Discovering Corsets - The Ultimate Body Makeover
In early 1990 I was shopping in downtown London and went into a small Lingerie Boutique, remember this was pre Victoria Secret days!
I was met by a lovely lady who asked if I needed directions around the store or if I would like to browse first. I chose the directions. Heck, why not!
The store had all manner of designers and everything one could imagine. At the back of the store we stopped by the corset collection. I have always been intrigued by corsets, but had never contemplated owning one. I have owned a few long line bras
corset tops, and bustier tops, girdles but never a corset.
I was mesmerized as I had never imagined such a collection. There were some simple decorative corsets, under bust and over bust, there were other corsets that were more functional than pretty but looked more like outerwear as opposed to underwear or lingerie. The shop assistant sensed she had found something that interested me and showed me more. The more interested I became the more she showed me, until she revealed that she was laced to a comfortable few inches below her natural waist. She, I had to admit, looked stunning!
There were the more solid garments for 'tight lacing.' This on its own was a new term for me. Wow, an education. I was intrigued beyond belief. I asked about pricing, and as these were handmade I also asked about timing of the construction. Well, the corsetiere actually worked a few blocks away and could easily measure me for a corset and we could be done in a week. I was in London and surrounds for two weeks, so this seemed imminently possible. I threw caution to the wind and decided I was getting a corset!
We called the corsetiere and she came over and measured me. Measuring was a fairly lengthy process and had me sitting and standing, and answering all sorts of questions about my style of dress and even my lifestyle. I was measured for an under bust, tightlacing, training corset. It would be a basic hour glass with slight wasp waist, in that my upper ribs would be brought in slightly! I was told that this created a pleasing line as opposed to a straight hour glass which could look like a tight belt was drawn around a waist. I was sold... I bought a few pairs of wonderful stockings, some panties, I paid a deposit and left the store. I was a little nervous and a little excited, all at once. Really I couldn't wait to try this garment, a garment with such a derisive history.
Back in the hotel I delved into the material the corsetiere had brought for my reading pleasure. There was all manner of material about corsets, the history of corsets, the history of underwear, lacing, tightlacing, diet, care for the corset, care for my skin. I can't tell you who amazed I was. The price was absolutely affordable, not cheap mind you but certainly not unexpected for the quality of work I saw in her completed garments in the store.
Now in 2011 we see and read about corsets a fair amount. Lady Gaga, Madonna and others have been seen in all types. In 1990 these were thought of as ancient torture devices last worn by Queen Elizabeth when she ordered Mary Queen of Scots' head chopped off.
Two days later I was called as the corsetiere had created a muslin form to test her measures and pattern on me. We met in my hotel hat evening and fitted the garment, made a few changes and we were done. She brought several completed corsets for me to see as well as several types of materials we could use. I selected a black nylon with an embedded pattern and lace on the top and bottom, 4 suspenders per leg, and that was about it. I would have my corset in three days.
When my corset arrived I opened a great package and looked at my purchase. I stripped and opened the busk and put it on. Closing the busk was an interesting feeling of admiration and wonder for myself! What was I doing? I stood in front of the mirror and pulled slowly on the laces watching my body transform in front of my eyes. Amazing. I could pull in the laces to about half way, which was a surprise. The sides were parallel and I looked great.
My breathing was awkward and majorly restricted, that I assumed was what I had to get used to in the process of tightlacing. What I did notice was that the corset did not sit on my skin at the top. It was away by about half an inch, particularly noticeable on the sides. A flaw? I pulled in another inch. Still there was this gap. Pulling in any more was not feasible without major pain. I was warned not to push it in my early days. The gap worried me. I tied off the laces behind my back and walked around the hotel room. I felt exhilarated, feminine and very chic! I also realized that I couldn't breathe!
As I continued to admire my new form I realized that this not breathing was slowing me down. I started to feel like I had when I was on a SCUBA dive in the Great Barrier Reef, a year previously. I was claustrophobic, hot, and being suffocated. I think I was starting to black out, my vision was getting blurry and dark around the edges. I made a move to my bed and collapsed just in time to untie the laces and relieve pressure. I rolled over and unclipped the busk. I started to recover. Phew! OK, I guess I did not apply rule number one
corset tops, don't rush it.
I left it for a while and then I tried it on again and pulled it in an inch and tied it off. There was still the gap around the top. I called the corsetiere and asked her. It was simply that my ribs needed to pull in and this would take time and once they were in the corset would fit like a glove. I told her I had it on and pulled in an inch. She told me not to wear it for more than an hour or two at the most for the first few weeks!
I was on my way to being a corset wearer!
I have laced ever since. I own a decent collection of corsets, all hand made by wonderfully creative people from around the world. I have under busts, over busts, hourglass, wasp waist, Victorian, Edwardian, to name a few
corset tops, they are made of all manner of materials, including leather, rubber and latex! For a period of around five years I laced every day for at least 16 hours. I created the waist I never had. I was constantly reducing my corseted waist. This is a major lifestyle as one has to juggle, diet, exercise and life into a lacing regimen. It can be like training for a marathon. Nothing happens very quickly.
One of the major advantages I found was that with a small bust, my enhanced waist takes a viewers eyes off my lacking chest. Wonderful. At present I wear a corset at least three times per week, sometimes more.
Try it someday
corset tops, you may be hooked too!
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