Why Are Some Corsets So Expensive?

Like any type of garment, you’re bound to find a range of prices when you start looking into buying a corset.

Just look at jeans. You could pay anywhere from about thirty bucks to hundreds of dollars for jeans, based on the brand, style, embellishments, and so on. You might look at a pair of jeans and wonder what’s so different from one pair to the next.

What justifies the broad array of prices?

When you try them on, you’re sure to notice differences in fit, feel, and overall function.

That said, spending $50-$100 on a pair of jeans is likely to deliver the same quality as spending significantly more. At that point, you’re pretty much just paying for the label and brand prestige.

As for corsets, which are for more than merely fashion, the price tag equates to quality of materials, construction, and more.

It’s essential that you understand the value proposition before balking at the price, because over the course of several years of waist training, you could spend a minor fortune replacing cheap, inferior corsets, and suffer with discomfort the entire time.

In other words, you really will get your money’s worth when you choose a pricier corset.

Why are some of them so expensive?  Here’s what you can expect for the sticker price.

Costume vs.Waist Training Corsets

There are two main categories of corsets you should be aware of – costume corsets and waist training corsets.

The former tend to be inexpensive because they’re designed solely for fashion purposes, while the latter are support and compression garments that require significantly more substance, engineering, and utility (although they are also beautiful).

A costume corset could be bought for as little as about $20-$40, although they could be a bit more expensive, depending on the brand.

What you’ll get is cheap textiles and hardware, as well as plastic boning that wouldn’t support a Jello mold, much less an ample bosom.

If you try to tightlace one of these fashion corsets, you’re likely to rend the garment and skewer yourself on broken boning.

Waist training corsets will definitely cost you more, with a good one setting you back $60-$300 or more.

However, you’ll get durable textiles, robust hardware, quality construction, and most importantly, strong and rigid steel boning that allows you to safely and significantly reduce your waist size through uniform compression and a proper waist training regimen.

Off-the-Rack vs. Custom Corsets

Even in the realm of waist training corsets, prices can be wide-ranging.

One reason for this is the differences between off-the-rack corsets and custom creations.

Off-the-rack models are made in a range of pre-chosen sizes most likely to fit mainstream buyers, so more of them can be produced more quickly.

This allows for more affordable pricing, but perhaps not the perfect fit you’re seeking.

A custom corset will certainly cost you more because it is one-of-a-kind, made specifically to fit your body dimensions.

There will be measuring involved and perhaps even fittings. Think of it like a bespoke suit made by a tailor versus one purchased at Men’s Wearhouse.

One will probably fit fine. The other will fit perfectly.

Materials and Construction

The bottom line when it comes to corset pricing is quality.

You’re paying for quality materials and construction, as well as the skill and attention of the corsetmaker.

Suppose you spend $30 on a fashion corset.  You’re not going to get the waist slimming effect you want and the garment won’t last long.

If you spend $300 on a good waist training corset and care for it properly, it could last for years, delivering the compression, support, and hourglass proportions you crave.

Custom Craftsmanship

The sky is the limit when it comes to creating custom corsetry, but the more custom you make it, the more you’re going to pay.

It’s not uncommon to spend several hundred or even thousands of dollars on a high-end, one-of-a-kind corset that fits you better than your own skin.

Creating custom corsets takes mad skills and a pretty significant time commitment, including fittings, construction, and perfection of the final garment.

As you can imagine, this attention to detail and bespoke craftsmanship doesn’t come cheap, but you definitely get what you pay for – a garment perfectly suited to your sizing and your preferences that could last you a lifetime with proper care.

---

Stay up-to-date with weekly blog posts, waist training tips, and the chance to win one of our monthly corset giveaways, like us on Facebook & subscribe to our mailing list today! Want to find the perfect steel boned corset? Shop some of our favorites: underbust corsets, overbust corsets, corset dresses. You can also shop our corsets by material: cotton corsets, denim corsets, leather corsets, mesh corsets, pvc corsets, and satin corsets.