How to Dress Up Your Lingerie: Corselettes!

The corselette is the best of both a girdle and a brassiere. You can wear it without feeling like a Victorian queen when having to take off your several layers; your bra, your girdle, your knickers and waspie!You might also have heard it being called a "control slip" or "shape-wear dress". Actually, I should point out that the second picture (What Katie Did) is actually called a Merry Widow. Confused? Don't be. I have complied my top 3 desert island corselettes! Corselettes allow for beautiful design as well as functionality. Wearing one really feels like every bit of your tummy and hips are being hugged by someone very, very good looking. You can also easily attach it to your stockings, so no need for a suspender belt or girdle! All you need is knickers (if you really want) and stockings and you're all dressed up in the hottest lingerie ensemble. You might even feel tempted just to throw on a fur coat and leave the house but in case you're a bit more shy like me, here's a collection of ways to wear a corselette!

(L-R) Kiss Me Deadly, What Katie Did, What Katie Did, Gossard

1. What Katie Did Josephine Corselette - £65.00

The master of corselettes, What Katie Did have designed this gorgeous cheetah print number! It mixes in vintage glamour with contemporary styles, as with a lot of their other designs. This corselette shapes your curves perfectly and is also highly functional rather than just being good for show, as it lifts, tucks and enhances all at the same time! It's smooth shape also ensures that it won't be visible even under the tightest of dresses, but this is just too gorgeous to be kept under a boring LBD! It makes for an amazing top because of the cheetah print mesh panels and beautiful low back to show of those shoulders! I love tops with a low back as they look so elegant yet sexy, and with this giving you the perfect support you don't have to worry about people seeing your bra straps! For this outfit I felt that a cheesecake pin-up theme would go perfectly, which is why I paired it with this gorgeous leopard print pencil skirt (Giambattista Valli - £395 - but look to Camden Market for similar styles under £50)! The thing is about both these prints, unlike other animal prints they aren't gaudy so you can get away with doubling up on this! Don't ever be afraid to clash prints - try it out and see what works! I think animal print and red are the perfect partners for cheesecake cuteness so red seams are a must! These are from Trasparenze for £15 only. Heels are also an essential to this outfit, and I love these Modcloth heels (£37) as they tie in with the colour scheme and have a retro feel to them. Tie up your hair in a red bandanna to finish the look, and maybe add some black pasties as the corselette is a little see-through!

2. Bordelle Angela Bondage Ring Dress - £525

 

Bordelle is by far my most favourite lingerie brand! The sad thing is I don't think I will ever have enough money to splurge on something like this! Doesn't mean that I can't fantasize about it though. I think if you want to wear this one out, you need something that's going cover up your bottom half, because of the nature of the strapping, there might be a little more on show than you had hoped! I would go for either some super short hot pants or a black mini skirt so you can barely see it's there. The thing about this dress is the detailing so you don't want to cover any of it up! Good luck finding something to cover up all those rings and such anyway. I think without turning into Taylor Momsen, you gotta wear tights with this outfit (I'm so sorry stocking lovers!), but having the tops of stockings showing isn't widely socially acceptable, depending on where you go! If you're daring, then by all means, wear your best stockings with this dress! But otherwise, leave the suspender straps swinging and wear seamed black tights! Jonathan Aston do some lovely ones that are very durable, but Trasparenze also do some lovely red seamed tights, similar to their stockings as mentioned above! These Mise en Cage accessories go perfectly with the dress, the cuff is £120 and the garter is £58. Throw over a black leather jacket (Mango - £70) and some platform heels (Bordello - £65) and wear this with attitude and confidence. This outfit is not for the meek!

3. Kiss Me Deadly Vargas Dress - £49

Now, corselettes and shapewear don't necessarily have to be 100% glamorous and for the strictly groomed! I was lucky enough to nab this dress for only £15 due to a tiny fault with the elastic - but it still works amazingly and looks gorgeous! I know first hand that it fits like a dream and holds me in everywhere I want to be held in! This is just one of the ways I'm going to be wearing mine day-to-day. I am obsessed with kilts, I have three at the moment and this will keep growing and growing! I think that paired with this red vintage kilt (Rokit) it would give an McQueen vibe to the lingerie. I love harnesses too, this one is £689 from Fleet Ilya, but don't be put off by the price! I managed to find a gorgeous harness in Camden for around £48. Check out Zara Bayne for amazing harnesses and also ASOS do a few that are very reasonably priced. I love contrast seamed stockings and these ones (again) are from Trasparenze. Put some creepers on or any other flat shoe and you're good to go, wearing something gorgeous but comfortable for just boring uni days or shopping!

- Toots

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