Wilde Hunt Corsetry wrote:

The old goth mantra goes "Boots, then corset."

oooh, i've been looking for a new mantra. lol.

Wilde Hunt Corsetry wrote:

The old goth mantra goes "Boots, then corset."

oooh, i've been looking for a new mantra. lol.

Sankta Cecilia wrote:

That's what I've always believed, but then I stumbled upon http://www.bibianblue.net/. Does anyone have any experience with them? Their corsets are gorgeous.

Since they are on MM it would be innapropriate to offer a critique so I'll PM you my thoughts. They are very pretty though.

Caperucita Roja wrote:
I wore a corset for the first time a few months ago.

It was so tight that after a half our or so I started to feel faint and needed to sit down, the girl who tied it up told me that she'd placed it at a pretty standard measurement, but I don't think she liked me so maybe she lied just to cause me pain...

But anyway, is it really meant to do that to you?

There is no "standard" measurement when wearing a corset. It should be worn at a comfortable level of tightness and then tightened more as it begins to feel looser. It was probably too tight right away and more than likely it was an off-the-rack size so it did not fit you properly anyway.

If you try one again, tighten it until it feels like a firm hug all over but is still comfortable. After about 15 - 30 minutes as you move around it will begin to feel loose and you can tighten it further. You'll find taht you can wear it much tighter than you may expect and for a much longer time. Your body just needs time to get accustomed to it.

Asenath wrote:
One last note:
Satin and that "chinese brocade" stuff are evil! Almost impossible to get smooth and depending on the quality they can start unraveling quite quickly. I'd try to avoid those if possible.

Satin is bad? Everyone uses satin, its practically a corsetry staple. Maybe you're thinking about very thin cheap satin? Any fabric will fray if not treated properly but there are ways of doing it right. I use satin and "chinese brocade" lots and have not had any problems.


Another really important tip that sadly needs to be mentioned.

Make sure you're putting the corset on right side up.

I know its hard to tell with some of those crappy boned tube tops but if you can't tell the top from the bottom, you probably are better off not wearing it.

Backwards is bad too. It might make an interesting photo but will ruin your corset and be very uncomfortable.

So-called "reversible corsets" (commonly sold by an obnoxious travelling ren faire purveyor) are bad also. A  good corset is made to fit one way and one way only. Wearing it inside out, upside down or backwards will warp it and make it uncomfortable to wear. You will also shorten the lifespan of your corset if you do this.

Kita St Cyr wrote:
BUMP

Thankies, it was needed!

Merlinpix wrote:
http://www.other-woman.com/

Makes awesome corsets, but you have to go to St. Louis.

This so far has been my favorite link cause I live in STL.

I

Jessica Anders wrote:
Thanks for this thread. I've been considering getting a corset and doing a search on Google for information resulted in as much bad advice as good. I have a long torso and would have just bought off-the-rack from anyone with "steel boning" in their description with the info I had before. Now I know I'll probably need to get a custom corset made from one of the purveyors recommended on this thread. Thanks again! You've saved me money and, most likely, quite a bit of unnecessary pain.

custom is best...get measured by someone who knows what he/she is doing, and then tell them how far you want to go in waist wise. I would suggest no more than 3" at a time, otherwise you might have serious issues

Zhi Feng wrote:
bump (:

you guys mentioned something about stomach muscles weakening. but if you do crunches and then wear the corset for most of the day, it should be ok right?

I wouldn't say just crunches, but a full core workout (i.e. pilates or similar).

That's only if you're wearing it on a daily basis, though - if it's just for 6-8 hours every now and then, you should be fine (though it can never hurt to strengthen your core).

FayeKennett wrote:
Also, one thing I would mention, is NEVER try to lace yourself into a real corset! You must keep your spine in alignment to get the best results! Hands gently rested on hips and looking straight forward is best. Otherwise, it can lay funny, pinch your skin, or even lock you into an awkward position!

False.
Will you get better results if someone else (experienced in lacing) does you up?  Absolutely.  But I hate to propogate the myth that you can't put your own corset on.  I do it on a regular basis.  The difficulty, I have found, largely depends on how high-backed the corset is.  It just takes a bit of practice to put it on yourself properly.


Unrelated, one issue with the quoted text in the OP - it says not to roll your corset for storage.  At Dark Garden, all our corset archive is stored rolled flat.  It's totally fine.  The only way I see it being a problem is if you have a lot of diagonal bones.

FayeKennett wrote:
Also, one thing I would mention, is NEVER try to lace yourself into a real corset! You must keep your spine in alignment to get the best results! Hands gently rested on hips and looking straight forward is best. Otherwise, it can lay funny, pinch your skin, or even lock you into an awkward position!

this is not true...it's perfectly fine to lace yourself in a corset. Although it can be tricky if you aren't experienced in doing this, there's no harm in it at all...
A good corset should not lay funny or pinch you anyway...

It is nicer to have someone else do it for you though, that's for sure...

Kerosene Deluxe wrote:

this is not true...it's perfectly fine to lace yourself in a corset. Although it can be tricky if you aren't experienced in doing this, there's no harm in it at all...
A good corset should not lay funny or pinch you anyway...

It is nicer to have someone else do it for you though, that's for sure...

True. I can never cinch myself quite as tightly as someone else can (especially if I have something to cling to a la Scarlett O'Hara), but it's by no means impossible.

Asenath wrote:
http://www.timeless-trends.com/
Make reasonably priced underbust corsets. They won't take you in much but if you're a casual wearer or just want one for a shooting I think they may be worth checking. Have yet to see one in person but they receive good reviews.

YES!!!!!!!!!! I buy all my corsets from them. They are positively amazing. I personally am brought in amazingly by their corsets, and as soon as I finished corset training, I treated myself to a 20" by them. It has survived 3 years of modeling, constant renaissance festivals (Where I work as a fencer so they endure a lot of abuse and stabs/sword glances) as well as in some plays I was performing in every weekend (and quick costume changes are a bitch on any busk).

They have a LIFETIME guarantee!!!! The busk on my leather underbust (which can be seen in one of my pictures) has a significant enough bend to warrant replacement, and its been stabbed and punctured a bit. I called up T-T and they said "Send it over!" despite the fact that *I* inflicted the damage. They are just that amazing. Naturally my waist is now about 23" and their 18" underbusts close me without a problem (where as some corsets I am not comfortable in anything less than a 20")

Just wanted to throw my two cents in about Timeless, and I hope some of you all might check them out! They have amazing styles and great customer service! Especially if any of you work at or attend Ren-Faire's, they will last. ((Unlike a certain 'corset' maker who shall remain named Casta Diva whose bodices can't endure even a month of faire without fraying and some boning coming through the fabric since they 'forget' to finish off the tips of the steel... *end rant*))