Waist trainers and corsets worn by celebs and on the popular show, Bridgerton, have gotten many pre-teens and teenagers wondering…if they too can wear a corset

Honestly, it can be tricky trying to figure out what exactly a pre-teen or teenager can wear especially when it comes to such a controversial apparel such as waist training corsets.

Today…I got you…we will breakdown what can pre-teens and teenagers do when it comes to corset wearing.

Absent wearing a corset for medical reason pre-teens age 10, 11, 12, and 13 years old should not wear a corset with steel bones for the intent purpose of waist training.  The same also applies to teenagers age 14, 15, 16, and 17 even though they are closer to adulthood, teenagers should abstain from wearing steel boned corsets for the intent of molding the shape or waist.  However, pre-teens and teenagers can wear a fashion corset without an issue.  

I will breakdown this down in more details so that you can understand this concept further!

 

How old should you be to wear a corset?

The general recommendation is for you to wait until you are 18 years old to wear a steel boned corset, not fashion corsets, as they are inconsequential in their effects for body modification. 

But why wait until you are 18…is that the best time?

The reality is that even at 18 years old that still might not be the best time as your bones don’t fully mature to your 20’s. No one really knows the true effects of  corseting  before your bones have matured for those who are corseting aesthetically vs medically. Sure we know that children with scoliosis and other back issues may use corsets but they are underneath a medical directive.

Plus I know I know you are thinking I am mature for my age and I stopped growing in height, etc a long time ago, but again this is not about height its about your bones and its well documented that cartilage is growing until you are about 25 years old.

Depending on what county you are from dicates the time frame of which you are an adult. For example, I am in the US and the age of majority is 18 years old wherein you are considered a legal adult and free to make your own decisions.  

The reality is that corseting before your skeletal system  is ready could have harmful effects.  We know that children in Victorian time  as young as toddlers used corsets for proper posture. However, when you know better you do better. 

I am not saying to “shun” corseting all together just keep it to the plastic boned corsets.

 

When should you start wearing a waist trainer?

You should wait until you are at least 18 years old before you start wearing a REAL waist trainer?

Why do I say a REAL waist trainer?

The internet has caused confusion regarding waist trainers.  Some people think real waist training are those flimsly waist trainers that you can get for like $6 on sites like Shein are waist training. 

These waist trainers don’t affect your body shape while its growing as an pre-teen to young adult so they do not matter.

A true waist trainer is one that trains you waist to be smaller with steel bones that will mold to your shape accentuate your curves and will help you to get a smaller waist over time. These steel boned corsets are the true waist training corsets that people flock to to achieve the “snatched” look many people desire.

Please reference our earlier conversation on how old you have to be to wear a corset, as I breakdown the importance of waiting until you are an adult and also why you might want to wait until you are over the age of 18 to start to wear a waist training corset. 

This act of body modification should only be done as an adult as you are in charge of your own body and are responsible for any possible adverse effects if something goes wrong.

 

Can you wear corsets to school?

You can definitely wear corsets to school.  They can easily be incorporated into cute outfits and can take a bland outfit to wow by incorporating corsets into your fashion routine.

If you are under 18 years old, however, make sure to stick with fashion corsets with plastic boning that will not change your shape while your body is still growing.

One note of caution the reason I say 18 years old is not because that is still the best time to corsetting please reference the previous discussion regarding how old should you be to wear a corset?

Pre-teens and Corseting

Can pre-teens 10-13 years old to wear a corset?

Pre-teens age 10, 11, 12, and 13 years old should not wear a waist training corset with steel bones for the sole purpose of training your waist and molding your shape to be different. The reason for this is that you could potentially do your body damage as your bones are softer and you are still growing and you don’t want to cause harm that could last a lifetime.

Online you will find plenty of anecdotal evidence of people as young as 10 who have been wearing corsets and they may say they have no issues.

However, I have learned in life everything is fine until it is not.

So for every one person that is not affected, there may be plenty others who are corseting as a pre-teen that is doing their bodies harm without even knowing and it might not catch up to them until later.

 

Can pre-teens 10-13 years old to wear a fashion corset?

Pre-teens ages 10, 11, 12, and 13 years old can wear a fashion corset because they do not have the steel bones that are made from plastic and are just for fun and fashion. Also, the fashion corset for a pre-teen might allow a good compromise if they get told “no” on corsetting

Teenagers and Corseting

Can teenagers 14-17-year-olds wear a corset?

Teenagers 14, 15, 16,  17 years old although older than pre-teens, still need to wait to waist train with a steel corset until they are fully adult. Although you may hear anecdotal evidence online from teenagers that have been waist training since they were this age with no problems.  Especially since this age group is so close to adulthood.  Also, many teenagers may feel that they are fully developed at this age.  However, we are still talking about bone growth, and for that reason most still recommend waiting until adulthood, some even say there is nothing wrong with waiting until the 20’s and not just age 18.

 

Can teenagers 14-17  year olds to wear a fashion corset?

Teenagers aged 14, 15, 16, and 17-year-olds can wear fashion corsets because they are only made out of plastic molding which doesn’t waist train or has any molding effects on the body.  Due to this, fashion corsets are harmless and can be safely worn by teenagers.

 

How old do you have to be to wear a fashion corset?

Fashion corsets can be worn by almost any age. Plenty of people are wearing fashion corsets from childhood without even realizing it.

Think about those pageant dresses, or I know I wore my share of corset-style church dresses with plastic boning as a child. The reason fashion corsets can be worn is because it is a temporary thing with plastic boning that is not going to change the shape, which would be a dangerous thing as a child, pre-teen, or teenager because your bones are soft and still growing and you don’t want to risk anything getting deformed.

Could a pre-teen or teenager wear a corset temporarily?

 

Most of the time the question is posed if a pre-teen or teenager can wear a corset for a special occasion like prom, homecoming, etc.

The reason being is that the teen or pre-teen wants to have an instant slim waist.  For one time events there doesnt appear to be anything wrong with wearing a steel boned corset because there is not enough time to really mold your body. However, I would be concerned with the fact that the corset was not seasoned to your body especially a brand new corset will be stiffned.  An alternative would be to buy a used corset and although it would not be shaped to your body shape, it would have some shaping in it.