I ought to be working on my web design homework at the moment, learning about ridiculously outdated frames (the 90's called- they want their HTML back), but I have an avoidance problem, so just bear with me, ladies and gentlemen.
It's time to tell you all about my multiple, widely-varied experiences with one of the more fascinating fashion-devices in western culture: the corset.
I bought my first corset at 15, at a Hot Topic. I was at the mall on my own, finally, for one of the first times- away from overprotective, puritan parental eyes- so I gravitated to anything and everything taboo. The bras, the bustiers, thongs, fishnets, anything my grandmother would be shocked and disgusting to see me in. Anything beautiful and obscene. I had been in the process of blooming into womanhood for a few long years, and perhaps this was my way of mentally confirming that to myself. I hated the bulky white shirts and shapeless jeans my mother had me wear in an effort to conceal my shrinking waist and emerging curves.
Since childhood, I would stare at the gorgeous, mature women in movies, shows, comic books- catwoman, batgirl, all with bouncing breasts, small waists, and long, flowing hair. They were women, gorgeous WOMEN! I wanted to become like them; not some white, asexual amoeba. And this was the first step.
It would be risky, but I'd hidden things before, I knew what I was doing. It was an interesting thing- all silky and soft, shimmering ebony from top to bottom- not the PVC I'd idealized as being the ultimate in sexy, but sexy nonetheless, with satin ribbon lacing it together, and a few silk buttons here and there. An extra small should fit nicely, I thought to myself, still worrying nervously, as anyone underage does about anything sexual. I bought it, quickly and without much conversation, and rushed to the bathroom, ripping off any tags, throwing out the bag and receipt, and fit it on as quickly as I could. Damn, it used hooks to close... my stomach felt tense from being sucked in so far, but it was all worth it, all worth it, I said... and then, finally, it was on. I gazed downwards. My hips, round and womanly, my wait tiny, and my breasts as perky as I could desire. Ecstatic victory swelled in my heart! Screw my parents- I was finally a woman!
To viciously amputate my long story: I got away with it. I never saw what I looked like until I found a moment alone in my room- I had originally put my corset on in a public bathroom, remember, and I needed to cover myself with the white, baggy burka, for what you'd call "defensive purposes"- being verbally thrashed is the last thing an emotionally fragile teenager needs.
That being said, in retrospect, my first corset pales in comparison to my latest acquisitions. It was too long, too large at the waist, and the stitching wasn't adaquate, but nonetheless... it was a corset. Five years later, and buying sexy clothing isn't such a big whoop, though I must say that each time, I still have hints of victory swelling up every time I try one on. It's more than a fashion statement- it's a reaffirmation of my womanhood.
Observe: a piece of my collection, this particular one being in the cincher category.
I've had many corset experiences since, some good, some bad. If you'd care to save yourself some money and time, some advice:
1. Never buy from China. EVER. They don't make them as adjustable as American and European corsets, and the waists are consistently too big- honestly, I could probably flip the corset around and get exactly the same effect. That and they're too long. At 5'3", this becomes a problem. eBay and Amazon are slight steps above this, but nonetheless, they're nothing in comparison with the examples below.
2. Don't confuse corsets and bustiers... corsets pull your waist in and generally don't have cups for your boobies. Bustiers tend to frame the waist, rather than pulling it in, and have bra-like cups. I find corsets to be more attractive and wearable.
3. You get what you pay for. If it's under $35, you're definitely in trouble. $60+ is a good range. If you're not willing to spend at least $60 on a good corset, what you buy will just plain not look good. Get a thong for a temporary sexy fix and save your money for a real corset.
4. Custom fitting is everything. It'll be intensely more comfortable, and you'll look much better, as well. You buy corsets to look sexy and beautiful- custom fitting is, without a doubt, the best way to do that. You're not a cookie cutter copy- your clothing shouldn't be, either. It's the difference between pretty and drop-dead gorgeous... and we both know which one you'd like to be.
Which leads me to today's special endorsement!
www.DraculaClothing.com is, without a doubt, one of the best places to find a corset online- or anywhere else, for that matter. They have a huge selection of products, their materials are quality, quality, quality, and needless to say, everything can be custom fitted- in fact, to be incredibly convenient, they even have a sizing chart on their website: here, with such intricate detail! And don't be confused by the name: they're not just goth. There's Victorian, Steampunk, and much, much more. I can promise you right now that you WILL find something you love.
So STOP READING MY BLOG and get over there!
