During the later decades of the 19th century most corsets were mass produced items, and not necessarily designed with comfort in mind. The more expensive garments were made to measure by a corset maker and a reality for the upper and upper middle class. Many did however successfully make their own corsets, but the majority of girls and women and some men used off the rack garments.
As a consequence wealthier women were often able to lace much tighter, but also because of their expected sedentary lifestyle.

Both women and men wore corsets, and some of the men (center) engaged in tight-lacing as well.

Compared to corset company made items, these were simpler designs , yet in function they closely resembled the professionally made garments

For sports, such as tennis, horseback riding, corsets needed to be shorter on the hip to provide the necessary mobility, without sacrificing the overall line.

To aid nursing mothers to restore their figures after childbirth, nursing corsets enabled nursing while figure re-training.

Some examples of patterns for home made corsets. As corset styles became more complex, this became more and more challenging.

Getting used to tight-lacing: Do's and don'ts

Things to do:	Things not to do:
wear an undershirt (cotton) or spandex tube under the corset oil or cream the skin and make sure there are no dry spots. Red or itchy skin is a sign of dry skin. Watch this everytime you take the corset off. after putting the corset on, pull the laces snug, not tight and straighten out the shirt or spandex tube underneath. Reach behind you and run your fingers under the eyelet edges and lift the corset away from the skin a bit, while straightening the shirt or tube with the other hand. Settle the corset again, stretch your arms above your head, twist and bend and snug up the laces. Hook the laces around a doorknob, walk forward until taut and even out the left and right laces, working any unevenness towards the top and work back to the waist where the excess will go into the loops. Then tighten by pulling the lace crosses bottom to center, evening the two laces out, and then pull the crosses top to center again. Also see "lacing". keep the two back sides evenly spaced top to bottom, and avoid a bulging lacing gap at waist. make several tours or runs when lacing, only take 1/2" at a time and resettle. once it gets tighter, pause, stretch, twist and settle and relax. Walk around and after 10..15min, undo the laces, relax the laces just a little, resettle and go again. After another two or three tours the corset will be on much tighter than before, while still being comfortable. Repeat this after another 20min or so. If you plan to tight lace, allow an hour for this process, unless you are already wearing it 23/7, in which case you can probably go a little faster. For a special night out, an hour is a good number if you plan to wear it very tight. It will be much more comfortable. Towards the end, you may only gain an eight of an inch per tour, but it all adds up! Take your time when getting into your corset! If you don't have time, start earlier! For figure training, the duration in the corset is much more important than the degree of tightness. In fact if you cannot keep yourself from lacing in to your tolerance limit, then relax it by 1/2" or so once you are "done", just so you can enjoy it, rather than feeling you are in a fight with your corset. When tightlacing, don't eat large meals before or during! No slow digesting fatty foods, but lots of water, fruits and vegetables and fiber. The corset will keep your stomach small and you will not have trouble losing or maintaining weight. In the end you will likely be healthier and more energetic. Tightlacing the lower chest will increase the tension that has to be overcome for food to enter the stomach. Chew longer and eat smaller bites. Exercise daily. Work the back and stomach muscles, but don't tone the sides too much as these may "fight" the corset. For an hourglass shape you want your sides to "cave in" as much as possible. For good cardiovascular health, walking is excellent and you do this can while tight-laced if you prefer. Watch the breathing. If it becomes labored, slow down to match your pace to your breathing capacity Wear your corset as often and as long as possible. Sleeping in the corset allows the body to adapt faster and settle into the corseted shape. Usually the corset is relaxed by one or two inches especially if your daytime reduction is greater than four inches. Look in the mirror first, measure later. Proportion is far more important than absolute smallest dimensions: A slender 31-23-32" Bust/Waist/Hip would be corseted to 31-20-32", but would be less dramatic than a 39-30-42" laced to 39-25-42". Some individuals heavy and slender can pull in six to eight inches (!), while others manage three to four. It varies from person to person and also with the style of the corset. Bone structure and muscle tone have a great impact. Do not feel bad if you can't get down by eight inches even after straining the lacings for an hour. It may just take longer to train. Stay with it and go step by step, and foremost, enjoy yourself with it! For training, maintain as many hours as possible and slightly (quarter of an inch) increase the tightening before meals. Relax in your corset and get comfortable with the changes in your movements. Experiment with having it at slightly different heights on your body in quarter inch steps.	