Men's Corsets: Not a Gay Thing

What did you think when you saw that title? Men's corsets -- must be some crossdressing thing, right? Well, it isn't. While women wear corsets primarily for vanity, so they can achieve that hourglass figure, men wear corsets primarily for other reasons, such as:

* Back support after an injury or during strenuous activity (the same reason bodybuilders wear special belts)

* Support for the waist to heal properly after liposuction

* Support for chronic back strain

* Support for the stomach for singing

* Support for scoliosis

* Reducing waist size, also called "waist training." The corset industry claims that men and women lose between three and six inches off their waists when actively lacing corsets to shrink this part; historical documentation of waist reduction in corset-wearing women seems to support the likelihood of this.

There are, yes, also crossdressers and drag queens who like to wear corsets to achieve a more feminine figure. But it seems that the largest proportion of male corset wearers are buying them for more medical and personal reasons, things that have nothing to do with sexuality or a desire to appear more feminine.

Fitting Men's Corsets

Men can't wear the same corsets that women wear, even if they're wearing corsets to look female. Instead, they must go to a specialty corset maker to be properly fitted. (You'll find links to several in my Resources box.) Male corsets lace higher, and are cut more closely to the body instead of providing room for women's curves; this eliminates the overlap problem men are more likely to have, and also provides the proper support for their backs.

You aren't limited to just a belt-type corset, either. One of the most prominent corset makers, Romantasy, has created a special corset just for men called the Corvest, a corset built into a vest that laces from waist to neck up the back. Not only does this provide great support and look spiffy, it can actually take three inches or more off the man's waist without looking "wrong."

To correctly fit a corset, you'll need to take a dozen or more measurements, and they must be accurate. Your best bet is to go to a tailor or dressmaker to do this for you; if this isn't something you want to do, a trusted friend or spouse should take them for you. By no means should you ever attempt to take them yourself; this will only result in bad measurements and a lot of wasted money. Measurements will include, but not be limited to: waist measurements at multiple spots, hip measurements at multiple spots, the length from groin to solar plexus, width across chest, and height between hips and underarms. You can see why this is not a task to undertake by yourself! Pictorial directions can be found online at the corsetmaker's website; if you don't see them, call them before ordering anything.

If you're very, very lucky, you may be able to find a company that does duct tape measurements. This is a process where a friend duct-tapes your body over an old T-shirt, using the tape itself to form a mold of your waist area, and then carefully cuts away the form after the taping is finished. This sort of fitting eliminates the need for all the measurements, and often eliminates much of the chance that an error will be made.