Your Top Drawer Is Secretly Holding Fall's Best Layering Piece

Between the lyrics of Adéla’s banger “Nicole Kidman” and the 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, corsets have recently been getting a lot of attention. And rightly so. The sculpting lingerie, previously reserved for the bedroom or the boldest dressers, is finally getting its flowers as fall’s most versatile styling piece.

Style insiders are already swapping their regular blouses for structured corsets. Pulled straight from the intimates drawer, the staple is either glammed up on red carpets or dressed down IRL with casual jeans.

With temps finally dropping, you’d think the fashion girlies would be retiring them. Spoiler alert: They aren’t. They just found a cooler, weather-appropriate way to wear the lingerie — as a layering piece.

Corsets are surprisingly easy to pair under oversized jackets and teeny boleros to play with proportions, or wear over other tops as a cincher. The style set has even found ways to layer bustiers and body shapers over loose T-shirts, preppy button-downs, and the frilliest, most romantic blouses. Ahead, Bustle’s fashion team rounded up the best ways to maximize your corset’s potential. Trust us, this isn’t something you need to keep hidden.

Elevated Cowboycore

If you didn’t think you could pair your corsets with frillier pieces in your wardrobe, let Eiza González convince you otherwise. There’s a surprisingly wide range of aesthetics the lingerie item pairs well with — Western included.

I particularly love how she styled a leather corset with a romantic blouse with big balloon sleeves. It’s a fresh take on the typical corset and button-down combo, with a more dramatic, more whimsical approach. Also obsessed with the rest of her brown, cowboycore-inspired accents, including her belt, boots, and bag. All she’s missing? A horse. — Alyssa Lapid, fashion writer

Lingerie Overload

Lingerie outside the bedroom is less jarring than you might think. Celebrities and influencers alike are taking intimates beyond the bedroom and giving them a street-style spin. Model Brooks Nader was spotted on the streets of Paris doing just that, styling a waist-cinching corset as the focal point of her look.

Layered over a lace bra and paired with tailored trousers and pointed-toe black heels, the ensemble strikes the perfect balance between sultry and sophisticated. It’s party on top, business on the bottom. The corset brings the drama, while the more structured pieces ground the look, creating just the right amount of appeal. — Naomi Ludlow, freelance closet assistant

Baby Doll

Kylie Cantrall is known for incorporating pink highlights throughout her hair, making it a prominent accessory that ties seamlessly into her wardrobe. In this look, her hair adds to an elevated, doll-like aesthetic. From the hat’s intricate details to the layered button-down and corset, the outfit feels regal, while the floral miniskirt and Mary Jane heels keep it youthful and playful. — Noelia Rojas-West, fashion market assistant

Minimalist Dreams

Hailey Bieber has become synonymous with the clean-girl aesthetic, and her take on the corset stays true to the understated styling she’s known for. She paired a snatching, strapless corset with oversized low-slung tuxedo trousers, trading the expected eveningwear silhouette for something more relaxed.

The satin cummerbund waistband introduces a formal, menswear-inspired detail, while the corset’s exposed construction adds a sexier contrast to the otherwise tailored ensemble. With her bare décolletage and minimal jewelry, Bieber shows how a corset can take center stage without the rest of the outfit competing for attention. — Isabel Choi, freelance closet assistant

Modern Regency

Corsets aren’t just spicy — they can also be romantic. During her Sense and Sensibility press tour, Daisy Edgar-Jones gave the lingerie staple an Austen-ian touch. She opted for one in a silky floral print and paired it with a delicate bolero for the illusion of makeshift sleeves, and wore both with a long, flowy gray satin skirt. — Alyssa L.