I love corsets... but I also love saving money where I can-- these two concepts rarely ever meet. You can be the judge here, as I really haven't decided yet on the matter.
So we all know that I celebrated my 2nd year anniversary with my husband. We decided to splurge (even though I already did) on gifts for each other. We pre-odered him the collector's edition Witcher: Wild Hunt, and I a corset.
Like many people, I was lured by the absolutely gorgeous corsets at low prices from Corset Story-- the promise of feeling sexy on a dime. Sounds a little sleazy, but it sounded good to my wallet... which has been making me feel incredibly guilty.
Funny thing is, this was not my first encounter with Corset Story-- once upon a time, I tried ordering a very beautiful and very affordable purple corset (a real one)... alas, they hadn't updated their database and they promptly emailed me with a refund. So their customer service is exceptionally communicative; I give them 4/5 stars on that front. Docked one star for failure to fix their stock numbers.
This obviously did not deter my desire to return and try again.
I received an email (like usual) beckoning me with sales, but no corset really piqued my interest enough to follow through the link. Until a week ago, the Cleopatra Black "Steampunk" (not very steampunk) Corset popped into my inbox. I was baited and hooked.
I ordered it with an excitement one can only feel by finding that special lil' something they've been waiting for at the right moment.
I noticed that their regular shipping didn't offer tracking. This does not agree with me at all. I shop online far more than I do in actual shops and I know that for a quarter of the cost of their tracked shipping (about $45! Ouch!) you can send anything with tracking; hell I've even sent items internationally with tracking.
For a week I waited and worried about my precious cargo, but it came right on the 7 business day dot. When it did come, I wasn't very pleased to see that it simply came in a bag (that my rather careless carrier just stuffed into my tiny mail box). Luckily nothing seems ripped or damaged. 3/5 stars for shipping.
Then came the real test. I had ordered a 24" because that is what I always was, and thought this was still the case because my weight has never fluctuated so badly as to really warrant a size change in any of my clothes. Unbeknownst to me, I had packed on a little more bulk than anticipated during that hotel stay.
The most unfortunate thing is that it is just my waist and thighs that felt that brunt of this weight gain, thus my corset fits very awkwardly... though it doesn't seem this way in the photos.
The corset is small and large in all the wrong places. The laces are nearly all the way loosened in order to achieve actual buckling up. It's too loose on the bust area that if I didn't wear pasties or some kind of nip protection, they would surely be visible. However, if I try to tighten the top portion, I can literally barely breathe and it doesn't help at all. The straps on the front are quite long, and I believe that this may be adding to the gaping occurring on the bust. Ultimately, I believe that this corset, although small in the other areas... was made for women with no less than a C cup, or at least a high B and a relatively long upper torso.-- neither of which I am (mid to low B cup, and short torso).
So now the question is posed: what is left to do?
Certainly most people would tell me to cut my losses and return it, and I would agree... if I didn't I have some ideas to try and make it fit. The first is the most obvious one; lose the excess weight that was gained.
But since losing weight means losing more bulk from my bust also (which is opposite of what I need for this to fit "right"), I think I might tack in some padding.
That's right, I said it; padding. It likely won't give me cleavage, but at least the color and size of my "apexes" will still be a mystery to everyone but my husband.
Have you shopped at Corset Story? What's your story?!
Corsets never fit me at all, I get welts and terrible pain from the metal. I am small busted, with big hips and big ribs right under my skin that bring my ribs out to at least 28 inches. I wasted $60 on a corset before I realised that no corset will ever fit me.
ReplyDeleteNo off-the-rack corset will, but a custom-made one very well might.
DeleteCorsets from Corset Story or Corsets UK or many-other-names-of-the-same-company are corsets to be avoided in general... It's true they have marvellous designs easy to fall in love with, but in terms of construction they are just piece of crap - unflattering, making you look like a tube and hurtful when laced tighter. The 'awkward fitting' of the corset is not a problem caused by your figure, but by the corset itself. The way it's sewn is not meant to give you narrower waist...
ReplyDeleteAaaw, such a shame, that corset is badass! I hope you can fix it...:/
ReplyDeleteI've never shopped at Corset Story, but one of my models did..ehm, I mean, does; she ordered tons of so called 'fashion corsets' from them - and Ebay and other retail sites - and she wore them to our photoshoots, but none of them fit her very well; he's also a short, curvy lady with a short torso and a smaller cup, and none of the corsets flattered her figure. To be honest, I don't get why she keeps shopping there, but she says, she's a collector who doesn't mind the fit...
