Lace it up - The true Corset thread

[whaleomelette]

i'm kinda really confused.
When you tightlace, is that how small you can crush your waist to, or does your waist stay reasonably that size once you take it off? Xx

im not techincally a tight lacer, you just squish your waist to that size, its 24" again when i take it off
but it will not reduce your waist long term, even cathie jung would return to normal if she took it off for a while and if she would have to start her training all over again

 

[KittyT]

i'm kinda really confused.
When you tightlace, is that how small you can crush your waist to, or does your waist stay reasonably that size once you take it off? Xx

Annie, your waist doesn't stay that size once you take it off - that's the whole point of wearing a corset... to compress your waist to that size! However, it should be noted that with regular all-day corset wear, one will likely lose weight, as corsets affect the way you eat.

 

[Deleted member 12480]

i see. But doesn't it change the shape of your body/muscles?

 

[whaleomelette]

i see. But doesn't it change the shape of your body/muscles?

no, well, if you wear it 24 longterm it can waste your ab muscles or something also will prob push your floating ribs in a bit, but again- will return to normal after not wearing for a few days.

 

[KittyT]

no, well, if you wear it 24 longterm it can waste your ab muscles or something also will prob push your floating ribs in a bit, but again- will return to normal after not wearing for a few days.

Yes, it can cause muscle atrophy with really longterm wear, which is why most people recommend at least moderate exercise to keep your muscles fit. Long term wear can also change the shape of your ribs, but this effect isn't very common (at least from what I've read).

 

[lareine]

edit: i have been looking at corsets-uk, but after a previous posters experience i am not so sure. however, i'm in no rush so if the products are good i am willing to overlook the poor customer service and postage

The customer service and postage is appalling! I am still waiting for my order from June 12th (ordered only things in stock according to website, with 3-5 day international shipping). They have lied to me and misled me throughout the process, including lying in writing about when the order was shipped. The order actually shipped nine days later than they told me (in answer to a very specific email asking this exact question), which was 17 days later than it should have.

The package is in New Zealand now so I am just waiting for the courier to arrive this afternoon but, no matter how lovely the corsets may turn out to be, I'm not sure it's wise to deal with a company that has been so unprofessional throughout.

EDIT: The parcel arrived this afternoon. Not only were the corsets shipped across the world in an unpadded plastic bag, but one was missing from my order and the invoice incorrectly states that another one (which did arrive) was "on hold for notification". I don't even know what that means. I'm so mad with this shoddy service that I can't even bring myself to look at the two corsets that did arrive.

FURTHER EDIT: Overnight, I received an email response to my questions about their lies about the shipping date, and the missing corset. Their response was that they have far too much to do to email customers about things like delays in shipment! Though I note they had time to give me false information when I asked before... They also said that everything was shipped together and asked if the package had been tampered with (it hadn't, everything was nicely sealed), so I don't know if I'll ever get the third corset that I paid for.

On the plus side, the two corsets that I did receive seem to be well made and certainly look good. But I'm not sure it's worth the aggravation which is still ongoing.

LAST EDIT: Corsets-UK refuse to acknowledge any errors on their part. They suggest that I return all items for a refund if I'm not happy. The problem? I never received all items, and even if I had I'm not willing to pay international postage twice in order to end up with nothing at all. I've opened a PayPal dispute and will quit boring you about the details now.

Buyer beware with corsets-uk!!
*sigh*

However, the cherry print waspie that I received from them and wore today is really nice. I've never worn an underbust before and was surprised by how much it raised my bust from underneath. I had it on earlier today with jeans and a vest top, and my husband said I looked like Lara Croft! I put a sweater on later and he said that it gave me a real hourglass figure. Personally I think it makes me a bit too boobtastic for everyday use, which means I can't wear it to work. Hubby says that doesn't matter because 50% of my workmates won't care. I have to assume he meant the male half of the workforce!

Oh well, hubby loves it and I feel foxy in it, so it will defintely be used for nights out with him. Yay.

 

[SugarKitten]

So, I finally caved in and bought my first real steel boned corset. I've gone up in baby steps with the awesome folks at Orchard Corset in NYC, and bought the pinstripe underbust corset. The plan is to sneak it under my clothes and start wearing it at work once it's broken in. Naturally, this plan began when every day this week has been in the high 90s F - perfect.

