Basic corseting panel.

Here's a nice corset panel at a convention. They cover all the basics of the parts, how to put one one, lacing, etc.  A great resource for someone new to corseting.

30 Days of Corsets: Day 17

Okay, first off I have to say I hate the angle my husband took this photo. However all six of the shots were the same. This is the first time I've put this particular corset on so wore it only about two hours. Then I changed into something already broken in.

This satin corset has a bell shape so it has a built-in peplum design. That's nice for hiding the tummy. I can wear it with a skirt like here or with leggings. In the photo, I have a scarf on, but I also have a red and black Chinese style and patterened jacket that looks nice. Additionally, I have a short sleeved red sheer-lace jacket I can wear over top.

This corset has a placket inside at the front busk to prevent pinching of the skin. I really like that feature and plan to put one on the corsets I'm making. The modesty panel in the back isn't very wide but it does extend the entire length of the corset--including the skirting. It came in with black satin ribbon for the back laces but I will likely replace that. The ribbons look nice but are a real pain to lace up on my own. I prefer the heavier cording that's more like boot lacing. They pull more easily and stay tied.

There's no fancy embellishment on this corset but that means I can change the look with whatever I wear on top. I can add a fake fur collar or a bolero. I can give it a Christmas look with boots or a Valentine's day with a long skirt. I can also put it with a blue bottom and a flag themed scarf and jewelry for Independence Day. Sometimes less is more and that's what I had in mind when I bought this one...versatility.

30 Days of Corsets: Days 15 and 16

Today, I'm wearing a black brocade corset with a broom skirt. I like the brocade and velvet corsets much better than the satin ones. I don't like how the skirt in this photo makes my tummy look larger but that's just a product of the skirt design. I suspect if the corset were one of the long-lined ones I have, that problem would be alleviated by the longer torso portion of the corset. The skirt is comfortable and has lace along the hemline. I'm wearing my black Mary Janes (shoes).

This is one of the typical ways I wear my corsets daily. On hot days, I wear a cotton tank top like this for chest coverage and also to serve as the corset liner. I have several tank tops with embellishments on the neckline. This particular one has a lace applique just above the corset busk.

Tomorrow I'll show of a new corset I'm just beginning to break in. It is made from red satin.

30 Days of Corsets Day 14

Here I am wearing the green corset from Corset Punk. http://corsetpunk.com/ I got this one from them in June this year when the seller and I were both dealers at World Horror Convention in New Orleans. My husband bought this one for my birthday. In this photo, I'm wearing it out to my birthday dinner and a movie.

I'm wearing a black satin skirt with lace on the side panels and a tuxedo styled jacket with sheer sleeves. I picked up the jacket from the local thrift store. I can button it at the waist if I want.
I found green nail polish with gold glitter to match the corset and complete the look.

When I have a skirt on like this, I wear thigh-high hosiery and a garter belt. (Put the underwear over top of the garter belt.) This way I don't have to undo the corset to visit the ladies' room. It sounds like a pain but really isn't. I find it very convenient and comfortable.

By hosiery, I mean sheer stockings for going out and thigh-high socks for cooler days. I get the thigh-high socks from Sock Dreams. Here's a link if you want to see what I'm talking about. http://www.sockdreams.com/products/socks/thigh-highs/extraordinarily-longer-thigh-high
For hot days, I skip the garter and wear short socks with flats or sandals.

It's a cute look, isn't it?

30 Days of Corsets Days 11, 12, & 13

 

 

Again, I'm combining several days of this corset challenge. I'm running into questions I cannot answer or feel I've already talked about the subjects in previous posts.

 

I don't have a photo of me in a historical corset so that one's right out.

 

Next is the question:  "Corsetgasms": weird or really cool?

Seeing as how I had no idea what a corsetgams is, I almost skipped this one. But then noticed this post on the Wasted Lives blog (the folks who started this challenge). http://waistedlives.tumblr.com/post/54448482062/corsetgasam-to-clarify

 

A corsetgasm refers to the changes in your body when you've worn a corset for a while and then take it off. For me, my posture sucks and it isn't long before I'm wanting to put a corset back on. Of course, if there's every pinching due to wast tape or my belly against the bust, I'm happy for that to get relief. However, the same effect can be achieved by relacing my corset or wearing a liner.  I don't notice much when I take off my corset but always notice my back realigining when I put one on. For me, that is cool because I get relief from any back or sholder pain I'm experiencing.

