• How To Measure For A Corset

  • With a soft measuring tape. Measure Your 
    1. Under Bust  (red)
    The circumference of your ribcage just below the bust where your bra band rest.
    2. Waist At Belly Button (yellow)
    The circumference of your natural waist.
    3. High Hip (blue)
    The circumference of your high hip.It’s where the top of  your hip bone is on either side. Your bikini line.
  • 4. Torso Length (orange)
    From your under bust to your high hip.

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  • Waist Cincher vs. Corset. What’s the difference?
What are waist cinchers? A waist cincher is a compression garment that targets the abdomen specifically. That is where the similarity to corsets ends. A latex waist cincher is not actually a corset, but more like a girdle or other types of shapewear with several sets of hook and eyes down the center. It has a latex core with a cotton exterior and interior lining. Some are made with plastic boning down the sides to act as anchors and to keep the corset from rolling up. They either come in a waist cincher style or a vest and can be called a “waist training corset vest” or a “workout corset.” The theory behind the workout corset is that is works by stimulating thermal activity and ramps up perspiration which supposedly helps eliminate localized and stored fat. Much like getting a wrap at the spa or what the wrestlers wore in high school to quickly meet weight limits. The vests are supposed to reposition fat and water weight so that eventually you cannot store fat in your abdomen any more. A waist cincher will reduce an inch or two from your waistline while you are wearing it and is designed to provide a slimming affect underneath your clothes. If you carry your weight in your tummy, they can help give you more of a waistline but not the hourglass curves a steel boned corset will give you.
  • What are steel boned waist training corsets?
They are corsets that go around the waist, under the bust and have steel front busks and lace in the back. The key to their shaping power is steel boning. The steel allows the corsets to be cinched in while also keeping their shape. The point of steel boned waist training, is that as you slowly tighten the laces, it redefines your waist to the shape of the corset.
  • So what’s the difference between the two types?
First off the latex cincher is not a real corset. A true corset has boning and laces in the back. Secondly, there is no proof that the latex cinchers actually cause a permanent change in your shape like the steel boned corsets. The steel boned corset actually changes your physical shape over time. They both give you an instantly slimmer shape, but the latex cincher can still give you bulges in the back and side because the fabric and boning are not sturdy enough to hold you all in. Steel boned corsets are designed to not only give you incredible curves but will instantly take three to six inches (or more) off instantly while helping you to re-shape your body overtime.
  • What is waist training?
What is waist training? Traditionally "waist training" referred to the use of steel boned corsets to develop an hourglass shape. More recently, celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Amber Rose have redefined the term with the use of latex waist cinchers during workouts, shifting the entire concept of waist training.
Waist training = corset training.
    Waist training is a gradual process of waist reduction using a steel boned corset. Wearing a high quality corset, exercising and eating a clean healthy diet can greatly reduce your waist. Wearing a corset helps reduce food volume intake by gently constricting the internal organs thus helping to promote the healthier practice of smaller meals, more often, rather than three large meals a day.
    Waist training as a means of permanent waist-reduction and re-shaping is a practice requiring discipline and is best achieved when the following the Triad Of Success. Wear your corset, Eat Clean, and Exercise. We recommend a personalized plan. Results will be slower and harder to obtain if the 3 major components are not practiced as a gradual program of modifying the shape of the body.
    So, what are the steps to follow for correct waist-training?
    STEP ONE: ASK US AS MANY QUESTIONS AS YOU NEED, SO THAT YOU’RE COMFORTABLE AND CONFIDENT BEGINNING YOUR WAIST TRAINING JOURNEY.
    STEP TWO: Begin with submitting your measurements. We’ll select the size of your corset based upon your measurements. Please order accordingly. We advise all of our newbies to begin their waist training by choosing one of our Vixen Waist Training Corsets.
    STEP THREE: A person’s body must become accustomed to wearing a corset. We promote a safe and pleasurable corseting experience and strongly recommend following the seasoning schedule. Any new corset must be broken in or you can damage the garment. Corsets are extremely stiff when new and must be allowed to mold themselves and change shape according to where your ribs and hips are. This takes time. If you rush the process you will either hurt yourself or ‘pop’ a steel bone or warp the corset. Once the garment is fully seasoned then you can begin to further tighten your corset.
