Corsetage

[Flynn MacCallister]

The way I see it, the amount of damage a corset might do depends on how tightly it's laced. My corsets are all standard size, straight off the rack, because they fit my shape. I've never had bruised ribs.

I lace myself in by myself 'cause I don't have anyone else to help me when I'm getting dressed in the mornings. Overbust corsets are a pain to lace by yourself, especially the upper half. Underbust corsets are much easier to lace.

I agree with this. I buy off-the-rack at Gallery Serpentine, because their shape is already near enough to exactly right for me (in their underbusts at least; the overbusts could do with a teensy bit more room built in up top...) that the improvement afforded by a custom is negligible. I'm fairly slim, (26 in. waist uncorseted) and can get down by 4 in. if I want to (rarely), lacing by myself. I have never had bruised anything from this, nor have I from my boyfriend lacing me in.

[Kelley]

An underbust corset might be attractive for a Steampunk look - however I would caution against its use under a historical-type dress.

Victorian corsets generally extended to the bust-point - which provided support. This gives a much different shape than wearing an underbust corset with a bra.


Interestingly, Victorian corsets were mass-produced, for the average woman, with a range of styles and "figures" as options (and, of course, different sizes) that likely helped achieve a decent enough fit.



For a male corset this is of course not such an issue - as there is no bust in need of support !

[Esmee Weatherwax]

Ah, I was referring to a corset laced at the back. Full length and of leather (a bit hard so to speak).
My figure won´t allow off the rack garments so the fit is impeccable. Still, correct lacing matters perhaps more if it´s a full length at the back kinda thing.

[aldebaran]

Ah, I was referring to a corset laced at the back.

So was I. I only have one front-lacing corset.

[Flynn MacCallister]

Ah, I was referring to a corset laced at the back. Full length and of leather (a bit hard so to speak).
My figure won´t allow off the rack garments so the fit is impeccable. Still, correct lacing matters perhaps more if it´s a full length at the back kinda thing.

So am I, both over- and under-bust.

[Esmee Weatherwax]

See, learned something already. Perhaps it is indeed the rigidity or the material that caused bruises on my leather contraption.
Somewhere over the next months I'll have a stab at making a corset of more suitable material and look forward to incorporate your experiences in this.

[costumemercenary]

Rather lovely men's waistcoat corset on steamfashion.

[aldebaran]

See, learned something already. Perhaps it is indeed the rigidity or the material that caused bruises on my leather contraption.
Somewhere over the next months I'll have a stab at making a corset of more suitable material and look forward to incorporate your experiences in this.

It might be the leather. I don't know. My corsets are made from flexible materials (damask, velvet, suit fabric, taffeta) and lined with a soft denim-looking fabric. Maybe that's why one of the reasons why I haven't had any ouchies.

[SillyLilPuppet]

Watch out for length too, especially on off-the-rack corsets.  Mine was storebought and about three inches too short, with the bottom just barely hitting my hips and the top only coming halfway up my bust.  The bottom edge grinds into my hip bones, and the top edge feels like its cutting into the middle of my chest, and yes it has left bruises.  So yea, double check how high your corset is meant to reach.

[Flynn MacCallister]

See, learned something already. Perhaps it is indeed the rigidity or the material that caused bruises on my leather contraption.
Somewhere over the next months I'll have a stab at making a corset of more suitable material and look forward to incorporate your experiences in this.

It might be the leather. I don't know. My corsets are made from flexible materials (damask, velvet, suit fabric, taffeta) and lined with a soft denim-looking fabric. Maybe that's why one of the reasons why I haven't had any ouchies.

Particularly if it's on bare skin; leather might pull folds into skin, which I can see causing bruises...

[aldebaran]

Particularly if it's on bare skin; leather might pull folds into skin, which I can see causing bruises...

Good point. I usually wear an undershirt under my corsets.

[Flynn MacCallister]

Particularly if it's on bare skin; leather might pull folds into skin, which I can see causing bruises...

Good point. I usually wear an undershirt under my corsets.

As do I, usually, but when I don't, the layer closest to the skin is heavy cotton.

[MRSNAUGHTY]

Off the rack corsets do not work if you are long torsoed as I am, if you pull them up to meet your bust it comes just above your waist instead around the hip and tummy area, if you pull it down to there, you get something that looks like a slightly too long underbust catastrophe and alot of frustration. Luckily, I know a girl where I live that can make me a custom corset to actually fit me and not the masses.

[Flynn MacCallister]

Off the rack corsets do not work if you are long torsoed as I am, if you pull them up to meet your bust it comes just above your waist instead around the hip and tummy area, if you pull it down to there, you get something that looks like a slightly too long underbust catastrophe and alot of frustration. Luckily, I know a girl where I live that can make me a custom corset to actually fit me and not the masses.

Or short torsoed, or especially wide-hipped, or narrow-hipped, have a short ribcage, a long ribcage... and so on, unless you happen to have the extremely good fortune to find a maker whose default shape happens to be your shape. It has been my extreme good fortune that, (having an unremarkably average-length, textbook-hourglass figure), Gallery Serpentine's default shape is absolutely perfect for me. Many other makers...? Not a chance.

[SteamBlast Mary]

Watch out for length too, especially on off-the-rack corsets.  Mine was storebought and about three inches too short, with the bottom just barely hitting my hips and the top only coming halfway up my bust.  The bottom edge grinds into my hip bones, and the top edge feels like its cutting into the middle of my chest, and yes it has left bruises.  So yea, double check how high your corset is meant to reach.

That is exactly I don't bother with store-bought corsets. They are ALWAYS too short on the hip, making them both extremely uncomfortable and unflattering (hips like a table top, anyone?). That's why I started making my own. Then friends who had exactly the same problem asked me to make them corsets, too, and it's taken off from there.

[SteamBlast Mary]

Men's corsetry

I had the pleasure of coming across the Harlots & Angels  http://www.harlotsandangels.co.uk/stall at Whitby this weekend: it was a chance to examine them- they have all the hallmarks of really well-made, quality corsets- and also the fellow manning the stall was wearing one (and looking very fine). While not tight-laced, it gave a very good shape- I'd certainly recommend them on what I've seen.

Probably the most famous male tight-lacers are Fakir Musafar and Mr Pearl, and I'll see about pics as soon as I've either scanned some in or found suitable references.