Congratulations!  You have joined a special group of people around the world who recognize and appreciate the elegance of modern-day corseting!  No matter the reason for your interest in corseting, we hope you will love your new corset and get lots of pleasure wearing it for years to come.

Getting Started

It is helpful to wear something underneath your corset to absorb your body oils and sweat, something simple like an undershirt or tube top will do well.

Dressing will be easier if you put your corset on after you have already put on your other undergarments, stockings and shoes.

Do not allow other people to wear your corset! By the time your corset is broken in, it has molded to your exact body shape.  Letting others wear your corset will warp it as it tries to conform to their shape, and can leave gaps and wrinkles behind.

Lacing Your Corset

There are numerous ways to lace your corset, we are showing the most common way and our favourite way to lace your corset.

Both methods use just one very long lace.

The first option is the easiest asit’s like lacing a training shoe. The lacing looks good but the problem is that the laces will prevent the corset from being closed completely. If you like to wear your corset with a lacing gap at the back, then this method is fine.

Method 1

Start at the top 2 holes and have the lace going from the inside of the corset outwards through the top 2 holes.  You will have half the lace on the left and halt on the right. Keep the corset open at the back by 6-8 inches.  Then take the left hand lace section and go to the 2nd hole on the right, going from inside the corset outwards. Take the right hand lace section and go to the 2nd hole on the left going from the inside outwards. This will have formed the first criss cross.

Continue doing this until you get to holes at the waist of your corset. Then take the left lace and go to the hold directly underneath on the same side going from outside the corset inwards. This forms your central waist loops.  Repeat on right hand side.  Then start criss crossing from centre to hem, as you did at the beginning.  At the last eyelet, again thread the lace from the outside, in and tie each lace end in a double knot to stop the lace from coming out through the eyelets.  Once you have ensured you have sufficient lace, cut off any excess below each double know.

Method 2

Count the number of lacing eyelets. If the corset has an even number, lacing will start on the outside. Lacing begins on the inside for odd numbered eyelet corsets. Spread the corset flat on a table. Pull the laces through the first two eyelets, making sure that the lace ends are of the same length. Leave about an inch or two of space in between the corset panels.

Pick up the left side lace and cross it over the right, then through the next eyelet. Repeat for the right. The laces should be flat and the ends even. It is important that the ‘X’ formed with the laces is on the same side that the lace originated from. If lacing started from the inside, this first criss-cross will be on the outside.

Continue the criss-crossing until you reach the waist of the corset. The criss-crosses will alternate inside-outside-inside-etc. Keep going until you reach the waistline, stopping when the lace is pulled through from the back to the outside of the corset only.

Take the lace and pull it through the next hole down with no criss-cross; repeat on the other side. This will form a vertical loop of lacing in the middle of each row of eyelets. Leave enough lacing to make a sizable loop; several inches should suffice.

Take the left lacing end and pull it under and through the right side, then repeat with the right lacing. This starts the criss-crosses once more. Make criss-crosses until you reach the bottom of the corset.

Tie a bow at the bottom of the corset.

Putting the Corset On

Always remember to unloosen the ties before you put on your corset, or try to fasten the front busk. If you don’t, you risk snapping the busk fastening.

Corsets are delivered laced up the back with two long loops at the waist located roughly midway between top and bottom. As you will have a corset that is smaller than your normal waist size, first loosen the lacing at the back until there is a wide gap of 4 – 6 inches. Put the corset around you preferably not next to bare skin to protect your corset and fasten the front busk at one of the two middle snaps. Do not start at the top or bottom snap, it just makes life more difficult!

To assist you to close the corset, exhale and contract your tummy inwards as you fasten the middle snap. Use this process in reverse to take the corset off. Always remember to unloosen the ties before you try to unsnap the front busk at the middle snap. If you do not, you risk “popping” off one of the front snaps.

You should be sure and use the ‘lean-pull’ process to properly seat the waistline. Midway through lacing, lean to one side and gently tug downward the opposite bottom hem of the corset and reverse. This lengthens the torso when you stand up and also creates more space between the lowest rib and pelvic bone for the narrow part to lace even narrower. Men should be sure to place the waistline where they want it; a male waist is about at the bellybutton or lower, a female waistline is about one inch above the bellybutton.

Further, if you see any tendency of the corset front busk to go out of vertical, or to torque on the body, do not continue lacing but open up the laces, take the corset off, and start again. Never let a corset torque and stay that way on one wearing occasion, as it will tend to form and stay that way permanently!

To Remove your Corset

Always loosen the lacing at the back of your corset before trying to open the busk at the centre front otherwise this will cause undue stress and could snap the fastening.  To keep your corset fresh for it’s next wearing, take a damp (NOT WET) cloth to the lining and brush off any surface body oils or perspiration that may have accumulated.  Air out your corset in a cool open space and it will be ready to lace into next time you wish to look fabulous.

Dressing by Yourself

If you have no one to help you get into your corset it is helpful to stand with your back to a mirror so you can see what you are doing. Take the two long loops in one hand then hook the thumb of your other hand under each of the X’s of the lacing (starting at the top of the corset and working down to the waist) pull the X away from your body to tighten the corset. If you do this down to the waist, then slowly draw the strings forward in a fluid motion to tighten the corset. Follow the same process from the bottom of the corset up to the waist – repeat until the corset fits. Then tie a bow at the center back of the corset.