There is definitely something wrong with the construction/design of the straps. Even if you add the padding I'm curious to see if they'll sit flat or have the puckering effect. I've never bought an online corset, I've been hesitant to. I purchased all my corsets second hand. Some of them have come from costume companies. My fashion corsets are lumpy and don't sit properly so I rarely wear them. I only have one corset that I regard highly but I'm not comfortable wearing it. It's steel boned and cuts high around the hips. It's not the waist that feels uncomfortable but how it cuts up around my hips, it leaves an "m" shape after I take it off. It doesn't matter how tight I wear it, it's just the design. I've never been able to afford a real handmade custom corset, but I get the impression there's a good reason they cost so damn much. I suppose one day when I'm feeling frivolous I'll splurge and buy a custom corset and say goodbye to all my frumpy fashion corsets!
ReplyDeleteI have bought several underbust corsets from corsetdeal.com and I like them. I don't wear corsets, but some how I have 4 now! My best friend buys their corsets and owns about 10, but she gets the sweetheart overbust style. Perhaps the style of the corset is to blame? It is quite gorgeous and I'm glad you can work with it :)
ReplyDeleteReturn it! Alternately, give it to a friend.
ReplyDeleteYou don't need to loose any weight. And having an item in one's closet that makes one feel bad about one's size is not worth even one minute of regret or fretting.
The modern "ideal" of giant (silicon) breasts on otherwise underweight women is creating horrible complexes and making us all feel like shit over our completely normal bodies. Who needs to shop from stores that perpetuate such abuse?
I have several corsets from them, and they fit me fairly well - I have to remember to get their "long line" corsets, though, as I'm taller and their regular ones are too short at the bust. They don't drastically make me curvier, but they do indeed give me a narrower waist and enhance my cleavage. I've got a larger bust (DD) and my waist is naturally about 28 inches so I wear 24 or 26 inch corsets from them depending on how much more curvature I want. I don't find their corsets particularly uncomfortable if I buy the long-line ones, but if I buy the regular ones, my boobs tend to want to pop out! The main problem with corset story corsets is they're meant for one specific figure and therefore there's a lot of people they don't fit right on. I lucked out and fit them pretty well (the long-line ones, anyway), but I know of several people who've found them uncomfortable and ill-fitting. It's a common problem with "off the rack" corsetry, and to be honest, most people are better off buying custom corsets that fit properly and flatter well.
ReplyDeleteI have shopped from them before, but I have only purchased an underbust corset which is more forgiving when it comes to fit as it does not have to fit both one's top and bottom proportions.
ReplyDeleteDo you think removing the straps and wearing it higher up on your torso would help? Though I suppose you wouldn't want to remove the straps because they look pretty freakin' awesome! You seem to be very skilled at sewing, I am sure you can fix it somehow!
That is such a beautiful piece - such a shame the fit is so far off. That's the problem with off-the-rack corsets (but custom sizing is SO expensive!!!). The issues are definitely worse with overbust corsets. Most of mine are underbust, for that very reason - fewer body parts that have to conform to just the right proportions. ;) I have one from Corset Story and I love it, but it's an underbust.
ReplyDeleteI hope you'll be able to make this corset work somehow! If not, I say don't hesitate to return it and continue your search for the perfect match for you!
(I just skimmed the other comments and realized I pretty much echoed what everyone else said. Sorry! lol)
DeleteThat's definitely a cool corset. I love the toggles. to wait for years to buy it, then to buy it only to have it not be right is frustrating! Did you get a petite one? I get the sense that you are petite, as I would probably be. I've had three corsets in my life. I'm on the petite side of normal and one was just too long. I'd sit down and it would cram into my armpits, so I gave that one away. The black one fit my torso, and that was okay. I wore it a few times. I wore it once all night to a beats antique show and the nylon boning is permanently warped and off it went to good will. I have one custom corset from Dark Garden - it was the top portion of my wedding dress and it fit like a dream - I wore it for 6 or seven hours and it was pretty comfortable, didn't cram into my pits, didn't warp. Still looks great. Fit is everything. I have a rule that I never consider weight loss as an alteration alternative if it doesn't because there's not a very good guarantee that I'd lose it. I know you are an amazing seamstress but I would say if it doesn't please you, send it back right away!
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