Layer Cake

I am the underwear nazi. I mean, I guess it shouldn't surprise anyone, since I spent a full year of graduate school obsessing about teenagers and corsets for my thesis. But really, when you are going to dress up--historically or otherwise--it's your underwear I'm checking out most aggressively.

Okay, I promise, I am not going to go around peeking under anyone's skirts. That's not the kind of underwear I'm worried about. It's just that I like to see that if you put the time and effort into procuring a lovely outfit, don't spoil it by stopping at the surface. This goes for anyone: brides, reenactors, fancy costume lovers of all kinds.

Underwear shapes your body and the clothes over it. Cloth is soft and it needs the right support to make you look utterly fabulous. The human body is soft too (unless your a super model--and even they get their arm flab air brushed out) so you need something to give it the right silhouette.

Lesson 1--Brides: Wedding dresses can cost a small fortune. It's one day when we ladies have some extra drive (and a nice excuse) to really look fabulous.

But even a nice simple $100 dress can look stellar with good alterations to fit you properly and the right undergarments.

Torso: Ladies, very few of us have a perfectly smooth figure. That's normal. The "lunch meat" on the sides flops over. The boobs slip down and flatten out, and then there's that irritating lump that I have right above my belly button.
But it really does look better in a dress (for anyone size 6-26) to smooth yourself out with a good foundation garment. You don't need a steel-boned corset if you don't want one (I didn't). Even just a good $50-$100 modern shaper will do the trick. Tuck your waist in a little bit and keep your boobs up where they look their best.

Even if your gown is boned, taking this step will take the stress off the dress, leaving the underwear to do the work.

Want to go whole-hog for a steel-boned corset? Awesome! They look gorgeous, and can make your posture look stellar (which is worth more than you would think). Think carefully about what kind will serve you best. Try my blog entries here about how to pick it out.

Just be sure that no matter what underwear you get, you wear it to each and every fitting!

Skirt: Please, please, please do not buy a gown with a big puffy skirt and then try to save money by cutting out the petticoat. If you want a sleek silhouette, go for it, but big skirts fall flat without some help from below. Check out the difference it can make in the 1950s dress:

Same dress, but on the right I added the petticoat. See how much better that is? Making your hips and skirt look bigger also has the added bonus of making your waist look smaller. Nice.

Until you get used to it, you may feel a little funny. But please put something under there!



Lesson 2--Historical Dressing: This is the one that always gets my goat. You cannot slap on a pretty dress and call yourself done. Historical silhouettes are based on enhancing the natural body. See the lady in the blue dress? This Copely portrait was done in the mid 18th century. I can tell you for a fact, that when this lady got undressed for bed, her boobs were not that flat against her chest. She is wearing a pair of stays (also called a corset by modern Americans). Like this pair. They're not just important to make you look skinny. They're important to make you look right. That sexy shelf bra look that we like now was so uncool in 1775.

Also, don't you dare skimp on the petticoats. It takes a lot more than you think to get this kind of pouf. One or two is a start. But try getting bold and pile on three or four. You will notice the difference right away!

The same goes for the Victorian era. The corset seems obvious. You need a smallish waist, and you need to get your boobs up to make this look right. But, you think this gal's butt is naturally this big? For all 60-ish years of Queen Victoria's reign, volume was in. And there were so many ways to get it. Piling on the petticoats is the first step. And Victorian petticoats have extra layers sewn onto them to make the bottom fuller. They're called flounces.

If you really want to get involved, you can start adding bustles, hoopskirts, etc. Just make sure you pick the right one for your decade. In the Victorian era, fashion started to move almost as fast as it does today. Every decade had it's own look. You wouldn't want to be caught with a '80s bustle under your '50s dress! This would be just as odd (fashion speaking) as wearing your 1980s big feathered hairdo withr your 1950s poodle skirt.

Just remember, not wearing enough undergarments in your historic costume (from an historic point of view) would make you look poor, sloppy, and half-dressed. If you are trying for authenticity, pile on the layers. Even just adding a few can really improve your look.