if tightlacing or long term wear is intended, don't wear the corset directly on the skin when a spot continues to itch, don't "sit it through", but take it off and oil the skin. Gently apply the lotion, don't rub. after putting the corset on, don't just start pulling the laces at the waist, it may damage the corset (tear out eyelets) and it may bulge and pinch the skin in back. It may also cause local muscle pressure, causing backpain, just the opposite of what proper lacing will achieve! when putting the laces around the doorknob, do not "run away" or let your full weight pull the laces! This will damage the corset and it will not be comfortable! If it only took 5 minutes to take in five or six inches, you probably went too fast! Don't let the loops be 'uneven', level them out towards the top where there is no knot. At the bottom the laces are usually knotted and can't level out more than a few inches. Don't pinch the top and bottom and allow a bulge at the waist! This will curve the stays in back and spoil the corset line. It should be hollow in the back. In general the back should curve more inward than the front, but usually less so than the sides. If the top and bottom close and you can't get the waist to close no matter what, the corset waist size is too small, and you'll have to train down your waist first and leave some gap at the top and bottom. Don't pull it in all at once and tie it off. It's not going to be anywhere near as tight as it could be and it is likely to wear out the corset faster due to uneven pressure. Don't lace to the point of discomfort and then stop, slow down when you feel it is getting close and enjoy it. If you are in a hurry, aim for less reduction. Even if you have been able to lace down to a certain size, don't assume that you can always lace down to that size, unless you have been consistently wearing the corset. After a few days off, you have to re-train some to regain the lost ground, before getting down to your smallest size again. If it does not go down to size, relax and don't force it, choose different clothing, something that's less dependent on the corseted size. Don't think that by over tightening you can speed up the training. You may in stead get your body to put up a revolt and produce aches and pains. A corset can and will improve your shape in a healthy manner, but only if sufficient time is allowed for. Don't eat a big meal and then start tightlacing. No fatty foods, avoid carbonated drinks. Mint, tea, coffee, spicy foods may irritate the spincter, and cause acid reflux. Chew longer and eat slower, because entry into your stomach will be more difficult. Don't do heavy exercise while tight-laced. Moderate it if you plan to work out while tight-laced. When very tight, your breathing capacity may be reduced, and you need to allow for more frequent but shallower breaths. Walking, hiking, muscle training are not an issue, but running is probably not a good idea. If you plan to do so, just leave the corset off. Don't tight lace just for a few hours a day. If you only plan to occasionally wear it, moderate the reduction, probably two or three inches, four inches max. Don't measure, rather look in the mirror. The smallest waist does not necessarily give the best figure. Shape and proportion are the most important. Some individuals can lace tighter than others, depending on corset style, bone structure and muscle tone. Don't force it. Just because you got a tightlacing corset and you're willing to "suffer a little" does not mean that you must have a 4" reduction on the first pass. If things don't mold or pull in as quickly as hoped, take more time. Allow your body to adapt. Relax! Don't overlace during the day to compensate for not lacing at night. It is better to lace moderately for the night and tighten in the morning and tighten again after work, but before dinner. Your movements will be altered depending on the flexibility of the corset, it's shape and how tightly it is laced. Don't fight against the restriction, rather relax into it, so that your movements become fluent with it. If you strain against the corset, it will not be comfortable and cause fatigue.
Today's waists are on the average build are 28" to 34". A reasonable expectation is 24"-28" with moderate corseting and will give very good proportions. On the same average build, waists of 20" to 24" are very achievable with figure training. Smaller 16"-19" waists are possible with long term training as shown below and also in "accomplished lacers"

Modern day tightlacers have demonstrated that even when starting later in life, past age 20, 30 or even 40, poses no limit on the ultimate results that can be achieved with figure training. Depending on the degree of reduction sought, it may take
half a year, two years or more to reach the final goal, but
sixteen or seventeen inch waists can be achieved on a modern body.

