Lingerie explained – Corset, Bustier, Basque, Body. What every women should know and every man should learn!!

I often get asked what is the difference between a corset and a basque. We all think we know, except of course men you haven’t got a clue, but are we sure?

Today I have done a little round up of the most commonly mistaken garments in the hope of clarrifying the situation.

The Corset

A corset is designed to support the bust and define the waistline. A corset goes from above the bust, to the hips and is fully boned to pull in the waist. A corset typically laces up in the back in order to adjust the fit, although, just to confuse us all, some designs lace up the front and some back-laced designs also have buttons or hooks on the front. Most are made of fabric or another flexible material such as PVC and enforced with hard strips called boning. The boning used to be done with whalebone but now plastic boning is more commonly used.

The Bustier (bustiere)

A bustier is similar to a corset, although they are less restrictive. A bustier goes from above the bust to the waist or ribs. A bustier can help your body shape in two ways. Firstly it offers support to the breasts creating a better cleavage and secondly it also shapes the waistline slightly.

The Basque

The fuller version of a bustier is known as a basque. For many the basque is the ultimate garment because it extends down to the hips, smoothing the body from bosom to hips and helping to remove any lumps and bumps. It also ensures that the entire waistline is smoothed. For a lot of women a basque is a dream come true. When made from a smoothing material with a bit of give, like PVC for example, the effect can be quite dramatic. The basque is also not as restrictive as a true corset, but it is more limiting than a bustier. A basque usually fastens at the front and they don’t tend to have as strong boning in them if in fact any at all.

The Body

A body is a one piece garment which combines panties and a top in a single piece of clothing. Their designs allow the wearer to decide the purpose of wearing it. Depending on the style and how adventurous you are will dictate whether you wear your body as underwear, to spice up the bedroom or leave the top showing as outerwear.

I hope that makes sense and you can now go shopping with confidence.