Girdles, Corsets, and Underpinnings

[ohairas]

Who wears em? I don't have a girdle... except one of those biker short types. I do however wear and collect corsets.. real steal boned ones. LOVE them. My favorite style is the three graces like Rose's in Titanic. I have a few of these antique beauties and can't wait to fit back into them. One is a 20 inch waist, and I have a dress from 1910 that I need to cinch down to 22 to get into for some pictures some day!!

You're right Miss Tayva, a girdle would help my waist to get trained back to normal, I have been hunting ebay for a vintage one. But I lose in my waist quickly, so I'll be able to get into my old corset fairly soon.

I suppose I'll have to start a photobucket so I can share pics!

~Ohairas

 

[scotrace]

Not a Lurker, Really

Picked this thread up in New Posts. Just wanted to say that there is nothing, nothing a woman can wear that is as instantly fascinating and astonishingly attractive as a corset, unless it's a man's shirt worn rumpled from the floor... maybe.

 

[ohairas]

Ha, they are awesome! Hubby just told me this week that he would pay for me to have pin up pics done when I lose the baby weight I want! Yippee! And it's funny you say all this Scotrace, because I mentioned to him that I'd like to do one wearing his white business shirt with lose tie and hat.. and one in a corset of course! One of my favorite pinups is the Elvegren with the gal in the corset standing next to an open trunk and dress form. Too cute.

Well, I really don't feel like messing with photobucket, so I hope this link to my album works instead. Please forgive these lousy pics, as I had just gotten the corset from ebay and was so excited to try it on.. Hubby wasn't home yet to take pics so I took them myself in the mirror, what a joke!

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/ohairas/album/576460762343340448

~O

 

[scotrace]

Exactly So

The pinup shoot will be a hit, no doubt. Wonderful! It looks like you have a great collection of vintage clothing going, and you look really great. Mrs. Me just isn't interested, so far. But I'll wear her down. Today, a vintage "style" dress, tomorrow, a corset?
Sooner or later, she'll want revenge for all these hats...

 

[decodoll]

I absolutely love girdles and corsets and don't forget merry widows!! I don't even know how many girdles I have. I wear them daily. My wedding dress was made by Dark Garden and the top is a corset. Some years ago I made a few corsets and have been planning to make a new one soon. I'd really like a longline victorian style like the black one Nicole Kidman wears in Moulin Rouge.

 

[ohairas]

Ahhh.. I think that any woman who has no interest in corsets has never had a REAL one on. Maybe you should just buy her one! Take her measurements and order the corset 2-4 inches smaller. I'd say 2-6 inches smaller for those used to wearing them and want to tight lace.

The corsets with plastic boning are no comparison.

Good luck! So what does the mrs. wear, jeans??

 

[scotrace]

Standard Business Wear

Pretty straightforward. But your idea may just work. This is the first inkling I've had of what size to order!

Thanks.

 

[ohairas]

Er, you mean~ pretty straight laced, hehe!
Here's one of my favorite sites, may help those new to corsetry. They have good instructions on how to put on a corset and lace one as well.
http://www.staylace.com/

 

[scotrace]

Thanks!

Thanks for the tip.
She enjoys golden era jewelry, and older laces. Just need to work on clothes.

Interesting that there are no comparable men's undergarments (in terms of remaining interesting today). I mean, garters? Eeek. Long drawers maybe. As a female friend says, men look ok naked, or well dressed. All men look silly in their underwear.

Decodoll, how did you go about making a corset? Was it difficult? Are there books?
And I must confess to not knowing what a merry widow is... off to google!

 

[scotrace]

Oooohhh!

Oh THAT'S a merry widow.

Holy Katzenjammer Kids.

 

[MissTayva]

Ohairas--
Try Girdlebound.com. They have an awesome selection and most are the same ones that they have been manufacturing since the 1950s. I highly suggest the Rago girdles. Not only are they stylish looking, but they do the job! They also have great cotton-covered rubber ones, as well... sort of like the postpartum-wear ones.

I exclusively wear their stuff, along with the foundations from Whatkatiedid.com (a lot of it is the same stuff, though).

As far as corsets go, check out this site:
http://www.corinthias.net (This gal makes some awesome '40s-style hats, too)



This site, as far as girdles are concerned, is very helpful and informative, as well:
http://www.girdlezone.org/

 

[Angelicious]

Decodoll, how did you go about making a corset? Was it difficult? Are there books?

I'd love some tips on modern (read: Victorian onward) corsetry. The only corsets I've ever made date to 1520 and 1580... Corded and steel-boned, respectively.