 

The next question is about lacing myself. Can I lace myself or do I need assistance?  I can lace myself. I don't when I'm breaking in a new corset because I have a more difficult time making sure the gap is even. I also don't lace myself when putting on a corset that's been damaged. I'd rather ask my husband for help than risk making it worse.  Truthfully, I don't think he minds much. 

 

When you lace yourself, just don't expect to do it in a hurry. Take your time and get it on right. You'll be more comfortable in the long run.

 

For the rest of the month, I'm planning to focus on showing ways I typically wear my corsets. Take the white satin one in the photo above. I wore a yellow summer sweater overtop this one that day but only took that off to show off the corset for the photo.  When I attended my writer's meeting, I don't believe any of them noticed I had a corset on. That's one of the things I like. I can conceal it if I want or incorporate the corset into that day's 'look'.

 

 



 

30 Days of Corsets Day 9 and 10

The next two questions in the 30 days of Corsets are related to me so I'm putting them in one post.
Post a picture of your favorite corset that you own; and; Post a picture of your favorite corset of all time.

The two which are my favorites are both ones which I inadvertently damaged so that's why I'm putting them together here. My current favorite is in the photo above. I like the oriental dragon brocade. It's an overbust, longline corset with, of course, steel boning.  I washed this one too often at first so there are two spots on the side seams where the brocade started fraying. I did put Fray Stop on them and on all the seams so the damage isn't getting worse. However, it means this one's destined to remain underneath clothing from now on. I'm not big on dry cleaning when I can wash them myself.

What I learned from this is to wear a corset liner so the liner soaks up sweat and keeps the corset clean longer. You can wash the liner as much as you'd like. I've also discovered the liner helps make the inner waist tape more comfortable by alleviating the potential of it pinching the skin.

I don't buy expensive liners. Lucy's Corsetry taught me to buy Tshirts in a small size from the thrift store and cut them off. This makes a cotton tube which covers my lower torso area (under the bust). Cheap and easy.

Now my favorite corset of all time is not pictured. It's a black jacquard, long lined waist training corset. I wear it mainly at night these days. It isn't all that pretty and I've given it more wear than any of my others. The fabric is standing up to the washing and wearing. I have had to repair the top of the busk, where the stitching gave way but truly, it's amazing with as many hours as I wear this one, how it's lasted. 

My mistake with this one is that I didn't break it in correctly and was learning to lace when I first had it. I wasn't lacing it properly to where the open gap is pretty straight. I was tightening the bust and hips too much. I also didn't know to break a new corset in two hours at a time and went straight to all day with this one. The result is the boning is warped a little. It fits fine now and I can get it laced comfortably. However it isn't straight in the front any more but slanted slightly to the left. That's why I relegated this one to sleeping. It just looks funny. We did try to reseason the corset with a little success but the main damage was done so it'll never be 'right'.

I have another satin corset which warped in the same way so that's why with this next set of corsets I'm breaking in now, I'm taking care to do it correctly this time. Hopefully someone will learn from my mistakes. I'm just glad I learned this before I bought a truly expensive corset.

30 Days of Corsets: Days 6,7, and 8

There's three questions I'm answering today as I catch up.
1) Who is my favorite corset maker?
Answer: I cannot say really. I've only purchased from two at this point:  Corset Story and Corset Punk. I like them both but have to give Corset Punk props in the customer service department.

2) Have I ever had a custom corset made for me?
Answer: No.  I would like to someday but not until I'm done waist training and losing weight. I have my eye on a couple of gorgeous ones so for now, they're incentive for me to keep going on the diet.

3) Have I ever made a corset for myself?
Oh, sure. I've made many costume corsets with plastic boning (and hated them). Right now I have three projects in various stages to make my own with steel busks and steel boning. Here's the photos:

The yellow cotton one is based on a more historical pattern. It has cups for the bust area. It's all cut out and I'm ready to begin sewing on it. The trim shown here I picked up in 2008 when we visited Germany for six weeks. I also have finished a skirt out of the same yellow fabric.

The burgundy velvet one I show laid out here. It has been cut out but I still need to cut out the coutil for the lining. I'm using left-over velvet from a costume I did last fall. It's a little thicker velvet since it's technically upholstry fabric. I expect it will wear well. The costume jacket I made from it is very comfortable.