Needless to say, I'm waiting a until it cools down before I start adding layers. Around the house though (as the corset and I are getting used to one another) I'm amazed how comfortable it is. I'm not looking to go down to scary small, but some training will be pretty nice.

I've finally joined the corset ranks - YAY

 

[Daeuiel]

You don't have to spend a fortune for a properly fitted corset, one that will follow and shape your God given curves to perfection, make you feel feminine and graceful (odd isn't it? But that's how I feel when I'm laced), and feel like a strong warm hug when you wear it. I have a corset that I wouldn't trade for any other on earth, and it only cost me about $40. The trick is to make it yourself. I'm not going to lie and say it's a fast process, but it's much easier than anyone thinks it is (I swear, if you can modify a pattern, stitch up a dress and fit it well, you will be amazed at how easy this is), and if you plan on wearing a corset for any longer than 20 minutes at a pop, ever, I highly recommend giving it some serious consideration. If it's something you're interested in, please feel free to PM me, and I would be more than happy to steer you in the direction of the patterns, advice, and resources I used to make mine. The offer stands for anyone interested.

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum & I just want to say that this thread is awesome, I've learned a lot just from reading it & I hope to learn some more & have fun while doing it! Gracie Lee, if you would steer me in the direction of making my own corset with all the info you were talking about, I'd be eternally grateful. I'm very interested.

 

[Jasmine Jolene]

can anyone help??

i bought a steel boned corset, just an off the peg one. it thought i'd give it a go and if i found it comfortable to wear then i would get one made to measure.

i have to say i cam very pleased, although off the peg, it fits me really well. it is an underbust one. i just have a small problem that i hope i will be able to sort, and i was hoping for some advice.

basically the bones down the back are too long, probably by about an inch. this isn't all that uncomfortable, tbh, but they are to short to glide over my bottom and too long to sit above (i think i must have a big bum!) so they rub. this was not something i noticed when wearing the corset for 2-3 hours the first week i had it, but i wore it all day to work on Monday and really felt it!

do you think it would be possible to undo the stitching and trim the bones by about an inch, then sew it back up? i'll probably give it a go because even if it doesn't go to plan at least i have tried. otherwise i may not wear it again.

PS - for anyone in the know, how would i even go about trimming steel bones?

 

[Gracie Lee]

In theory, without seeing the construction of your corset, it's possible. But there are a couple of caveats.

1 - if the bones are spiral steel, I don't recommend trying this. If you don't know how to tell, it's easy: spring steel is just a plain strip of metal, that only bends forward and backward. Spiral steel looks like a flattened spring, and bends both forward/backward and side to side. You can cut spring steel with a pair of bolt cutters (NOT tin snips - they're not strong enough!), and then grind down the sharp edges left behind, apply some enamel or tape to dull the edges further, and move along. However, if it's spiral steel, you'd have to grind and retip it to keep it from destroying the fabric of your corset. While this is not super difficult, it can require two pairs of hands, and you'll have to find a place to buy boning tips, which are usually sold in bulk and would end up being a total waste of $$ unless you plan to routinely cut and tip your own bones, which I don't recommend unless you're planning to make a business of it.

2 - If you go ahead with it, you'll need to adjust the boning in it's casing and then floss at least the bottom end of it. Corset flossing is functional stitching often made decorative, intended to hold the bones of a corset firmly in the correct position within their casings. See a pic of flossing on a vintage corset here, and an example on a corset made recently here. Flossing is fairly easy, if a little time consuming, but necessary because a single line of hand or machine stitching is unlikely to be able to withstand the pressure of the bones moving against it during wear.

3 - This is all completely dependent on how your corset is constructed. It may not be possible to open the top or bottom without doing damage to the structure. Could you post a picture?

Hope this helps a bit!

 

[Miss Scarlet]

I have a question. I broke my ribs last November and obviously have not since put on a corset. Sometimes I still feel a little tenderness, how long should I wait until I can put on a corset? Or will it not do any damage at all?

 

[Lady Day]

However, if it's spiral steel, you'd have to grind and retip it to keep it from destroying the fabric of your corset. While this is not super difficult, it can require two pairs of hands, and you'll have to find a place to buy boning tips, which are usually sold in bulk and would end up being a total waste of $$ unless you plan to routinely cut and tip your own bones, which I don't recommend unless you're planning to make a business of it.

