A corset is a garment worn to mold and shape the torso into a desired shape for aesthetic or medical purposes either for the duration of wearing it, or with a more lasting effect. Both men and women are known to wear corsets, though this costume is more common among women.
In recent years, the term “corset” has also been borrowed by the fashion industry to refer to tops, which to varying degrees mimic the look of traditional corsets without actually acting as one. While these modern “corsets” and “corset tops” often feature lacing and/or boning and generally mimic a historical style of corsets, they have very little if any effect on the shape of the wearer's body.

The Edwardian period saw the straight fronted corset, which gave the wearer a full figured S-bend shape. The straight-front corset, also known as the swan-bill corset, the S-bend corset or the health corset, was worn from circa 1900 to the early 1910s. Its name is derived from the very rigid, straight busk inserted in the center front of the corset. This corset forced the torso forward and made the hips protrude.
The straight-front corset was popularised by Inez Gaches-Sarraute, a corsetiere with a degree in medicine. It was intended to be less injurious to wearers' health than other corsets in that it exerted less pressure on the stomach area. However, any benefits to the stomach were more than counterbalanced by the unnatural posture that it forced upon its wearer.