All About Corsets – Guest Posts by Miss Mischief

I’m out of town for a few days, on a weekend trip visiting my best friend, Miss Ashe Mischief in Indiana. In honor of my visit, I thought I’d repost a popular series she wrote awhile back, all about corsets! She details the basics, what to look for when buying a corset (especially your first corset), and tips & tricks of corset wearing, including how to lace yourself into one and what the heck to wear a corset with!

The following was first posted here: Curious about Corsetry… {part 1}

Many, many moons ago, I did a guest spot on the Fashion-y Blog about Corsetry. All of the information posted still holds true today, so if you are intrigued, do check it out there!

Corsets are curious things– they’re fetishized, misunderstood, and there’s much misinformation about them all. They’re the subject of heated debate when it comes to feminism, medical and anatomical reality, history, and more. This series is to expand upon that knowledge and to serve as a focal point for women (and men!) curious about corsetry… what it is, what it does, how it works, how to shop for one, and what to expect.

Mind you, I’m not a corset maker. I’m not an expert on corsetry, and I simply fancy myself an educated buyer. Because with corsets, above many other fashionable garments, education is necessary. The more you know, the better position you will be in, and the less likely you will be to hurt yourself or get screwed.

Image by the delicious Stuntkid

♥ What IS a corset, exactly?
A corset is, historically, an undergarment that provides support and shape to a woman’s figure. In our modern age, it is worn both as outerwear or underwear and still provides shape and support to a body. A corset is typically made from 3-4 layers of fabric, laces up the back (or front, and sometimes both!), and is boned in key points, typically with steel. However, there are corsets (such as summer and swimming ones) that may be made with one layer of fabric or may be made to resemble a “cage.” Corsets come in a very large variety of styles, as corset styles varied with the fashions of an era.

IMPORTANT NOTE: A corset is NOT the same as a bustier or corset-style top. These are typically boned with plastic, made with a layer of fashion fabric, and are not meant to shape your body. These are purely fashionable garments only. Trying to wear a bustier or corset-style top as a proper corset can lead to more bodily damage than a corset can.

♥ What does a corset DO?
You may be wondering what it means when I say a corset “shapes” your body. After all, control-top hose and a pair of Spanx can technically do that. A corset uses a certain amount of compression to redistribute the body’s fat. Most people associate a corset with creating a more curvaceous silhouette to a woman’s body, much like an hourglass. However, there are periods which create other shapes, such as a more cone shaped Elizabethan form (focusing on pressing a woman’s breasts upwards) or a tubular shape.

There is always concern about squishing or damaging a woman’s organs, affecting her ribs, etc. A properly fitting corset for the “average” wearer will result in minimal, if nonexistent, damage

World famous Mr. Pearl takes his own corsetry to an extreme– we don’t have to take our own love so far!

♥ WHY would I want to wear a corset?
Well, why not?! I think your answers are going to get various mileage based on who you ask. Some people want to wear them strictly ornamental, as a real corset looks far more luxurious & impressive than a bustier. Other women like to use it as a means of looking spectacular on an irregular basis.

Personally, I like the transformative aspect of it– it’s like putting on a new persona. Instantly my body takes on a new appearance, as does my posture. I’m forced to walk differently, sit differently, dance differently… and for a night out at the club, it helps make the night an experience and memorable if I don a persona for the evening.

There is something sexy and sexual about wearing, and the interactions between a woman & another woman or men instantly becomes an intriguing study in dynamics and perceptions.

♥ Wait–did you say DANCE? How can do you dance in one, let alone walk/sit/breathe?
One of the biggest misconceptions I find, is the fear & hysteria of what you can & cannot do in a corset. Your breathing shouldn’t be impacted by a corset; you may take shallower breaths, but you should breath just fine. I can walk miles in a corset and dance in it (though twisting at the waist is nearly impossible). I’ve even chased a 6 and a half foot tall rabbit through the French Quarter in one. Many women wear them to work, bike riding, playing sports, and all without difficultly.  Loads of my girlfriends wear them, and I’ve never heard any complaints about their limitations.

In fact, I’ve found the hardest thing to do IN a corset is put on and take off my shoes. (Sometimes going to the ladies room can be hard, but that will be covered later as well.)

♥ Enough already! What if I just want to buy a corset? How do I do that?
Patience, grasshopper! That will come in the next section… where I tell you all you’ll need to know about buying a corset– as an informed buyer.

Continue reading parts 2 and 3 ….

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Part 2 of this series was first posted here: How To Buy A Corset {part 2}

Now that I’ve debunked some myths about corsetry there’s something very, monumentally important for me to talk about, for both your sake & the sake of the men & women making your corsets.

