Black Silk Corset

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Black Silk Corset

The delightful and gorgeous corset, provided by Lingerie.Com

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Black silky material. Embroidered flowers. Lace up the back. A promise that it was a corset made for real women, not for some skinny model with balloon boobs. Something just my size, with stays that would be strong enough to pull my waist in, but not so strong that I couldn’t breathe…

Can I say that I was just a little excited, waiting for this corset to arrive? Oh yes, yes I can.

Truth be told, I have always loved corsets. I love the way they look on women, the way they accentuate their curves and highlight the hourglass of women’s bodies. I think the material is often so beautiful, the patterns and details, the buttons and eye-and-hooks and lace-ups. The way they feel, not just to wear, but also to touch. I think they’re incredibly sexy, no matter what size and shape the wearer is.

Despite my passion for corsets, I’ve never owned one that I loved. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever even owned one, not even one of those cheesy mall-buy corsets.

Why? Mainly because they never fit right. I have something of an hourglass figure already (wide shoulders, skinny waist, big butt), but I think it’s the small breast thing that screws it up. No matter how hard I cinch the suckers, my chest doesn’t fill up the space that’s left behind. Obviously, there are corsets that go under the breasts, but for me, I really really love the ones that go all the way up. Various friends have said, “Well, you just to have one that’s custom made.” But custom-made corsets are incredibly expensive.

So, in an attempt to find a corset that fits me right off the rack, I did a little research. Turns out, more and more corsets are being made to fit women of all sizes and shapes, and it’s getting easier to find something that will fit you even if it’s not custom-made. Score.

Things that I discovered you should pay attention to when choosing a corset:

1. The ribbing that runs through the corset. The strength of these “ribs” is what gives the corset its shape while it’s on you. For a stronger hourglass shape, look for stronger ribs (but not something so strong that you can’t breathe).
2. The material itself. Corsets are made of all kinds of materials, from less durable lace numbers to stronger fabrics like silk, latex, leather and even corduroy. Find something that’s comfortable, but that will stand up to whatever movements you’re planning to make.
3. The way it closes or connects. Some corsets have lacings up the back as their only way in and out of them. Others have velcro, hook and eye closures or buttons.
4. The sizing. Many corsets only offer S, M and L options. If you’ve tried these and found them lacking, look for corsets that have more varieties of sizing, or that are bra-sized (34 a, b or c, for example). They’re more likely to fit you in both the waist and the chest.
5. You should be able to breathe, even when it’s tightened. This is important!

So when the corset arrived, I have to admit that I just looked at it for a while. It was so beautiful, and seemed so well made. I knew that I was going to be incredibly sad if I put it on and it didn’t fit. Or if it looked bad. Or. Or. Or. In the box it was perfect. On me? I wasn’t sure yet. So I waited days before I finally, finally tried it on…

The beautiful lace up the back.

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The flower details.

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Tying myself in. The corset has a series of hooks and eyes up one side of it, so that you can put it on and take it off easily without having to worry about the laces until later. Not only that, but there are two rows of hook-and-eye connectors to ensure for an even better fit. Bonus.

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The front view. The fit really is nearly perfect, I have to admit, although in the future, I might order something that’s one size smaller, because there is just a small amount of give even when I tie it as tight as it will go and use the tighter row of hook-and-eye loops. Either way, it’s incredibly comfortable. There is velvet trim along the edges that mean the fabric doesn’t rub, and the bottom swells out enough to fit my hips.

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Front and back view. While the corset does fit around my breasts (meaning there isn’t so much room between skin and fabric that I could carry a drink in there, unlike most other corsets), there’s still more room than I’d like and thus the velvet piping on the edge kept furling over just a little.

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FOLLOW UP: 

Overall? Corset was a serious hit. I wanted to link to it on the Lingerie.com site (not just because I think it’s a great corset for the price, but also because I wanted to plug them as a thank you. Plus the fact that I like how many sizes they offer, including a wide range of plus-sized stuff), but this corset doesn’t seem to be available anymore in the size I ordered. I do believe this is the same one in the plus-size, though, which looks awesome.

In a few weeks, I’m going to my first official Kink Party, and I have to admit that I’m likely going to wear this… If I can just find something to cover my bottom half!

Cinching up your brain and body, one hole at at time, s.

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