Measurements:
Some controversy exists regarding inside versus outside measurements of very small waists. Since only the external measurement is observable, it has less meaning to quote the "under the corset" measurement, especially when a fitted dress or gown is to be made! A heavily constructed garment adds anywhere from one to two inches! Quoting the inside measurement is of interest to determine the actual level of physical constriction, which only matters to the wearer. Recording these measurements however, is significant because each 1/4" reduction on a waist less than 20" is a significant achievement, as this starts to approach the physical limit for most.

Example: a 24" corset is laced closed on a 30" natural waist. The corset is about 3/16" or 0.19" thick. Assuming a round waist, the inside diameter of the 24" corset maybe 7.6". Add two corset thicknesses to that and you have 7.6+ 0.19 + 0.19 = 8" on the outside! That's a 25" outside waist measurement, without any corset stretching. A corset made for tightlacing may well be 1/4" thick at many places, certainly at the boning channels or at the busk and the rear at the eyelets. In that case you'd measure 25.5" outside! The corset did not stretch by 1.5" and you'd be considered having a 4.5" reduction, which is nothing extreme, yet the waist is reduced by 6".

When looking for the average 4" reduction, allow for a one to two inch gap in back. Also, the corset measured when laying flat, accross the waist tape (inside!), will give the relaxed waist measurement.
When put on, that measurement will be the inside corset measurement and, depending on it's structure, there will be some degree of stretch.
Thus, someone with a 28" waist who wants an outside 24" measurement should order a 22" corset and wear it with a one inch gap!. Someone with a squishy 34" waist, can probably wear a 26" or 28" corset and without any extreme lacing have a 28" or 30" waist respectively. Having said all that, muscle tone and general build will have a great influence on how easy it will be to lace. A trained muscular body will accommodate a 2" reduction, while with the same level of pressure a less trained body may reduce 4" or even 5". The key in this case is to learn to relax in the corset. A well made corset allows for that.

When measuring yourself for a custom corset, don't be optimistic with the measurements. Rather indicate the proper numbers and tell the maker your intentions on how tight you want to wear it and where you want it to shape you and where you will tolerate tightness. Some individuals can't stand pulling in their lower ribs, but are ok with a lot of pressure in their waist. They may want to opt for an hourglass style.
Others prefer a narrow funneled lower chest and are willing to accept the ribcage constriction to achieve that. Their corset will be cut very different.

If the intention is to tightlace and thus longer term wear, opt for strong closely woven fabrics, such as coutil. Pretty patterns are not always suitable for this.You'd probably want steel boning rather than spirals. The steel will provide much better support, allowing your muscles to relax more and so allow for tighter lacing. Make sure grommets are used. Eyelets are not for tightlacing. With repeated (daily) use the wear and stresses involved dictate the use of grommets.

