page_title: Waist cincher
section_title: Function
hierarchical_section_title: Waist cincher / Function
context_page_description: A waist cincher is a belt worn around the waist to make the wearer's waist physically smaller, or to create the illusion of being smaller.
context_section_description: Short corsets have been used as light corsets for sleeping or light corsets that may be used next to the skin or over clothing. There are also elastic girdle belt styles that have been used on the inside of shape-enhancing garments, on their own as shapeware (items designed to be worn under and not be visible that help smooth, shape the figure to improve look of the wearer.)
  There are a number of modern fashions that resemble the styles of the past, from wide elastic belts to actual modern corsets. The trend and styling of these belts moves rather quickly but the basic design remains the same: elastic in the back with some sort of closure in the front meant to define the waist or accent an outfit.
  The more traditional boned styles of corset still exist in modern corset making. The corset styles that best represent this classic waist cincher fashion are 'Spanish belts' that can also come with elastic in the back, and act very much like the more modern belt-like styles.
  More classic corset styles from which lighter corsets have adopted their fit and function are still available. They work basically the same way as the elastic and lighter styles, accenting an outfit or defining a waist, but they also offer better back support. Some serve as a fashionable alternative to certain kinds of medical back braces; these styles include the 'French underbust' and the 'long line underbust'.
caption: A short corset from 1906
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