Ask an Expert: How Do I Style a Corset Top?

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Celebrities, designers and stylists can't get enough of this trend — here's how you can wear it IRL.

Blame it on "Bridgerton." Or maybe credit goes to Britney Spears and the return of aughts culture. Perhaps it's the result of post-pandemic cravings for playful partywear, even. No matter exactly how the Venn diagram overlaps, smack dab in the center is one item: the corset.

This historical staple — traditionally a stiff, fitted undergarment — is now seeing a resurgence, spurred on by celebrities like Hailey Bieber, Beyoncé, Ashley Graham and many more, building on the work of designers ranging from Vivienne Westwood and Mugler to Wiederhoeft and Christopher John Rogers, who have relaxed and reinterpreted the corset across tops and dresses in their collections.

A corseted dress from Wiederhoeft's Pre-Spring 2023 collection.<p>Photo: notpaulsimon/Courtesy of Wiederhoeft</p>
A corseted dress from Wiederhoeft's Pre-Spring 2023 collection.

Photo: notpaulsimon/Courtesy of Wiederhoeft

"For probably the last five years or so, we've seen glamour go out of fashion. But now, we're starting to see it come back," says Jackson Wiederhoeft, whose eponymous brand specializes in demi-couture (and offers many corsets). "Obviously, other garments alter proportion by adding fabric on, but corsets are the only ones that alter it by taking it away. It's a really interesting intersection of architecture, engineering and fashion."

While the start of the pandemic may have been marked by the complete domination of soft materials and relaxed silhouettes, stylist Brian Meller — who works with Bretman Rock, Lea Michele and Blake Gray — explains that corsetry can offer a sort of protection for its wearers: "A corset is the closest you get to [armor] with a piece of clothing. It feels strong and powerful, and it's so flattering on everyone."

Tayshia Adams, styled by Brian Meller in a vintage Vivienne Westwood corset top and maxi skirt for the 2022 MTV Movie & TV Awards: Unscripted. <p>Photo: Rich Polk/Getty Images for MTV</p>
Tayshia Adams, styled by Brian Meller in a vintage Vivienne Westwood corset top and maxi skirt for the 2022 MTV Movie & TV Awards: Unscripted.

Photo: Rich Polk/Getty Images for MTV

Traditionally, corsets were designed to serve as undergarments, but for Wiederhoeft, it's a piece that can be visually stunning when worn as part of an outfit, whether it be casual or something dressier. Plus, "there’s also a lot of romantic and historical [context]," he says. "Even something like Kim Kardashian wearing the Marilyn dress to the Met Gala; you can define your own personal style by aligning with key historical figures that have defined those trends in the first place."

If you're ready to embrace the fitted feel of a corset, ahead, find five styling tips for incorporating this staple into your own wardrobe.

Go big

A corset-inspired top layered over a button-up and midi skirt during Haute Couture Fashion Week.<p>Photo: Imaxtree</p>
A corset-inspired top layered over a button-up and midi skirt during Haute Couture Fashion Week.

Photo: Imaxtree

Since corsets tend to hug tightly to the body, embrace a bit of juxtaposition by styling it with a more voluminous layer underneath. "I think it's fun to play with shapes,” says Meller, "so something that would be a bit more oversize, like a big white button-down or even a shirt dress, with the corset over it."

Just add jeans

If you aspire to achieve a balance between dressed up and dressed down, denim is the way to go.

"Jeans are the iconic way to wear a corset," says Wiederhoeft. "Corsets inherently lean formal, so there are a lot of ways you can wear it with really casual pieces that are fun and surprising."

To pull off the combo during the daytime, try adding a playful sneaker; for evening, swap in a strappy heel.

Suit it up

Amandla Stenberg at Thom Brown's Fall 2022 show, wearing a corset with a checked mini skirt suit from the brand.<p>Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images</p>
Amandla Stenberg at Thom Brown's Fall 2022 show, wearing a corset with a checked mini skirt suit from the brand.

Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Suits may seem like just a staple for the office, but a sleek tailored pant and blazer can get the night-out treatment, too.

"From 2018 to 2019, the go-to with a pantsuit was a silk cami," says Meller. "Changing that up and making it a little more modern would be doing a pantsuit with a corset underneath."

Grab a tee

To keep with a more relaxed look, try upgrading your weekend combo of bike shorts and a big tee, Wiederhoeft suggests: "A really oversized T-shirt under a corset is one of my favorite things because it's like this little tiny torso with big sleeves. It's a cool way of looking at it."

Lean into formality

Kerry Washington wearing Etro at the 2021 Emmys.<p>Photo: Rich Fury/Getty Images</p>
Kerry Washington wearing Etro at the 2021 Emmys.

Photo: Rich Fury/Getty Images

You can really play up a formal ensemble with a corset. Meller proposes putting one over a fitted dress. "Layering it over really simple dresses is fun for evening wear because it can take something casual and give it some oomph," he says. He recommends a ribbed knit for something not-so-fancy, or you can try a slip for a more formal option.

Shop modern corset tops in the gallery below.

<p>Wiederhoeft Jackie Corset, $2,190, <a href="https://www.wiederhoeft.com/products/corset" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:available here;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">available here</a> (sizes 36-48)</p>

Wiederhoeft Jackie Corset, $2,190, available here (sizes 36-48)

View the 7 images of this gallery on the original article

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