Backlacing: Nearly all corsets feature back lacing and during the early part of the 19th century manufacturing improvements, in particular the use of metal eyelets, allowed it to produce the degree of tightness desired for obtaining fashionable shapes. The maximum tightness was primarily limited by the sturdiness of the corset construction, but the advent of the sewing machine and use of steel stays and busks, allowed corsets to become better fitting and stronger, improving their shaping ability and overall comfort. Physicians studied the effects of tightlacing and measured that casual corset wearers accepted twenty to thirty five pounds of total force on the area between the bust and hips, but fashionable belles laced tighter and accepted eighty pounds or more of force on their waist and lower ribcage. However, when measured again after an hour, this pressure had dropped significantly, demonstrating adaptation of the body. The corset pressure however even in the tightest corset is still far below any normal physiological effects that take place in the body, thus explaining why no damage is done by tightlacing. Regardless of the adaptation, getting comfortable with the higher levels of constriction and support requires acclimatization, and it may be desirable to practice night-and-day time corseting. The 23 hour / 7 days a week practice is again adopted nowadays by modern tightlacers who aim at very small waists. For one hour a day the corset is removed for bathing and exercise to avoid muscle atrophy. These individuals report no illness or health issues at all, simply because they allow their bodies to adapt in a gradual manner. When asked if they are comfortable, the response is always "yes". The often silly question "can you breath" is hardly worthy of a response. The lungs and heart are well above the area of constriction, even in the case of the narrow chested funnel shapes. The upper chest also expands to compensate, leaving the lungs and heart relatively unaffected. The maximum breathing capacity is reduced, but rarely by more than 25%, meaning marathon running is out.. Yet, during the late 19th century women competed succesfully in many active sports while tightly corseted, such as tennis. The advantage of back lacing is that it usually takes less effort for a given reduction compared to front-lacing. If only modest lacing is needed, front lacing is sufficient The exception being long term tightlacers, who's midsections have become very pliable, allowing them to lace down small enough, even in front laced corsets. The advantage of the front lacer is that it requires less dexterity and usually can be tightened without assistance. For extreme lacing, a lacing bar can be used, which is a horizontal bar suspended from the ceiling like a trapeze bar to which the trainee pulls herself up while being laced by a helper. The stretching of the body narrows the region between the bust and hips and greatly eases the tightening process, but other methods can achieve the same, such as kneeling in front of the bed, arms forward and face down on the bed, with the midsection horizontal, such that a helper can pull the laces much closer because the upper body remains relaxed. But.. if you don't want or have someone else to lace you up, the "doorknob" method works very well and is well suited for solo tightlacing, just take your time. For a 4" to 5" reduction, two runs over about 10 minutes will be more than sufficient and comfortable. Although the lacing resistance encountered will vary from person to person, and by how long they have trained, it's the last half inch that takes all the time! If you decide to lace to your limit, then when discomfort begins you should back it off by half an inch and you'll find that comfort will return. Lace it so that you're still ok after two hours! Typically two hours marks a threshold for many. If you "want it off" after two hours, it was too tight. If you are ok after two hours, you can go tighter.
Pregnancy: Culturally, pregnancy during the victorian era was a taboo, essentially confining a woman to home during the time she was "showing" . As a consequence, tightlacing was sometimes used to extend the period of of time that expecting mothers were able to present themselves socially or for work This was or is safe because, during the first two trimesters the fetus is very small and well protected by the amniotic fluid from the higher intra abdominal pressures. Although a pregnancy was often unintentionally concealed well past the 1st trimester due to regular tightlacing, women who were aware used this to their advantage to conceal their pregnant state. By continuing tightlacing, they could be five to six months pregnant without showing a noticeable expansion, allowing them to continue their activities outside the home. During the last trimester the maternity corset (right) would be relaxed, accommodating the growing abdomen, while supporting it. For pre-marital expecting mothers, the corset offered and still does a safe solution to conceal the first few months, avoiding embarrassing questions during the wedding. For the remainder of the pregnancy, modern (left) maternity corsets are recommended as they provide valuable upward support and greatly reduce fatigue.
In the classic maternity corset, additional lacing adjustments allowed for the abdominal expansion, without forgoing the upper body training . In particular young women, who had invested considerable time and effort in training, were unwilling to forgo all this during pregnancy, and remained tightly corseted as long as they could tolerate. Once expansion would start, the lacing would gradually be relaxed to retain a reasonable comfort level. It was not uncommon to deliver with the corset still laced-on, but then it was only to support and limit the discomfort from over extending the ribs. Another reason for extending corset wear was to avoid stretch marks. Women who laced through the 6th month showed considerably fewer marks than those lacing 3 months or less. (Surgery, Gynecology & Obstetrics By The American College of Surgeons, Franklin H. Martin Memorial Foundation - 1913) Reducing "time-off" for maternity leave, by means of corseting is practiced again today by a number of actresses, e.g. Helena Bonham Carter concealed her condition allowing her to continue to play her role in Anne Boleyn in the historical TV drama Henry VIII. Other modern actresses have (and are) doing the same. In Indonesia women have and still do practice very tight body binding immediately after delivery in order to restore the body to it's natural shape. These bindings are as tight as a corset.
