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Corsets With Hip Ties: What Are the Hip Ties for?

Posted on by Rachel Barb
Corsets With Hip Ties
06
Nov

If you’ve decided to join the many women wearing corsets and engaging in waist training these days, there’s a good chance you’ve struggled through trying to figure out how the heck to lace the newest addition to your wardrobe. It’s not exactly rocket science or soufflés, but don’t feel bad if you have to go through the tutorial a few times before you get it right!

The good news with corsets is that they’re hardly a one-size-fits-all proposition. Thanks to lacing, these gorgeous garments can work for a variety of sizes and shapes. Of course, as you may know, certain styles work better for certain body types, and even if you like one on the rack, it might pinch and push uncomfortably when you put it on.

What’s the deal? Are you stuck with one style of corset for life because you’ve got a long or a short torso, because you’re curvier or straighter through the midsection? As it turns out, there is another option to explore: corsets with hip ties. What are they and what the heck are they for?

What are Hip Ties?

While the average corset has only one set of laces running down the middle of the back, you can also find models that feature multiple sections of lacing. Some Victorian corsets had two sets of laces running down either side of the spine to increase opportunities for adjustment, fit, and comfort. Ah, if only we all had lady’s maids to help us into our clothing.

Luckily, modern wearers can take advantage of models featuring hip ties. These are sections of the corset on either hip that feature a V-shaped slit and laces for added opportunity to let out or cinch in the garment. Hip ties could have just 8-12 grommets going from the hip to just under the waist, or they could feature 20 grommets and extend up to just under the bustline. You may find models with hip ties on the side and the front section of each hip. The idea is to create additional opportunities for every wearer to find the perfect fit.

What Are Hip Ties For?

When measuring for a corset, many women just measure the waist, but it also helps to know your rib spring and hip spring, or the difference in circumference between your waist and ribs, or your waist and hips. Some corsets naturally accommodate for these difference – you’ll notice they already have an hourglass shape when laced, before you put them on.

The purpose of hip ties is to expand or contract the hip spring of the garment as needed, so that it is likely to fit more body types. Corsets with extra sets of laces were once used to accommodate maternity. They are still used for this purpose today, but they can also be useful for women who have medical needs (such as orthopedic braces) or for women who want to wear a particular style of corset that might not fit quite right (like a longline model for pear shapes). In other words, hip ties give you more options, and that’s something every modern woman can appreciate.

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