    Be sure to drink PLENTY of WATER as this will help to increase perspiration and flush out fat deposits. We do not advise sleeping in your primary waist training corset. For those who want to aggressively train, we offer Le Bonne Nuit Sleeping Corset. Once your corset is fully closed you can progress to the next size down as part of your continued waist training regime until your goal has been reached.
    • How Long Before I See Results?
    If you pay for gym membership-would you expect the trainers to know when you achieve your fitness goals? Of course not! The act of buying a gym membership does guarantee anything. How many hours a week will you work out? Will you adapt healthier eating habits? How rigorous will your workouts be? How consistent will your workouts be? Will your family genetics help or hinder your progress?
    You can see how quickly each of these variables will affect your individual timeline. The same is true for waist training. How many hours a day will you wear your corset (this can range from just a few hours to up to 23 hours per day)? How many days each week? Do you plan to incorporate diet and/or exercise into your waist training regiment (as opposed to just the body modification aspect of waist training)? Will your genetics help or hinder your progress?
    In short, there is no “average” time it takes to see results.
    • Are Corsets and Waist Training Dangerous?
    With corseting and waist training in the news so much, there is a LOT of information out there about how dangerous wearing a corset can be. FACT, it IS actually safe to wear a corset AND even to waist train without damaging your body. We suggest the common sense method of corsetry:
    “Is your corset causing you pain?” If the answer is a resounding “YES!”, then loosen the darn thing or take it off completely! The idea of no pain, no gain does not apply here.
    Listen to your body and you will be just fine! Corseting can actually even be beneficial in a some cases. Take things slow when you get a new corset. The process of seasoning your corset will give the corset time to mold to your body AND your body can get used to the idea of wearing a corset!
    • What is seasoning?
    Seasoning is the process of the corset forming to your body, you wear it for a limited amount of hours for a 21 day period. Reducing your waist no more than 2" inches. For example, if your natural waist is 30" when you measure then you would lace down no more than 28". * Please note NOT following the seasoning schedule can damage your corset and listen to your body if you feel the corset is too tight loosen it or take it off. WEEK ONE: MAXIMUM 2 INCH REDUCTION
    DAY 1-3: 2 HOURS DAY 4: 2.5 HOURS DAY 5: 3 HOUR DAY 6: 3.5 HOURS DAY 7: 4 HOURS
    WEEK TWO: MAXIMUM 2 INCH REDUCTION
    DAY 8-10: 4 HOURS DAY 11: 4.5 HOURS DAY 12: 5 HOURS DAY 13: 5.5 HOURS DAY 14: 6 HOURS
    REDUCTION OKAY PROGRESS SLOWLY- LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
    DAY 15-17: 6 HOURS DAY 18: 6.5 HOURS DAY 19: 7 HOURS DAY 20: 7.5 HOURS DAY 21: 8 HOURS
    • What are the physical benefits of wearing a corset?
    Corsets help control back pain and correct posture, to help those with past injuries (e.g. car accidents, vertebral fractures, slipped discs), to neurological disorders (e.g. tics, ataxia) and wear and tear injuries (e.g. osteoarthritis, degenerative disc disease) and autoimmune disorders (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia). *Corsets may prevent scoliosis patients from worsening of their curvature once they no longer have a brace, or they may be used to prevent back pain from the curve. Some experienced corsetieres have even designed corrective corsets that may help to reduce the curve over time. *By extension, correct posture also helps prevent other skeletal issues. One viewer has experienced relief from her plantar fasciitis while wearing a corset because of the redistribution of her weight on her feet. I have experienced considerable pressure taken off my knees since wearing corsets (bad knees run in my family), as corsets have changed the way I sit and stand, and encourage me to keep my hips level. *Corsets have also been known to reduce the intensity of headaches or migraines, and over time, some wearers have noticed that the corset has stop their headaches completely as proper posture can take tension off the neck and shoulders. Also, by potentially reducing the hyperlordosis in the lumbar spine, a properly-fitting corset can act as an orthopedic traction unit to prevent the spinal cord from being pinched or stretched (thereby preventing or helping to improve nerve problems). *Corsets are used as lumbar support to prevent potential back injuries and give support during work — e.g. during heavy lifting, repeated tasks or long hours on one’s feet, or in front of a computer. This has been known to benefit those working trade careers like plumbing and auto mechanics, those in retail who lift stock or stand for many hours, and those in the medical and nursing fields when having to lift patients, etc. *Those who have hypermobility or connective tissue disorders like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome sometimes experience injury due to weakness and hyperextension in their joints, and they may also experience chronic pain. Wearing a corset has helped some of these people by bracing the torso and preventing spontaneous movements that could lead to sprains, dislocations or other injuries. *Corsets are sometimes used by singers as a support; they provide resistance against which the diaphragm can push, which may help the singer achieve higher or more powerful notes.