Woman wears a corset 24 hours a day to achieve the world's smallest waist

From posture correction to extreme tightlacing

Sarah discovered corsets in 2012. For years, she had found herself slouching while working on creative projects and was looking for an effective way to improve her posture. However, her utilitarian interest soon blossomed into something more—she became captivated by the dramatic silhouettes this wardrobe piece could create.

More than a decade later, Sarah wears corsets almost all day long, sleeps in them, and even goes for jogs while laced up so as not to lose any of her progress.

Her natural waist (without a corset) has already shrunk from its original 68 centimeters (26.7 inches) to 58 centimeters (22.8 inches). But Sarah's ultimate goal is to hit the 38 cm mark. This was the exact measurement of the late Cathie Jung, who long held the Guinness World Record for the "smallest waist on a living person" (Cathie passed away in August 2025).

The absolute record in recorded history among people of normal height belongs to Ethel Granger. Between 1929 and 1939, she reduced her natural waist from 56 centimeters (22 inches) to a mere 33 centimeters (13 inches).

Art, not beauty standards

"I used to slouch terribly and was looking for some kind of posture device when I stumbled upon a steel-boned corset," Sarah recalls. "This was before they became popular. I ordered one and just fell in love. It helped me stop hunching over my work, but I was also amazed by how drastically it could narrow the waist."

The Portland native admits that if she likes something, she dives in headfirst. After researching the aesthetics of extreme tightlacing (more commonly referred to today as "waist training"), she decided to go all the way. Sarah prefers not to take her corset off even at night; according to her, the longer the body goes without being laced, the faster the waist springs back to its original volume.

Critics often accuse corset enthusiasts of promoting unrealistic and unhealthy beauty standards. But Sarah insists she is driven purely by art, rather than bodily insecurities:

"I was completely happy with my body before I started experimenting. What drew me in was the fact that it's so unusual. I view the human body as a canvas, and corsets as sculptural fashion. It’s something right in between clothing, sculpture, and art."

To the surprise of many, Sarah rarely faces backlash: her social media followers mostly display healthy curiosity rather than writing mean comments.

Life in a corset: Jogging and running a business

Sarah's early experiences were not the most pleasant, as she relied on off-the-rack products. Now, she makes them herself, since a perfect fit is the main prerequisite for safety and comfort.

"A corset shouldn't cause pain. The ones I wore at the beginning pinched and poked, but only because they didn't fit my body shape. Once I figured out exactly how they needed to be constructed, everything changed," the record-seeker explains.

Interestingly, Sarah's weight has barely changed during her training; she has only lost volume in that specific zone. To maintain her shape, she keeps an entire collection of corsets for different activities—ranging from extremely tight ones to looser versions designed for sports. Currently, she is even training for a marathon, going on short runs while wearing a lightweight corset.

Her main ambition today is to lace down to 38 centimeters and officially document the feat. Sarah claims she briefly reached this milestone once before, but due to internal inflammation brought on by her athletic training, she was unable to lock in the official measurement. "I just need the stars to align. It has to be a peaceful week with no heavy physical strain," she explains.

Beyond her personal waist training, Sarah has turned her passion into a profession. She opened a workshop and now crafts custom corsets.

"Having a tiny waist isn't the most important thing to me," she reflects. "What I truly love is the creativity, the craft, and the limitless artistic possibilities. Right now, for instance, I'm making an intricate fairy-style corset for a client, and it's going to be absolutely magical. That's what truly inspires me."