When the word ‘corset’ is mentioned the most popular image that comes to mind is Mammy lacing up Scarlet O’Hara for the picnic at Twelve Oaks.
“Now, come here and lace me tighter!”
Or perhaps something a bit naughtier…
Whatever your preconceived notions, wearing a corset is a great way to tuck in your waist and flatten your stomach. There are millions of different corsets out there and they can make a lovely top for a night out or just something different. I’m no expert, but I have been fascinated with period clothing all my life. I have always wanted a corset but was not willing to shell out hundreds of pounds on a whim. I recently found a site online and bought three – a cream satin, a purple taffeta and a black brocade. I wore one to a theatre performance – which was the first time I had worn one for any length of time (other than to try them on after they arrived). These are a few things I noticed.
1. From Mammy’s pulling and straining I had an idea that it would take someone very large and strong to lace it tightly. Here I must observe that all my corsets are suitable for heavy lacing – in layman’s terms they can reduce your waist comfortably by about 4-5 inches. I am a size 12 (UK) with a 34 ½ inch waist, when I am fully laced and tightened (the two ends of the corset meet at the back) I am a 30 inch. I was pleasantly surprised to find I could do this myself, fairly easily. The corset doesn’t lace from the bottom but rather from the middle where there is a large loop on either side. By pulling from both directions and working the slack towards the loops you can tighten and tie off right down to the 4-5 inch reduction by yourself.
2. If you always thought the ladies in those old paintings were sitting like they had a metal rod shoved up their spine – well they did! A few of my friends did notice that my posture was really good (I couldn’t slouch and face forward at the same time). It was really hard to put on shoes or anything that required you to bend at the waist – you just can’t!
3. Do not run wearing a corset that is fully laced! I was running late and ran to meet a friend and was panting for a good few minutes.
4. Despite all of the above points, corsets are more comfortable than you would think. They look really flattering – not only giving you a flatter stomach and smaller waist but also making your bust look bigger. They also make you feel more aware of your body – possibly because of number 2 – which means you can’t do everything the way you normally do.
Result: a positive experience and I will definitely add to my collection!
Here is a black and white photo of me wearing the black brocade. It’s sized as 30” but I’m not wearing it fully tightened so my waist is probably about 32” here.
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