How to Get Laced Up in a Vintage Corset
Vintage corsets are the same style as the corsets that women wore in the late 18th century and early 19th century to support a woman's breasts and back. These tight-lacing corsets additionally help produce an hourglass shape silhouette with slimming curves. You must follow a specific procedure to lace vintage corsets properly; failure to do so may cause permanent damage to the steel stays, grommets or busk. It often helps to have a trustworthy assistant "lace you in" to your corset.
Instructions
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1
Remove the laces from your corset. This step will prevent the fabric, grommets and stays from being strained.
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2
Wrap the corset around your abdomen and chest with the grommets on your back. Ask your assistant to hold the sides of the corset approximately 7 inches apart.
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3
Slide the corset down around the lowest part of your abdomen. Hook the bottom of the busk. The busk is a stiff column of clasps positioned down the center front of the corset. Inhale deeply and exhale.
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4
Pull the corset down lower so it fits comfortably over your hips. Hook the front busk together starting from the bottom of the corset.
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5
Direct your assistant to pull the laces tightly down through the top grommet holes in a bi-directional fashion to make a repeating "X" pattern with the laces in the grommet holes.
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6
Tell your assistant to find the pull loops on the most narrow section of your waist. Ask your assistant to pull the loops down until they are taut.
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7
Have your assistant pull in the laces on the top and bottom of the corset to bring the edges of the corset panels in, leaving 2 inches of space between the edges at the waist and 3 inches at the hips.
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8
Direct your assistant to tie the trailing laces into a knot and to twist them together. Position the laces inside the corset and smooth them out so they lay flat.
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References
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