Producing the small waist (and health considerations) During the late 19th and early 20th century, when fashion promoted very tight corseting, the overall effects became better understood. The key was to reach the physiological limit while preserving health and maintaining a reasonable level of comfort. The focus of serious figure training is the ribcage which is much less pliable than the waist and if the intention of the training is to narrowly taper the ribcage, the corset must be designed to keep its form with the added strain. Maker and tightlacer Amy Crower of Wasp Creations has the reputation of specifically designing corsets for figure training and there are others as well. This was the primary reason for mothers to start corset training their daughters at an early age where the ribs are very pliable, allowing for a very narrow ribcage with relatively modest effort. By starting before the bones would "set", the ribs would grow into the shape of the corset without much effort. Most important is to ensure that tightlacing never causes pain, which would indicate that harm is being done. Corsets, no matter how tight, may be very restrictive, but should never hurt. Opponents to corseting and tightlacing will disagree on the health issues and are against wearing any restrictive clothing. They cite medical reports that would have indicated that tight laced women have “immobilized diaphragms, compressed stomachs and lungs, displaced and damaged livers. Yet the manner in which tightlacing affects these organs, none of these effects are health threatening, they simply are the result of body adaptation to tightlacing, or for example pregnancy, as already mentioned. The fact that tight lacers feel good about themselves and their habit and are generally in good health, confirms this and this can not be overlooked. The internal organs are very pliable and almost liquid like and move around and change shape with minimal effort. If this was not the case, the organs would be like wooden props stacked in a model and we would not be able to sit, bend or even walk, or be able to support any pregnancy! Simply eating a large meal will expand the stomach, displace the liver and push up the diaphragm. A tight corset just prevents this type of over eating. Most of the effort involved in tightlacing is because of the effort needed to mold the ribcage, but also to support the torso, because the torso muscles will relax more and more as the corset is made tighter. If anything, corsets support the body and the internal organs and if anything are likely more beneficial than thought. If any discomfort arises, it can come from forming the ribs too fast. This is not dangerous, but can be painful and cause temporary irritation. The cartilage that connects the lower ribs to the sternum is what is formed by training the ribcage and it requires time and more time as you are older when you start. No permanent damage is done, but it can be quite uncomfortable if you went "too fast too quickly". (for further discussion on the topic, look at the "Health" page) Even the prominent 19th British Physician Dr. W. Williams of Liverpool, who had been outspoken against corseting and in particular tightlacing, admitted his frustration in that he could not explain the fact that his patients who practiced habitual tightlacing for decades, all were in good health and lived well into old age. He cited the "deformation" of the ribcage, yet other than it creating dependency on thoracic or upper costal breathing it had no further consequence other than the obvious reduction in breathing capacity. This "deformation" however was the actual intention and goal of the wearer and rather, it was considered an essential and desirable element of beautification. Discomfort may be experienced from the shaping pressure on the ribs, which after a full days wear may have become sensitive. It is important to unlace slowly to avoid discomfort from sudden release. For training there is comfort to be found by wearing a corset during the night as well. This avoids losing the progress made during the day, by allowing the body to adapt more naturally and gradually. It takes a few days or up to a week to get used to sleeping corseted and this should be build up gradually, but generally after that first period, the sleep quality is not affected. For night time wear the corset can be relaxed by one or two inches, without losing to much in terms of training. Once used to sleeping corseted, the night time tightness level can be increased, until after a few weeks or months there is no difference between the day and night time tightness. Use pillows under your waist in the sides or back to sleep more comfortable.
What corset wearing women had to content with - some negative views *An opponent writes:* By lacing, the internal organs of women are crowded out of their positions. There is scarcely a tight laced woman that is thoroughly healthy. The majority of these women have numerous ailments. Many are troubled with weaknesses of most distressing nature. These fashionably dressed women cannot transmit good constitutions to their children. Some women have naturally small waists. But rather than regard such forms as beautiful, they should be viewed as defective. These wasp waists may have been transmitted to them from their mothers, as the result of their indulgence in the sinful practice of tight-lacing, and in consequence of imperfect breathing. Poor children born of these miserable slaves of fashion have diminished vitality, and are predisposed to take on disease. The impurities retained in the system in consequence of imperfect breathing are transmitted to their offspring. (Health Reformer Nov. 1, 1871) 'But my waist is naturally slender,' says one woman. She means that she has inherited small lungs. Her ancestors, more or less of them, compressed their lungs in the same way that we do, and it has become in her case a congenital deformity. (Health Reformer Oct. 31, 1871) *A negative view on the corset's effect on health:* The internal organs are much softer than the bones in the rib cage, and can be forced to a much greater degree. The lungs, for example, can be crushed to the point where the miraculous little sacs that collect oxygen for the body's use will not inflate. The stomach can be squeezed down to a flat little envelope that will accept very little food, resulting in heartburn and indigestion. The bladder can be kept to a very small size resulting, of course, in reduced capacity. All of the major organs in the torso are eventually affected by this phenomenon, and in every case their function will be impaired. The total effect of an overlapping rib cage and compressed internal organs would be of extreme discomfort and of uncertain health. Women who haplessly followed the fashion trends in the heyday of the corset often found themselves spending a great deal of time with their physicians. Many doctors tried unsuccessfully to convince their patients to loosen their laces as a way of relieving their aches and pains, but women were often as fondly attached to their corsets as some modern women are to their make-up. These women demanded pills, powders, and potions to relieve their discomforts. The effect on women of multiple medications on top of the existing difficulties caused by their corsets can only be imagined.