The blue satin and lace is a project I haven't cut out yet. The baby blue satin and navy Italian lace are remainder fabric pieces from my wedding gown I made a few years back. I won't cut this one out until I've made the other two so I can see which pattern I like better and if there are any adjustments I want to make to the pattern. 

I will post photos of these three corsets whenever I get them completed.

30 Days of Corsets

I know I've missed about a week on this Thirty Days of Corsets. Chalk it up to other things going on in my life.
Here's the answers to a few of the questions posed for the challenge:
1) How often do you wear your corsets?
Answer:  I wear them daily. I often sleep in a waist training corset.

2) Preference:  busk, zipper, lacing or no front closure?
Answer. All of mine have a front busk with back lacing. I'm not interested in a zipper but will never say never. Corsets with no front closures are just too hard to get on and off.

Tomorrow I'll address making a corset myself and having a custom corset made.

Here's today's photo. (Yes, I'm not wearing makeup.) I talked about going to the next size down (32 inch waist). This is one of them. Although I've broken this one in, it's still adjusting to my body a little. If you look back at when I started last September, you can see a huge difference in my waistline. I am now seeing permanent changes even when not in a corset. I'm definitely in love with the way I feel and don't want to ever go back to a bra.

30 days of Corsets Day 4

I have no photos today. Someone asked if I made any of my corsets. Not yet, though I have two cut out and all the supplies in. This is a hobby for me so I have to take care of book company business first. If I can get them both constructed before the 30 days is up, I'll post pics.

Heck, I'll post them no matter when I finish them. I do like how the waist gores of the Corset Punk corset (day 1) works to make the corset fit. I'm adjusting my patterns to do like wise. More in the future!

30 days of Corsets Day 2 & 3

Yep, that's right. This is day two AND three. My reason is I have two different styles in halter corsets and I'd like to show them to you together. Both come from Corsetstory.com. The blue brocade one is comfortable but I don't like where the halter straps start--at the front of the breast, directly above the nipple. IMHO, this would fit better and I'd have less boobie spillage on the sides if the straps were attached about an inch and a half closer to the arms, like a normal halter.

I like the oriental one much better. The only problem I have with it is the satin layer, beneath the lace, is highly wrinkled. It doesn't look bad but feels strange. The blue brocade one is a waist 34 and the oriental a 32.

Both of these corsets give me the back support I look for and are steel-boned. You won't find me wearing much else. I do need to mention that neither of these are waist-trainers.

I do wear my corsets every day and often sleep in a waist trainer. I've come to hate wearing a bra anymore and can't wait to ditch it for a corset when I have to wear one (like on my recent plane flight--I didn't want to chance delays the steel parts might cause in security checks).

Instructional corset video

I'd like to share another corset video I found on YouTube. The audio is not great but this is very informational, especially if you're looking for historical information or depunking myths.
http://youtu.be/CdH5ufXP__Q

Here's the latest photo of me in my corset. This was taken on Valentines day before my husband and I went out to a burlesque show. Yes, the neckline on the shirt under the corset is at an angle. It's made that way. I like how it looks topped with the tuxedo jacket (which I picked up from the local thrift store).

Corset update

I've been lax on reporting on my corset waist-training project. Chalk that up to just busy-ness related to publishing. I am still wearing my corset daily. I'm definitely hooked on them. I don't feel good when I take it off for extended periods of time, though did when my cold moved into my chest. The coughing made my ribs hurt so it had little to do with the corset. I do still sleep in one.

So far I've lost 21 pounds on the diet. I definitely feel it all over. Certainly my shape has changed as when I take the corset off, the posture remains and there is definition to my abdominal and lower back muscles. I also find I can sit in previously uncomfortable hard chairs (like stools, folding chairs, or benches in restaurants) without aching. It's funny how we blame the chair when the real culprit is our posture. My plan now is to increase exercise. My back and arm pains have not returned so I attribute that to the corset mainly, with the added plus of weight loss.

I don't notice any problems breathing with the single exception of the chest cold. An interesting tidbit I learned is that notion of corsets causing internal organ damage or breathing problems may be due, in part, to the ad campaigns of German clothing manufacturers at the turn of last century. Some of their ads were aimed at pulling business away from French manufacturers who specialized in corsets at the time. We saw the same thing happen with Absinthe. Rumors were started, in some cases--physicians bribed to make false claims, ads run as actual news articles in attempts to sway public opinion away from a product. Proof that media literacy is a must to any consumer of any generation.

