Question: how to wear a corset

[endkaos]

I bought me first "authentic" style corset from Boss Wench at Ren-Faire, but me ta tas so big, they keep sliding down into the corset. What am I doing wrong? I look at pictures of me pyracy pub friends (Quill, Lady Elaine) and they look beautiful in their corsets. I want to be beautiful too in my corset. What is the secret ?

[El Pirata]

That's a pretty thought.....

[Hunting Hawk]

I wish I could help with yer problem, but when it comes to corsets I'm a better hand at removin' than I am at wearin'.

[Merrydeath]

okay.. get the corset on, tie it very tight sucking in.

move your boobage to the top of your corset or use a bra to keep the lift up. After you have the chest part ready, have someone (pirates are great for this) retie your corset smaller. Then rearange your boobage again so its cumfy.

Just remember, if you can breathe, its not tight enough.

[Capt Grey]

I feel yer pain, lassie. I too be "top heavy".

When I cinches up me bodice, I bend over at the waist sos me "appendages" will fall up and I kin tie 'em up tight.

This ain't a good picture cuz me bodice ain't got no bonin' and it be late on Halloween night after distributin' the goodies t'the lads and lassies.

[Black Deacon]

Hey Tori. I've delt with boss wench for years. And after many a customer or friend complaining my (now-ex) a I redesigned them to fit better. Boss wench operates on the small, medium, large and Damn! priciple as opposed to pattern sizes. Carie still makes them and there is some good information on her site Costume Carie. Generally we have been able to increase cup size between 2-3 cups, reduce the waiste by two inches and you can still, breath, move, ride and fight. All you generally need to do is send her the fabric with your measurements. She makes all kinds of period clothing. Specializing in custom work.

[TalesOfTheSevenSeas]

Why thanks for the compleeeeeeement! I'll let ye in on me secret.. eh, weapons.

I have exactly the opposite problem that you do. A very ordinary and unimpressive set o' size 34 B's which tend to gravitate east/west. This makes producing cleavage quite a challenge. So I use every means available to me to artificially (yet non-surgically) enhance said property to the fullest. (pun intended o' course!) So here they be, me secret weapons:

Artificial Enhancement Contraption #1:

A ribbed bodice which is cut to go under the bust, rather than over it. The undercut lifts, the sides divert the east west action to true north. (Now ye' know why Johnny Depp didn't need a compass that pointed north! He had a wench aboard!)

Artificial Enhancement Contraption #2:

Frederick's of Hollywood offers a gel-filled bra- amazin' thing this! It's filled with the same kind o' stuff found in gel bike seats and keyboard wrist supports. (All right, ye pirates quit playin' with her mouse pads!!) The feel be real and the motion o' the ocean is all natural.

Now time fer yer geography quiz-

If ye has two, eh, "ships" bein' subjected to a high-pressure front from the south, winds from the east and a current from the west... there be only one way yer ships kin sail... due north!!

[PirateQueen]

A properly fitted bodice/corset will be snug but comfortable. You have to adjust your breathing, but you shouldn't be as winded as Elizabeth Swann was in POTC.

As to how to wear one, a lot depends on the style and cut. Personally, I prefer the styles that cover about half of the bosom while still allowing for a lot of cleavage. I don't like the ones that are so low cut, you fall out of the top. That, to me, just looks tacky. (The bodice should support you firmly with enough lift to give you nice cleavage without exposing your nipples.) But, to each her own.

One of the best sources for a good fitting basic bodice is The Dye Spot. Dianne stocks something like 15 different sizes of bodice (S, M, L, XL, XXL, and for each, Short, Long and Medium), and also does custom fitting if none of those work. Unfortunately, the only way to get a proper fit is to be fitted in person, either at a faire where she's boothing, or at her factory in Sun Valley, Southern California. And once you know how a good fitting bodice should feel, you can confidently buy bodices from other vendors. (My current favorite is Chivalry Sports.)

[Wartooth]

Sorry lass ... can't help ye. They don't make corsets in my size. Shucks.

