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A medieval torture device - The corset, dating as far back as the 16th century, is often imagined as tight-lacing, largely due to the murky history of the garment (it only became known as a corset in the 19th century).

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They used to be fatal - By the Victorian era, corsets were well-known to be deadly. Some were so tight they served as appetite suppressants, and there are accounts of women passing out from lack of oxygen.

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It hit extremes - In the late 19th century, the “Wasp Waist” was a famous corset, as modeled here by French music-hall singer Polaire.

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Physicians sounded the alarms - After the fashion trend became an epidemic, doctors rushed to illustrate the negative effects of tight-lacing.

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They used to be underwear - Corsets used to be worn underneath women’s dresses to give the illusion of a naturally occurring shape—however convincing that may have been.

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Corsets slid down - In the 1920s-1950s, girdles became more popular, honing in the belly and hips as opposed to the waist.

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The next spike in popularity is thanks to: - Madonna! Only in the 1980s did corsets see a surge in attention, after Madonna teamed up with designer Jean Paul Gaultier. Her version, however, was more like a tight bodice than a proper corset.

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They are more oxygen-friendly - Since the late 20th century, the fashion industry borrowed the term "corset" to refer to tops which, to varying degrees, mimic the look of traditional corsets without the dangerous compression of vital organs.

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A visual imitation - While modern corsets often feature lacing or boning reminiscent of their historical style, they have very little, if any, long-term effects on the shape of the wearer's body.

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No longer underwear - Women are wearing the garment on top of their outfits, giving shape not to their natural bodies, but to the clothes on top.

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A shirt in itself - The corset alone has become a standout wardrobe piece that can even be casually thrown on with jeans, as Bella Hadid demonstrates.

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A new kind of Queen with a new corset - Beyoncé got on the corset trend in the noughties, before even the Kardashians. 

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There are different shapes and sizes - Kim Kardashian is a big fan of clothes that call upon the historic corset figure, and hers extends over the waist.

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There are different shapes and sizes - Emma Gonzalez wears what is called the overbust corset.  

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There are different shapes and sizes - Sofia Richie opted for an underbust corset.

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The underbust is a favorite - Kylie Jenner and thousands of her fans love adding an underbust corset to any outfit. 

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They can be thin - Diane Kruger fastens hers with a belt.

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Or they can be long - Lupita Nyong'o sports a lace-up corset with a sheer skirt, which a woman would have likely used as underwear a couple centuries earlier.

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Lace and laces - Kate Upton transports more than a few decades back in time with this laced-up lacy look. 

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Add shape to stiff silhouettes - You can throw a corset over a suit jacket, and while you're at it, you can make it a transparent neon pink fabric. Anything goes!

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Add shape to bulky silhouettes - This unique version actually has straps to hold it in place, which means it's nowhere near Victorian levels of tightness.

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You can use it as an accessory - Karlie Kloss would have completely blended into the background without her standout leopard-print corset.

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It can be a very casual look - Kristen Bell wears a lace-up corset top over a t-shirt and jeans. The best part, however, are the slippers. 

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An air of executive - In direct contradiction with the idea that the corset took power away from women, Mary J. Blige makes the corset look extremely powerful.

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From torture to trendsetter - It seems the return of the corset has brought with it a general resurgence of medieval fashion, and even Naomi Campbell is on board. 

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There is also a world of erotic use - Some people use the corset in BDSM, while others prefer to shape their bodies with it long-term for added sexual pleasure. 

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The rise of the "waist trainer" - Fashionable corsets are fun ways to accentuate your existing figure, but lately "waist trainers" have come into style, with celebrities like the Kardashians backing them. While they're not called corsets, they do have numerous similar health risks associated with them. 

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