Recommendations on waist targets:
If you are ambitious about figure training, there are traditional 19th century corseting guidelines. These were established by experienced corset makers, who in order to stay in business had to make sure that their clients had the most favorable figures, proper fit, good health and minimal discomfort. Their trade relied very much on returning customers and word of mouth. Three methods are documented and are frequently cited in corset making literature : Method I presents the general limit, and the reality is usually found between methods I and II. Method III is the least strenuous and is suggested for "comfort" lacing, but is not regarded as "tightlacing".
Targets for waist training:	Method I	Method II	Method III
	Waist target is 10" smaller than the natural size. The disadvantage is that the waist reduction is not based on proportion. For a modern wearer this would require years of training, and unless started at an early age, the 10" reduction may not be attainable. For most modern day committed 23/7 tightlacers an 8..9" reduction is a more practical goal.	Reduce the waist to 5/8 of the bust circumference. E.g. a 40" bust would have a moderately tight 26" waist.. The advantage is that the proportions are taken into account and thus creates a comfortable and well proportioned figure. Many modern tightlacers manage this level of reduction.	The waist is made slightly smaller than that of the upper thigh, for good body proportions and takes body weight and body fat into account. This method was preferred by the heavier ladies, who's thigh measurements often exceeded 25" and consequently were not likely to produce very small waists. Yet for the elderly matron it would present a balanced figure.
Another overview of waist targets is available at the LISA site.

