In This Guide:
- My Corset Experience
- Questions to Consider
My Corset Experience
You don’t have to start routinely crushing your organs before puberty to enjoy wearing a corset. Even a gentle squeeze with make your outfit look cooler, whether you wear it under your clothing or over for a more dramatic effect.
I began my corset journey with a waist cincher from Dark Garden in San Francisco. A waist cincher fits from just under the bust to just past the hipbones. I liked the fact that it didn’t cover my boobs – that meant I didn’t have to take their constantly-changing size into account. I also felt it was more versatile. If I wanted to corset train, it would be easier to sneak under my clothes at work, and it wasn’t as dramatic of a look to wear out for an evening.
Due to to the style and fabric, the cincher set me back a whopping $350, and they threw in a back panel for free. The back panel is optional to cover the area behind the lacing. It’s not as necessary if you’re wearing it over clothing, but if you’re wearing the corset only and want to cover up your back cleavage (where the fatty skin meets in the back) you might want the option.
Although I love the cache of owning a handmade cincher from one of the foremost corset shops in the country, I think there are cheaper options that work just as well. It probably would have been better to get two or three corsets for the price I paid, but c’est la vie.
I ended up buying a dress with a built-in corset at one point. It was less than half the price of my cincher – “only” $135. While I enjoy having an entire outfit at once, it’s a little less useful than the cincher. So far I’ve been able to play a pirate and a pioneer, but it’s hard to imagine going out to dinner in it.
Here are some things to take into consideration when investing in a corset:
Do you plan to wear it over or under your clothes?
If you’re going to corset train under your clothes for a few hours a day every day, you might want at least two: one that uses inexpensive, washable fabrics like cotton, and a fancier one for going out. However, if you’re like me and only wear it over your clothes once every couple months, you will likely want a flashier corset.
How much do you plan to reduce your waist?
The corset itself will add a little bit to your waist, so keep that in mind if you’re trying to squeeze into a particular vintage dress. If you don’t lace it tightly, it might retain your waist’s usual circumference while adding a bit to the hips, giving you a more dramatic hourglass. It’s subtle, but pretty cool. I prefer to tighten mine so I lose a few inches. Dark Garden recommends “a waist reduction of 3-5 inches, depending on your natural waist size and how far your lower ribs are from your hip bones”.
I tighten my corset in stages to give my organs time to move around and get used to it. Also, if you’re going out for the evening, it gives your dinner more time to digest.
Questions to Consider
How many looks do you want?
While I can wear my black waist cincher with almost every outfit, I sometimes wish I had a few more options. When my outfit is mostly black, you can’t tell there’s a separate piece on top, and… I wouldn’t mind showing it off. After all, it took me 15 minutes to get into!
How much do you want to spend?
It’s worth investing over $50 for each corset. Trust me, it’s going to look cooler and make getting dressed up easier. Like starting every meal with sautéed onions and garlic, my corset is the basis for nearly all my costumes.
Cheap corsets fall apart quickly, meaning they can only be worn a couple times before they are relegated to your zombie hooker costume. They are also unlikely to actually do their job because their boning (structural support) will be flimsy and not hold you in the right places.