I am in favor of this for Halloween costumes as well. Even when I sell my pinup dresses (at left) I add not just one, but two petticoats to get the right pouf.

Once I was super disapointed when, in a pinch, I ordered a costume from a major producer of sexy Halloween get-ups, and the cheap fabric clung to every lump and bulge and then fell flat over my pudgey butt. However, by throwing on two fluffy short petticoats (oh God I love petticoats) and just a basic plastic-boned corset, I had a super-sexy look that gave me pinup curves.

So don't be shy! Layer it up. Get your best look by building a frame for your dress to hang off of. Rely on a good foundation garment (corset, waist cincher, or bustier) and be sure to add enough petticoats to get the volume you want.

Bridal Corsets: Part 2

I have long had mixed feelings about brides wearing corsets. On the one hand, everyone wants to feel confident about the way they look in their wedding dress, and a corset certainly smooths and slims anyone's figure. But on the other hand, I've always felt worried for the in experienced corset-wearer's comfort on her first 6-10 hour day in a corset while she dances, smiles for pictures, and greats the new in-laws.

But two weeks I went to my friend's sister's wedding in Vermont, where I'd made corsets for both the brides. I have to say, my concerns softened.

Both ladies looked exquisite. Additionally, I found out that two brides makes for more pretty dresses to ogle.

They had come to me months before requesting wedding corsets, and since I had them in my studio for once (instead entirely through mail-order), I gave them the full run-down of available models. Both girls were close to my size, so I even had them try on three or four of my own.

We settled on my recent favorite:

I love the Edwardian corset for so many reasons, but I thought it a good choice for both of them because their dresses hugged their figures down through the hips, and because that low bustline would give them a little more breathing room when it came to dancing. We wound up with a cream silk faille for one and a white-on-on white damask for the the other. So pretty!

I gave both of them "the talk" about breaking in their corsets. I know most people really want to save their wedding ensemble to be perfectly new on their special day, but I maintain that both shoes and corsets really should be exempt from this. Both ladies dutifully broke in their corsets.

On the day of the wedding, I poked my head into each respective dressing room to offer my services as a lacer. Since one gal was a former reenactor, she eagerly went for the gusto and had her sister tighten her up until she turned a little blue. The other bride, newer to corsets, I just snugged up until the corset was tight, but not cutting off any circulation.

Over the course of the night, I realized some unexpected things about corsets and brides: One, that this is really the perfect wedding corset for all the reasons I've already mentioned. C'est magnifique!

Two, I realized that with the popularity of strapless gowns, a corset is a much surer way to keep your boobs in place than a strapless bra--I'm speaking from my own experience there.

Three, that enforced good posture of a corset (even one that is not laced tightly) really makes you look fabulous. We slouch so much in our daily lives that we don't realize how bad it looks when we are dressed up--me included! Even by the end of the night, when most brides are limping, sore in their shoes and barely standing up (let alone sitting up straight), these two ladies were still posing for perfect pictures at their after party.

And four, I learned that you can still do the Electric Slide in a corset.

My thanks go to Becky and Leigh for inviting me to their fabulous wedding!

To Busk or Not to Busk

A busk is a set of wide steel strips with loops and studs on it, located in the center front of a corset to provide support and an opening. There seems to be a lot of question from inexperienced buyers about whether or not you need a busk in your corset so I'm taking a few minutes today to de-mystify this odd piece of hardware.


Busks add cost to your corset, and if you are wearing your corset under clothing, the busk will make little bumps in the front where the studs are. So why would anyone want such thing?

Busks add strength. A busk is usually an extra 1" total of steel right at your stomach, where most of us are interested in a little extra control. Some corsets without busks still incorporate the extra steel boning, but it may depend on the design.