Image by Sharon K. Cooper

♥ Why do corsets COST so much?!?
Cost is, without a doubt, probably one of the scariest components of buying a corset. If you’ve done any peeking around, you may have seen corsets ranging from $50 on eBay (I promise you, these are rarely, truly ever corsets & are a bonafide waste of your money) to $1000, easily. With corsets, you will get what you pay for– and trust me when I say, for your body’s comfort & your physical comfort, save up for a better corset.

Corsetmaking is an art, and one that requires years of dedication, research, knowledge, experience, and skill to perform. Ask any first time corset maker about their experience and they will undoubtedly have tales of terror to share.  If you ask any experienced corsetiere what their biggest pet peeve is, it is undoubtedly going to be the customers expectations that it is a cheap endeavor.

A corset, on average, can take a skilled craftsman from 20-40 hours of construction to make.  A simple underbust or overbust can cost upwards of $50 in supplies alone, and when you add a sustainable hourly wage, you should expect your corset to cost you a shiny penny.  When you add in extra boning, modesty panels, lace & ribbon trims, zippers or buckles, these will increase the overall cost of your corset.

Also consider this: many corsetmakers, whether individuals or companies, ARE licensed businesses.  This requires that they pay taxes on all products they sell.  This means as business owners that they are required to purchase health insurance, dental insurance, vision plans, pay rent (whether on a store front, studio, or home).  These are all sunk costs that make their way in to ANY handmade item.

♥ Now you’ve scared me a bit, how do I shop for a corset?
Corset shopping can be made easier, though it can be very daunting at first! My number 1 tip for corset shopping is to find a shop– having a place to try on different styles is invaluable!

We’re going to break buying a corset in to pairs, the first being:

“Off-the-Rack” vs. Custom

(note: some corset makers offer in-between selections, but for ease, we’re focusing on these two options.)

♥ “Off-the-Rack” is exactly as it sounds. You are buying a pre-made corset. There is nothing wrong with that, despite people’s attitudes! Off-the-rack corsets tend to be built around a company defined set of measurements, very similar to buying clothes from any chain store. Typically off-the-rack corsets are less expensive than their custom counterparts. I personally find that some off-the-rack corset companies fit women with a “standard” body shape much better than those who may be more “shaped.”

♥ Custom corsets are built and shaped around your OWN body measurements, and to get a custom corset you often have to go through an independent corset maker (though some companies offer this service). A custom corset is always the ideal one– it is based not only on your bust/rib/waist/hip measurements, but typically includes additional measurements on the length of your torso from bust to waist and waist to hip. Many custom corset makers include additional measurements to ensure it will fit you perfectly!

The Underbust vs. The Overbust

♥ The Underbust: An underbust corset is exactly as it sounds– it is a corset that begins at your rib cage and ends in the hip region.  Many end at the top of the hips, but you can get them to extend to your lower hips as well.  Within this category, I’m also going to throw in the waist cincher.  The waist cincher does simply that– it begins below the ribcage & stops above the hips and cinches in your waist.

I find the underbust corset to be an excellent choice for Apple shaped girls (where we want to decrease our tummies & increase the illusion of our hip/bust size). It’d also be an excellent choice for girls with a boyish shape, as it can help create the illusion of more curves.

♥ The Overbust: The over bust goes, in vary degrees, above the breast. Like the underbust, it hits in varying spots between the high and low hip.  The bustline for an overbust corset can vary, each creating different looks.  A demi bust will stop around the nipple; it is excellent for providing support underneath clothes, especially strapless shirts or dresses.  Corsets that cut straight across the top often create “the shelf effect” with your breasts.  It squishes them down and the puff over the top.  A Sweetheart Cup has proven to be both beneficial for women with small breasts and with larger breasts; for smaller breasts, it is easier to add padding and define the bust line, while larger breasted women find that the sweetheart cup helps give them much needed support.

At this point, I hope you have some kind of ideas as to what you’d like your corset to do & how you’d like it to look, and styles you may want to buy.

The Next Step:  Determining Your Size

On average, you will want a 2-4″ reduction with your corset, on your bust/waist/hip measurements.  Unless specified otherwise, most corsets are sized to have a 2″ gap in the back of them.  This gives you a bit of “wiggle room” in regards to cinching yourself down further.  I tend to think of it as 2″ gap means you’ve cinched yourself down 2″; if it touches, you’ve cinched yourself down 4″ (or could go for a smaller size).

Say your natural measurements are 36″ Bust, 26″ Waist, 38″ Hips, you would consider a corset with measurements similar to 32-34″ Bust, 22″ Waist, and 34-36″ Hips.  Most corsets are “Sized” by their waist measurement; if you go in to a shop, with a waist of 30″, you would likely try on 26″ corsets.