*Two women have mentioned that wearing a corset has helped improve their asthma. The upper lungs and bronchi may not be fully open or utilized with very poor posture, and correcting posture using a corset may help to open up the chest, relax the windpipe and allow easier breathing. *asthmatics please consult with your doctor before trying a corset, as not everyone has the same experience. *Corsets can also help to protect the organs during horse-riding or motorcycling, acting like a kidney belt to prevent bruising of the retroperitoneal organs. *Corsets are helpful in minimizing menstrual cramps in women. Many women temporarily relieve their dysmenorrhea by lying in the fetal position, which exerts pressure on the peritoneal organs and somewhat diminishes the painful uterine contractions. Corsets can mimic this position by exerting pressure on these same organs, reducing uterine contractions (and thus cramping) while her posture remains erect. *Corsets can prevent some types of abdominal hernias by exerting external pressure on the abdomen or may act like a girdle to prevent pre-existing hernias from worsening while the wearer waits for surgical repair. *NB: this may only help specific types of abdominal hernias, and results may vary – misuse of the corset may result in worse hernias in the case of hiatal/inguinal/femoral hernias. Always consult a doctor before trying a corset for any reason.*If extensive injury to the abdominal wall has already occurred (from automotive accidents, surgeries or procedures like colostomies, etc.) and the muscles are unable to heal properly, corsets may provide a source of protection and can help increase the intra-abdominal pressure to prevent the muscles from collapsing. *Corsets can sometimes help to correct diastasis recti, the separation of the abdominal muscles that some experience during their last term of pregnancy, if the corset is used post-partum to hold the muscles together and prevent them from separating further while they heal together again. *again, please check with your OB/GYN to see if compression wear is appropriate for you after childbirth. *For those who have ligament disorders that may affect the position of the stomach and liver, a well-fitting corset can lift up and support these organs and prevent “floating” or dropped liver (hepaptosis). *Corsets may be used as a weight loss aid – they act as an external gastric band and do not allow much expansion of the stomach, thus helping to control appetite and reduce food portions. Wearing a corset can also help the wearer to see themselves as a smaller person, ‘planting the seed’ of belief in their minds that weight loss is achievable and acting as a strong motivation for these wearers to improve their nutrition and fitness regimen. *Corsets give some women an hourglass shape that they may never be able to achieve naturally (through diet and exercise). Medications like steroids, or conditions like thyroid abnormalities or PCOS can make weight loss nearly impossible for some. On the other end of the spectrum, some patients with hyperthyroidism, pituitary issues, extremely fast metabolisms, or muscle wasting conditions may find it difficult or impossible to put on weight. However, the use of corsets can make it possible for women in both these situations to temporarily experience more of an hourglass shape even if their current gene expression or health situation dictates otherwise.*Corsets can change a wearer’s figure semi-permanently through changes in muscle and fat pad morphology. Many athletic women use corsets to make their waists smaller. Female body builders have used corsets to reduce the size of their waists so they will have a more competitive edge in fitness competitions. Ex-professional swimmers have also used corsets after their careers to help reverse the effect of the “Swimmers’ barrel chest” and give them back the smaller ribcage they had before swimming. *Corsets are used to reshape and feminize the figures of trans women or gender fluid individuals: often making the ribcage narrower, raising the apparent height of the waistline, and making the hips look fuller in contrast. These changes may help with any dysphoria they may experience by creating a figure they may consider more desirable or more easily identify with. *Corsets are also worn by men who need back support – a custom fit piece can help them keep a masculine physique, so they don’t have to be concerned about inadvertently creating any feminizing effects.*In those who have slow bowels/ constipation issues, the pressure of wearing a corset can sometimes stimulate the intestines and may allow a brief increase in peristalsis immediately after taking off the corset, making it easier to have a bowel movement. In those who have issues with diarrhea or fast bowels, wearing a corset snugly can sometimes slow down peristalsis, possibly lengthening the time between bowel movements. *this doesn’t work the same way for everyone – if you already experience abdominal pain, bloating or irregularity, ask your doctor before you’d like to try corseting. By Lucy Corsetry
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    Corset Care and Instructions
    How To Put On And Lace Up A Corset

