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Corset Take 2
Mar. 23rd, 2019 04:01 pm Starting off with this video which is a little long, but totally worth watching if you're interested in corsets.
And also, this!
Now onto my own experience.
I also have a curvature to my spine, but I never got into a brace for it. Nonetheless, the corset I have has its ups and downs. Padding is definitely required in some places if I want to have an 'even' silhouette. (I don't much care, so I don't pad.)
Additionally, I found (and was supported by Bernadette in Video 1 above) that if I have my corset laced entirely up so that the boning is against my spine, I am in pain. So, I don't fully tighten. After doing some research on Reddit, other corset wearers, even tight-lacers, have mentioned that it is less about having the corset fully tightened as much as it is about having the laces even - you want your back pieces to be parallel, not in a /\ or \/ shape. So I just give myself some parallel space for my spine, and all is well. However, I do wish I'd ordered a corset a few inches smaller for myself because obviously this means my corset is looser, mostly around the bust area where I wanted a bit more support.
However, it turns out that my breasts don't really mind not being supported just so long as my back has the support it needs -- in other words, I feel very little if my breasts hang naturally, it's my back that needs the extra help standing straight from the imbalance of weight distributed back to front. In fact, I have a grand range of movement of my arms and shoulders that I don't have with a modern bra.
There is a bit of trouble bending. By which I mean, I bend at the hips or not at all. Additionally, twisting is limited. This means that putting on, say, shoes and socks is done from a seated position with my foot on my knee rather than bending to tie them, and even then I am not terrifically flexible at the hips, so I struggle a little. After looking at others' experiences I found that most of them go by the rule "Shoes first, then corset" -- which makes sense historically, as floors would be cold in non-centrally-heated houses, so getting dressed bottom-up is logical. However, we don't wear shoes in my house, so I do a bit of contorting before leaving for the store.
Lastly, smoothing undergarments are reasonable if you intend to wear trousers or light skirts with a corset that has any sort of hip section. This is due to the hip flare, which allows for more shape but then can 'drop' to your natural hip where the corset ends. However, I wear boxer briefs for comfort reasons (they're heavenly. Say goodbye to the wedgie) and I just tug the waistband over the corset. Other corset wearers use garter belts or leggings.
Now that I've figured out how to wear my corset comfortably (no stays against the spine, etc), I honestly really enjoy wearing it. My back appreciates the support, and I don't find breathing difficult, even from my diaphragm, because I'm not tightlacing (except the occasional yawn). An added benefit is that now I can tailor my garments to a known shape, rather than just body measurements. This allows for tighter-fitted garments without worrying about my weight fluctuating by a few pounds. I tried a first attempt on an old shirt, and while I still haven't got a fix for gaping buttons at the breasts (help), I was very pleased with the results, and I'm just gonna wear a tie with it to close the gape from now on.
Am I a little inspired to make my own corset? Yes. I'd love to have one that is a little more tailored to my particular measurements. There are corset makers who craft bespoke pieces, but they're far, far out of my price range, so I shall have to work with what I have. But I maaay be considering what to do with some scrap denim and canvas this summer once school's out. We'll see.
And also, this!
Now onto my own experience.
I also have a curvature to my spine, but I never got into a brace for it. Nonetheless, the corset I have has its ups and downs. Padding is definitely required in some places if I want to have an 'even' silhouette. (I don't much care, so I don't pad.)
Additionally, I found (and was supported by Bernadette in Video 1 above) that if I have my corset laced entirely up so that the boning is against my spine, I am in pain. So, I don't fully tighten. After doing some research on Reddit, other corset wearers, even tight-lacers, have mentioned that it is less about having the corset fully tightened as much as it is about having the laces even - you want your back pieces to be parallel, not in a /\ or \/ shape. So I just give myself some parallel space for my spine, and all is well. However, I do wish I'd ordered a corset a few inches smaller for myself because obviously this means my corset is looser, mostly around the bust area where I wanted a bit more support.
However, it turns out that my breasts don't really mind not being supported just so long as my back has the support it needs -- in other words, I feel very little if my breasts hang naturally, it's my back that needs the extra help standing straight from the imbalance of weight distributed back to front. In fact, I have a grand range of movement of my arms and shoulders that I don't have with a modern bra.
There is a bit of trouble bending. By which I mean, I bend at the hips or not at all. Additionally, twisting is limited. This means that putting on, say, shoes and socks is done from a seated position with my foot on my knee rather than bending to tie them, and even then I am not terrifically flexible at the hips, so I struggle a little. After looking at others' experiences I found that most of them go by the rule "Shoes first, then corset" -- which makes sense historically, as floors would be cold in non-centrally-heated houses, so getting dressed bottom-up is logical. However, we don't wear shoes in my house, so I do a bit of contorting before leaving for the store.
Lastly, smoothing undergarments are reasonable if you intend to wear trousers or light skirts with a corset that has any sort of hip section. This is due to the hip flare, which allows for more shape but then can 'drop' to your natural hip where the corset ends. However, I wear boxer briefs for comfort reasons (they're heavenly. Say goodbye to the wedgie) and I just tug the waistband over the corset. Other corset wearers use garter belts or leggings.
Now that I've figured out how to wear my corset comfortably (no stays against the spine, etc), I honestly really enjoy wearing it. My back appreciates the support, and I don't find breathing difficult, even from my diaphragm, because I'm not tightlacing (except the occasional yawn). An added benefit is that now I can tailor my garments to a known shape, rather than just body measurements. This allows for tighter-fitted garments without worrying about my weight fluctuating by a few pounds. I tried a first attempt on an old shirt, and while I still haven't got a fix for gaping buttons at the breasts (help), I was very pleased with the results, and I'm just gonna wear a tie with it to close the gape from now on.
Am I a little inspired to make my own corset? Yes. I'd love to have one that is a little more tailored to my particular measurements. There are corset makers who craft bespoke pieces, but they're far, far out of my price range, so I shall have to work with what I have. But I maaay be considering what to do with some scrap denim and canvas this summer once school's out. We'll see.
