Maria Lucia Hohan Corsets: How to Wear a Corset Top as Outerwear

Maria Lucia Hohan makes corsets to be worn on the outside: boned, laced at the back and often fitted with removable suspender clips. The edit runs from satin and wool tweed to velvet and latex, all cut in French sizing from FR 34. Wear one over wide trousers, under a blazer, then with a pencil skirt for evening.

Which Maria Lucia Hohan corsets are in the edit?

• Chantal: lace-insert demi cups, a metal front closure and removable suspender clips. It comes in satin colours from Lime to Macchiato, and in wool tweed.
• Wildcat: organic cotton jersey with underwired cups and side boning, the softest corset of the edit.
• Christa X: pinstripe suiting with a deep cleavage, made to match the Yuki wide-leg trousers.
• Fabrizia: strapless checked wool with heart-shaped details at the hips.
• Wildrose and Darcy: silk lurex chiffon with a metallic shine.
• Denver: viscose and silk velvet with detachable suspender belts.
• Zephy, Zina, Rosalinda and Electra: high-gloss latex.

How do you wear a corset top in the day?

Treat it like a waistcoat. Over a crisp white shirt, the Chantal in tweed reads as tailoring. Under an oversized blazer, such as the Sharun, a pinstripe Christa X looks like a suit. Keep the shoe flat and pointed, and take the suspender clips off.

How do you wear a corset top at night?

The house answer is wide trousers. Pair a satin Chantal with the Juni satin flared trousers, then add a fine heel. For something sharper, the Zephy goes with the Ivey latex pencil skirt, the pairing the house shows itself.

How should a corset fit?

Choose by waist, not dress size. The lace-up back is the adjustment, and on most styles the house says it lets the corset fit one size up and one size down. Latex has less give, so if you sit between two sizes take the larger. Full conversions are in the Maria Lucia Hohan size guide.

How do you care for a corset?

Follow the label. The satin and velvet corsets are steam refresh only, the wool styles are dry clean only, the lurex chiffon styles are hand wash, and the latex corsets take a gentle dry clean. Store them flat, never folded across the boning.

Which corset suits which body shape?

For a straight figure, a corset with hip gores, such as the Darcy and the Zina, adds curve at the hip. For an hourglass figure, the Chantal and the Elea follow the shape without adding volume. If you want less structure, the Wildcat in cotton jersey is the gentlest. For a fuller bust, choose a style with underwired cups, such as the Wildrose, the Elea and the Wildcat.

Satin, wool, velvet and latex: which fabric?

What do you wear under a corset top?

Nothing, in most cases: the cups are built in, padded on the satin and latex styles and underwired on the jersey and lurex ones. In the day, a fine white shirt under the tweed and pinstripe corsets works well, with the collar out.

Is a corset comfortable for a whole evening?

Yes, if it fits at the waist. Lace it firmly but not tightly, sit in it at home before the event, and choose the jersey Wildcat if you want the most ease.

Shop the full edit at Maria Lucia Hohan at Coveti, and see the Maria Lucia Hohan wedding guide for corsets worn on a wedding weekend.

Frequently asked questions

Can you wear a Maria Lucia Hohan corset as a top?

Yes. The house designs its corsets as outerwear, worn over trousers, under a blazer and with skirts.

Are Maria Lucia Hohan corsets adjustable?

Most lace up at the back, and the house says the adjustable back lets them fit one size up and one size down.

Can you remove the suspender clips?

Yes. On the Chantal, Elea, Wildcat, Wildrose, Darcy, Zephy and Denver styles the suspender clips and belts detach.

What are Maria Lucia Hohan latex corsets made from?

The latex styles are 60% polyurethane and 40% polyester, according to the house.

By Gemma Deeks, Fashion Editor at Coveti.