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| 1940's Retro Catwoman with the Batmobile |
I must admit I occasionally forget not everyone knows of
my love of vintage clothing and cosplay. My current personal selection of
corsets is around 10-12 and the stock is always growing and changing. So naturally I
told her "Why, no I have not…" just to see if she could offer me any
little pearls of wisdom when it comes to wearing one. You never know when
someone is going to drop that "Why didn't I think of that" gem in
your lap.
As a costumer, corsets are a vital part of my wardrobe
and I would like to take this opportunity to share some of the pearls of wisdom
I have picked up over the years.
Before you even put it on go to the powder room and take care of
your "business!" Do not wait, because once it is properly laced
properly it will apply pressure to your bladder. It is so much easier to
go to the ladies before the corset is on. Preparation beats regret any
day. Also, anything that requires bending, do before you lace-up. (i.e.
shoes, stockings…) I am not a Chinese Acrobat therefore cannot contort
into the unnatural positions that will be required to finish dressing once the
corset is laced.
Now you are ready to put the corset on. Loosen the laces
entirely and open the front. One you are properly in the corset close the
busk closures (the front closures of the corset). For me I then stretch
my arms toward the ceiling, which creates awesome cleavage. Manually
adjust if necessary. I have from time to time laced my own corset
although I do not recommend it. It always helps to have someone lace it
for you. Do not over tighten the laces at first. Over-lacing can
cause the busk closures to snap off rendering the corset unusable. I
normally have mine readjusted to tighten things up as needed. Remember, it is a
process, lace, relax, lace, relax, until you get where you need to be with it. Try to do it all at once and you end up an uncomfortable
mess.
Waist training is the art of tight-lacing a corset to drastically
modify the size of your waistline. I do
not waist train so I do not claim to be an expert on any of this. I can usually reduce my waist by about 5
inches and it helps with my posture!
When purchasing a corset, it should fit snuggly but not
be unbearable to wear. Steel boning is a must. If a corset does not have steel
boning it will often buckle and dig into your waist. It is not uncommon for me
to wear a corset for 8-10 hours at a convention so comfort is everything in
this notoriously uncomfortable garment. I know several people who have or are
waist training and will wear one for up to 23 hours....yikes!
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| Armored Wonder Woman |
And honestly how do you create a Wonder Woman cosplay
without a red corset?!?
Back to the overly friendly sales girl, what was her
pearl of wisdom for me? "You may want someone to help lace you up."
Really!?!?