Wartooth

[AkashaZuul]

A properly fitted corset should do whatever you want it to, regardless of your chest measurement. No, it's not going to make an A cup into a double D, but there is a lot of room for "improvement", so to speak. Your endowments should be showcased in a properly fitted corset! This applies double to ladies with much to show off. Most bodices don't have the design or boning needed to support larger chests and so they travel southward or fall out.

A properly fitted corset should also not constrict your breathing in any way. It needs to fit snug over your chest to hold things in, fit snug through your ribcage, and then tighten up like crazy in the space between your bottom rib and your hip bone. This area is different lengths in different people. Someone with a 5 inch gap and lots of flesh can cinch down over 4 inches on their waist. Why? Flesh is easy to corset, bone is not. This method will give you a great hourglass figure while allowing you to breathe.

Victorian corsets were designed to put more pressure on the ribcage area to move not just flesh but internal organs and bones. Children were given corsets at a very early age to begin this process. Us modern wenches don't want a permanent body change, just to wear corsets a couple of times a month, so making the corset tight in the ribcage area is a bad idea. Anybody who specifically wants to do waist training to permanently alter their figure will need a different garment than a fashion corset, something more akin to braces for your teeth that get tightened once a month.

As for over/under bust, corsets right at the nipple are period Victorian style. They were designed to be worn over a chemise and under a dress. They have no cup shaping, and just allow the breast to rest at the top without being constricted or shaped. Unfortunately, as I have to regularly explain to my clients, this doesn't allow you to wear it solo as a garment suitable for public display in most venues. My favorite but very-hard-to-fit style is a curved bust area that rises about 2" above bust apex with really good underbust support and straight side seams to push the bust inward. This is hard to fit because you need to put the shaping where you want the bust to wind up, not where it actually is when you fit someone into it.

Enough info about corsets yet? If anybody wants a custom-fit corset, and lives in the SF Bay Area, let me know.

[endkaos]

Thank you ladies for all your help. I was thinking I was needin a modern day lift (so to speak).

And to you gents, thanks for all the lookseas. Nice to know us ladies in corsets are appreciated.

[Iron Bess]

Speaking from a GREAT deal of experience at keeping a healthy size pair of girls in their rightful place (when swordfighting no less...) there are more then a few ways to do keep thing aright.

From the attached pix you can see I am pretty ample. I know the hair is in the way a bit but... I'll start by saying Quills idea of a support bra under things a a good start for a lass of size no matter what ANYONE says. Also, on hot days or if you become uncomfortable or... just for a *flash of dash* lace yourself wider at the top then at your waist.

Use your undersdress for fluff as well. You'd be amazed at what you can conceal with a few well placed ruffles! Not to fret lass... the right lad will find you no matter what!

[Capt. Westyn Elizabeth Roberts]

My corset lesson:

I'm 36C, so I can't say I can really feel your "ample" pain, but here's some advice that I use when fluffin up the girls. The bra idea was great, no matter what anyone else in the "biz" tells you about being or not being period. If it works and if you do end up keeping the bra, don't tell anybody. They won't know.

Put on the corset and lace it tight. Bend at the waist. Use your hand to scoop the girls up. Hanging upside down from the waist helps this, so make sure you dip over enough. Gravity helps a lot. Then, hang on to the corset at the top, right where you want it to fit, and have someone tighten it. Readjust. Wait about 20 minutes until the corset "gives" and then readjust and have some very large man re-tighten. I always tell my hubby, "lace it like you hate me."

It does help when you have a custom corset, because it's built for your own measurements. Even if you don't have a very nice, high-quality corset, you should be able to get some sort of fashionable style from it. I have one corset that I have to keep running to the loo to readjust from time to time; especially when I've worn it for a while, and it has loosened up.

Remember: When you get the corset on properly, it should have a "nice" feeling of tightness. If it's too uncomfortable, you may be doing damage to nerves or other vital parts, so watch out. Then again, some folks just aren't meant to wear corsets. So, fun it up whatever way you choose, whether it is by a corset or a plain old sash and bodice. FUN is what the job's about.

Capt. WE Roberts

[imadrunkenpirate]

Just remember, if you can breathe, its not tight enough.

Aye! I'd believe that, too!

Cabinlass Maggie

[Iron Bess]

Just remember, if you can breathe, its not tight enough.