      It may take some practice but it’s completely possible to lace yourself up in a corset. It is a bit easier with someone to help you, but once you get the hang of it you will find that it is probably faster to put on a corset yourself. Here are the steps required whether you are lacing yourself up or someone is assisting you. 

     1. Fully loosen all slack in lacing of the corset each time you are going to put it on. Try to make the separation in the back gap as even as possible. You don’t want all of the slack at the top or bottom of the corset, you need it evenly distributed across the entire gap.

      2. Place corset around your waist with lacing in back and knot at the bottom, and garter loops on the bottom. Hook the busk, starting with the 2nd eyelet from the top and work your way down to the bottom of the corset (do not start with the top or bottom eyelet). When you reach the bottom, go back and hook the top eyelet last. 

      3. Remove slack in lacing by pulling the two loops (bunny ears) located in the center of the corset (this is where the lace does not criss-cross). Pull as much slack out as possible and adjust the straightness of the corset making sure the corset is positioned correctly before fully tightening.

     4. Tighten the top portion of the corset by pulling the 2nd “X” from the top and then the third “X”. Again, remove extra slack on the top half by pulling center loops mentioned in step 3. You can also hold the center loops with your opposite hand to maintain tension as you pull the “X’s” with your primary hand.

     Tighten the bottom by pulling the second “X” from the bottom, then the third “X” just as you did on the top. Remove slack by pulling center loops (step 3). All three “X’s” on both the top and bottom of the corset should have most of the slack in the laces removed at this point. 

    5. Repeat step 4 until you've reached your desired fit and tightness. The corset should be comfortable and you should not experience any pain. If the corset is too tight, loosen the “X’s” at the area of discomfort to create a proper fit.

     6. Finally, tie the center laces into a bow.

     

    How To Remove A Corset

    Corsets rely on tension to reduce your waist and provide shape so it is absolutely imperative that you fully loosen the tension in the lacing before removing your corset. This must been done each and every time you wear your corset. Failure to loosen the corset before removing is the most common cause of damage. In extreme cases, the busk may be broken. In less extreme cases, the eye may be bent, making the corset difficult to both remove and put on.

     1. Untie the bow at the back of the corset and pull on the “X’s” to remove all of the tension from the laces. Start with the third "X" and pull out at least a foot of slack. Move up to the second and third "X's" respectively and repeat the process moving down. Be sure that the corset is now loose enough to move and shift a bit around your waist. If you skip this step, you risk breaking or bending the studs or the eyes of the busk. The reason for this is that you will be able to unhook all but the last eye fairly easily. The last stud and eye will then receive all the pressure that should be spread over five or six studs. It will be overstressed and almost impossible to open. If you continue to work it back and forth in an attempt to open it, you will eventually either break it or bend it.


    2. Once the corset is loose, proceed to unhook the eyelets. Unhook the very top eyelet and then start at the bottom and work your way up to the 2nd from the top. You never want to have a middle eyelet as the last to undo as it will be almost impossible.


    3. Now that the corset is fully unhooked and the laces are completely loose, you can store the corset for the next time you wear it . Since the laces will have to be completely loosened before you wear the corset again, you may want to store it in this open position.


    How To Store Your Corset

    Before storing your corset, be sure it's completely clean and dry. 