These boning tips seem a reasonable price.
http://www.corsetmaking.com/CMSpages/CMSboning.html

LD

 

[Jasmine Jolene]

thanks so much Gracie Lee! hopefully i will have a bit of time this weekend to have a go at this, i will let you know if i am successful

 

[PrairieSunrise]

I know it's a little out of this era, but I just completed a new 1860's corset and figured I'd share the links to some pictures of it!

This was my third corset that I've made, and I think I've just about fine tuned it completely.

Front:

Side:

Back:

 

[Foofoogal]

:eusa_clap
3rd. time is the charm they say. Very nice indeed.

 

[Cherry_Bombshell]

Ah! One of my absolute favorite pieces of underthere's!

okay, call me a dope if y'all want to but what is the 3-4" smaller waist thing fascination with corsets anyhow? For starters you'd have to have custom made clothing or specifically altered ready to wear garments to wear over them. Plus a gal would look extremely odd with such an exaggerated figure like that walking around town in her regular every day life... Other than at a Victorian Ball or costumed theme event, when would you wear these things. If saving it for the bedroom, um.. at some point you'd end up taking the thing off and all (in its real size) would be revealed anyway. If there is some secret stripper fantasy thing about it all, sorry I just don't go there and neither does my husband or our teenage son and daughter.

Well chanteuseCarey there are many different reasons people are so found of corsetry. Obviously there are the shapes they create. Genetically speaking women with a smaller waist to hip ratio are healthier and of childbearing age. Humans have a tendency to overexagerate things in the pursuit of attractiveness, so that explains why some go to extremes. The fetish aspect can not be ignored and is in fact probably the biggest infuence on modern corsetry. The look and feel of restriction and once again the exageration of the "ideal" female" shape. Some couples find the act of lacing their partner up to be erotic. The slow, meticulous removal of a corset can also be very sexy. Think burlesque. A glamourous woman walks out tightlaced and slowly reveals her natural soft waistline. On the un-sexy side there can be medical reasons to wear a corset. Though not the pretty ones 0.o

I personally love the overly girly shape and the snugness of a corset. Not to mention, doesn't everyone feel better when they have on fancy underwear?

 

[LittleMissPussyCat]

Hi guys!

Just to say I found out that http://corsets-uk.com are having a 3 for 2 offer across their whole range. Not sure what the quality is like, but they seem to have a good selection of steel boned corsets at reasonable prices.

I put my order in yesterday. Have never bought a corset before as they have always been a little out of my price range - can't wait for them to arrive!

I have several of their corsets both their fashion type and their steel boned ones, all are great for the price.

 

[LittleMissPussyCat]

HI ladies,

can any of you UK ladies recommend a good place to either buy/order a waist training corset?

there are plenty of places online, but they mostly seem to be US companies and i'd rather get one from here just for ease and also to keep postage costs down.

thanks in advance x

edit: i have been looking at corsets-uk, but after a previous posters experience i am not so sure. however, i'm in no rush so if the products are good i am willing to overlook the poor customer service and postage

Corsets-Uk are great for lower priced corsets, for higher priced it has to be What Katie Did.

 

[LittleMissPussyCat]

I have a question... if let's say, you have had two cesareans, have a belly and wear a corset (not that I'm talking about myself, mind you ) will it push the fat over the scar down? Or will it stay where it is now? Um bounce back???

I have had 3 c-sections and wear a corset, it depends where you arrange your belly before you put on your corset. (hope that makes sense).

 

[Tenuki]

I generally call it Mart Eisley, and if you get the Star Wars reference, I owe ya a cookie!

Coralee, if I were you I'd base my choice in foundation on measurements in inches, rather than sizes, as it's more reliable. For instance, I'm darn near a perfect hourglass in inches, but that gives me a clothing size discrepancy in that I'm actually three different sizes (yeah, that's just as frustrating as it sounds). Hope that's helpful!!!

I'm sure someone commented by now but I hey, I'm on page one of an 11+ page thread

...Mart Eisley made me laugh. It *is* a wretched hive of scum and villainy!