This means of measurement, though, is only a rule of thumb.  Many women have more “squish” than others do, regardless of how slim or curvy you may be.  Squish is hard to describe, except to me it seems to be a combination of the ratio of fat & muscle you have in the corseted region.  Some women can cinch their waists 6″ or more very easily, because they have a squishier body.

As a result of squish, there are corsetmakers who make tightlacing corsets– ones that have a greater reduction at the waist.  You can wear a tightlacing corset, even if you do not practice it.  Tightlacing is something I will talk about in the next installment, but in short, it is a process by which you wear a corset with a greater than 4″ reduction for more than just casual wear.

Things to Look For/Consider:

♥ Waist Tape. Waist tape is going to be on the inside of your corset, running horizontally around the corset. This helps prevent the natural fibers from stretching out and helps maintain the designed shape of the corset.

♥ A busk. For a first time corset wearer, I can’t recommend getting a corset with a busk enough.  It significantly increases the ease in getting your corset on & off.  A busk should be made of strong & sturdy steel, and should run the entire length of the corset front.  There should be not gaping at the top or bottom of the corset.
♥ Coutil. Coutil is a fabric that has long been used in making corsets–in fact, I believe that was why it was invented! Coutil has a very dense weave, is all natural, and has no stretch. This helps ensure that shape will not be lost and that the boning will not penetrate the corset.
♥ Longlines and Highbacks. A longline corset extends further down the hips than a typical overbust or underbust corset does. This can help prevent the “buldge” (the redistribution of chub to other areas due to the compression).  Highback refers to how high up your back a corset goes.  Typically there is not much difference in rise between the front & back of a corset.  Occasionally, this can lead to a bit of bulge over the top of your corset.  One option is to stretch when you put on a corset.  Another option is to purchase a highback on your corset.  This means it will extend several inches above the front of your corset, and usually rest higher on your shoulder blades, preventing bulge.
♥ Spiral vs. Flat Steel Most corsets are made with a combination of 2 of the above three corsets. Flat steel typically creates a much stricter, more confined corset; it limits movement far more than the other two, and is often found near any busks or lacing on a corset. Flat steel allows movement in one direction only. Spiral boning is actually flatter, but allows movement in 2 directions. Because of this, it allows for more movement, and I would recommend it for any first time corset wearer.  The rigidity of flat steel is also better for bustier or plus-sized women, as it provides more strength and support than a spiral steel will.

If you have the opportunity to handle the corset in person, make sure that the boning doesn’t have the ease to move along the boning channel. I felt a corset once where there was a good thumb length for movement, and that is not good, folks.
♥ Modesty Panels A modesty panel is typically an extension of fabric that goes underneath lacing to prevent the flesh from being seen underneath. While it is typically in the back of the corset, modesty panels can also be created in the front of the corset, to go under front lacing or busks. Many times modesty panels are not included with the cost of a corset, so be sure to check with your maker if one interests you. Many people like the appearance of the skin or fabric under the lacing, so as for preferences they tend not to be standard.
♥ Grommets You should, when examining a corset or images of a corsetmakers work, look at how the grommets are set. They should be two piece, and the closer they get to the center of the corset, the closer together they should be. If the grommets are evenly spaced the length of the corset, this will not help in cinching the waist in securely.

Always tie your corsets in the center of the garment. These grommets are spaced evenly apart, which is less than ideal. If she had a modesty panel, you wouldn’t be able to see the flesh beneath her lacing.  You also want to avoid corsets that make the “V” shape when laced tight… it means it is not an ideal fit.

♥ Mock Up Corsets If you are ordering a custom made corset, most corsetieres will offer you a mock-up option. It is a rough draft of a corset, typically made out of muslin, lightly boned. When you get a mock-up, it allows you & the corsetmaker to see how the final product will fit you & make adjustments in the event it doesn’t fit you as you’d like.

Next up in our series… places & people to buy corsets from, protecting yourself as a buyer, tricks & tips for wearing corsets, and more!  If there are any questions you’d like answered or information you’d like to see, please let me know!

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And finally, part 3 of Miss Ashe Mischief’s corsetry series was first posted at her blog, here:
Tips, Tricks, and Tools of the Corsetry Trade {part 3}

♥ Buy from Reputable Sellers; check feedback EVERYWHERE; get firm commitments on dates; negotiate price plans.
I feel that this could (and probably should) be a post all on its own. Given the nature of corsets, they are long term products to create. It’s not unusual for a custom corset to take from 6 weeks to 3 months to create. As such, oftentimes your Paypal or credit card protection can expire before you receive your goods.

I’ve read many, many stories about buyers being screwed out of money from corset makers. It’s very difficult, as you are often entrusting a large sum of money to a person who is promising to deliver goods. There are many once respected sellers who have completely destroyed their reputations by providing subpar products or no products at all. This isn’t to frighten you, but to remind you, that there are many bad and untrustworthy people, no matter what field or niche it may be.