How to lace a corset correctly?

Self lacing or help from another person are both practical methods. After hooking the corset in front, snug up the laces, straighten out the undershirt and work bottom to waist, top to waist, by pulling the crosses. Lace a little at a time until tight. Then wait 30min, loosen it slightly, straighten out the shirt and body, and relace.	Make sure to put on stockings, garters and boots or shoes go on first. Once laced-in, bending at the waist will be very difficult.	Bare skin under the lacings may look nice, but it is not comfortable and not suitable for long term daily wear.

. . . just pull! ..but, of course it's a bit more complicated than that!
First, after having hooked the busk in front, even out the laces in back and remove all slack. If you are by yourself, hook the lacing loops over a doorknob, and walk away slowly and stop when the laces are even left and right and just taut. Then gradually starting from the top, reach behind you and pull at the lace crosses one a at a time, down to the waist, then the same from the bottom up to the waist, all while gently leaning or slowly stepping forward to maintain constant tension on the laces. Make sure you have three to six feet of "stepping" space, depending on how tight you are lacing. Don't just walk and stress the corset at the waist, it will quickly wear things out.

Repeat the "lace and pause" every five to ten minutes, during each pause wriggle around in the corset to settle it, and pull out the wrinkles from the undershirt or undergarment that is under the corset, lift your arms above your head and rotate and stretch your upper body inside the corset. Next, pull the central laces at the waist so that the two rows of lacing eyelets are parallel. Repeat, this three, four or more times, until the desired shape is achieved. Hang on to the laces when it's getting tight as they may slip back! Finally the laces are knotted, usually a double knot, such that the laces will not loosen by themselves. The excess laces are then tucked out of the way under the bottom of the corset. Preferably they are not tightened by wrapping them around the waist and tied in front as the tension in the laces causes excessive wear to the waist region of the corset.

For tighter lacing it is recommended to reduce in stages: take in just 2..3" inches initially, then repeat the process every half hour or so, until your comfort limit is reached. In most cases the intended reduction is 3..6" which can usually be achieved in two or three re-lacings. Firm muscular bodies make tightlacing more challenging because there is less fat to push around, and because of the greater muscle tone, it will take longer to "relax" in the corset. When deciding on wearing your corset very tight, or as tight as possible, you will need to relax breathing. Meaning when it starts to feel tight and constricted, breathing will become restricted as well and a pause is needed to get used to this. Walk around and attend to other things to let your body adapt and return to autonomous breathing. You don't want to be gasping for air! Within a short while your breathing will relax and you can continue the tightening process.

Cleaning: A properly treated corset will not have to be cleaned very often. When it has to, it is necessary to remove the metal boning and then dry clean it, unless it is marked that the stays will not rust, but in general the firmness and smoothness may be adversely affected by the cleaning processes, and especially for highly stressed corsets that are used for figure training this reduces the garment's structural integrity. Always inspect your corset for damage. If you catch it early it's usually easily repaired. Common areas for damage are the eyelets in the back, ripping out due to incorrect lacing, e.g. not enough pulling of the lace crosses and too much pulling just at the waist. The other is usually from long term wear with steels poking through at the edges. The corset stretches in circumference and as a consequence it gets shorter top to bottom to compensate. Spiral stays are less of an issue, but solid steel stays cannot compress, so they eventually wear through the edges. Good corset designs accommodate this with a variety of techniques, but even then, wear over time at the edges is significant. Lastly, older corsets, or those that have been cleaned too often, may have thread wear at the seams, causing ripping at the seams. This tends to be an overall structural weakening and the corset is likely approaching the end of it's useful life. If you do have an older vintage corset, I suggest you preserve it and study it's construction. If you plan to tight-lace, you really should get a modern and new corset. For example Melanie Talkington from Lace Embrace, has mastered the art of classic corset making and authentic reproduction.

To open the corset, always loosen the laces first, do not unhook the claps from the studs while the corset is under tension, since you are not likely to be able to loosen the waist area clasps! Once the top or bottom two busk clasps are open, all the tension will concentrate at the waist and it may bent or break off the waist stud. If you lace very loosely, you might get away with it, but a properly laced corset will be under so much tension that even opening the first clasp will take some some effort and it will cause the busk to begin to rotate and bend. Then, once you take it off, with the laces loosened by 4" or so, you may find that it will be difficult to put it back on like that, if you have been tight lacing. You'll have to open it six to eight inches to get back into it without straining the busk too much. And whatever you do.. go slow and enjoy your lacing!

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(Surgery, Gynecology & Obstetrics By The American College of Surgeons, Franklin H. Martin Memorial Foundation - 1913)