Busks also make things a little easier. What do I mean? A busk adds a center-front opening to your corset, meaning you do not have to completely lace and un-lace it every time you get dressed. With a busk, taking off your corset is as easy as loosening the lacing in the back and unhooking the front. You can even do it alone. Getting dressed is also so much faster! Instead of standing there for ten minutes while someone laces up your back, you wrap the thing around you, hook the front, tighten the back, and you are ready to go. Without a busk, you need to completely unlace each time you undress.

So why aren't standard hooks and eyes good enough for your steel corset? They bumps they make are smaller, and they don't add as much expense. The truth is they're perfectly fine on a standard modern control garment. They can take a moderate amount of tension, but with any real waist reduction, you will begin to see them buckle and fail--not something you want happening with your very special corset!


So the question remains: busk or no busk?

It comes down to what you are doing with your corset. Think about how you will be wearing it. Is this for a special occassion, like a wedding or Renaissance Faire, where you will have time and help getting dressed? How about time for undressing? Or are you planning to wear your corset regularly or where you will be getting dressed alone?

While some brides especially may have concerns about the little bumps a busk causes in the front of their dress, you might stop and think why you are concerned. Are you worried that someone might realize you are wearing a corset? They'll probably know, because nobody but Dolly Parton is that shape naturally! Corsets create a stylized figure that is instantly recognizable, and no tiny bumps on your front seam are needed to figure out that you've got steel under there.

Besides, with the increasing popularity of fine corsetry amongst the celebrity set (everybody loves to feel shapely), the public is becoming more and more used to the look of a corseted body.

If you are buying a garment this special, pick what is going to meet your needs. So don't be afraid to shell out the extra fifteen-to-twenty-five bucks for a corset with a busk if you think you are going to need one. Or, if you dont, and that means ensuring that there's a friend there to tie your corset strings, you tell that friend to feel honored!

Corsets for Brides

One of the most common custom requests I get are corsets for brides. What chick doesn't want to feel like a totally shapely hottie at her own wedding? But it's a big choice, you know, because it is a piece of clothing that most of us aren't accustomed to wearing for eight to ten hours while you are eating, dancing, and saying hello to all of your spouse's relatives. How do you pick the best corset for your wedding?

I had never planned on wear one at my own wedding until this little fiasco with my dress not fitting. You see, I gained a few pounds after I started it six months ago, and I don't want to enlarge it because I am vain. And I refuse to diet because I recovered from an eating disorder several years ago and am not willing to attempt dieting--even healthy dieting.

So now I find myself facing the challenge that so many other ladies out there are facing: how to look my best and be at my most comfortable all at the same time. And here are my thoughts on the subject:

Length: Length plays a big part in comfort. The shorter your corset, the more of body will be free to expand and bend at a natural rate. Whatever corset you get, you won't be able to bend at the waist. If you're not used to it, this feels wierd.
But it goes further than that. If your dress has a big pouffy skirt (as mine does), you might stop to think about whether or not you really need a corset that comes down long over your hips--probably not. You might be more comfortable with a corset that stops high over your hips like the one on the left. But if your dress continues to be fitted down over the point of your hips, you may consider something like the one on the right:

Bust: Over or underbust is another big question that fits in with length. Over bust may give you the cleavage that you desite, but it also can inhibit your breathing and dramatically change your bust line. Overbust corsets fill in the hollow spot under your bossom. See how the lady in the bra below almost looks like her boobs are a little shelf sticking out of her body? That's the look that people are used to nowadays--not s much with the smooth line from stomach to bust that you see below. An underbust corset can actually make your boobs look bigger by giving a greater definition between your stomach and your bust. For instance, check out my friend in the pink corset:

Coverage: If your dress has a low back, be careful about what corset you pick. The back of a corset needs to come as high as the front to create sufficient tension to support you. I.e. you cannot have an overbust corset with a super-low back. It doesn't work.

To Busk or Not: Picking whether or not you'll have a buck in your corset is tricky. I wrote a whole blog on it a while ago. You should check it out. Busks add strength and security as well as making your corset easier to put on and take off. But they do leave those little bumps in the front so you have to make your own choice.