Make sure you gets dates: dates for when the mock-up should be done & to you, when the corset should be completed. If the corsetiere offers a payment plan, take advantage of it– it will help to protect you in the event something goes awry–then you won’t be out all of your money and it may be easier to argue for payment in the past.

♥ Places & People to Shop From: This is just a very small sampling of the places you can get corsets, both off-the-rack and custom.  Several of these I have shopped from, several girlfriends have bought from & loved, or I have heard many, MANY positive reviews about them.
Trashy Diva carries a variety of sellers, including Isabella. While they sell in house off-the-rack corsets, they have custom ordered pieces in the past.
Timeless Trends creates underbust corsets, off-the-rack. I would buy one of these myself for a casual piece to wear, and would recommend it for first time corset wearers. They are almost all $99.
Gallery Serpentine, based from Australia. They offer off-the-rack and custom pieces, and I have heard many wonderful comments about them. There are several I’m eying as well.
House of Worship is based from Canada. Chantal creates exquisite pieces. I just sold my striped underbust by her not too long ago, and I would absolutely work with her again.
Blood Drop Corsets. Astrid receives great feedback among her fans, and I know that Libby of Exoskeleton Cabaret swears by them.
The Corsetiere has an excellent list of all Custom Corsetmakers & Companies they could think of. I did note a few on there that have iffy reputations– so definitely do your research on them!

♥ Styling
Michelle at Decline Designs thought it would be great if I could provide suggestions on how to style a corset, so you don’t look like a Dominatrix or Ren-Fair wannabe. This is a GREAT topic to bring up, as I see it pop up often on the Corsetry community.

How to Wear a Corset by Ashe Mischief featuring Forever21 watches

In this first set, I wanted to tone down the outfit since the underbust corset was so vibrant and wild. Going all black didn’t seem right either, though. I focused on the texture of the ruffles & fringe to add more depth, while using soft pink to complement the black and floral pattern.  A skirt with some gathering at the waist can prevent any “bulge” from showing.  I can guarantee I want this outfit myself!

How to Wear a Corset (2) by Ashe Mischief featuring Daytrip tops

Corsets are one of my favorite pieces for a night at the bars & clubs.  But I’ve seen a lot of corsets worn badly out.   When in a fetish-y fabric like vinyl, I like to tone down the fetish and pull out playfulness.  Above are a handful of pieces that can be mixed and matched amongst themselves for endless wearability.  With the exception of the petticoat and corset, you may even have similar pieces in your wardrobe already.  It’s nice to be able to take a piece from business to the bar, and maximize your cost per wear.

For a woman who styles corsets like no body else, check out Amelia Arsenic’s Fashion Files. She’s an amazing collection of corsets and outstanding style, too!

♥ Tips & Tricks
♥ My girl friend Kara recommends loosely lacing up an hour before an event. Give yourself time to eat, use the restroom, put on your shoes (!), and finish lacing in the remainder of the way. She also recommends lace yourself in before eating, so that you don’t get cramps from putting your corset on.
♥ If you’re wearing multiple layers under your corset (bloomers, tights, panties), I recommend tearing a hole in the crotch of your tights and wearing your panties or bloomers over them. Panties are far easier to get down than tights are from under a corset. Another alternative is stockings.
♥ Consume alcohol slowly. I’m not sure if there is scientific evidence on this, but it seems that alcohol enters your blood stream more slowly when you’ve got a corset on. My ladies & I had a many a night when we were suddenly hit by a WHOOOSH! of liquor and ended up more buzzed than we thought.
♥ To prevent back cleavage, lace in your corset half way.  Reach & stretch your arms above your head (and this helps get your corset’s waist at your waist), stretch side to side.  Then adjust the girls as needed, and lace in the remainder of the way.
♥ How to put on your corset, lace yourself in, and take your corset off:

♥ Kara isn’t a fan of wearing skirts or shirts with buttons on them, as they leave funny indents. I haven’t noticed too much, so I think your mileage will vary (based on how much you lace down and your squishiness).
♥ If you’re wearing an underbust, you may find that it’s more comfortable if your bras underwire and the top of your corset aren’t overlapping.
♥ Kara likewise suggests wearing a liner or something underneath your corset, so as to avoid lace burn when tightening down!
♥ Most importantly– if it hurts, something is wrong!

♥ Resources:
Following the below three communities, I’ve gained much of the knowledge I have today. They can be truly invaluable resources.
The Corsetiere
Corsetry
Corsetmakers
There are amazing & countless books for information, and the Corsetmakers community seems to have information, reviews, and feedback on them all.

Any tips or tricks you’d like to add? Corsetmakers whose work you swear by and will shop with until eternity?

Thanks to the lovely Ashe for graciously letting me repost this here!

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