By: The Gothling

So as many of you may have noticed, we ladies on the scene are mad for corsets, over-bust, under-bust, waist-cincher, you name it and we wear it, have it, or want it. There is much more to wearing and caring for corsets than you may think, though. I, in my never ending quest for knowledge, have mercilessly interrogated (meaning, I actually asked) a girlfriend who worked at Frederick’s, and scoured the web pages of many a corsetiere, to bring you the best advice on the fit and care of corsets.

First and quite possibly most important piece of advice is: buy a corset that fits properly. If you are a size large and the only size they have left in the corset you want is a small, sorry, sister. SOL. You can’t say, “Oh, well. It’s a corset; it’s supposed to fit small anyway.” WRONG! Not only are you going to be damaging your ribs and internal organs with a too-small corset, you are going to seriously warp and damage the boning of the corset.

Much the same can be said about buying a corset that is too big. Yes, you will find it much easier to move, but a too-mobile corset will leave chafe marks and end up stabbing you in the most uncomfortable ways at the most awkward times. Also, if your corset has boobie cups and you get one that is too big, it will leave you with a rather…interesting…gap that lets everybody know that yes, you are wearing the wrong size corset, and yes, you are cold! The same goes for boobie cups that are too small. Double boob effect is not attractive, and the boning ends up stabbing you in the armpit and leaving a big blister if you dance too much. (Can you tell that I know this from experience?)

Typically, when your corset is laced up, you want a gap of 2-4 inches between the edges, unless it is a front-laced corset. If it is a front-lacer, you will want the edges to touch lightly, not smashed together or gaping from the strain of trying to touch. You can only do so much with the mass-produced corsets at Frederick’s and HT/Torrid, or even The Crypt. They aren’t going to fit just right, or have everything you want. I recommend that if you are blessed with the green for a custom made corset, GET ONE. The corsetiere should be able to help you take your measurements and, after much sweat and toil, present you with a corset that will fit your body shape like a glove, and give you quite the fetching silhouette as well.

That being said, once you have your corset(s), how do you take care of it? A big must is something to wear underneath the corset to absorb sweat, body oils, and keep dead skin that sluffs off from getting on your corset. This is especially important if you have a custom-made one. There is nothing worse than wearing a damp corset. Ick!

The main key to corset care: DO NOT WASH IT IN THE WASHING MACHINE. DO NOT DRY IT IN THE DRYER. I can tell you from personal experience that this warps the boning, and may even shrink the corset fabric. The one corset I washed in the washer, I cannot wear anymore.

If you notice a not-so-pleasant aroma wafting from your corset, Febreeze it lightly, and leave it out to air. Most of the websites I visited recommended having a reputable dry-cleaner clean your corset every six months or so. At-home dry cleaning bags do not work, as again, they cause warping.

It is best not to just roll up your corset and toss it in the dresser. Corsets (much like the people wearing them after they have been taken off) need to breathe. This helps fight odor, and can help prevent rust on metal boning. The best suggestion I’ve read is to take those hangars from the dry cleaners (No wire hangars!), and strip all the paper off, then hang the un-laced corset carefully over the bottom wire.

In recap: Too small corset, no. Too big corset, no. Proper fit corset, yes. Custom-made corset, yay. Washer and dryer, bad. Dry cleaning, good. Finally taking off a corset and beaing able to take a deep breath again, priceless.

Have fun!