Have a fit: Get your dress alterations over your corset. Your body will change size and shape with a corset, and you want a professional to make the whole thing fit right. Baggy wedding dresses aren't really in style.

Where to wear!?: If you're not a regular corset wearer, suddenly strapping yourself into a steel corset on the day of your wedding can be a pretty uncomfortable shock. Do yourself a favor, whatever corset you pick, break it in for several days before your wedding. Wear it at home with a tank top underneath. Do it in increasingly long increments of time and increasingly tight so your body has time to get used to it. Nothing is worse than realizing that your ribs are getting that bruise-y feeling and you are short of breath, but you haven't even taken you pictures yet, and without the corset, your dress won't fit!



So what am I, the corset maker, picking for my own bridal corset? With a dress-back that is lower-than-low, I am sticking with one that is practically a waist-cincher. This will give my lungs plenty of room to expand while I dance like a fool, and it will not make me super hot on a Pennsylvania August night. So I will be using this pattern for myself. I'll post pictures when I get it done in white (black would not look so good under my white wedding dress!).

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!

What IS a Corset

This is a big huge debate amongst corset people: What is a corset?

Well, if you type "Corset" into Google or eBay, you'll get a wide variety of things from this:



To this:

So what's the difference, right? And which one is a corset?

Like lots of people, my first corset was this little number, a gift from someone special, and an expensive purchase for us in those days:

But, trying cover up some recent weight gain, and expecting miracles, I couldn't help but be disappointed--my bulges were soon lumping right out of those plastic bones. The models look so good in them because they're already skinny!

You see, this corset is really an entry-level piece for people who don't expect any major waist reduction. The boning is scarce, what's there is plastic. It'll smooth you out a bit, but lace it too tight, and that plastic will buckle and bump, and it will make you look all lumpy. This goes for any of those plastic-boned corsets you buy from Fredrick's of Hollywood, Victoria's Secret, or most other lingerie stores.

Don't get me wrong. They're cute. I have one or two (though my first one seems to have disappeared, much to my dismay--surely a testament to my shoddy housekeeping). But they're never going to make you into a super-curvaceous vixen or Scarlet O'Hara with someone's foot in your back to "Lace me tighter, sister dear."

No, once you get beyond those first plastic corsets, there's a good chance you'll find yourself yearning for something a little more serious. And that's when we start getting into the "Is it a corset?" debate.

The Free Dictionary has this to say about corsets:

" A close-fitting undergarment, often reinforced by stays, worn to support and shape the waistline, hips, and breasts."

Apparel Search also had this to say:

"The most common use of corsets is to slim the body and make
it conform to a fashionable silhouette. For women this most
frequently emphasises a curvy figure, by reducing the waist, and
thereby exaggerating the bust and hips...Corsets are typically
constructed of a flexible material (like cloth or leather) stiffened with boning
(also called ribs or stays) inserted into channels in the cloth
or leather. In the Victorian period, steel and whalebone were
favored. Plastic is now the most commonly used material; spring
or spiral steel is preferred for high-quality corsets."

Alright, so the fact is, that my old Fredrick's corset does meet the definition. But if you start talking to corset aficionados, you find out that calling your Fredrick's bustier a "corset" is like telling a wine aficionado that your favorite wine is Boone's Farm.

Basically, even though they still cost a pretty penny, they're not doing their job: which is pushing your body into the shape at the corset says it should be. It should give you real, honest-to-God curves! With plastic and stretchy fabric, you'll see at most two inches of waist reduction, whereas, with a good steel-boned corset, you'll see at least two, and probably more like four solid inches squeezed off your waist. Plus, it should push everything else (like boobs) to where you want them to be.

So the answer is yes. This:

is still a corset, the same as Velveeta is still sold in the cheese aisle. And if you like your Velveeta, that's okay (love it in my macaroni and cheese). But if you find yourself thinking about quality, and wishing that you didn't already have to be skinny to look this good in your corset:



it might just be time to start looking up what makes a corset a corset. Start asking around. Like any buff, we corset aficionados love to talk about the details.