I need to find some australasian sources for good foundations. Int'l postage can be crippling. As a lady of, er... smallish stature but very hourglassish proportions, good foundation garments are an essential part of my life for everything but pyjamas.

 

[Angelicious]

- Gentlemen, avert your eyes! -

Does anyone know of sites or businesses that provide "unusual" sizes for vintage style foundation garments?

I'm specifically talking about bras. Modern ones just don't look right, but I've not yet been able to find anywhere that repro's vintage bra styles that are big/small enough - that is, they only go up to a DD, and if they stock a larger cup size, it's in something like a 40 or a 42 - much too big.

Modern bras are just too round!

 

[decodoll]

Decodoll, how did you go about making a corset? Was it difficult? Are there books?
And I must confess to not knowing what a merry widow is... off to google!

They aren't too hard as long as you have some sewing experience. I would recommend "Waisted Efforts" by Robert Doyle and "Corsets and Crinolines" by Nora Waugh. Farthingales is a good site for supplies.

 

[Doe Peterson]

Hello Everyone,
I'm new to the forum. I love girdles!!! I've been wearing them daily for about five years now and I don't plan to give 'em up anytime soon. I am currently having a corset made for me and I am so excited! I've wanted one ever since I was a young girl.

Cheers,
Doe

 

[Annalai]

Hi all,

So far I have been lurking and I joined for a week or so.

I am a 23/7 tightlacer here is a link to me and my corsets. It is some nudity in some pictures. http://www.staylace.com/albertcst/index6.html
It is more of me in edition 7,8 and 9 if anyone is interested.

I love the clothes from the Victorian and Edwardian period and clothes from the 30s, 40s and the 50s and I mix them in how I dress. Now I am trying to learn me more about especially 40s fashion hats the hair etc. and it is how I found this group and joined. Looking forward to see more pictures and learn more.
Here is a link to corsets and some history about it
http://www.geocities.com/ther_over/cst-pg.htm
I do not have any good link covering the 40s girdles and corsets.

Regards, Annalai

 

[jitterbugdoll]

Good to see you over here, Doe!

I too am a fan of girdles, and I like the ones made by Rago, as they are firm and supportive, but very comfortable. Girdlebound is an excellent vendor--I purchased on of their corsolets, had it dyed baby blue, and still received it within three days.

Otherwise, I really like the knit girdles I have bought on eBay--both date to the 40s and are fairly comfortable.

I'd actually love to have a corset, but I am pretty happy with the vintage merry widow I purchased on eBay a while back. it dates to the 1950s-60s, and gives me a very exaggerated hourglass shape--it almost looks Victorian! I've noticed that it has a waist training effect as well, especially when I wear it frequently.

 

[Doe Peterson]

Oh! Thanks! This is so wonderful have other women to talk to about these 'girlie' things! Many of my girlfriends don't understand how I can be the least bit interested in girdles and cinchers in this day and age but I love Girdlebound!! I've actually turned my mom onto them. She's been trying to find good girdles, but she says the modern ones just don't do the trick. She didn't think the Rago ones were going to be strong enough, but I assured her that they are and comfortable. I've recently become interested in waist training because I also love that exaggerated hour-glass shape. It looks so elegant to me.

 

[MissTayva]

Yay, Doe is here! Hi sweetie!
Who is making your corset, if you don't mind me asking?

Regarding corsets... I own a couple, but I think I prefer shapewear to 'em.
I actually plan on having one made, though. I found a great vendor called "Electra Designs". You have to contact her or find her on eBay... but her stuff is GREAT! If you recall that great pink corset that Kitten von Mew was pictured wearing in the last Vector Vixen contest, it was made by Alexis of Electra.
Here is her LiveJournal, she has a ton of photo examples on there. If you can find it, my favorite is the one with the crane print fabric on it:
http://www.livejournal.com/users/electradesigns/

Back to the subject of shapewear... I am so excited! I wanted to keep it a secret until I got my website off the ground with more photos, but the news is just too good (plus we're talking about it anyway). I am now endorsed by Girdlebound/Magnolia Hosiery! Can't wait to have girdles coming out of my ears (as if I don't already!).

 

[Doe Peterson]

Miss Tayva, you're here too?!! Yay, this is great!!! Congratulations! You'll be a wonderful addition to Girdlebound! Well, Mina LaFleur from Corinthias is making my corset. She has been so wonderful and I am super excited. We've been working together for about 3 weeks now trying to figure out fabric (she's got so many my poor Libra mind is swirling), length, etc.
I know that corset that Kitten von Mew was wearing because I was coveting it when I saw it. I've been wearing the waist cinchers for five years now and I love them. I hope I love the corset too. Why do you prefer the shapewear to corsets (I imagine it has to do with being comfy)?