    
When storing our corsets before shipping them out to you, they are kept in plastic bags in drawers to prevent moisture and dust from damaging them. This as an option for your home storage method as well. You can save the dust bag that we send with the corset or keep the corset folded flat in a drawer, making sure that the is nothing heavy or sharp sitting on top of the corset that might bend the metal components or damage the fabric. 

    
If you choose to fold your corset, be sure to close the busk and tighten the laces before folding so that they stay straight. If you prefer not fold your corset, you can simply lay them flat in a drawer. 

    
We do not recommend rolling up your corset. The studs and eyes can be pushed into the fabric, causing damage to the fabric. Additionally, rolling it can distort the shape of the corset, therefore folding or hanging is a better option. 

    
If you choose to hang your corset, do not use hangers with squeeze clips that grasp the edge of the corset. These can damage some of the more delicate fabrics. If you would like to hang your corsets we recommend letting out all of the slack on the laces and draping the corset from those loosened laces over a hanger with the liner side facing out. 

    How To Care For And Clean Your Corset

    While keeping the outside of the corset clean is as difficult as with any other garment there is a lot that can be done to keep the inside clean. We recommend wearing something under a corset. A chemise or corset liner works well. These will absorb sweat and body oils and can be easily washed after wearing. This is especially important for anyone practicing waist training.

    
There are two ways to clean corsets. Dry cleaning and hand washing. We strongly recommend dry cleaning your Hourglass Corsetière/Shawn Andrea corset.

     We do not recommend washing the corset. CORSETS CANNOT BE MACHINE WASHED/TUMBLED DRIED.

    These actions will cause the steel boning in the corset to wear through the fabric in very short order. The fabric moves and the steel does not. One machine washing will destroy a corset. If you choose to wash your corset it must be done by hand and with great care.

Water and corsets do not mix well. Hourglass Corsetière uses steel busks, steel bones, and steel grommets. Water, and some chemicals, cause steel to rust. You should limit exposure to water to the shortest time possible.

Use cold or lukewarm water rather than hot water. The inner layer of the corset is 100% cotton. It is preshrunk, but very hot water could cause further shrinking. If this happens, it will give your corset a permanent wrinkled look.

Cleansers should be chosen with care and bleach should never be used. We use a tremendous selection of fabrics and cannot recommend any one cleanser that works for all of them. You should use as gentle a cleanser as possible. As with fabrics in any garment, the chemicals in some cleaners can cause damage. There can be bleaching, changes in fabric texture, and with some heavy cleaners, if they are not entirely rinsed out, residues can cause transference of dyes to skin or other clothing. Be sure to thoroughly, but gently, rinse out all cleansers. Since we use three layers of fabric in the corset this takes some time and patience.

Drying the corset also takes a little extra care. NEVER RING WATER OUT. This motion, just like the motion in a washer or dryer, will destroy your corset. Immediately after washing, lay the piece on an absorbent towel and then use another towel to sponge as much water away from the corset as possible. Finally hang the corset over a plastic hanger with the decorative layer facing in. 

    Dry Cleaning

    When choosing a dry cleaner, try to find one with previous corset experience. Make sure they are aware your corset has steel inside. Do not dry clean your corset too frequently as this can cause wear and tear.

Our leather and vinyl corsets must be dry cleaned. Be sure to ask the dry cleaner if they have experience with leather or vinyl. Do not attempt to wash them at home. If you want to clean and maintain the outside of your corset you may use leather polishes , but it is best to test them first on the inside trim. Various products may be used to clean and maintain the vinyl as well, but again, test them on the inside trim before applying them to to outside of the corset.

    Spot Cleaning

    If you just have a small spot that needs cleaning you may spot clean. Plain water is best, used with a lint-free cloth. If necessary, use a gentle cleanser and rinse thoroughly with water applied to a lint-free cloth. If the trim is made of the same fabric as the outer fabric it is a good idea to test the cleanser on the inside of the trim. If you want to remove body oils or light sweat from the inside of the corset just wipe the area with a slightly damp absorbent cloth. Be sure to let the corset dry completely before storing.