By the Numbers

So you've decided to buy a custom corset, and it's time to measure yourself. This turns out to be an ordeal for some people, or an annoying detail on a much more exciting adventure for others. But it's way too important to let yourself just avert your eyes and pick "close" number. No matter where you're having it made, this corset is being made just for you, and bad numbers can equal a bad fit and a complete waste of your good money!

If your corsetiere is not there to take your measurements and see your body, those numbers are all she has to go on when she is making a garment that needs to fit you like a glove. If you are tempted to increase your chest size for dignity's sake (a constant temptation for me)--don't do it! You don't want to top of your corset to gap open.

Or that blighted waist measurement: I promise you, no one likes to take their waste measurement--no one. Even girls who wear a size 6 can feel their heart collapse when the measuring tape reads 1-4 inches more than they'd expect. As a recovered annorexic, I know firsthand that bady body image can strike anyone. Don't shave a few inches off the measurement when you send it out. Your corsetiere is like a massage therapist: the size of your body does not reflect on you; it only reflects on the work they have to do. If you want an eight inch waist reduction out of your corset, you'll want to talk to your corsetiere about that, because she's going to have to do some figuring about construction.

Length is another biggy, since it is tricky and seems to be another one that people err on or fib on. Sometimes they are hoping for more hip coverage. This won't necessarily be the outcome: the length measurement I use is waist to armpit so the only thing you'll get is a waist that sits too low on your torso and tries to squeeze your uterus out of your body (this hurts, I promise you).

image borrowed from "Sincerely Yours, Kate"

So what to do? ALWAYS take your measurements according to your corsetiere's instructions. They know what they need and what they're used to working with. Take your measurements as exactly as you can. Do not wrench the tape tighter until you see the waist number you want, and don't puff your chest out until you think you are going to burst so that you get the bust measurement you want. Pull the tape snug, but not tight. The side measurement, like I said, is always the tricky one, because most people aren't used to doing it. And just the process of taking it yourself can throw you off. Your best bet is to have a friend do it.

Once again, always follow your corsetiere's instructions. If she wants up your front, side, or back, or from your knee to your mouth, do it like she says so you can get the corset you've been dreaming of!