Aye! I'd believe that, too!

Cabinlass Maggie

and I see the people fainting every year out at Faires to prove it!!

:)

[AkashaZuul]

I have to admit to doing "period cheating" frequently and wearing a bra under a bodice or corset. It works great, especially if you don't want to tighten your corset way down i.e. just had a big meal and need to tie your shoes, but still want to have clevage. I have a lot of bodices that are right at bust line or below, so I also like the extra coverage a bra offers. I imagine a bra will be very hot under a chemise and bodice during the summer, though. . . . a possible solution is wearing a sleeveless vest and sash with a bra and unbuttoning it a la Geena Davis in Cutthroat Island. That would be a great summertime alternative.

And I just have to say WOW to the photo of Iron Bess. You look so hot!

[endkaos]

All this advice is great...keep it coming.

Another question. This corset came with string to tie it up. Me sister suggested that maybe I should switch out the string for leather. Do ye think this is a good idea?

[julius27]

I be married to an ample woman such as yerself an' have ten years experience with this issue. One thing to consider when buying a bodice or corset for a well-endowed figure is whether or not the item in question has boning and what kind. Steel boning is the best. Also, when ye try it on, it should fit when tightened snug over the "girls" and tight through the waist below the ribs and above the hips. With many designs, this can be achieved through experimentation with lacing tighter in some areas and looser in others. I've heard from period purists that the following suggestion is "wrong", but I've had the best luck getting the twins where they ought to be by lacing from the bottom and going up. She always complains that it's too tight during the process, but this way there is room to tie off at the top without having the thing loosen up just a few minutes later. Also, if it's still too tight after fifteen minutes or so, you can always put a little more slack in the lacing. It's extremely difficult to tighten up more after the garment is all the way on. Variations in design also effect what methods create the best fit. My wife has four bodices that are all different in design and fit differently as a result. One was made by a friend of ours named Yosa, another is a Pendragon dagger bodice, and two were made by Moresca. Following are links to the sights owned by these makers:

http://www.yosa.com/

http://www.pendragoncostumes.com/

http://www.moresca.com/

I hope that my insight as an admirer of the female form is helpful in showcasing your endowments.

[TalesOfTheSevenSeas]

Saber and I are chuckling over "lace it like you hate me" !!

[AkashaZuul]

All this advice is great...keep it coming.

Another question. This corset came with string to tie it up. Me sister suggested that maybe I should switch out the string for leather. Do ye think this is a good idea?

I'm fondest of using cotton shoelace lacing, 8 yards long. So far, I've not heard of anyone breaking one in a corset, nor have had the problem myself *crosses fingers*.

I'm not sure if leather is going to hold up as well. Has anyone used leather cord a lot in bodices? I bet it would look really great with leather. I vaguely remember people at RenFaire complaining about breaking their leather lacing. . . .

[Hawkyns]

Depends on the leather cord. 2mm rattail or deerskin lace will not work. Get the heavy leather shoelace meant for workboots. It will eventually break due to the degredation of sweat and sun, but it will last a couple of seasons.

I'm working on a bodice for Gwen that's a bit different. Heavy leather, about 8 oz, with the front cut outs for the girls based on the underwire line from a Vicky's Secret bra that fits her well. Then, there are 2 half 'shelf' pieces, just enough to cradle and support, but that are cut a bit more than an inch below the nipple. Based on some fantasy art, with additional research from some fetish leather sites. Designed to be worn with or without chemise, depending on where we are.

Hawkyns

[Iron Bess]

And I just have to say WOW to the photo of Iron Bess. You look so hot!

Ohhhh.... thankee lass but just about anyone can look half way decent in a studio photo.

Taken when we were doing stunt fights for a TV pilot. I can hardley take any credit for it.

[Captian Wolfy Wench]

Oh, I would help ye out here, but I've never worn a true corset before. But I'm gettin' one made soon. ^^

Ahh, this thread is just too amusing.

Captain Wolfy Wench

[Matty Bottles]

Why do ye wenches taunt us lads so? Why?

[Iron Bess]

Why do ye wenches taunt us lads so? Why?

Steady lad.... steady.