find that they can wear a corset with a somewhat smaller high hip measurement - pull the measuring tape in to get an idea of what you can manage. However you should note that shorter styles of corset work much better if they match your measurements in this area. If you are thinner it is imperative that this corset measurement matches your natural measurement as closely as possible to prevent uncomfortable pinching.
Obtain these measurements and compare them to the size charts below. A measurement chart for bespoke corsets is given in the Custom Sizes section for reference.
- BUST - for Overbust Corsets only
Measure around the fullest part of your chest. For best results, choose a corset size that is no more than 4cm (roughly 1.5") smaller than your natural bust. - UNDERBUST
Measure around your rib cage just beneath the root of your breasts. Breathe normally whilst taking this measurement. Relax your chest; the lungs should neither be completely filled or completely empty. - RIB
Measure around the apex of the rib cage. As for the underbust measurement, relax your chest, and take this measurement roughly halfway between the waist string and where you took the underbust measurement. Feel carefully; you should be able to feel the apex of your ribcage. This is what you're aiming to measure around. - HIGH HIP (ABDOMEN)
Measure around the top of your pelvis / centre of your abdomen. This is usually roughly 2" to 3" below your waist. - LOW HIP
Measure around the fullest part of your hips, usually around 7" below your waist tape. This measurement should cross the fullest part of your bottom and the widest part of your hip joints. - CENTRE FRONT LENGTH
The measurement given is the centre front length of the actual garment. It is useful to take this measurement on yourself if you are unsure if a corset will be too long or too short for you. For waspies, cinchers and underbusts, sit down on a flat surface, sit up straight, and take a vertical measurement from the underbust line between your breasts (for most people, this will be the end of the sternum) straight down to the low hip line - the top of your pubic bone. For overbusts, take the same measurement, but from the bust line (the centre of the widest point of your bust) to the low hip line. If you have a tummy, push it flat whilst you take this measurement.
Custom Sizes
This list is the set of measurements taken when producing a fully custom corset for a client. I no longer take Bespoke corset orders online, only in person. However, this list stays in place - while is more involved that one will ever need for a standard sized corset, I believe it is useful for buyers to know what measurements I work from and how to obtain their own measurements for comparison to MTO corsets and even other clothing I make and sell.
- BUST - only for overbust corsets. measurement around the fullest part of your bust, across the nipples. This is the Bust Line. The following two measurements, which should add up to one half of the total bust circumference, are used to distribute the volume on the corset for the client:
- 1A. BUST ARC - measurement across the front of your bust from the centre front to the side seam beneath your arm, across the fullest part of your bust / along the bust line.
- 1B. BACK ARC - measurement from the centre back to the side seam along the bust line. - UNDERBUST - the tape is placed directly under the root of your breasts and kept parallel. For males, measurement is the widest part of the rib cage directly below the pecs. This is the underbust line.
- RIBS - measurement around the lower ribs. In addition the following measurement is taken for a personal fit:
- 3A. UNDERBUST TO RIB - the distance between your underbust line as defined in measurement 2, and the rib measurement line. - WAIST - measurement around your natural waist where the string is tied.
- HIGH HIP - measurement around the top of your pelvis. For most people this is around 3 inches below the waist tape, and is intended to ensure the corset fits correctly around the rigid shape of the pelvis.
- LOW HIP - measurement around the fullest part of your hips, usually around 7 inches below the waist tape. This measurement will pass across the fullest part of your bottom and the widest part of your hip joints.
- WAIST TO UNDERBUST - measured straight up from the waist to the underbust line, at the root of your breast. For males, measured straight up to just beneath the pecs; the Underbust Line as defined in measurement 2.
- WAIST TO HIGH HIP - measured straight down from the waist string on the front of your body to the level you measured for your high hip.
- WAIST TO LOW HIP - with client sat down on a hard surface and sitting straight, measured straight down from the waist string to the top of your thigh. If you have a tummy, it should be pushed as flat as you can to take this measurement.
- SIDE LENGTH - measured from the waist string on the side of your body up towards your armpit. Measured to roughly 1.5" to 2" below your armpit crease, or about level with the top of your bra band.
- CENTRE FRONT - tape placed between the breasts, at underbust line for underbusts styles and at bust line for overbust styles. Measurement is taken from this point, straight down the centre front of your body, to the top of your pubic bone.
- CUP WIDTH - for overbust corsets only. Tape is placed between the breasts and measurement is taken across the fullest part to the root of the breast at the side of your body.
- UNDERBUST TO BUST - for overbust corsets only. Tape is placed at the fullest part of your breast (over the nipple) and measurement is taken straight down around the curve of your breast to the underbust line.
- BUST POINT TO TOP OF CUP - for overbust corsets only. measured from the centre of your nipple straight up over the curve of your breast to where you would like the cup to finish.
- POINT TO POINT - for overbust corsets only. Measurement is the distance between the apex of your breasts - essentially, between your nipples.