Lacing up corset-style dress

[cammy85]

At my fitting, the seamstress was trying to explain how to do the corset-back for my dress so that it will stay put all night. I always thought you just lace relatively tightly all the way down, tie a knot, and PRESTO! According to her, not so much. She said that I needed to hold in where my natual waist was so she knew where to stop lacing, then she said to tie a knot there and tuck it in. Then continue lacing the rest of the day down the dress.

1. Does anyone have any experience with their corset/laceup-back?
2. How do you hide a knot like that so you don''t ruin the gorgeous lacing?

And I''ve been teetering back and forth between having a bra or not. I''m a 34D at 5''4 and 120 pounds, so a little top heavy... If I have something, I want a bustier/corset that holds me up, but cannot for the life of me find a good one that fits me and my chest at the same time. I have a frederick''s of hollywood near me, so I think that''s my next bet. Any other suggestions?

(I do have the David''s bridal long line bra, but I think the sheer weight of my chest made it buckle right under the underwires

.. I apparently need boning in that area as well..)

 

[cammy85]

one shameless bump to see if anyone has any ideas.

Thanks!

 

[galvana]

Hi Cammy
I too have a lace up corset style dress and am wondering the same thing, I have not gone to any fittings yet though so i''ll be interested to hear what the others post. I am about your size 5''4, 130lbs (10 more!) and 34D and i tried on my dress with and without a bra, i think you can go either way as long as you can''t see through it.

 

[Elmorton]

For my corset back dress, we did not knot at the waist...in fact, I''ve never seen that. I will say that it was more complicated than lacing up a shoe - but other than that, I''m really not sure how I was laced into the dress because one of my BMs did it.

I definitely recommend the full bra...granted, I had a modesty panel behind the laces (I prefer the look of the laces with satin behind them instead of skin) - the extra support was great, and I also didn''t sweat all over my dress (dancing, hot ceremony, etc). As a bigger chested gal also, the bra helps make sure you''re in place.

 

[galvana]

i didn''t think of that, sweating on the dress, good to note.

 

[robbie3982]

We didn''t do it like that. We just laced all the way to the bottom, tied the knot and tucked it in and my dress stayed up fine. My hips were killing me the next day though since most of the weight was supported by them and not my waist, so maybe this would''ve helped.

 

[OUpearlgirl]

I work in a bridal boutique and we''ve never talked about or done that.. We just lace it all the way to the bottom and tuck it in, like Robbie said.

 

[bensbride]

I have a lace up back, too. I wasn''t told to do anything special with the back other than merely lace it up, but that really makes sense when you think about it. I have boning in the bodice of my dress, so I don''t think i''ll wear a bra with more boning unless I''m planning on poking my body to death all evening. Does your dress have boning in the bodice? I wouldn''t feel comfortable without some kind of bra, and I''m also a D cup. I suppose its up to you. I agree that you should probably make sure you can''t see through the top...that could be embarrassing. Also, there''s a funny pic going around where the bride goes to jump and her dress doesn''t "jump" with her and she flashes everyone...so that has made me paranoid about going braless.

 

[Pandora II]

I had a corset under my dress.

It was laced up by my dressmaker and my sister and both times I could barely breathe.

On the day, my brother laced me into the corset and it was so comfortable and easy to wear all day and all evening. He and his FI are into fetish and he has 2 corsets of his own and I believe she has 3, so he is pretty expert on them.

He laced it completely differently from how the others did - they started at the top and worked down with the knot at the bottom. He did something where it was all based on where my waist was, so the corset would mould properly and give in the right places.

It might be worth your while seeing if there is a corsetry shop in your area or a shop that sells fetish wear. (Sounds alarming I know, but they''re all pretty normal people and other than a penchant for rubber, there is nothing kinky or sordid about it - my brother is a very staid lawyer in his other life

).

You might also find details on the Internet - Dark Garden in SF is a very well-known corset shop and they might be able to advise you over the phone...

Good Luck - and do make sure you get it laced properly, it made a HUGE difference for me.

 

[jstarfireb]

I have the same lace-up dress as bensbride, and I''m planning to wear a slimming bodysuit underneath it. Not that the corset isn''t slimming enough on its own...but I wanted a padded push-up bra to help my almost B cups fill out the bodice (you and I have the opposite problem, it seems!). And I didn''t like the look and fit of the David''s strapless bra. This is the one I''ll be wearing. I''ve also never heard of tying a knot at the natural waist, but I guess it could work. I''m just planning on lacing it all the way down and tucking in the straps, since it was both slimming and comfortable that way when I tried it on.

I think checking out Frederick''s would be a good idea as well. I have their Hollywood Dream Corset, and it really works. I''m sure it will help rein in the girls!

 

[geckodani]

Date: 12/10/2008 1:32:34 PM
Author: Pandora II
I had a corset under my dress.

It was laced up by my dressmaker and my sister and both times I could barely breathe.

On the day, my brother laced me into the corset and it was so comfortable and easy to wear all day and all evening. He and his FI are into fetish and he has 2 corsets of his own and I believe she has 3, so he is pretty expert on them.

He laced it completely differently from how the others did - they started at the top and worked down with the knot at the bottom. He did something where it was all based on where my waist was, so the corset would mould properly and give in the right places.

It might be worth your while seeing if there is a corsetry shop in your area or a shop that sells fetish wear. (Sounds alarming I know, but they''re all pretty normal people and other than a penchant for rubber, there is nothing kinky or sordid about it - my brother is a very staid lawyer in his other life

).

You might also find details on the Internet - Dark Garden in SF is a very well-known corset shop and they might be able to advise you over the phone...

Good Luck - and do make sure you get it laced properly, it made a HUGE difference for me.

That, is awesome. And also good to know.

Sounds like you have a cool brother!

 

[laurel25]

Ditto what pandora said. I had a corset for under my dress in my first wedding and it had two sets of laces - one that started from the top & went down and one that started at the bottom & went up. It tied in the middle at my natural waist. That way the top and bottom were independent of each other and you could lace the middle (waist) as tight as you wanted and still be able to breath. I think the difference is that an actual corset is made to suck you in and cinch things, while a corset back dress is more for looks than actual support even though many people are able to go with just the support of the dress.

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 12/10/2008 2:10:03 PM
Author: geckodani

That, is awesome. And also good to know.

Sounds like you have a cool brother!

LOL, he is a lovely guy - and with 3 sisters is well trained in all forms of shopping, especially prom dresses etc

According to him a corset should ''feel like a hug''.