Proper Corsetry

Hello!  I went on a bit of a hiatus there for most of April didn't I?  Well I hope I can keep up regularly posting here, even if I have to queue up posts.

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Anyway let's get back to talking pretty dresses!  Today I want to talk about corsets.  I looove a good lace-up back but the key here is fit.  Fit is important in all clothing but it's particularly more important in expensive evening gowns and it is probably the single most important element in wedding gowns. 

First, yes corsets ARE more forgiving for fluctuating fits, since you can easily go up or down approximately one size in adjustment.  But one size up or down is pretty much the limit, not matter what a salesperson or seamstress might try to tell you.  Anything larger or smaller and you risk seriously distorting the lovely lace-up effect.  You still must get properly measured and sized for a corset gown for a proper fit, but they are more forgiving for minor fluctuations in weight gain or loss.

The proper corset should be a tapered elongated v-shape (kind of like a straightened tornado) with top being no wider or narrower than just about where the shoulder blade bones are, although there may be a little bit of variation depending on individual body types and gown types.  You will see that in the examples below.

I've seen both corsets that are wider and practically start at the sides of the rib cage and corsets that are so narrow that the sides are touching and there is no visible lacing.  Both of these are signs of unflattering fit.  Wider laced corsets will make your back look extremely wide and possibly bulging at the seams and narrow corsets with touching sides mean that the fit is not tight enough and the gown will constantly keep sliding down your torso.  Either of these extremes also seriously distort the lines of the dress such as side seams and darts.  

Please do not fall for the trap of buying a corset gown that is too big under the guise of being able to "size it down".  And please do not believe a salesperson or seamstress trying to sell you the idea of buying a smaller sized gown to better shape the corset.  This is not true anyway since corset gowns are sized the same way non-corsets are and the corset shape is "built in" to the measurements.  

Save yourself the trouble and get properly fitted, measured, and sized.  Corsets are supposed to fit as close to your body as a bathing suit.

Okay I'll hop off my soapbox now to show you some examples of ideally formed short bodice corsets.  Short bodices usually end at or near the natural waist and have fuller skirts.  Since the corset only has to hold the bodice to your body for the length of the bodice, these corsets should usually end where the bodice ends.  Off the top of my head I can't really think of any example of a dress with a short bodice and a longer corset.

All of the examples below show the ideal elongated v-shape corsets.  Some short bodice corsets might look wider than their long counterparts, but keep in mind that they end higher up on the bodice where the laces are longer.

Credits: Casablanca Couture, style no. 044.

Credits: Coco Anais (formerly Anais Collezioni) 2012, style no. AN150

Credits: Alena Goretskaya 2011, style no. AG116

Credits: Sottero &B Midgley "Aurora"

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Now here are some examples of long form corsets of gowns with longer bodices.  As you can see the proper length of a long corset ends as the bottom part of the v right reaches the "indent" (or "crack" if you will) of the back.  Longer bodice gowns tend to be a bit more formfitting.  The corset runs the length of the long bodice or to the indent and really should not go lower that that.  And certainly not curve around the posterior!  Just...no, don't do it no matter what a seamstress or salesperson tries to sell you.  

The sole exception is if the corset runs the full length of the gown, and since I have seen exactly ONE wedding gown like that let's just agree that it is a very rare occurrence.

Credits: Blue by Enzoani, 2013 collection, style "Fabius".

Credits: Ella Rosa, Limited Edition Lose Yourself Collection, style no. 12835.

Credits: Alfred Sung, Signature collection, style no. 6831.

Credits: Alfred Sung, Signature Collection, style no. 6837.

All of these have a bit of variation but the common denominator is that every single one of them is neither too wide nor too narrow.  If your corset does not look similar to the ones above, you did it wrong.
Want to see some real life examples?  Here, here, here, here, here.