So, I recently bought a corset online and thought I had my size figured out—turns out I was totally off. I measured my waist the way I usually do for jeans, didn’t really think much of it. When it arrived, it looked amazing but I couldn’t even get it to close halfway without feeling like I was going to snap in half 😅 I realized afterward that measuring for a corset is way more specific. Has anyone else had this problem when trying to figure out their Natural Waist Size? I’m looking to buy again, but I don’t want to mess it up twice in a row. Any tips or maybe a better way to go about choosing the right size?

Oh wow, yes, been there! The first time I ordered one I just guessed based on my regular clothing size and had to exchange it twice 😬 What helped me eventually was learning that the Natural Waist isn’t your jean waistband but actually the narrowest part of your torso—usually right above your belly button. I also noticed that some styles are more forgiving depending on the fabric and structure. If you're still browsing, I found this size chart super helpful when I finally figured it out: steampunk corset. It even shows what kind of waist reduction to expect with each size. Since then, I always double-check with a tape measure before ordering anything structured like that!

Just stumbled across this thread while looking into steampunk costumes for a themed party next month. Gotta say, I didn’t expect corsets to be such a science 😄 I always thought they were mostly for looks, but now I see there’s way more going on with fit and structure. Following along for tips in case I end up needing one myself!