Back to my update. I've gotten used to squatting when picking up things. I'd say my largest problem was dealing with wiping the behind after using the restroom. I found a nice little rubber arm thing at a store with indigent patient medical supplies. I use flushable baby wipes with it and it works great. I actually feel cleaner than I did with just plain toilet paper.

Most people don't notice me wearing the corset beneath my clothes in public. One fellow accidentally elbowed my chest when standing in line at the bus station. His expression was priceless because it made a thunk sound. I'm sure he thought I had wooden breasts but wouldn't ask. Grin.

What I'm wearing overtop makes a difference in whether people notice also. A soft or light sweater, definitely reveals it. You can see the lower edge definition if I have sweat pants on but not with jeans. Darker colors are a plus and darned few notice if I have a blazer or jacket on over my shirt. I've picked up a few nice suit jackets and a tuxedo jacket from the thrift store to wear overtop. I hope to sew a few over the holidays as well.

In summer, I won't need the extra shirt and it will still look cute.  I also found corsets which are halter tops at www.corsetstory.com.   The interesting thing is the corsets I use all have steel boning in them. I find the satin fabric less comfortable than brocade or velvet.

That's it for this update. I'll jump on and post a couple more pictures over the weekend.

Week 1 Competed

Update on corset body modification project.

 

I’ve now slept in a corset for seven nights. Yep, that means I’m wearing them 24/7. I expected to have difficulty sleeping as mentioned in some of my research books on corset masochism. That hasn’t been the case for me. It takes me a few minutes to get comfortable but that’s normal and I’ve slept well.

 My back and shoulder have stopped hurting. I definitely prefer the corset to a bra. I get good support without the strain on my shoulder muscles. That’s released a lot of stress I normally get by the end of the day from the bra straps and breast weight. I used to ask my husband for back and shoulder rubs daily. I’ve only asked for one in the past week.

 I definitely look curvier. Weigh in and measure day was today. With the Atkins diet and the corset training, I’ve lost just over five pounds and two inches off of my waist. Now I’m measuring my natural waistline, without the corset. When I have the corset on and laced up, my waist is about an inch and a half smaller than that.

 I’ve decided to include two pics here. The first is from a couple of weeks ago from when I started the body modification project. I’m wearing a fashion corset that I barely got into. The second is from this morning. I’m wearing the silver/black steel boned waist training corset.

Before picture August 2012

Progess week 1 September 9, 2012

 

 

Problems I’ve encountered: 

I must squat to pick things up from the floor or pet the cats. My thighs are a bit sore. Once I squat down, I can tilt my torso forward. That will just take getting used to.

 Restroom breaks are sometimes challenging. Peeing is easy enough to wipe after but anything else requires removal of the corset. I’m learning to rehook the steel busk at the front by lying on the bed they way you might do to put on tight jeans.  Still it takes me a few minutes.

 I also apply baby powder before putting on a clean corset. It helps keeps the skin dry.

 Next post:

I’ll blog about a couple of humorous experiences I’ve had so far.

Day One Corset Wearing

Today's my first day of full on wearing the steel boned waist-training corset. I may have bought one a little too large as it is laced tightly enough to force me to sit straight but the laced edges touch. That may be a good thing while I get used to it.  I definitely look curvier in it. It's amazing how rearranging the flab makes a difference. LOL!

Slouching and bending over are straight out. I can bend at the knees. Already my thighs are complaining about doing squats and my sense of balance needs practice. I feel like my shoulders are straighter as well. Part of slouching is bending your shoulders forward. I'm curious to see if this has any effect on my shoulder that's been hurting since April. The doctor told me back then it was like a sports injury and kept asking me if I were throwing baseballs. I think it's the way I hug my pillow at night. I get a death grip on it sometimes. After dental surgery back in the 1990's, I found out I clench my teeth when I sleep. My guess is they're related.

I've read how one of the reasons given for some to wear these types of corsets daily is a heightened sense of sexuality. I definitely feel more feminine in this thing. I already learned while wearing costuming how many motions considered lady-like by our modern society are things which came about because of clothing in the past. You don't bend over to pick up something while wearing a tri-hoop skirt unless you want the whole world behind you to see your behind!

One other interesting thing...just while typing this blog post, my spine has popped several times. It must be aligning itself. It definitely feels good.

My husband and I started on the Atkins diet today as well. I have a goal to lose five inches in my waist and a hundred pounds. That certainly qualifies as body modification in my book.