Anyone wear real steel-boned corsets and actually "waist train" or "tight lace?" Help!

[Goat Goat Etc.]

Anyone wear real steel-boned corsets and actually "waist train" or "tight lace?" Help!

I have several corsets from Orchard Corset and though they answer quite a few questions about them I would rather get personal perspectives here. I just hand washed two of my corsets I haven't worn in 2 years and realized if I do not actively use these, I will never learn to be disciplined about wearing and would have really "waist-ed" my money (corny pun totally intended). I would really like to know if any Specktra-ites have actually entered and remained true to their corsets and could share their trials and ideas about their routines and lifestyles with them.

 

[gildedangel]

I actually don't tend to wear my corsets out in public, but I do wear them around the house 4-5 days of the week for a few hours at a time. The only times I've worn them out in public was either hiding it under a hoodie or out to a local fantasy convention. I don't really waist-train as I'm already pretty thin (I only do a 2"- 3" reduction). I find the best way to help me remember to wear them is to just have them out in plain site. If you want to get back into it, maybe just start out slow by wearing them for a couple of hours at a time a few days a week, and then you can work your way up from there.

Also, I don't recommend handwashing corsets, they should really be dry-cleaned since the water can potentially rust the steel boning, but as long as you make sure they really dry thoroughly then they should be fine.

 

[Goat Goat Etc.]

I actually don't tend to wear my corsets out in public, but I do wear them around the house 4-5 days of the week for a few hours at a time. The only times I've worn them out in public was either hiding it under a hoodie or out to a local fantasy convention. I don't really waist-train as I'm already pretty thin (I only do a 2"- 3" reduction). I find the best way to help me remember to wear them is to just have them out in plain site. If you want to get back into it, maybe just start out slow by wearing them for a couple of hours at a time a few days a week, and then you can work your way up from there.

Also, I don't recommend handwashing corsets, they should really be dry-cleaned since the water can potentially rust the steel boning, but as long as you make sure they really dry thoroughly then they should be fine.

Thanks for the advice, I really like the hoodie idea. Yeah, I'm aiming for about that much reduction too, nothing hardcore like tightlacing. Has it improved your posture? Back problems? Do you ever sleep in them and do you do ab exercises?

True that about the washing. When I looked up cleaning a corset there was more prevention instructions like wearing a cami, airing it out, spraying febreeze or a vodka mixture, etc. Dry cleaning was expressed as a the main route for really washing but then hand washing was like last resort. Also I'm cheap. But god my corsets needed it. I had deep set-in stains from makeup and the more vigorously I dunked my corsets in buckets on detergent and borax water, the dirtier the water became. Also one of my corsets leached black ink from the interior fabric, so that was eww too. Lol

Fortunately, it's summer and Texas has turned into the 5th circle of hell right now. After I washed them last night, I left them out till about now and then feel bone dry. I should put them on right now and loosen the fabric I suppose. I intend to wear one or the other corset out tonight. :/

 

[gildedangel]

Thanks for the advice, I really like the hoodie idea. Yeah, I'm aiming for about that much reduction too, nothing hardcore like tightlacing. Has it improved your posture? Back problems? Do you ever sleep in them and do you do ab exercises?

True that about the washing. When I looked up cleaning a corset there was more prevention instructions like wearing a cami, airing it out, spraying febreeze or a vodka mixture, etc. Dry cleaning was expressed as a the main route for really washing but then hand washing was like last resort. Also I'm cheap. But god my corsets needed it. I had deep set-in stains from makeup and the more vigorously I dunked my corsets in buckets on detergent and borax water, the dirtier the water became. Also one of my corsets leached black ink from the interior fabric, so that was eww too. Lol

Fortunately, it's summer and Texas has turned into the 5th circle of hell right now. After I washed them last night, I left them out till about now and then feel bone dry. I should put them on right now and loosen the fabric I suppose. I intend to wear one or the other corset out tonight. :/

I already have good posture so wearing a corset doesn't do much for me there, but I love the back support, especially when I'm at my desk typing for longer than an hour! I'll take short naps in my corsets, but I never sleep in them overnight. But then again it would depend on the corset, I would never want to sleep overnight in my Orchard Corset CS-411, but I would consider it in my WKD Gina corset because that corset breathes better, is more flexible and more comfortable to move around in generally. I don't do ab exercises specifically, but I also don't usually wear my corsets for more than 4-5 hours a day max.

I am a huge advocate for wearing a layer underneath a corset, it makes it a little more comfortable because it's another layer of fabric between your skin and the bones, plus as you might imagine after your corset washing experience, it's so much easier to throw a tank in the wash than to clean your corset. I bought a bunch of cheap tank tops on clearance for this, but the thrift store is another great and cheap option. I'd also try to spot clean it more often so your corsets don't get so dirty, and then you won't feel the need to deep clean them for longer periods of time. For spot cleaning I don't like using febreeze (can leave a residue) or any sort of alcohol because it can dry out the fabric. I prefer to use a slightly damp cloth with a little Eucalan (or any super gentle detergent, I use this stuff mostly to handwash my bras) and scrub it gently until the spot comes out.

Which corset did you end up choosing to wear out?

 

[Goat Goat Etc.]

I already have good posture so wearing a corset doesn't do much for me there, but I love the back support, especially when I'm at my desk typing for longer than an hour! I'll take short naps in my corsets, but I never sleep in them overnight. But then again it would depend on the corset, I would never want to sleep overnight in my Orchard Corset CS-411, but I would consider it in my WKD Gina corset because that corset breathes better, is more flexible and more comfortable to move around in generally. I don't do ab exercises specifically, but I also don't usually wear my corsets for more than 4-5 hours a day max.

I am a huge advocate for wearing a layer underneath a corset, it makes it a little more comfortable because it's another layer of fabric between your skin and the bones, plus as you might imagine after your corset washing experience, it's so much easier to throw a tank in the wash than to clean your corset. I bought a bunch of cheap tank tops on clearance for this, but the thrift store is another great and cheap option. I'd also try to spot clean it more often so your corsets don't get so dirty, and then you won't feel the need to deep clean them for longer periods of time. For spot cleaning I don't like using febreeze (can leave a residue) or any sort of alcohol because it can dry out the fabric. I prefer to use a slightly damp cloth with a little Eucalan (or any super gentle detergent, I use this stuff mostly to handwash my bras) and scrub it gently until the spot comes out.

Which corset did you end up choosing to wear out?

Yeah felt comfy wearing this cheap-o tank under last night.

I wore a now discontinued overbust. This guy I'm seeing was playing a show last night and saw me in it. Loved it.

 

[Goat Goat Etc.]

Honestly a mesh corset like this in a longline, underbust style would make my day.

 

[Goat Goat Etc.]

Oh wow! Orchard Corset announced their getting a long line version of the mesh corset! And that they're expanding the hips on their corsets plus girls with curves!