5 glamorous tops to wear with a corset

There has been much discussion in the press lately about corsets thanks to the debate surrounding the size of Lily James’ waist in the Disney movie Cinderella. I won’t go into this here, as Marianne Faulkner has already said it far better than I ever could on The Lingerie Addict, except to say that corsets are not the evil some claim them to be. Whatever your opinion of them as a historical garment, anyone wearing one in the twenty-first century is choosing to do so. Some corset wearers are making a fashion statement, some like the way it improves their posture, others simply prefer a back support device that doesn’t look medical.

So, what if you’ve bought a corset and want to show it off but are not sure how? If you want to wear your corset underneath and still have some flexibility in how tightly you lace, you could buy something stylish with an adjustable waistband – What Katie Did have a few suggestions – or you could simply wear it over the top of an outfit. However, not all tops look great when worn underneath a corset, so I have complied a list of five that have just the right amount of glamour.

1) Kiss Me Deadly ‘Star’ top
The wonderful sheer star top by Kiss Me Deadly (see above) was the first garment I thought of when asked what I would wear with a corset. It was specifically designed to wear with a corset and so has a smooth but stretchy fabric around the waist for comfort and fit. Sadly, in the time between me starting to write this post and completing it, this top appears to have sold out! Hopefully it, or something similar, will be back in stock soon.

2) ASOS off shoulder spot print top
This is the classic ‘peasant’ style off-the-shoulder top that looks great with corsets but in a slightly more glamorous fabric than most, which is great if you’re not going for the Tudor serving wench look. It’s a loose fit and is made from a lightweight fabric so should be comfortable and not add too much bulk around your waist.

3) Wolf & Whistle burgundy dot bow front blouse
Sheer fabrics are always a winner when worn under overbust corsets, as there will be no bra straps on show so you get the full effect over your shoulders. This gorgeous pussy bow blouse (left) from Wolf & Whistle also comes in sheer lace print, plain navy and black. Oh, and it’s in the sale now too.

4) New Look Black Lace Bardot Neck 3/4 Sleeve Crop Top
Another off-the shoulder style, this stunning lace Bardot top could easily be worn on its own if you don’t mind baring a bit of midriff, but the short length means that it’s great for wearing under a corset. New Look also have an embroidered mesh t-shirt which might work well, but could be a bit bulky if you like lacing your corset tightly.

5) Collectif ‘Dolores’ top in leopard print
This cute classic top comes in many colours and a few different prints. I reckon a pattern would look really good when worn with a plain underbust corset and my choice would be the feral leopard print. Add a pencil skirt and some red lipstick for the ultimate in glamour.

If you want to read more about corsets, check out The Lingerie Addict. Images via via Kiss Me Deadly and Wolf & Whistle.