Can Someone Please Define "Corset"?

Corset related news seems to be everywhere today. People are talking about the Kardashians and their "waist training corsets", Jessica Alba claimed to be doubly corseted after she had her first child to try and regain her pre-baby waist, etc.

But what exactly defines a corset? Do they have to be steel boned? Are these latex cinchers considered corsets? 

In my opinion, this question has come up because of the increasing popularity of waist training but perhaps more-so because of the growing popularity of the faja or latex cincher, and the whole world seems to be referring to these latex cinchers as "corsets".

What concerns me most about this, is that virtually every article either singing their praise or pegging them as "dangerous" include a teeny tiny disclaimer at the bottom where the author of the article states they've never waist trained. Furthermore, people are encouraging the use of a latex cincher during a workout, and by referring to the faja as a corset, people assume that working out in a steel boned corset is perfectly okay.

So let's do our best here to define what a corset actually is.

Here's good old Merriam-Webster's definition: 

Now, whereas I realize that language evolves (from the 17th century to the early 20th century, corsets were frequently referred to as "stays"), but if that is the case, if a latex cincher or faja can now be referred to as a corset, then what will we call a steel boned corset?

As far as I'm concerned, if you are looking for something that you can workout in, then go ahead with a latex cincher and NOT a steel boned corset or steel boned waist trainer. If you are looking to cinch your waist by 4" to 5" (as you can with a steel boned corset) or by 6" to 7" (which a steel boned waist trainer can provide), then stick with steel boned; a latex cincher can not offer these results, not by a long shot.

Here are some bulleted key differences between latex cinchers and steel boned corsets:

Steel Boned Corset or Waist Trainer

• Are always made with steel bones
• Have a steel busk front closure or zipper closure; sometimes they can have a flat front with no form of closure & just lacing at the back
• Are not recommended for working out in 
• Can cinch the waist by 4" to 5" with a steel boned corset or by 6" to 7" with a steel boned waist trainer
• They have a lace up back with strong corset cord to help achieve maximum cinch and control
• Steel boned corsets will generally have a waist tape around the center interior for added strength and cinch

Latex Cincher/Faja

• Do not always have boning of any kind, and if they do it tends to be acrylic
• Have generally got a hook and eye closure at the front; some have velcro front closures and some have a zip front closure
• Cannot cinch the waist as much as a steel boned corset or waist trainer; for some, they smooth out any bit of a "tummy" much like shapewear can, but they do not provide significant cinch
• They are considered  safe to use during a workout, but you should still consult with a licensed physical trainer before doing so

Example of a Latex Cincher/Faja

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So to wrap things up, for me a corset will always refer to a steel boned corset or a steel boned waist trainer, whether underbust or overbust; it will never in my vocabulary include a latex cincher. 

Example of a Steel Boned Corset

Example of  a Waist Trainer

Stay laced, corset lovers! x