Does Urban Outfitters’ £45 Corset Live Up To The Hype? An Investigation.

When I started to notice corsets positively blowing up a few months ago, I was pretty excited. I've always loved lingerie, so the idea of it being socially acceptable to be scantily clad (but make it fashion) appealed to me in a major way. Another thing I also was very here for: channeling my inner Bridgerton character. As I perused the internet for a way to get in on the trend, one corset rose above the rest: Out From Under's Modern Love Corset (A+ name, BTW), which has emerged as one of Urban Outfitters' bonafide bestsellers, boasting over 2,600 reviews on its website. (It also has sold out, restocked, sold out again, and restocked again more times than I can keep track.) Naturally, I had to give it a try.

I settled on Slate — the dreamy periwinkle shade above — but other colourways include black and forest green. Obvi, the fit is everything when it comes to something as formfitting as a corset. After perusing reviews, I settled on a medium since a lot of folks mentioned that the style runs small. (I also wear a 30D bra, so I wanted to make sure the cups of the corset could accommodate.) When it arrived at my doorstep, I was pleasantly surprised at the quality. The lace was delicate as can be, and the bodice felt sturdy and supportive. I also appreciated that the length wasn't too cropped nor awkwardly long.

When it came to actually trying it on, I will let you in on a pro tip: If you don't have a roommate or S.O. to help you out, I recommend putting the corset on backward, fastening the *many* hooks with them facing front, awkwardly shimmying it back into place, and then putting on the shoulder straps. After adjusting the cups a bit, I took a look in the mirror — and I think I looked pretty damn cute! It was definitely sexier than my usual T-shirt and high-waisted denim, but I loved that I could style it under a blazer or wear a tank top underneath for extra coverage. (Another benefit of corset-as-top: No bra required!) It also wasn't as scratchy as I feared, which was a major plus if I wanted to wear it to a dinner date followed by drinks after.

"It makes me feel cute and it’s surprisingly comfy," shares one Urban Outfitters reviewer. "Will definitely be wearing this all the time." At £45, it's in a sweet spot of accessible investment yet isn't too expensive that you couldn't splurge on another colourway if you really wanted to do so. I will say, a common gripe among reviewers is that it's only available in S-XL, at least for now. (Extend that size range, UO!)

As we enter the dog days of summer, I fully plan on rocking this corset as my going-out top of choice this season. As they say, the weather isn't the only thing that's heating up...